MBB: NESCAC

[NE Jeffs Fan]

Now all Bates has to do is update their gym and put in some type of heat control. 

[toad22]

Lots of people love that old gym. The last of a dying breed.

[ephman]

Just want to add to the discussion of the "best" teams.  as a former eph player, i can say that my eph team during the late 80s/early 90s was a formidable one.  additionally, colby (with matt hancock/whitmore) has to go down as one of the best in NESCAC history.  back in the day when you couldnt go to NCAAs......

[Vandy74]

miscellany:



This talk of Folan has me thinking about 6th men at Middlebury, Jamal Davis and James Jensen, athletic swingmen, 6'5" - 6'6", could guard anybody, and make a big bucket. James was crucial down the stretch for Midd this year, and Jamal won games for us in 2010-11.

It will be interesting to see how Coach Brown uses Jensen next year. Most assume he will start, along with Kizel and Roberts, but the game changes when he comes in and he might be best used off the bench again, upping the tempo. He played starter minutes this year (21 mpg). He's fun to watch.

Funny you should point that out, Old Guy.  I was thinking the same thing a few nights back.  Middlebury should be fine next season but it could take a while for things to develop.  Only Kizel and Roberts return as starters.  Sinnickson should be very good but he is a year removed from competition.  Merryman was only beginning to look confident playing defense toward the end of the season.  That should carry over into next year.  Bulluck for all intents and purposes lost the last third of the season to injury.  He is the most experienced returning guard other than Kizel.  St. Amour is hyped as a player who will come along quickly and Jones is considered a possible early contributor as well.  There are several players who showed promise in brief playing roles but as far as what's certain a lot won't be known until practice is well underway.  Jensen's value could well be his ability to come off the bench and fix whatever isn't going right.  Personally, I hope he starts.  He's earned it, but I can see him playing sixth man again at least in the early going.  We could even see something like the 2009-10 season when seven players all started at least 15 games and averaged starter minutes.  That team, btw, included Luis Alvarez who also returns for a final year. (A D3 red shirt ?  )  He played in all but one game and averaged almost ten minutes of playing time as a freshman.  He is another unknown factor to be considered.  It should be interesting.

[amh63]

Amherst's academic year is over.   Watched the graduation event yesterday...saw Willy, Allen, and "Big Pete" receive their diplomas and others that I have followed the past 4 years.  Saw two others that were in Amherst's "recruiting class" in '09 walk across the stage.  There were 7 recruits in that class.  Three finished as players this year. One transferred and one will graduate later.  Six were at the event yesterday.  Soon enough, another class will enter and we will speculate on how they will contribute....to another team in again another season.   Have not picked another favorite player to follow yet....maybe one will come from the new class?

[P'bearfan]

Bates with 11 recruits....that's incredible.   I know they need size but I have to believe that it's almost more difficult to have this many guys come in at once. 

Hard to believe that they can all play - especially right away.   Will be interesting to see what happens with this class over the next few years.

Bowdoin has a small class but I think they got they right 3 guys.  All 3 could wind up contributing next year and Bowdoin might surprise some people.

[AmherstStudent05]

Just want to add to the discussion of the "best" teams.  as a former eph player, i can say that my eph team during the late 80s/early 90s was a formidable one.  additionally, colby (with matt hancock/whitmore) has to go down as one of the best in NESCAC history.  back in the day when you couldnt go to NCAAs......

Thanks for sharing your perspective, ephman.  I only started following NESCAC basketball in the 2001-02 season, and, unfortunately, I really know very little about NESCAC basketball history prior to 2000-2001.  Were regular season conference champions recognized in the years before the NESCAC Tournament? Were there all-conference teams?  If so, is any of this information available online anywhere (nescac.com appears only to go as far back as 2000-01 -- the dawn of the modern NESCAC era as I like to think of it)?

I like to think that Amherst's current two-year run has been impressive, but there may be many comparable (or better) undefeated streaks in the rather long history of the NESCAC.

[quicksilver]

Thanks for sharing your perspective, ephman.  I only started following NESCAC basketball in the 2001-02 season, and, unfortunately, I really know very little about NESCAC basketball history prior to 2000-2001.  Were regular season conference champions recognized in the years before the NESCAC Tournament? Were there all-conference teams?  If so, is any of this information available online anywhere (nescac.com appears only to go as far back as 2000-01 -- the dawn of the modern NESCAC era as I like to think of it)?

