MBB: NESCAC

fpc85 · April 04, 2009, 12:34:56 PM

Quote from: ephoops on April 02, 2009, 02:20:52 PM
Quote from: fpc85 on April 02, 2009, 12:44:20 PM
Quote from: frank uible on April 02, 2009, 08:32:56 AM
Tom Parker reloads - Hixon pulls the trigger.
AMHERST "reloads" b/c of many reasons other than Hixon and Tom.

And those reasons are...?

In recent years the biggest reason for choosing Amherst over Williams is location. More things to do at Amherst.

amh63 · April 04, 2009, 02:28:26 PM

Jumpshot,
I hope you are not a graduate of Williams. If so, your posted comments suggest that you did not benefit from the fine educational opportunities offered at Williams.

Amherst's planned enrollment growth (with the associated growth of faculty and facilities) is not based on the financial situation. Amherst's endowment/student before the recent economic downturn and at present is still larger than Williams. As of 6/30/08, Amherst's endowment was almost equal that of Williams and with a much smaller operating budget due to its smaller enrollment. Enough said.

Please keep the comments civil and factual. Few Amherst graduates, if any, are fully aware of the intent of the Dean of Admissions at Amherst, he being a graduate of Williams along will another senior admission dean. Dean Parker was as you should know was the William's admission dean for many years.

Have we any news of any William MBB recruits or any more NESCAC recruits!

lefrakenstein · April 05, 2009, 09:02:27 PM

found some stats for Suffield Academy's season:

http://www.maxpreps.com/connecticut/basketball/suffield-academy-(suffield)/stats.aspx?gendersport=boys,basketball&schoolid=f595b6ef-486c-47a9-9957-9ba78125eebc&urpath=,local,team

Looks like Pierce Edwards is the largest contributer among the Amherst recruits, averaging 13 points and 6 rebounds while Matt Edwards averages 8 and 6. Bryant averages 3 and 8... looks like he might be a bit of a project if he is going to contribute offensively in college.

lefrakenstein · April 06, 2009, 10:42:05 AM

NERR has Mike DiStasio going to Trinity. He is ranked just below Kaasila, so that should be a pretty darn good recruit for Trinity. I think he is the 4th highest d3 recruit on that site behind Kaasila and 2 brothers going to NYU.

http://www.newenglandrecruitingreport.com/rankings/maine.php

ephoops · April 06, 2009, 03:57:31 PM

Quote from: amh63 on April 04, 2009, 02:28:26 PM
Jumpshot,
I hope you are not a graduate of Williams. If so, your posted comments suggest that you did not benefit from the fine educational opportunities offered at Williams.

Amherst's planned enrollment growth (with the associated growth of faculty and facilities) is not based on the financial situation. Amherst's endowment/student before the recent economic downturn and at present is still larger than Williams. As of 6/30/08, Amherst's endowment was almost equal that of Williams and with a much smaller operating budget due to its smaller enrollment. Enough said.

Please keep the comments civil and factual. Few Amherst graduates, if any, are fully aware of the intent of the Dean of Admissions at Amherst, he being a graduate of Williams along will another senior admission dean. Dean Parker was as you should know was the William's admission dean for many years.

Have we any news of any William MBB recruits or any more NESCAC recruits!

Amh63:

As I am sure you are well aware, the world has changed dramatically since June 30, 2008 when Amherst reported an endowment of over $1.7 billion. As the article below states, losses on the Amherst endowment were approximately 25% as of the end of January 2009.

In addition, Amherst's endowment is heavily invested in private equity and hedge funds. A number of these funds are illiquid and have suffered significant losses.

Moreover, Amherst had a staggering $500 million of commitments to alternative investments (i.e., private equity, hedge funds, limited partnerships, etc.) as of June 30, 2008.

Unfortunately, Amherst is not alone in seeing a significant decrease in its endowment. A number of private institutions have similarly suffered.

The economic crisis may take its toll on the athletic departments of D-3 institutions across the country.

