MBB: NESCAC

[Old Guy]

NESCAC did go 8-0 last night, as others have observed, but in five of the eight games, the NESCAC team was down at the half. Williams, Bates, and Middlebury all had 50 or more second half points in games that were not blow-outs (Amherst's 95 points were evenly distributed 47-48. Bates had 21 in the first half, 50 in the second). 

I didn't stay up for the Panther game. Couldn't risk it. 1:30 a.m. start, 3:30 finish - and the outcome last week (Williams) meant little sleep. The Hamilton game ended about midnight here Sunday, and I've had Matt Hart nightmares ever since. Imagine if Midd had pulled out narrow wins instead of suffered narrow losses last week how the script would be changed. Sports!

92-86 at Keene. A slugfest. Sinnickson was 11-24 (28 points, 14 rebounds). I bet the last Panther to put up that many shots was Ben Rudin. The teams had 37 offensive rebounds combined (16 Midd, 21 Keene). There'll be some box-out drills at practice this week. Roberts' eight blocks were in 20 minutes of play. Exciting night in the paint.

[jumpshot]

amh63 ---

...and the rest of the story regarding change in amherst athletic director position is ....

[nescac1]

Sinnickson has been playing at a very high level of late, especially when you consider that he missed a chunk of the season and also had basically no preseason due to his football injury.  He has learned to harness his athleticism, which is superior to virtually every NESCAC player.  He is kind of like the Vince Carter of NESCAC -- he has good size and great leaping ability, and can release his very smooth jump shot at such a high point that it is basically unblockable, and also can use his athleticism and strength to get to the hole.  As his range has expanded he has become a tougher cover.  Midd doesn't feature its typically dominant post game this year, which is why they have struggled at times in my view -- no one like Sharry or Lynch who you can just toss the ball into and get two points -- but Kizel and Sinnickson are a very potent duo on the perimeter. 

[NYHOOPS8]

For the third straight game, Williams plays much better in the second half than in the first.  Not sure what Maker is telling the team at halftime, but it's working!  That is a really, really good win for Williams -- Rooke-Ley, out, Epley, out for all but seven minutes, Daniel Wohl, really struggling with his shot (although he played an awesome floor game, other than his outside shooting), Mayer, overall a pedestrian game for him (he scored 18, but seemingly half of them were in the last few minutes with the game out of hand already).  And yet, they win by double-digits, on the road against a quality team thanks to an amazing game from the frosh. 

If any team in the country has a better trio of frosh, I'd be stunned.  All three just get better and better.  Duncan Robinson had yet another monster game -- 22 points, 10 boards, 3 steals, 2 assists, 5-8 from deep, including back-to-back threes that really put the game out of reach in the second half (one of which was from about 25 feet).  I'm not sure what more can be said about him that hasn't already been said.  Mike Greenman plays with more and more confidence and seems to get better every game.  He hit some key shots in the second half and finished with an impressive 17 points and 4 assists, including three treys.  Dan Aronowitz also had some great moments finishing with 10 points despite fouling out.  He is really quick taking the ball to the basket and a good finisher -- he just needs to work on his outside shot in the offseason, and also learn to avoid picking up needless fouls, and he will be a big weapon next year. 

Williams overall played very good defense the entire game, I thought, mainly man-to-man with just a bit of zone sprinkled in.  Desegniora shot the ball very well for Stevens, and Sabatino is a fun player to watch (he had three monster dunks), but otherwise, Stevens had a tough time scoring.  The Ephs' D has really looked much better over the past three halves of play than it has for much of the season.  Now if they can play offense in the first half of games as well as they play it in the second, they will be in business.  Fingers crossed that Epley and/or Rooke-Ley can return from injury in time for the big NESCAC games ahead.  If they are healthy, with the emergence of Greenman and Aronowitz, suddenly the Ephs are a pretty deep team ...

I was very impressed with Williams two freshman. Williams will be in good hands with Greenman and Robinson for the next 4 years. The game was back and forth until mid 2nd half when the Ephs started dropping threes from every part of the gym. Williams big lineup caused fits for Stevens who played without one of their big men.