I like to think that Amherst's current two-year run has been impressive, but there may be many comparable (or better) undefeated streaks in the rather long history of the NESCAC.

I believe that the first year of organized NESCAC play was 1999-2000. Prior to that, the NESCAC existed primarily to set rules for its members to follow in the athletic arena -- like limiting post-season play. Many members looked to the ECAC for organized conference play . . .

[Vandy74]

This isn't about hoop and it doesn't involve NESCAC but there ought to be some regional interest.  Two-time D3 national champion Southern Maine University is one of three teams still alive on the final day of the College World Series.  They take on Ithaca at noon today with the winner playing Linfield at 3:30 for all the marbles. 

[Bucket]

miscellany:



This talk of Folan has me thinking about 6th men at Middlebury, Jamal Davis and James Jensen, athletic swingmen, 6'5" - 6'6", could guard anybody, and make a big bucket. James was crucial down the stretch for Midd this year, and Jamal won games for us in 2010-11.

It will be interesting to see how Coach Brown uses Jensen next year. Most assume he will start, along with Kizel and Roberts, but the game changes when he comes in and he might be best used off the bench again, upping the tempo. He played starter minutes this year (21 mpg). He's fun to watch.

Funny you should point that out, Old Guy.  I was thinking the same thing a few nights back.  Middlebury should be fine next season but it could take a while for things to develop.  Only Kizel and Roberts return as starters.  Sinnickson should be very good but he is a year removed from competition.  Merryman was only beginning to look confident playing defense toward the end of the season.  That should carry over into next year.  Bulluck for all intents and purposes lost the last third of the season to injury.  He is the most experienced returning guard other than Kizel.  St. Amour is hyped as a player who will come along quickly and Jones is considered a possible early contributor as well.  There are several players who showed promise in brief playing roles but as far as what's certain a lot won't be known until practice is well underway.  Jensen's value could well be his ability to come off the bench and fix whatever isn't going right.  Personally, I hope he starts.  He's earned it, but I can see him playing sixth man again at least in the early going.  We could even see something like the 2009-10 season when seven players all started at least 15 games and averaged starter minutes.  That team, btw, included Luis Alvarez who also returns for a final year. (A D3 red shirt ?  )  He played in all but one game and averaged almost ten minutes of playing time as a freshman.  He is another unknown factor to be considered.  It should be interesting.

I think Matt Daley will emerge as an impact player next season as well. He has the athleticism, size, and skill to be a special player. Keep an eye on him.

I agree that it will  be interesting to see how Sinnickson works his way back into the mix after a year away from competition. And he won't have fall pickup games to help ease the transition—he's going to play football.

http://sites.middlebury.edu/panthernation/

[nescac1]

Midd will be less experienced without Thompson, Wolfin, and Lynch.  And I think of those three, despite Thompson receiving more accolades, they will miss Lynch the most as he improved to the point where he was one of the two best post scorers in NESCAC last year, and no one else on Midd seems to have that type of skill set down low. 

But even withouth Thompson, I think Midd will be bigger, faster, more athletic, and even better defensively next year.  Kizell-Sinnickson-Bullock-Jensen-Roberts would give them five very experienced players who are all above average athletes and above average size for their positions.  Neither Wolfin nor Lynch was naturally an elite defender, although they worked hard.  Daley, Prendergast, and Alvarez all look like guys who will also be big-time defensive pests, at the very least, off the bench.  Given the emphasis on defense at Midd this could well be the toughest Midd unit to score on since Andrew Locke's senior year.  They should also be very tough on the boards after a year where they weren't as dominant as usual in that regard.  The question really will be who will create on offense.  Merryman is a great shooter but seemed to need other guys to create for him, and you know defenders will be all over Kizell in an effort to make other guys beat them.  Midd really needs another guy to emerge who can be a big-time offensive creator to take the pressure off Kizell, with Sinnickson, Jensen and St. Amour probably the most likely (maybe the only) candidates.   If they can find one more big-time scorer, with their far superior size and athleticism, I think the upside of next year's Midd team is higher than this year's team, which had to really grind out wins with clutch plays. 

