MBB: NESCAC

[ContinentalDomer]

Should be fun, looking forward to it.  No snow in the forecast will make the drive much easier. One of the interesting aspects of the game will be pace. Last year, Ham walked the ball up the floor (which renders some of the discussion about "defensive" metrics misleading) throughout conference play, including its win against Midd. This year, Ham has caught some teams off guard with fast pace.  Having a lead also matters.  Guys settle in better when they're not chasing the lead all afternoon.  Bottom line:  a good start to the game and the second half will tell quite a bit about which team controls the pace and puts pressure on the other.  Until Ham wins conference games on the road, the story line will toggle between a very good season and, possibly, a great season.  There has been a lot of progress to be sure, but there's a long way to go before the final tale will be told.

Two minor footnotes:  Ham lost at Bates in a competitive game the night before Tufts loss.  As to saving bullets, the minutes for Ham starters last night were quite low.  I tend to believe more in the hot hand than the "having a good game makes you more likely to miss the next time" theory.

Good luck.  Looking forward to seeing a battle in Pepin.

I'm driving 4 hours each way over the weekend to catch this Hamilton game. As a Middlebury backer....I'll talk....

Hamilton has yet to put a big road win. Unlike Middlebury, they followed up their 13 point loss at Tufts with a loss at Bates...while on same path, Middlebury sat tied with Tufts with 1 minute to go in game and after losing a heartbreaker in the end took care of business at Bates.

Middlebury has road wins at Eastern Connecticut, College of Staten Island & Bates &...a national win on neutral against Illinois Wesleyan.

I believe Tufts is top team in NESCAC but also need to see them split @Trinity & @ Amherst first weekend in February. Tough Road & Neutral games peel back the onion on teams.  In D3, teams practice in facility that they host games. Players are REAL comfortable shooting in their home gyms, even more than D1. Big takeaway for me of my first NESCAC season. 

Folger & Gilmour do not face-off directly as it is 4 vs. 3.  Fans end game seeing the excitement & promise each brings to their team in different facets of the game. Gilmour & Folger are future stars.  A couple of Folger blocks on consecutive trips as has happened at least 6 times this season will create fast break points..usually a St. Amour pull up 3 & then Jake Brown layup and this defensive fueled 5 or 6 point run will be the difference in creating separation between the teams so that Hamilton is always playing catch-up from this point in the game. 

Folger blocked shots on consecutive trips in second half at Tufts, then changed a shot next trip which fueled this type of mini-run and Middlebury's biggest lead of game at 58-53.  Palleschi then hit a 3 and KJ Garrett slammed a monster man-child dunk and game was tied where it see-sawed for 12 minutes until Palleschi broke tie with corner jumper in last minute.

Worst..absolute worst thing you can do...is fire all your bullets.  127 points last night means a few missed jumpers at the Pepin on a Saturday afternoon with a healthy crowd & an aggravated Panther squad.  Our final...Middlebury 90 Hamilton 79.

[Bucket]

Hamilton hit an incredible 22-36 from the arc tonight in a walkover. Final score
127-82.  Seven players in double figures.  Grinnell-esque.

Please don't shoot like that on Saturday. Thank you in advance.

[Bucket]

I'm driving 4 hours each way over the weekend to catch this Hamilton game. As a Middlebury backer....I'll talk....

Hamilton has yet to put a big road win. Unlike Middlebury, they followed up their 13 point loss at Tufts with a loss at Bates...while on same path, Middlebury sat tied with Tufts with 1 minute to go in game and after losing a heartbreaker in the end took care of business at Bates.

Middlebury has road wins at Eastern Connecticut, College of Staten Island & Bates &...a national win on neutral against Illinois Wesleyan.

I believe Tufts is top team in NESCAC but also need to see them split @Trinity & @ Amherst first weekend in February. Tough Road & Neutral games peel back the onion on teams.  In D3, teams practice in facility that they host games. Players are REAL comfortable shooting in their home gyms, even more than D1. Big takeaway for me of my first NESCAC season. 

Folger & Gilmour do not face-off directly as it is 4 vs. 3.  Fans end game seeing the excitement & promise each brings to their team in different facets of the game. Gilmour & Folger are future stars.  A couple of Folger blocks on consecutive trips as has happened at least 6 times this season will create fast break points..usually a St. Amour pull up 3 & then Jake Brown layup and this defensive fueled 5 or 6 point run will be the difference in creating separation between the teams so that Hamilton is always playing catch-up from this point in the game. 