[AncientSonOfHixon]

The 8-0 NESCAC result was sweet indeed, but I confess I had some trouble sleeping last night, probably because I caught Williams/Stevens and later experienced nightmares trying to picture how my Jeffs and the rest of NESCAC were going to contend with Duncan Robinson for the next three years. (Or, hell, in the upcoming NESCAC tourney, even.)

Nescac1's superb game report is spot-on (I agree with him and NYHOOPS about the emerging Greenman, too—solid and trustworthy player). I'd only add that my favorite play might have been a Robinson move that didn't even produce a stat: He got the ball near midcourt with Stevens extending pressure, spun around his man, glided with the ball through traffic down the left side of the lane, and at the last second adjusted his body to make a perfect left-handed feed under the basket to another Williams big. (Sorry didn't see who, and the bunny was missed.) Zero wasted motion. Made you think he could do it pretty much any time he wished.

No need to reignite the earlier fun discussion comparing Robinson with Nogelo and other legends, but I feel like the kid's actually been sneaking up on those of us who aren't full-time Williams watchers (and yeah, I know, seems weird he could "sneak up" on anyone, given the hype that started even before he enrolled). We're now 20 games into the season, and Robinson's shooting #s are 56/50/91 (and rise to 62/55/88 in conference)—borderline absurd for a freshman who gets 60% of his shots beyond the arc and is now the leading scorer on a top-ten team headed by already celebrated seniors.

The frightening thing is, Robinson's become the Ephs' leading scorer without even seeming to try. He's such a patient, almost deferential player (the deference maybe being no surprise given the strength and seniority of the team he joined). Admittedly, the Stevens game is only the third full game that I've seen of his—alongside video chunks of others—so this might be a small sample talking, but it sometimes looks like the only player who can stop Duncan Robinson is Duncan Robinson. He's kind of the anti-Connor Greene. If you implanted Greene's conscience (i.e., absence of) into Robinson's body, you might already be looking at NESCAC's version of Kevin Durant.

I hope Epley's ankle is minor, but if he misses the weekend then Bates and Tufts should be warned. The prospect of Robinson being asked to "step up" is not going to end well for whoever has to handle him.

[amh63]

Jumpshot....so I caught a fertile mind .  The rest of the story is not known to me in that the announcement is quite sudden.  The " appointment " of the "interim" AD started yesterday...the day of the news release.
The story is on the web....on the Amherst athletic site.  The site has not been updated wrt to the staff directory.  The position that Sue Coffey is going to is not shown on the Amherst website.  There are a number of top positions changes going on...some new and some in the normal rotation like the Dean of the Faculty.  There will be a Provost soon, and a new Dean of Admission and Financial Aid.  A Chief Financial Officer is on board and a new media public affairs chief is arriving.  There was a recent announcement of an architectural firm for the new complex of social dorms to be built.  Amherst has completed its Campaign....time to spend the money and run the college under a new administration.
Me, I will let the reasons for the changes come to me in the public forum.  I have personnel interest, one expressed on the football board in a 9 game schedule.  I wish Sue well in her new position.  I have posted that she has a son that played soccer at Amherst...when she was the AD at Bates.
If you are thinking about Coach Hixon...I know nothing, truly.  Especially since I remain in his dog house on a long term lease and am thinking of making renovations.  Know any good interior decorators ?

[amh63]

Posters up north....be safe and stay warm.   Got a shock when I went to the Amherst web site.  The school is Closed...written in RED banner format.  Wife stated she has never seen that.  Me too...now in the Old days... . It was lucky that the 8 games won by the conference were played yesterday...and assuming all teams made it back.   

[Old Guy]

The position that Sue Coffey is going to is not shown on the Amherst website. amh63

I had a lot of friends at Bates when she was AD there - never heard anyone call her "Sue." She has "authority." I don't know anyone at Amherst, so I can't offer anyone inside info. I did know long-time Dean of Students at one time, Ben Lieber, but not well enough to ask "what's up."

