MBB: NESCAC

[ronk]

Mad......yes, it seems that Midd. won this year's Director's Cup.  Williams was third behind Wash. U and Amherst came in a close 4th.  Bowdoin and Tufts were also in the top 20......great year for the conference.  Specific info and point spread can be found on the Amherst website.....also on the NCAA site.  Of interest to me is that Amherst also had 25 points in a sport that could not be used due to limits on the number of sports that one can entered?  Oh well, congrats to all the schools.
With respect to the BB recruits posted so far....I find it interesting that Trinity and Conn. both are recruiting "smaller" players so far. There was an interesting article in today's WSJ on the NBA players....I know, it is not a sports newspaper.  Still they have fine writers that bring up interesting points.  The article focused on the fact that many of the top teams in the finals are playing players in positions that are not the "normal" two guards, two forwards and a center.  Teams are on the floor with players that can play several positions and are good shooters inside and outside, etc.   Maybe the Trinity coach is copying the top NBA teams with fast, gifted, strong, athletic players that are just 6'3 to 6'6"......no center and no pg.   The article got. me thinking about the role of the players on the list in the future....other than sitting on the bench.  It is late and I am rambling again.

  Scranton had success this season with no center or PG; it's easier to sub offensively or overcome an injury with lesser defined roles; still, man-man matchups defensively are difficult.

[Bucket]

Let me be the first on this board to welcome Jack William Maker into the world.

Already working on getting him to be a future Panther, but only if he inherits his mother's athletic ability.

[Old Guy]

"Jack Maker" - sounds like a hooper.

"Jack" Twyman died recently: one of my first sports heroes (cf. Maurice Stokes). Twyman was one of early jump shooters. When I first started playing hoop, we shot what Johnny Most used to call a "running one-hander." We had to learn how to square up and go straight up. Watching the NBA playoffs now, all the backcourt players have a running one-hander, the "tear-drop" shot. Cousy must be pleased.

Satisfaction at Middlebury with first-place finish in the Director's Cup, but not much gloating - Williams has 13. Sox-Yanks. Midd comes in first with no points in soccer, men's ice hockey, or men's lacrosse. Brave new world.

[amh63]

I will add my congrats to Midd. on this board.....congrats to all the conference teams in the top 20 made on the football board earlier.
With the high academic rating of Midd.in this "brave new world".....let us hope the new Maker has the mental talents to get in.
Old Guy and other "experts of the game".....would like some thoughts and comments (I know that is a redundant statement) on the concept of the "position-less" players being seen in the NBA.....and the the possibility of it entering the D3-level "game".  Even in D3, there are more and more players that can play more than one position and where there are now "guards" that are in the 6'3" to 6'5" range..size of front court players in the 60's.  At Amherst, guards were at times the leading rebounders and small forwards, blocking shots and making assists, etc.  At Williams, it seems everyone can shot well from outside.  Yes, all the top teams in the conference had to play defense.  I see Midd. changing with their big inside players gone and their new "recruits" learning. 

[madzillagd]

I think if you had to pinpoint one single thing that has led to where we are today in the game it has to be the three point line.  The addition of the 3 was the beginning of the end for traditional positions and traditional offenses.  It's taken a few decades, but we've almost reached the point where getting an open 3 is preferred by coaches than getting an open layup.  I think as more of the old guard is replaced by young coaches that have grown up only knowing a game that includes the 3 point line, we'll move more and more in this direction. 

Reality is if you put a bunch of 8 year old kids on a court and they know one shot is worth 3 and the other is worth 2, they are going to be shooting 3s regardless of their size.  From that point forward it comes down to talent - who can get their shot off and who can make the shot.  I think the smaller-medium size kids tend to develop this talent a bit better than most bigs.  Once you start talking about systems and ball movement, it's easier for a coach to plug & play with 5 or 6 similar size players in a rotation than to scheme around a 4 for example that may be a good rebounder but isn't offensively gifted.  That's not to say that skilled big men can't have a huge impact, but I think in terms of recruiting and consistency you're going to have an easier time finding talent in the 6'2-6'7 range than above that.

