MBB: NESCAC

magicman · January 10, 2011, 04:25:33 AM

Quote from: amh63 on January 09, 2011, 12:19:31 PM

Walzy.....Not sure I can keep up with your generation's expressions, in spite of my hip-dressed sons. Understood your last line in your posts......but am puzzled about "AT" in an earlier post.

amh63
I'm probably close to your age and I was puzzled at first as well, but I believe by AT, he was referring to the Athletic Trainer.

Major Hoople · January 10, 2011, 08:39:05 AM

No doubt Ephs win with Whittington on the court, and this is not meant to denigrate Jeff's tremendous effort, but his presence changes the complexion of the entire game. Exactly what is the nature of his injury and how long will he be out? Does anyone actually know?

Old Guy · January 10, 2011, 02:11:08 PM

"On another note, interesting win for the Mules over Bates on Saturday. Bates has really struggled of late, and for Colby to win with Russell only scoring 7 says a lot. " (Colby Hoops)

Why is Bates struggling so? Colby beats Bates, at Bates, where the Bobcats enjoy the greatest home court advantage in the league. Bates was the consensus challenger to the Big Three at the beginning of the year, after a strong finish last year, with everyone back, and a good rookie in the backcourt.

They get Williams and Middlebury at home this weekend. I still fear the Bobcats, especially in that wonderful old gym (on Saturday afternoon after a likely tough game in Boston - Tufts - the night before).

eph partisan · January 10, 2011, 02:15:56 PM

Quote from: Major Hoople on January 10, 2011, 08:39:05 AM
No doubt Ephs win with Whittington on the court, and this is not meant to denigrate Jeff's tremendous effort, but his presence changes the complexion of the entire game. Exactly what is the nature of his injury and how long will he be out? Does anyone actually know?

It's a minor knee injury, and he was slated for about three weeks off. He couldn't get cleared for Saturday, though from what I understand, he tried. He should be back in time for NESCAC play.

I actually think it's good for Williams as a team that he didn't play. I am sure that the game gave the team confidence that they could compete without Troy, which was something that might have been up in the air prior to Saturday; it also gave some younger guys very needed experience in a high-pressure situation.

Assuming Troy is healthy, I agree with Colby Hoops on the order of the top three in the league.

Colby Hoops · January 10, 2011, 02:40:03 PM

The Bates situation is a bit odd. I think they may have been overrated a little from the beginning as they don't really have a whole lot of talent. They have a lot of really nice solid players and Ellis. Ellis also somewhat fits that mold where he is an unbelievable player who works his butt off and is very smart, but he's more of a hustle points hit the open shot guy than he is a takeover the game guy.

Also, those CBB games in Maine are a lot like the Amherst/Williams games. One team cold be the best in the league and the other the worst and it would be a hardfought close game. Nothing gets a team more riled up than a game with those belligerent fans in that overheated high school gym they have in Lewiston. (Hands down the best place to play in the NESCAC, and I'd argue in the country).

And OldGuy, you're right to be nervous about that road game at Bates, there's no cakewalks against them.

Bucket · January 10, 2011, 03:42:19 PM

Planning on a trip to Maine this weekend to visit close friends and take in the Midd-Bates game on Saturday. Looking forward to the chance to experience this scene for the first time, though I hope the belligerence doesn't upset my 4-year-old, who won't understand why everyone is yelling at his heroes!

Old Guy · January 10, 2011, 09:01:45 PM

Don't worry, Bucket, they're noisy but not nasty, except, that is, if Bowdoin is in town. Then you have to evacuate the women and children. See you there.

I grew up in Lewiston, at Bates - watched 100s of games in Alumni Gym. Bates has no ice hockey team. Basketball is huge, always has been. I'm glad we're not playing Saturday night.

nescac1 · January 11, 2011, 12:52:26 AM

Another NESCAC recruit story:

http://www.newenglandrecruitingreport.com/news/article/1784/Spirou-Picks-Trinity.php

I imagine that Trinity will bring in a ton of recruits this year, with a very thin and senior-heavy roster, and a new coach.

Has anyone seen Conn's Matt Vadas play yet? But for Toomey, he'd be getting a lot of attention as the leader for ROY ... his numbers are off the charts, and he seems to have carried a Conn team that was decimated by defections yet is still a surprisingly respectable 7-5 (although vs. a weak schedule). Tonight he went off, 30 points including 11-14 from the field, 7-8 from 3, plus 4 assists and 3 boards (again against a terrible team, but that is tough vs. air). That is two 30 point games in a row -- impressive. Should be interesting to see how he does vs. NESCAC opponents.