I guess I would ask, how's Amherst done under Suzanne Coffey's watch in athletics? Pretty damn well, I'd say. So I take the information on NESCAC web page at face value. She's moving into the top position in Student Affairs. At Middlebury and other places, that's the Dean of the College. It certainly wouldn't seem to be a demotion for Susanne Crosby: going from the top position in athletics to the top position in student affairs. Some Deans of the College have moved into presidencies. I admire her range, versatility, and ambition: time for a change, a new challenge. I'll wait for more news.

Schools, even the best ones, especially the best ones, need to shuffle the deck every once in a while, to offset complacency. It makes everyone nervous, but it's a creative process (it can backfire - Middlebury had a disastrous one-year presidency in 1990-91: among other bone-headed decisions, he fired, or reassigned, the Dean of Students - me! Shows how incompetent he was).

I found interesting and commendable the career of Mark Serdjenian at Colby. For 23 years he was the varsity soccer coach while working out of the Dean of Students Office as an Assoc. Dean of Students. A coach at best is similar to a dean of students in many ways: they both advise, nurture, support, discipline, teach. 

I'd ask why Coach Hixon, the Senior Assoc. AD would want that job. Status? Money? I doubt it. The AD job is not a sinecure, honorific. It's hard. Long hours. Personnel headaches. The job he has is pressure-filled and time consuming, true - recruiting, scouting, road trips, and on and on, but I don't think the AD position would be a reduction in obligations and pressure. He has a nice gig as hoop czar, and when he thinks he doesn't want to do it anymore, if he's not ancient like me (Old Guy), and doesn't want to ride off into the sunset and give someone else a chance, I bet there will be a nice place to land in athletics or the alumni office for a few years. I would point out that Sheehy at Wms was significantly younger when he made the move into administration, right?

[AncientSonOfHixon]

[Ouch. Someone just alerted me that I misspelled Connor Green's name in my post this morning--a name I know perfectly well. Is it any excuse that I happen to be working on something about the great architects Greene and Greene at the moment? Um, no.
    Apologies to Connor and all the smart posters here who nearly always take care to get things right. And henceforth I swear I'll never complain, even to myself, when I hear a game announcer mangle a player's info.
    Also, maybe I'll give that "preview" function some respect....]

[Old Guy]

Me too, AncientSonof Hixon:

It certainly wouldn't seem to be a demotion for Susanne Crosby

That would be Suzanne Coffey. Where's the fact-checker, my editor, proofreader!

[amh63]

Old Guy....your post surprised me a little.  Did I disrespect a friend by calling not calling her Suzanne?  I will mention it and apologize when I next see her..and congratulate her.  My contacta with former AD Coffey have always been brief, casual and friendly....like chatting with her while watching a men's soccer game.  She has, imo, had a closer relationship with the new Amherst president than the previous one.....since Biddy Martin likes/enjoys sports more....is closer to the student body.  I too do not see Ms Coffey's move as downward or lateral.  Do not know since her new position is new to me within the administration.  I will learn with you learn.
I am surprised about Dean Ben Lieber and you.  I almost always see him at BB games when I go up for live games.  He flatters me by recognizing me and ask about my kids.  Good memory, has a sense of humor...good dean...good person.
Sheely and Hixon made their move about the same time and therefore the same age.  I agreed with you wrt to Hixon.  Coach Hixon....notice I do not call him Dave....doghouse thing...does involve himself with other Amherst areas such as Alumni Mag....editor, FAA fundraising...good public relation figure.

AncientSonof Hixon...I sometimes wonder if you are not a Williams grad, in spite of your handle.   I will now correct my spelling of Sheely in an earlier post due to your post.  Thanks.
Remember, Amherst has faced Duncan Robinson in two games to date.  Have some faith that Amherst and your name-sake, so to speak can meet the challenge again.
Also, let me know when you finish your work on Greene and Greene.  Am an admirer of their works...have a couch that has strong lines to Greene and Greene...one displayed in one of  maybe? their houses in Pasadena, CA  Always surprised that the brothers trained/educated at MIT went West to gain Fame.

