MBB: NESCAC

Ryan Scott (Hoops Fan) · February 21, 2006, 03:42:08 PM

The elite can compete with the best of the lower d1 conferences. I would put money that the top d3 teams could do better against Duke than whoever wins the play-in game this March.

formerbant10 · February 21, 2006, 03:46:52 PM

Absolutely Hoops Fan, absolutely agree with you on that one.

Ryan Scott (Hoops Fan) · February 21, 2006, 03:51:46 PM

I mean IWU played Illinois in an exhibition. I know it was only an exhibition, but still Illinois is one of the best team out there and it was a single digit game with just a few minutes to go.

Now the gap between the best in d3 and the rest of d3 might be pretty large.

formerbant10 · February 21, 2006, 04:02:25 PM

The worst of D3 would lose to many of the top high school teams in NYC. That's for sure. But the best of the D3 teams are very good, and many people outside of the D3 world do not realize that. I bet that IWU's starters had the talent to play w/ Illinois, but the 8th,9th and 10th guys at IWU are where the game gets uneven.

I also heard that a few summers back Rich Melzer was one of the top talents in the Minnesota Pro City Summer League. On one play he stole the ball from Troy Hudson, then put it through Troy's legs on his way to a two-handed tomahawk.

Ryan Scott (Hoops Fan) · February 21, 2006, 04:05:16 PM

Hey there are a third of d3 teams that would lose to the best high school teams in just about any state. That's the whole point of division three, giving anybody a chance. Those Caltech guys deserve a lot of credit. It's a pity they missed out on a win last night. Those guys put out a lot of effort and for a long time none of them have had much experience at all.

How did this conversation even get started?

formerbant10 · February 21, 2006, 04:08:39 PM

I believe that CC bringing up that Adolphe Coulibaly scored 11 on Missouri is what sparked the D3 vs. the world convo this time.

Always an interesting one that I find myself in quite a bit.

dman · February 21, 2006, 05:01:35 PM

i'm glad to see it's the amherst folk saying they think their hoop team should get to the final 4 this year....

CCsalive · February 21, 2006, 05:25:51 PM

Formerbant-Wesley Snipes used to play "summer pro-league" until he said "nah, F--- that" ...Do you work for DIII hoops.com? I agree that bad DIII gets beat by Rice H.S., but are you aware of what The Landlord and Josh McRoberts(!) would do to Rhoten and Hoar? But your absolutely correct on one thing...Pat Martin would definitley lock-up JJ Reddick...what exactly do they teach you at trin-trin?

formerbant10 · February 21, 2006, 07:06:45 PM

I know a lot more than your giving me credit for, especially when it comes to Duke players. How many have you played w/ or against in your days???

I don't work for DIII hoops.com.

And there isn't anyone playing anywhere in college that can stop Redick.

Take it easy over there.

And Trinity doesn't offer classes on college hoops, I learn about those guys on my own.

nescachoopsfan · February 21, 2006, 07:56:16 PM

i agree with formerbant10
i would say the best 20 players in the nescac could walk on to about any of the top 70-80% of d1 teams. now walking on and getting a scholarship is a big difference, but still many of the best d3 players could play on d1 teams. Also i think there were 2 d3 teams this year that beat d1 teams. i know carnegie melon beat princeton and i think i heard of another this year. the main difference between d3 and d1 schools is mainly athletisism but only skill in some instances. now theres a fine line between skill and athletisism because some people would say not many d1 teams can shoot like amherst and williams, but williams and amherst arent being guarded by the athletes that play division 1. You see some d1 schools and they dont have more than 2 guys that can hit consistent 3's while amherst has 5 guys on the floor at once that will all knock down 3's. its tough to say, but just because coulibaly had 11 points against missouri one game. while it is an impressive stat, there are so many aspects about basketball that could have allowed him to get 11 points. what if his man was assigned to go double a big man in the post and he hit a 2 or 3 shots. or maybe he got an over the back call in the bonus and hit some foul shots. to have one game with 11 points doesnt mean much. if he averaged 11 points thats something else, but if someone scored 11 points in one game, thats not too amazing. especially because 11 is only 11.

senatorfrost · February 21, 2006, 07:58:58 PM

(Former Bant) Speaking of age I have wanted to ask you this for a while. How old is Westbrookes? Honestly.

formerbant10 · February 21, 2006, 10:14:18 PM

Aaron is 19 I believe. Late birthday in '86. He plays much older than he his, because he's been playing in a high level league in Ireland.

And to be honest, I think that the top 20 in the conference could walk on to every team in D1. At least I'd hope so.

mrmike88 · February 21, 2006, 10:33:21 PM

I'm pretty sure Puget Sound won a game against a D-I Cal State school this year, too.

JeffRookie and I flipped a coin to see who would call which games on the radio this weekend, and I drew Trinity-Tufts. Formerbant (or anyone else for that matter), is there anything I should know coming into Saturday's game that the stat sheets wouldn't tell me? Was anyone at either of the games this past weekend?

senatorfrost · February 21, 2006, 10:48:43 PM

If I remember right a couple years ago Macalester (I think)beat yale the year Yale tied for the ivy League crown. This year I think Princeton is running second or third.
Final Four for Amherst?It's nice that people can be so blithe without seeing any teams from other areas. Used to be the Eph fans saying 'Final Four or Bust' However now it appears that others have become all knowing. Meantime they still have to get past Trinity. They'll probably get a bid anyway but home court would be nice and maybe there won't be another group of Monsters lying in wait this year.
I saw the Trinity game and I still don't understand how Trinity could lose to the Ephs and even to Tufts. I think they are the best team I have seen this year at Lefrak.
As far as comparing Amherst to past Eph squads, it's a little early maybe? As far as Coulibaly is concerned he is getting better and it wouldn't surprise me if next year he actually does make all conference.
As folks have noticed he is EXTREMELY athletic.
As far as Former Bant goes I pay close attention when he talks about players and their abilities. There is no one better to ask about a player than another player who has been on the floor with/against the player in question.

formerbant10 · February 21, 2006, 11:00:11 PM

Senator,

Thank you for the extreme compliment. Karma point for you.

Trinity always plays well at Amherst. The only team to beat them regular season at their place in the last 6 years I believe.

The Trinity-Tufts game was a thriller. Biggest leads were 6 for both teams. Trinity had some chances to close out and just couldn't quite do it. Tufts has some killers off the bench in Black and Weitzen. I think both of these teams are very good, a little behind Amherst some days but not always. And both teams are better than Bates.

The league always has some wins/losses that people would not expect. Williams played a great game against Trinity from what I heard, and Trinity looked tired. Those two teams do not match up very well in Trinity's favor and Williams took advantage of a good shooting day at home, like a well coached good team should.

Expect an absolute great game between Trinity and Tufts. I think Amherst outmatches Bates a little too much this year. Reilly will have something up his sleeve, but you'd be a fool to think Hixon wouldn't as well.

Again, somebody please check out Coulibaly's real talent. He has a painting of MJ that is unreal. The only artist in the league better than Adolphe is Wes Stonely down at Trinity. That's what I love about the NESCAC kids, they aren't limited to just playing ball.