MBB: NESCAC

P'bearfan · August 21, 2015, 01:05:47 PM

QuoteStill, Tufts and Bowdoin were the two teams that I feel were the greatest disappointments.

Not sure how you can describe last year's Bowdoin team as a disappointment. They finished second in the regular season conference standings after losing to a then undefeated Trinity team in OT. Given all the outside shooting they had lost coming into last season and the number of serious injuries that prevented the original starting 5 from playing together much at all, I can hardly call the season a disappointment. Actually, I'd say they over-achieved given all they faced.

Bucket · August 22, 2015, 08:37:37 PM

Quote from: nescac1 on August 20, 2015, 04:19:58 PM

I'd also put a healthy Hudnut, Palleschi, and J. Starks on my all-league preseason team along with Hausman and Green. Those to me are the clear top-five guys returning in NESCAC. McCarthy is one of many roughly equal contenders for the second-team along with Boornazian, the better of the Delpeches, Ajay, D. George, Aronowitz, St. Amour, Matt-Daley-if-Healthy, Jann, Westman, Pavlin, and basically the entire Wesleyan starting five.

Spot on analysis. If healthy, Hudnut, Palleschi, and Green are locks for first team. I'm interested to see how Hausman is without Swords and Hurley, though I expect him to be there, as well. Starks is the most likely candidate to be usurped by one of the others, though I don't see it as likely.

Old Guy · August 24, 2015, 06:26:18 PM

Quote from: nescac1 on August 20, 2015, 11:37:13 AM

Middlebury is the biggest wildcard. They have some strong talent at the top of the rotation but the Panthers have been wildly inconsistent for two years now and are very difficult to predict from game-to-game. That group will all be fighting for the last three playoff spots with Conn and Hamilton probably worst-positioned to nab one.

To put it mildly. Middlebury last year, at 4-6, didn't even make the NESCAC tourney, but defeated the two finalists, Wes & Jeffs, by 50+ points (97-60; 82-67). Panthers could surprise.

I don't post much in the off-season as it is a time to gather my strength for the storm.

toad22 · August 24, 2015, 06:31:14 PM

And I thought I took things too seriously! For me, one of the best parts of next season is that the Ephs play Midd away. An excuse to drive the back way to Midd!

amh63 · August 24, 2015, 07:53:03 PM

Taking a break from the Beach...family heading to get ice cream...Summer thing, I guess!
Anyway, the Amherst team should be on the way back to the States about now.
Bits of info...the 2nd game played was a loss. Tied at the half....many players had tired legs by the third period. Conner Green played only 7 minutes due to a pulled groin. Still, the rebounds and points were spread around. Seems that George, Conklin and Dawson led the way with points.
The Amherst blog on the trip will now post the players comments. Conner Green has been selected a Senior captain and David George a Junior Captain. Ben Pollock remains a Captain....though not playing. The tasks ahead when school starts will be staying in shape and integrating the new freshmen before formal practices in Nov....IMO. Hoping for a breakout season from the juniors...ala Hauseman maybe. Maybe, a platoon system ala UNC?

...just kidding. Do expect a slow but steady improvement in play before the start of conference games.
Attention turning now to the Fall sports.

Bucket · August 25, 2015, 09:30:45 PM

Came home from work today to find Ryan Sharry sitting in my kitchen. Not totally unexpected; I had heard that he and a friend were making a quick trip to Midd today.

Always nice to see the big fella.

magicman · August 26, 2015, 12:00:44 PM

Quote from: Bucket on August 25, 2015, 09:30:45 PM
Came home from work today to find Ryan Sharry sitting in my kitchen. Not totally unexpected; I had heard that he and a friend were making a quick trip to Midd today.

Always nice to see the big fella.

Bucket,

Is he still playing hoops overseas?

Bucket · August 26, 2015, 01:22:33 PM

He had been, up until this summer, but he has decided that it's time to come home.

He was wildly successful in Luxembourg, leading his team to league titles, earning multiple player of the year honors. He could have progressed to a higher level of play in another country, I believe, but he has decided it's time for the next stage in his life.

grabtherim · August 26, 2015, 05:11:46 PM

Ryan killed it in Luxembourg. Won every award they gave there and a few Championships too. Great player, equally great kid.

P'bearfan · August 26, 2015, 07:42:51 PM

QuoteHe had been, up until this summer, but he has decided that it's time to come home.

He was wildly successful in Luxembourg, leading his team to league titles, earning multiple player of the year honors. He could have progressed to a higher level of play in another country, I believe, but he has decided it's time for the next stage in his life.

Congrats to Ryan on a great pro career! Best of luck in the next phase of his life; I'm sure he'll be successful in whatever he chooses to pursue.

magicman · August 27, 2015, 08:31:35 PM

Thanks for the info Bucket. Ryan was a helluva player who I enjoyed watching during his 4 years with the Panthers. Glad to hear he was successful overseas.

Hoop4Life · August 29, 2015, 01:43:40 AM

Bucket, Thanks for the update. It's good to hear about former CAC players continuing their playing careers at the next level.

Old Guy · August 29, 2015, 11:09:14 PM

Nostalgia: Ryan Sharry's senior year, he averaged 19 points a game, taking only 10.5 shots per game, shooting 61% (43% from three), with 10 rebounds a game. That's pretty efficient. Team was 26-4.

NothingButNESCAC · September 01, 2015, 09:39:41 AM

Tracking back a little to the Hausman-McCarthy argument.
If I was comparing the two to NBA players Hausman=James Harden and McCarthy=Kawhi Leonard. Harden is a dominant scorer who's effectiveness is solely because of his ridiculous ability to score the basketball. Both him and Hausman get to the rim a lot and make most of their free throws. Leonard meanwhile is an amazing defender who swallows his opponents because of his long arms... hmm that sounds familiar to McCarthy.
Both are great players in their own way and fit the rosters around them perfectly. At the end of the day, Hasuman is the better and more important player.

nescac1 · September 01, 2015, 10:09:25 AM

Coach App listed all the newly arrived Ephs, including heights and positions, on Twitter. No surprises, but a few interesting position notes:

Bobby Casey, 6'2 g
Kyle Scadlock, 6'6 g/f
James Heskett, 6'7 g/f
Marcos Soto, 6'8 f
Jake Porath, 6'8 f
Michael Kempton, 6'9 c

Lots of size coming in (Kempton looks even bigger than that to me), and lots of shooters (all but Kempton are at worst very capable three point shooters). Given that Williams returns only six rotation players from last year, and only two full-time starters, this group will no doubt see a lot of floor time early in their careers. This will be the least experienced and most unpredictable Williams lineup that I can recall. Hope they are ready to play!