MBB: NESCAC

[grabtherim]

If the under achieving continues this season, there will be one guy to look at and his name rhymes with Sheldon.  Never has someone done so little with so much.  Absent foul trouble for one, and unless Sheldon sticks with man and allows one to be pulled away from the paint/boards, with the two big guys in the game, opponents will have to make outside shots at a great clip to beat them.  The talent on this team is unquestionably good enough to win the league or at the least be at the top and make the tournament. 

Tufts' roster posted: http://gotuftsjumbos.com/sports/mbkb/2014-15/roster

Tufts looks like easily the deepest and most talented team in NESCAC on paper.  Of course, that has been true on a few previous occasions in which they haven't won the league, but I can't see this team not making the NCAA's if it stays healthy.  Palleschi and Sabety are already among the best 1-2 center combos in the country and will only get better with three years together, Haladyna is one of the best wing shooters in NESCAC and should be better with experience, Ferris now that he is healthy is a first-team all-league caliber guy, and Tarik Smith, the only real question mark in the starting five, is extremely talented and certainly has proven he can score.  Former D1 guy Spadafora is a nice luxury off the bench as a sixth-man scorer, and Drew Madsen would start on many teams in the league and could be a break-out guy as a sophomore.  Plus, Tufts brings in a large frosh class chalk-full of guards to challenge / complement Smith in the facilitator roles. 

Vinny Pace, an alumnus of my high school, is someone I've followed a bit and he's going to be good; a late-grower with great size and tenacity for a perimeter player.  Lots of hoops talent comes out of Bridgewater-Raritan and usually they succeed at a high level in college (most famously Eric Murdock, but in D3, James McNally was an all-American for F&M and Pace had similar H.S. credentials).

[jayhawk]

Waiting for Amherst roster to be posted
Amherst may have deeper roster than discussed previously
Conklin is physically big former football player who is talented
Two frosh are very good.
Team will probably be a lot better at end of year than beginning as time is needed for meshing

Tufts very good team- good matchup between Tufts and Amherst

[amh63]

Jayhawk....agreed.   
Just got back from homecoming...spent a couple of days with an old...old friend.  Both our wives are UCONN grads, so spent a day up at Storrs CT and visited the sports museum, etc.  surrounded by zillion national trophies and ate a big meal at the WHBC's restaurant in town.  New practice facility is huge.
Never got to see any practices...however Coach Hixon was gracious enough to spend some time with me...and my wife...giving me some comments about the team.  Your comments about particular players are supported by Coach Hixon's  comments to me and/or how I interpreted them . 
There maybe some surprises wrt to the depth in the backcourt.  Do not think he will be too mad at me if I state that Amherst's key front court players are back and stronger. 
I will wait until the roster is posted before making more comments.  This team does have talent and appears to be deep.
Keep in mind that two of Amherst's assistant coaches were on the 2007 championship team and are front court players that played in Europe.  Expect their knowledge/experience to help the young talented front court players.
Forgot......There will be a ESPNU coverage of the football game with Williams shown this Wednesday..5 or 6 PM.  Reported that interview with Coach Hixon...one of a number of interviews....will be included.

[Ryan Scott (Hoops Fan)]

amh, you coming to the Hoopsville Tournament again this year?  I'm planning to be there for the Saturday games.

[amh63]

Hoops Fan.......thanks for reminding me.  Just checked out the schedule.  Sat is a LONG day with 4 games.  If I go, it will be after the first game.  Sunday's schedule caught my interest with the game between WPI and Cabrini.  Will let you know early next week.

[P'bearfan]

http://www.d3hoops.com/awards/all-americans/men/preseason-2015

Bowdoin's John Swords has been named a 2nd team pre-season All American by D3hoops.  Amherst's Connor Green was named to the 4th team.  Congrats to both big John and Connor!

Good luck to all the NESCAC players as we start the season.

[P'bearfan]

http://nothingbutnescac.com/category/basketball/

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

The guys at NothingButNESCAC have new posts up including a video chat of their preseason all NESCAC teams and written previews of Midd and Hamilton.


The Pathernation guys have posted their farewell blog.  It's well worth reading.

Thanks to all the authors at both sites for tremendous coverage of NESCAC sports!

[nescac1]

Now that we are days away from the opening game, and most teams have rosters and/or previews posted, I'll renew the pre-season all-NESCAC discussion (haven't watched the video from NothingButNescac yet, will have to see how these line up).  Given who has graduated / transferred out and who has newly arrived via transfer or return from injury, this is the most wide open all-NESCAC discussion I can recall.  At least 20 guys are legitimately in contention with very few sure-things.  But here is one shot:

First Team: John Swords, Connor Green, Daniel Wohl, Dylan Sinnickson, Chris Hudnut
Second Team: Hunter Sabety, Ben Ferris, David George, Mike Boornazian, Graham Safford
Third Team: Jayde Dawson, Jaquann Starks, Rashid Epps, Hayden Rooke-Ley, Matt Daley