Amherst plans $100M bond to offset losses

amh63 · April 06, 2009, 05:31:10 PM

ephoops,
Thank you for your financial analysis of Amherst's financial condition. I, however, do not understand the point of your comments. As I stated in an earlier post, enough said on a subject neither of us are qualified to project impacts.

Since this is a NESCAC MBB board, we should just continue to make foolish projections wrt basketball based on our interpretations of faulty data, rumors, biased opinions, etc. Does anyone have any juicy MBB news/opinions or just rumors?

NESCAC2 · April 06, 2009, 08:33:06 PM

amh63 just served up ephoops a cold dish of smackdown

NESCAC2 · April 06, 2009, 08:35:15 PM

i didnt even demonstrate my intellectual prowess over frank uible so i doubt it was him.

so who keeps messing with my karma!?! im at -7! noooooooooooooooo!

JustAFan · April 09, 2009, 10:43:09 AM

More recruiting info here: http://www.newenglandrecruitingreport.com/news/article/760/Kates-Distasio-Headline-Division-III-Commitments.php

Amherst gets a quality big man in St. Mark's 6-8 Peter Kassila. I've seen him play a number of times and he's a banger who has a good understanding of the game. He's a bit slow and plodding but he's big and strong, with good hands and good skills, and he's tough to move off the blocks down low, plus he's played against some high level competition and lots of D1 big men during his 3 years at St. Mark's. He made a good choice going DIII rather than Ivy and should make a contribution right away next year.

Mick Distasio's commitment to Trinity is also confirmed. This makes 2 great back to back recruiting classes for Trinity. They are going to be a force to be reckoned with in a year or so.

Plus Tufts gets a front court player from the Brooks School with some potential, although not an impact player.

ac08 · April 09, 2009, 11:47:04 AM

how cool would it be if there was a rank/rating system for intangibles?call me spoiled, but i am not worried about getting talented players; i'm worried about getting talented players who are willing to set aside personal satisfaction.

lefrakenstein · April 09, 2009, 12:13:19 PM

I worry about not having all the pieces to the puzzle. To win a national championship, you need two to three consecutive classes that have all of the pieces. I think last year's class was great start, but they don't really feature a point guard or prototypical 4 in Hixon's system.

Now, with Kaasilia and Bryant coming in, and Holmes already established, we've really invested a lot in the 'center' poistion. I just don't see how any of those guys, and Bennett too, will ever really be able to share time on the court. I might be getting ahead of myself, as I've never even seen Kaasila play, but the scouting report on espn makes him sound like a pure 5 who is uncomfortable leaving the immidiate vicinity of the hoop. If Hixon hopes that both Holmes and Kaasila will be major contirbutors to the program, let's hope he is comfortable moving Holmes over to the power forward spot. I guess the Jones/Hopkins situation is comforting, as he eventually let them both start.

Here's to hoping next year's class brings a 'one', or that we are good enough by Meehan's senior year to make a serious run.

Also, shocking to have still heard nothing about Williams recruits. Maker had this quote in an interview after he was hired... "We're a little bit behind in the recruiting process so I need to get right after it and get out to as many camps as soon as I can..."

Maybe he never got out from behind the 8 ball?

Hugenerd · April 09, 2009, 01:09:22 PM

New article about recent commitments:

http://newenglandrecruitingreport.com/news/article/760/Kates-Distasio-Headline-Division-III-Commitments.php

TheHerst2and4 · April 09, 2009, 06:08:18 PM

Quote from: lefrakenstein on April 09, 2009, 12:13:19 PM
Now, with Kaasilia and Bryant coming in, and Holmes already established, we've really invested a lot in the 'center' poistion. I just don't see how any of those guys, and Bennett too, will ever really be able to share time on the court. I might be getting ahead of myself, as I've never even seen Kaasila play, but the scouting report on espn makes him sound like a pure 5 who is uncomfortable leaving the immidiate vicinity of the hoop.

