MBB: NESCAC

[nescac1]

Thanks Bucket.  Klemm did put up solid numbers in high school, where he was second team all-state.  As a senior, he averaged about 22 points and over 5 boards in a very competitive league, shooting percentages around 50/40/80, so he clearly can score.  The only other player on his team to score much (15 ppg, but insane numbers on rebounds, assists, steals, and blocks) is playing both football and basketball D-I next year.  While excited about the coach's assessment, remember that both Bartolotta and Snyder worked extremely hard and both improved tremendously over the course of their college careers, so the finished product was a heck of a lot different than the players they were coming out of high school (in Bartolotta's case, I am sure he would have received a ton of scholarship offers had college coaches realized his potential).  That being said, that is very high praise indeed. 

If Robertson and Klemm are as good as reputed, they should each get some PT next year, and along with Wang, will form a pretty solild three guard rotation after next year. 

Seems like NESCAC in the aggregate is bringing in a very strong group of recruits for the second year in a row.  Amherst has loaded up with a dozen recruits, many of whom are very good.  Trinity had also had two great recruiting years, and now looks very deep at every position.  Wesleyan obviously has seriously upgraded its talent level in only one year.  Bowdoin brought in a loaded class last year (although strangely, zero info about any Bowdoin recruits this year).  Midd continues to accumulate big guys.  Bates has a large group coming in.  Conn had the ROY.   Now Williams appears to be getting in on the act with a decent group last year, and a very good group this year.  As I've said before, I think last year was an aberration and that NESCAC will return to dominance among New England conferences next season.  I also think the era when first Williams and Amherst, then Amherst alone, could dominate the rest of the league is a thing of the past.  Much more competitive balance. 

[frank uible]

As best as I can determine from their respective websites, Tufts has an undergraduate enrollment of 4938, Middlebury 2350 and Wesleyan 2700.

[nescac1]

Huh, I thought Tufts was more like 3500-4000, guess I was a little low ...

[Hugenerd]

Tufts is definitely a bit of an outlier in NESCAC -- in some ways, more a UAA type school.  But, while a university, Tufts doesn't have all that many grad programs, and its undergrad student body is far smaller than most univerities -- I don't think it has THAT many more undergrads than the other relatively large NESCAC schools (Midd and Wesleyan). 

Speaking of Wesleyan, according to the New England site, yet another recruit for them.  This profile makes him sound like a solid prospect:

http://zip06.theday.com/blogs/the_source/archive/2009/03/26/callaghan-bleeds-basketball-success.aspx

So that is at least six recruits (the two small but very talented point guards, two wings, and two shooting forwards) confirmed for Wesleyan, perhaps more as well.  Very impressive job by Reilly in his first year there. 

What makes them a huge outlier in my mind is that they have an engineering program and they have a medical school. 

Although they may fit the profile of a UAA school better, they would never be allowed to join the UAA because of their proximity to Brandeis (I think that has been discussed in the past).

I also hear great things about Klemm out of Heritage.  He appears to be an incredible talent and a great pickup for Williams. 

[ephoops]

Bucket / NESCAC1:

Thanks for the update.  It appears that Maker has acquitted himself well in bringing in his first recruiting class.

Given the dearth of info this winter, it was apparent that Maker was casting a fairly wide net outside the New England region... although the lack of news did have some concerned that Maker was a bit behind.  Those concerns appear to have been unfounded.

It will be very interesting to see how Maker integrates this class into his playing rotation next season.  Also, with Joe G. in his last year, it wuld be nice if the class included a big man who could get some minutes as a freshman and ultimately step into that role as a sophmore.

Bucket - As for your comments re Chaminade H.S. on Long Island, they play in the NYC Catholic league -- specifically the "A" division, which is a big step down from the "AA" division which may be , from top to bottom, the best high school league in the country.  Chaminade was very good last year but underperformed this year.  It's my understanding that one of Maker's recruits is from Chaminade as well.

Bucket - you mentioned a recruit from the Pacific Northwest.  Do you have any additional info on him??  Is he a big man?

[nescac1]

Ephoops, don't forget Brian Emerson.  He seemed to perform well in limited minutes as a frosh, and has the size and perimeter skills to play the five in Maker's system.  I imagine once Joe G and Timmins graduate, Whittington will start backed up by Emerson, and that Emerson could potentially start as a senior.  It would be nice if this recruiting class includes a good big man, but if not, I'm sure Maker will make that a point of emphasis next year.

I think four Eph starters are likely set in stone next year: Geoghegan (if finally healthy), Dodson, Schultz, Rubin.  I think it would be great if Robertson was ready to start as a frosh, because Wang provides a tremendous spark off the bench, especially when he and Whittington are on the floor together.  If not Wang would likely play point.  Timmins, Hardy, and Klemm could fill out the second unit ... which would leave several pretty solid players riding the pine, but that is a nice problem to have. 

[lefrakenstein]

...they also picked up a gem in James Klemm from Heritage in Colorado. If that school sounds familiar, it's the same program that produced Kevin Snyder and Jimmy Bartolotta--and the coach out there says that Klemm is a better player at this stage than either Snyder or Bartolotta were.