Also considered: Tom Palleschi, Zuri Pavlin, Bryan Hurley

All defense: Swords, George, Wohl, Sabety, Jake Brown
All rookie: Johnny McCarthy, Cole Teal, Jack Daly, Vinny Pace, Isaiah Robinson
POY: Swords
Statistical leaders: Scoring -- Green, Assists -- Hurley, Rebounds -- Swords, Blocks -- George

Team standings: 1. Tufts (against my better judgment, but Sabety-Palleschi-Ferris-Haladyna is just so much talent), 2. Amherst (a year away from being really, REALLY scary, but might be some growing pains early), 3. Middlebury, 4. Williams, 5. Trinity, 6. Colby, 7. Bowdoin, 8. Wesleyan, 9. Bates, 10. Conn College, 11. Hamilton.  Tough to have a team with two potential all-NESCAC guys ninth, but the conference is very deep this year and one solid team is going to miss the playoffs entirely. 

[pick and roll]

Awesome wrap up to the Panther Nation Blog - reviewing the renaissance of Midd Basketball - great job Damon and Jeff!

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

A couple of shout outs to some my favorite Midd players over the last several years:
Mike Walsh and Andrew Harris - the guys who started the team in the right direction through their leadership and hard work
Aaron Smith - no one could stop him when he had the ball on the block - a beast
Ben Rudin - a winner - always wanted the ball in his hands when the game was on the line
Ryan Wholey - smooth as silk - made the game look easy when running the lane
Tim Edwards - the best in your face defender I have seen in the NESCAC - just loved watching him play

[Hoops19]

Hi everyone.  I am new to the board but have been following the commentary for some time.  Looking for some advice with my son's recruiting situation.  He has gone on two OV at NESCAC schools.  We basically have heard the same story.  Both schools are still trying to fill their need spots (PG and Center) whereas my son's position (swing) has been described as a "want" by both head coaches.  At one school, the center spot has been filled however PG recruit (high academic) has fallen through and coach is back to square one. Coach said that he does't know who he can bring in for third spot until PG spot is decided (has to do with academic bands). With ED1 deadline approaching, we are getting nervous. I also have been told that many recruits in my son's situation usually go ED2.  If anyone has any advice/wisdom, it would be greatly appreciated.

[nescac1]

Nice recruiting pick-up for Midd.  Looks like a Troy Whittington / Allen Williamson level athlete for the Panthers:

http://www.newenglandrecruitingreport.com/news/article/3748/GFAs-Baines-Picks-Middlebury.php

[P'bearfan]

Bowdoin will be tipping off the 2014-15 men's basketball season this Saturday in a tournament hosted by Westfield State.  Bowdoin will pair off against the Elms College Blazers on Saturday evening and then either Mahattanville or Westfield State on Sunday afternoon.

Last season the Elms finished 12-4 to share first in the NECC with Mitchell College.  The Blazers finished 15-13 for the entire season.

The Elms haven't released their roster for this season yet.  However, last year's squad had 3 seniors who combined for 43% of the Blazers total minutes played and 48% of the points scored.   The Blazers shot just over 31% from behind the arc as a team and the 3 seniors accounted for 57% of the made 3 pointers.  These seniors also accounted for 63% of the team's assists so it will be interesting to see how their offense flows in the first game of the season.  Last year's seniors were also responsible for 63% of the total steals so the Blazers will likely need new faces to step up on defense.

This game should be an interesting matchup.  Last year's Blazer's squad was not that tall with only one player at 6'-5", Hamilton Dimunah who was a junior.  Bowdoin should clearly have a size advantage and one assumes the P'bears will try to pound the ball in the paint.  However, last year's NCAA tournament game against a much smaller Richard Stockton team showed that even a significant size advantage isn't a guarantee.   Also this year's Bowdoin team will have to develop their own offensive identity which may take a few games to develop.

Good luck to the P'bears!!

[Pat Coleman]

Hi everyone.  I am new to the board but have been following the commentary for some time.  Looking for some advice with my son's recruiting situation.  He has gone on two OV at NESCAC schools.  We basically have heard the same story.  Both schools are still trying to fill their need spots (PG and Center) whereas my son's position (swing) has been described as a "want" by both head coaches.  At one school, the center spot has been filled however PG recruit (high academic) has fallen through and coach is back to square one. Coach said that he does't know who he can bring in for third spot until PG spot is decided (has to do with academic bands). With ED1 deadline approaching, we are getting nervous. I also have been told that many recruits in my son's situation usually go ED2.  If anyone has any advice/wisdom, it would be greatly appreciated.

Welcome aboard! I don't have any good advice for you but some here might.

[madzillagd]

Williams hosting volleyball tournament again this year, looks like the start of the Saturday men's game has been pushed back to 8 PM EST.

[Bucket]

Midd tips off the season on Saturday in Biddeford, Maine @ the University of New England, facing Mitchell College. Mitchell hasn't posted its roster, but it appears they should be returning 3/5 of the starting lineup from a team that lost to Williams 81-66 in the opening round of the NCAA tourney last year. Included in that bunch is a 6-4 forward who went for 31 and 14 against the Ephs! An intriguing opening season match-up to be sure.