Lefrakenstein, my advice to you is to stop worrying. Its safe to say Hixon knows what he is doing. Coaches play to the strengths of their teams and the blueprint that may have worked the last couple years may not be the same one this group of Jeffs are going to implement. Who knows maybe these kids will be game ready or maybe it will take some time to develop.
Holmes has shown he can play the four or five and to be honest with some of Amherst's sets it the two spots are interchangeable. Waller has shown his versatility, and I wouldn't sell Bennet short. Realistically Hixon could play Waller at the 3, Holmes at the 4, and Kaasilia at the 5 if he wanted to, so I wouldn't be concernced with having too many big guys, its a nice "problem" to have. As we bring up about this time every year there are players on Amherst's bench that have yet to really show what they can do. So I understand your concern and anxiety but all it an awful long way off to next fall.

While Kaasilia may not have shown much outside the paint he may not have to, it sound like he is a big strong kid who should develop nicely. I mean I'm looking forward to him not having to leave the vicinity of the hoop and hopefully getting buckets.

To win a national championship you don't necessarily have to bring in kids in the top 30 off of New England Recruiting Reports highly regarded rankings, but the pieces have to fit just right. I'm sure you wouldn't rank our class as one of the most talents in Amherst's recent history, but I'm pretty sure the way we went out senior year speaks for itself.

JustAFan · April 09, 2009, 07:43:15 PM

Don't worry, Kaasila can play the 4 as well as the 5. During his junior year St. Mark's used him at the high post on offense to pass and then go screen opposite. He can't play the 3 because he can't put the ball on the floor from the top of the key and get to the hoop but he has good passing skills and a servicable and improving jumper from 12-15 feet so he'll hold his own at the 4. Remember that his St. Mark's team also had 6-11 Florida bound Eric Murphy, who can shoot 3's with any guard, and this past year they ran their high post offense thru him plus they had the coach's 6-7 son who is heading to Georgetown playing the 3 so they needed Kaasila to stay close to home under the hoop, but I think he has the skills to be a bit more versatile than this.

lefrakenstein · April 10, 2009, 10:05:10 AM

Quote from: TheHerst2and4 on April 09, 2009, 06:08:18 PM
To win a national championship you don't necessarily have to bring in kids in the top 30 off of New England Recruiting Reports highly regarded rankings, but the pieces have to fit just right. I'm sure you wouldn't rank our class as one of the most talents in Amherst's recent history, but I'm pretty sure the way we went out senior year speaks for itself.

Believe me, I take the NERR's rankings with a grain of salt. I find it hilarious how low their opinion of d3 hoops is. Every time anyone decent decides to go to a d3 school they act like it's an enormous surprise and proclaim that they will be the future of the program for years to come. I wonder if they ever actually check up a few years later to see that a lot of the time those players don't end up being big contributors at all.

Also, I don't know why you think I wouldn't rank the '08 class as being one of the most talented classes in Amherst history. I can't speak for a very large period of time, but you guys were definitely the most talented class during the time I was there.

Quote from: TheHerst2and4 on April 09, 2009, 06:08:18 PM
Lefrakenstein, my advice to you is to stop worrying. Its safe to say Hixon knows what he is doing.

I know, I know, I'm sure it will work out, but what else am I supposed to do between seasons? If Kaasila is good, he, Holmes and Waller could be a monster front court. Add Meehan and Wheeler in the backcourt next year or Meehan and probably Barrise in the backcourt in two years... could be a pretty formidable line-up. If two of Bennett, the other '12s and the rest of the '13s step up as solid contributors off the bench, that would be one heck of a team.

Speaking of putting three good recruiting classes together in a row... Trinity could be nasty good real soon.

Last year's sophomores include Ian Fels, Brian Ford, Salah Abdo and Jared Pimm, the freshman Andrew Yanulis and John Pike were highly recruited and both contributed last year, and now it looks like they have another monster class coming in...