That is the single scariest thing I have ever read on this board.

[nescac1]

Lefrakenstein, it's about time -- Eph fans have had to suffer through about seven years of insanely hyped Amherst arrivals (Bedford, Olson, Coulibaly, Baskauskas, Bennett, Waller, S. Wheeler all come to mind).  Of course, not everyone who is uber-hyped pans out (as is obvious from that list -- although I'd certainly take those sort of odds), so you can take comfort in that.  As good as the rising senior class is at Williams, I don't recall hearing much talk about any of those guys (other than a little on Timmins).  In fact, Chris Rose may have been the only Eph recruit since Crotty to really get talked about prior to the start of his frosh season (for good reason, the Ephs haven't had very many all-conference players, and no multiple all-conference players, during that time period). 

[Bucket]

To follow up on something nescac1 just said: everyone should keep expectations in check. We should also all be prepared to be pleasantly surprised by someone we haven't mentioned.

Need an example: Ben Rudin. Coming out of Scarsdale, no one wanted him for hoops. He was a soccer player first, hoops second. The only reason he was on Midd's radar screen was because Coach Brown was recruiting Kyle Dudley, and Rudin happened to show up for a fall league game. He wasn't supposed to be there; he was in the middle of soccer season. But on a whim, there he was. Still, he wanted to go to Union, but the Union coach didn't want him. (Midd would go 4-0 against Union during Rudin's career) So he winds up at Middlebury, probably the least heralded recruit in that class. How'd that work out for him? How'd that work out for Middlebury?

Just thought I'd mention....

[nescac1]

A few tidbits on future Eph Nate Robertson:

http://www.detnews.com/article/20090422/SPORTS05/904220447/1049/sports05/Detroit+News+All-Metro+boys+basketball+team

http://www.insideprepsports.net/09rankings.html

And another article on Chase Hicks who, as Amh63 noted earlier, is looking at Williams among other schools (I have not read anything about a decision being finalized yet):

http://connectionnewspapers.com/article.asp?article=327746&paper=70&cat=105

[La Verdad]

A few tidbits on future Eph Nate Robertson:

http://www.detnews.com/article/20090422/SPORTS05/904220447/1049/sports05/Detroit+News+All-Metro+boys+basketball+team

http://www.insideprepsports.net/09rankings.html

And another article on Chase Hicks who, as Amh63 noted earlier, is looking at Williams among other schools (I have not read anything about a decision being finalized yet):

http://connectionnewspapers.com/article.asp?article=327746&paper=70&cat=105

Pioneer is notorious for producing Larrys.  Robertson will probably show up on the first day wearing tivas, tube socks and a fanny pack.

[BankShotCharlie]

Pioneer is notorious for producing Larrys.  Robertson will probably show up on the first day wearing tivas, tube socks and a fanny pack.

Bold statement my friend.  I just did a little research on this small Midwest school and discovered the last nine years the Pioneer basketball team...

Has a record of 188-50
1 State Championship
2 Regional Championships
3 District Championships
9 League Championships
and
1 National Gatorade Player of the year

I'm pretty sure they work out.

In fact the last 4 years have produced a pretty decent all D3 team.

G J.T. Knight (Kenyon College)
G Nate Robertson (Williams College)
G John Grotberg (Grinell College)
F Matt Johnson (Chicago College)
F Matt Pettit (Carnagie Mellon)

face La Verdad!

[NESCAC2]

Bucket / NESCAC1:

Thanks for the update.  It appears that Maker has acquitted himself well in bringing in his first recruiting class.

Given the dearth of info this winter, it was apparent that Maker was casting a fairly wide net outside the New England region... although the lack of news did have some concerned that Maker was a bit behind.  Those concerns appear to have been unfounded.

It will be very interesting to see how Maker integrates this class into his playing rotation next season.  Also, with Joe G. in his last year, it wuld be nice if the class included a big man who could get some minutes as a freshman and ultimately step into that role as a sophmore.

Bucket - As for your comments re Chaminade H.S. on Long Island, they play in the NYC Catholic league -- specifically the "A" division, which is a big step down from the "AA" division which may be , from top to bottom, the best high school league in the country.  Chaminade was very good last year but underperformed this year.  It's my understanding that one of Maker's recruits is from Chaminade as well.

Bucket - you mentioned a recruit from the Pacific Northwest.  Do you have any additional info on him??  Is he a big man?

i think ur right. maker can definitely sleep better at night knowing he has been acquitted by d3hoops posters. hahaha!!!

[nescac1]

I must be pretty out of it because I have never heard "Larry" used as an insult before ...

I have a feeling BankShotCharlie may just have a bit of a pro-Pioneer bias ... not that I'm complaining.  If the incoming frosh Ephs perform up to the level of their peers from Heritage and Pioneer (including all-conference NESCAC players from each school), none of the Eph fans will be complaining, either.  But as Bucket pointed out, outside of the very rare Nogelo or Olson type, hard to project who will ultimately shine until they arrive on campus. 

[NESCAC2]

my karma decreases with every dose of truth serum i bring to this board. i am sad. super super sad.