[Old Guy]

re: amh63's "position-less players" I think madzillagd's post is well-put and his points well-taken.

I think we put these players in rigid categories - "he's a 3" and this other fellow is "a 4." I say they're both basketball players. Sharry was our big guy this year, 6'8", yet he liked to face the hoop and could shoot the three. Was he a 4 or a 5? Does it matter? He could play. We often had Wolfin, Kizell, and Thompson on the floor at the same time: I guess Thompson was then a 3, an undersized small forward. May be, but I certainly didn't mind him with the ball on the break, and he was checking a 4 on defense.

There are big guys and little guys and guys in-between. There are big guys in the backcourt - I remember the 6'8" guard who played 2 on the great Amherst teams from a few years ago (Fletcher Walters) -  and also 6'3", 6'4" guys who played big in the frontcourt (cf. Russell from Colby). There have always been "tweeners," naturally and by roster necessity, but these days we view the world categorically, comprised of specialists. Employing these terms gives us a lexicon, a a satisfying if superficial expertise.

Am i getting old and crotchety? I think in the hoop world there are back-court players and front-court players and guys who can swing between both (Elgin, Hondo, Michael, Lebron).

[Mr. Ypsi]

OG, agree with your post.

But how could you leave out Magic, who in game 6 of the 1980 NBA finals (with Kareem injured) switched from PG to Center(!) and destroyed the 76ers to win the title?

One of the most amazing 'all-position' performances of all time, especially for a rookie!

[Yes, I am in the small minority who think that Magic was the best there ever was. ]

[nescac1]

Great NPR feature on former Bowdoin player Wil Smith.  Good luck to Wil in his recovery from colon cancer:

http://www.npr.org/2012/06/15/155042208/a-single-dad-and-his-unlikely-college-roommate

On another note, Mr. Ypsi, Magic, really?  As an offensive player, you could certainly make an argument, but when you take defense into account (as you have to, and he couldn't effectively guard quick, small guards, which the other great perimeter players like Kobe, Jordan, and Lebron all can do incredible well), I think he falls out of the top few guys.  As a Knicks fans, I hate to say it, but Jordan to me was easily the best I've ever seen, still.  Lebron is the most talented, though ... if he had Jordan, Bird or Kobe's killer instinct, no one could touch him, there is nothing he can't do on a basketball court when fully engaged.  He combines Magic's size and passing ability with Jordan's explosion, speed (not quite at a young Jordan level, but for his size, insane), strength, defense, and foot speed.  (And like both, his perimeter touch is inconsistent at best).  The only thing he lacks is the desire to consistently dominate / humiliate his opponents, which probably makes him a more fun, albeit less effective, teammate than Jordan/Kobe.  Put it this way: Lebron (in particular), Jordan, or Kobe could all guard Magic somewhat effectively, while he'd be helpless against any of the three in their primes.     

[NEhoops]

The positions by numbers is something that goes back to youth basketball, but at the same time is still something referenced in the college and pro game. By no means does that encapsulate the ability of a specific player, rather its outlines their responsibilities both offensively and at times defensively. For instance in transition the typical formation is for 4 to take the ball out, 1 to be the outlet, 5 running to the rim and 2/3 on the wings. What types of players fill those roles is totally up to the coach and how they want to attack.   

[grabtherim]

Great NPR feature on former Bowdoin player Wil Smith.  Good luck to Wil in his recovery from colon cancer:

http://www.npr.org/2012/06/15/155042208/a-single-dad-and-his-unlikely-college-roommate