Old Guy · January 11, 2011, 10:58:23 AM

As you consider candidates for the All-Frosh five, keep Middlebury's Joey Kizel in mind. He's had a real impact on a good team. He's the first player off the bench, playing 22 minutes a game. His numbers are good, if not as striking as those new players who carry more of the offensive load for their teams. He scores 7.5 points a game (shooting nearly 50%). While he doesn't shoot many threes, he can (4-9). He gets to the line where he's a decent foulshooter, 72%. He looks to pass (four assists a game) but goes hard to the basket.

He's not big, but he's not small either - strong (6', 190 lbs). He's a confident ballhandler who likes to play Middlebury's fast-paced game. Coach Brown has been playing him at times alongside Wolfin and Thompson in the backcourt which gives the Panthers real quickness on defense. He can afford to with those two big erasers, Locke and Sharry, guarding the hoop. Kizel's a different player from Edwards, but he gives us the same depth in the backcourt we had last year with the two-time defensive POY.

nescac1 · January 11, 2011, 11:10:00 AM

Definitely seem to be a very nice group of frosh guards around the league this year. Hayden Rooke-Ley also looked very good against Amherst -- he plays tough defense, is a tremendous rebounder for a guard (he is 6'2, solidly built, and very aggressive -- 4.1 boards in only 18 mpg), is a good passer, and has a really pretty outside shot (and like all of the Eph guards, he is a great foul shooter at 86 percent). He can take it to the hole as well; as he learns to finish better over taller inside guys (or draw more fouls), he'll be a really tough cover. He played a lot down the stretch over Klemm, presumably to help on defense and rebounding (and also due to Klemm's foul trouble issues).

Kizel/Wolfin vs. Sha Brown vs. Robertson/Rooke-Ley vs. Toomey should provide some great battles for the next 3-4 years.

On another note, Hamilton joins the league next year, right? On the plus side, every team will now have five home and five road games each season. Does anyone know, however, how that will affect scheduling -- with 11 teams in the league, I imagine the whole travel partner system will have to change ...

jayhawk · January 12, 2011, 09:50:27 AM

D3 hoops article on Amherst-Williams Rivalry http://www.d3hoops.com/notables/2011/01/rivalry-gets-look-at-its-future

Middlebury has an excellent and balanced team look forward to that match up

amh63 · January 12, 2011, 12:14:16 PM

Saw the cited story the other day. Thanks anyway Jayhawk. For those posters that missed the game, the two articles on D3hoops also provided over 300 photos of the game. Looking over the photos shows the emotion/tension that was in the game. The intensity of the players are also revealed!
It looks like Bates vs. Brandeis game was a good won at Bates. The ranked Brandeis team felt the atmosphere of the Bates' gym.

amh63 · January 12, 2011, 01:16:14 PM

Correction to my last post. "won" should be "one". I do have problems with spelling and tenses, etc.

Old Guy · January 12, 2011, 02:29:15 PM

The second season starts this weekend, especially for those teams, like Middlebury, who have no powerful natural rival (Bates-Bowdoin-Colby; Williams-Amherst) to play in a non-league game in the first half. (Would it make sense for the CT schools to play an early game as well? Natural rivals?)

I spoke to a player today who said, "we haven't won anything yet," an overstatement but understandable. Midd will be decided favorites against Tufts and Bates, but these will be real tests in their gyms. What has been so satisfying about Middlebury teams in the past few years is how well they have played on the road, how many close games they have won: this is a combination of luck, talent, preparation, confidence, poise, and grit.

Because of the concept change last year in NESCAC scheduling, Middlebury did not have to take the "dreaded Maine trip" for the last two years, and went 6-0 at home against CBB (8-0 if you add playoff wins in our gym against Colby last year and Bowdoin the year before). Two Maine trips this year.

amh63 · January 12, 2011, 04:27:01 PM

Old Guy.....what is the "concept change" wrt to scheduling? On the topic of sport scheduling, brought up earlier by nescac1, has any posters heard anything about the scheduling when Hamilton fully enters the conference this coming Fall.
I have noticed the Hamilton banner in LeFrak this year.....has a white background....and sticks out like a "headlight" announcing the arrival of Hamilton! I mentioned in a post several years ago, at a football game in NY, that I met the MBB coach. I believe he is a NESCAC grad. They have a "tradition" of sorts that has the MBB players hold the chain lines during football games.....in costume!
Amherst team goes on their CT. road trip this weekend. Should be interesting, as the conference games start.