I can't recall ANYONE in NESCAC playing football, basketball, and a spring team sport (not counting track) to boot.  I'm sure there must be someone, but I'm also sure that it must be very rare.  That is a very, very difficult combination to play at all, let alone to play several of those sports at a very high level.  Even football-hoops is really, really tough on the body.  Sinnickson is obviously an impressive athlete.  Sort of like Hartwell at Williams, who thanks to his unusual size-speed-skill combo was the best football and baseball player for the Ephs this year, but did not play a winter sport (although he was a good high school basketball player).  Williams has Greg Payton, a dual football-basketball guy, returning, although football is clearly his primary sport.  I am hopeful that rising sophomore Darias Sime, who was a football-hoops dual recruit, decides to come out for basketball next year.  Another very big, very athletic kid. 

[grabtherim]

Midd will be less experienced without Thompson, Wolfin, and Lynch.  And I think of those three, despite Thompson receiving more accolades, they will miss Lynch the most as he improved to the point where he was one of the two best post scorers in NESCAC last year, and no one else on Midd seems to have that type of skill set down low. 

But even withouth Thompson, I think Midd will be bigger, faster, more athletic, and even better defensively next year.  Kizell-Sinnickson-Bullock-Jensen-Roberts would give them five very experienced players who are all above average athletes and above average size for their positions.  Neither Wolfin nor Lynch was naturally an elite defender, although they worked hard.  Daley, Prendergast, and Alvarez all look like guys who will also be big-time defensive pests, at the very least, off the bench.  Given the emphasis on defense at Midd this could well be the toughest Midd unit to score on since Andrew Locke's senior year.  They should also be very tough on the boards after a year where they weren't as dominant as usual in that regard.  The question really will be who will create on offense.  Merryman is a great shooter but seemed to need other guys to create for him, and you know defenders will be all over Kizell in an effort to make other guys beat them.  Midd really needs another guy to emerge who can be a big-time offensive creator to take the pressure off Kizell, with Sinnickson, Jensen and St. Amour probably the most likely (maybe the only) candidates.   If they can find one more big-time scorer, with their far superior size and athleticism, I think the upside of next year's Midd team is higher than this year's team, which had to really grind out wins with clutch plays. 

I can't recall ANYONE in NESCAC playing football, basketball, and a spring team sport (not counting track) to boot.  I'm sure there must be someone, but I'm also sure that it must be very rare.  That is a very, very difficult combination to play at all, let alone to play several of those sports at a very high level.  Even football-hoops is really, really tough on the body.  Sinnickson is obviously an impressive athlete.  Sort of like Hartwell at Williams, who thanks to his unusual size-speed-skill combo was the best football and baseball player for the Ephs this year, but did not play a winter sport (although he was a good high school basketball player).  Williams has Greg Payton, a dual football-basketball guy, returning, although football is clearly his primary sport.  I am hopeful that rising sophomore Darias Sime, who was a football-hoops dual recruit, decides to come out for basketball next year.  Another very big, very athletic kid.

I agree Midd's defense should be as good as or better than recent years, and scoring is the real issue.  Lynch and Thompson scored on a more consistent basis than Wolfin, but the points created off his assists, starts to possessions off defensive rebounds and occasional offensive bursts should not be minimized.  Midd  faced similar with Sharry's graduation, and the 2013 Seniors answered the challenge well.  Can this bunch do the same with the addition of St. Amour, a healthy Sinnickson, and last season's freshman who did not see major minutes? I think they will be fine.  If not, Kizel will be in for some very long nights as he will be keyed on by every team Midd plays in 2013/14.  In my opinion, Daley with increased minutes and the confidence which comes from that could be a real force in the league. Midd should have lots of options on who starts, plays major minutes etc, but I look forward to seeing Jensen, Daley and Sinnickson on the floor at the same time. Those three are long and fast with an ability to get to the rack.  I do think that Sinnickson is taking a major risk in playing football, and I am keeping my fingers crossed that he comes through it OK.     

[jumpshot]

NESCAC1 ---

Kevin Sheehan Williams '65 all three for all four years.

[jumpshot]

Opps---'66; football, basketball, baseball

[toad22]

I really like what Middlebury has done with their basketball program. However, they are likely to be down next year. I'm not saying that the'll be mediocre next year, they won't -- they will be good. They just won't be as good as they have been. They lose a lot. Lynch was a total stud his senior year. He was one of the best interior players Williams faced all year. Thompson was a great defender, and shooter. Wolfin was the most important of the three. He set up the offense nearly every possession. Those players were all skill players. It will be very difficult to replace them with players of equal skill. You need offense to beat really good opponents, and I don't think that there is quite as much offense as there has been. The defense should be very solid, as will their rebounding.