On another note, Mr. Ypsi, Magic, really?  As an offensive player, you could certainly make an argument, but when you take defense into account (as you have to, and he couldn't effectively guard quick, small guards, which the other great perimeter players like Kobe, Jordan, and Lebron all can do incredible well), I think he falls out of the top few guys.  As a Knicks fans, I hate to say it, but Jordan to me was easily the best I've ever seen, still.  Lebron is the most talented, though ... if he had Jordan, Bird or Kobe's killer instinct, no one could touch him, there is nothing he can't do on a basketball court when fully engaged.  He combines Magic's size and passing ability with Jordan's explosion, speed (not quite at a young Jordan level, but for his size, insane), strength, defense, and foot speed.  (And like both, his perimeter touch is inconsistent at best).  The only thing he lacks is the desire to consistently dominate / humiliate his opponents, which probably makes him a more fun, albeit less effective, teammate than Jordan/Kobe.  Put it this way: Lebron (in particular), Jordan, or Kobe could all guard Magic somewhat effectively, while he'd be helpless against any of the three in their primes.     

For me Jordan stands above anyone.  That being said no one made his team mates better than Bird, and Magic's game and psyche created one of the best winners of all time.  Homage must always be paid to three guys on the Mount Rushmore of basketball:  the greatest defensive player and winner of all time in Russ, the greatest physical force of all time in Wilt and the most unstoppable shot of all time in Jabbar's Sky Hook. 

[madzillagd]

In the "Uh Oh, Not Again" category - Hayden Rooke-Ley is going to be out for the Ephs for awhile.  Having surgery to repair an ongoing issue with his hip so he's out 6 months give or take.  Let's hope for a speedy and full recovery for his sake and no more injuries for the Ephs this year.

[nescac1]

re: Rooke-Ley: uggghhh.  Will Williams' run of bad injury luck never end?  I (and I know I'm not alone) still believe that injuries costs Williams a fantastic shot at a national title in 2010 (Whittington -- unstoppable when healthy -- was a shadow of himself playing with a broken hand vs. Wooster, and Williams STILL should have put that game away, and Wang's back troubles were already limiting his play during that NCAA run), and basically destroyed the team last year with the four top guards all missing a lot of time and/or severely limited for virtually the entire season by serious injuries.  Next year, the team IF it can stay healthy would be looking very strong on paper, but the biggest weakness -- lack of any experienced guard depth -- will really be tested by this injury.  Hopefully some of the young guys will step up in his absence, or Hayden will be able to make it back at 100 percent.  Good luck to him with his operation. 

[madzillagd]

Here's a peak behind the curtain at Williams.  Championship Productions puts together dvds of various coachs etc. and they did one with Maker with last year's team.  Here you get a few free clips of practice drills etc.

http://www.championshipproductions.com/news/2012/06/13/all-access-williams-college-aggressive-layups-and-effective-warm-up-drills/

Seen a few other clips floating around on youtube as well.  Some interesting ideas - coaching players to use their dominant hand at all times around the rim, encouraging the one-handed pass off the dribble as opposed to securing with both hands then passing. 

[Old Guy]

Thanks for sending along the Maker videos, though I think not be circulating them in an all-school e-mail at Middlebury.

The third short video is about driving hard to the hoop, the emphasis being that the pivot foot is opposite the dominant hand - and the shot at the basket is with the dominant hand.

Note: Coach Maker believes in using the dominant pivot foot. If you are right-handed, your right foot is off the floor and your left foot is on the floor. He also firmly believes in dominant side layups, no matter what side of the rim you are on.

I have a running argument with the high school coach here about the importance of shooting a lay-up with the left hand (for right-handed players) on the left side. I argue that players must have an opposite-handed dribble (even big guys): an opposite-handed shot is nice, but not required. Ambidexterity is great, but it drives me nuts when a player misses a makeable shot, ahead of the pack, say, because he shoots it with the non-dominant hand: it becomes "that's okay. Good try." I say, "make the basket." The same people don't even notice when the same player makes the shot on that side with his dominant hand - they're cheering with the rest of us.

I realize I'm a voice in the wilderness on this one (and I know there are differences in the arc of skills development between college players at Williams and high school and younger kids), but I appreciate the position articulated by Coach Maker. 

[nescac1]

That may partially explain why Troy Whittington went to the left every ... single ... possession while at Williams ... and despite that fact, shot 70 percent and, when healthy, could not be stopped one-on-one by anyone in D-3.