[nescac1]

amh63, I will grant that Duncan Robinson had tough outings in his first two games against Amherst (still did some good things in each game, but certainly they were his two worst or at least two of his worst games this year).  He wouldn't be the first highly-touted frosh to have a tough time in that high-pressure environment -- in two of his three games vs. Williams as a first-year, Toomey had a tough time of it, and I'd say that he has done pretty well vs. Williams since then!  I'm now convinced that Robinson is the best first year I've seen in NESCAC play.  It is only a matter of when, not if, he lights up Amherst the way he has lit up virtually everyone else of late.  Some OTHER key guys need to step up to help him out if Williams gets another shot at the Jeffs, but I have no worries about Robinson rising to the occasion against Amherst sooner rather than later.  He is simply too good not to. 

It's great for Williams' future that the frosh are getting an opportunity for so much playing time.  The future is certainly bright when you think about a line-up of Greenman, Rooke-Ley, Wohl, Robinson, Kilcullen and Aronowitz as a sixth man next year -- that group includes three guys who all have received a lot more time this year due to injuries to veterans.   But Williams absolutely needs to get Rooke-Ley and Epley back as soon as possible if it hopes to do big things this season.  Right now, the Ephs are heavily reliant on only a few guys for scoring.  Fortunately, as others have noted, more reliance on Robinson isn't necessarily a bad thing as it forces him to be less deferential. 

Curious to hear if Sabety has an injury.  If he is out for this weekend's games it would obviously have a big impact on Tufts. 

One last point on Robinson -- as impressive as his numbers have been, Babson's Joey Flannery has performed basically on par with him this year (I'd give Robinson a SLIGHT statistical edge overall, but it's pretty close).  Two of the most impressive first year performers that we've seen in New England, and two fun guys to watch. 

[Old Guy]

Sheely and Hixon made their move about the same time and therefore the same age. amh63

We're not communicating, amh63. Hixon is still coaching. Sheehy hasn't actually coached for nearly 15 years.

Simply put, I don't know why Coach Hixon would want the AD job, especially after his illustrious coaching career (no irony, 500+ wins!) The AD job is no longer a reward for a venerated coach. It's hard work. Lots of pressure. Advanced administrative skills required. I could be wrong. I don't know Coach Hixon: maybe he's an administrator at heart and to be the AD at Amherst would represent a career pinnacle.

Hixon is the Associate AD. Sheehy is the AD at Dartmouth, the top dog. Al McGuire (my hero) once said, "the difference between an assistant and a head coach is the difference between a suggestion and a decision." It's not just true in coaching.

Can I hear an "Amen"?

[nescac1]

Old Guy, amen.  I am pretty confident that if Hixon wanted the AD job, or for that matter a D1 coaching job, he could have had it a long time ago.  He is still at the top of his coaching game, and has the chance to shatter all sorts of coaching records given that he has many good years left.  He gets the players he wants, he has total administrative support, he is a living legend at the school he starred at, and he can probably coach a D3 team to 20 wins in his sleep at this point.  Why would he want to give that up? 

[lefrakenstein]

Old Guy, amen.  I am pretty confident that if Hixon wanted the AD job, or for that matter a D1 coaching job, he could have had it a long time ago.  He is still at the top of his coaching game, and has the chance to shatter all sorts of coaching records given that he has many good years left.  He gets the players he wants, he has total administrative support, he is a living legend at the school he starred at, and he can probably coach a D3 team to 20 wins in his sleep at this point.  Why would he want to give that up?

I was still in school the last time the AD job was up for grabs and it was a poorly kept secret that Hixon did in fact want the job. I believe that he intended to continue to coach the basketball team though.

P.S. I'm always super-impressed when I haven't posted in over a week and yet I find that my karma has gone down in the interim. Props to whoever went back a bunch of pages to find my last post and ding me. Seems like a solid use of time.