Folger blocked shots on consecutive trips in second half at Tufts, then changed a shot next trip which fueled this type of mini-run and Middlebury's biggest lead of game at 58-53.  Palleschi then hit a 3 and KJ Garrett slammed a monster man-child dunk and game was tied where it see-sawed for 12 minutes until Palleschi broke tie with corner jumper in last minute.

Worst..absolute worst thing you can do...is fire all your bullets.  127 points last night means a few missed jumpers at the Pepin on a Saturday afternoon with a healthy crowd & an aggravated Panther squad.  Our final...Middlebury 90 Hamilton 79.

I gotta say, BigMike, as a Panther supporter, I cringe at this write-up. This is your first year following NESCAC basketball—I suggest you listen to some of the folks who have been around much longer before making assertions about why, how, and where teams succeed in the conference. Regarding home court, it's not nearly as simple as your onion analogy. Just take a look at nescac1's observation from last week: Midd has won 14-odd straight against Wesleyan. Williams has won 6 of 7 against Midd. Wesleyan has won 5 or 6 in a row against Williams. Peel the layers on that one.

And I love Matt Folger's game, too. But let's not make him out to be Andrew Locke just yet. If you don't know who that is, look him up.

One of the things I've loved about Middlebury basketball during the past decade or so of unparalleled success has been the collective humility of Panther partisans, and this has included years when the Panthers were in contention for national titles, advancing to the Final Four in 2011 and Elite Eight in 2013.

Let's keep things in proper perspective, shall we?

[grabtherim]

I'm driving 4 hours each way over the weekend to catch this Hamilton game. As a Middlebury backer....I'll talk....

Hamilton has yet to put a big road win. Unlike Middlebury, they followed up their 13 point loss at Tufts with a loss at Bates...while on same path, Middlebury sat tied with Tufts with 1 minute to go in game and after losing a heartbreaker in the end took care of business at Bates.

Middlebury has road wins at Eastern Connecticut, College of Staten Island & Bates &...a national win on neutral against Illinois Wesleyan.

I believe Tufts is top team in NESCAC but also need to see them split @Trinity & @ Amherst first weekend in February. Tough Road & Neutral games peel back the onion on teams.  In D3, teams practice in facility that they host games. Players are REAL comfortable shooting in their home gyms, even more than D1. Big takeaway for me of my first NESCAC season. 

Folger & Gilmour do not face-off directly as it is 4 vs. 3.  Fans end game seeing the excitement & promise each brings to their team in different facets of the game. Gilmour & Folger are future stars.  A couple of Folger blocks on consecutive trips as has happened at least 6 times this season will create fast break points..usually a St. Amour pull up 3 & then Jake Brown layup and this defensive fueled 5 or 6 point run will be the difference in creating separation between the teams so that Hamilton is always playing catch-up from this point in the game. 

Folger blocked shots on consecutive trips in second half at Tufts, then changed a shot next trip which fueled this type of mini-run and Middlebury's biggest lead of game at 58-53.  Palleschi then hit a 3 and KJ Garrett slammed a monster man-child dunk and game was tied where it see-sawed for 12 minutes until Palleschi broke tie with corner jumper in last minute.

Worst..absolute worst thing you can do...is fire all your bullets.  127 points last night means a few missed jumpers at the Pepin on a Saturday afternoon with a healthy crowd & an aggravated Panther squad.  Our final...Middlebury 90 Hamilton 79.

I gotta say, BigMike, as a Panther supporter, I cringe at this write-up. This is your first year following NESCAC basketball—I suggest you listen to some of the folks who have been around much longer before making assertions about why, how, and where teams succeed in the conference. Regarding home court, it's not nearly as simple as your onion analogy. Just take a look at nescac1's observation from last week: Midd has won 14-odd straight against Wesleyan. Williams has won 6 of 7 against Midd. Wesleyan has won 5 or 6 in a row against Williams. Peel the layers on that one.

And I love Matt Folger's game, too. But let's not make him out to be Andrew Locke just yet. If you don't know who that is, look him up.

One of the things I've loved about Middlebury basketball during the past decade or so of unparalleled success has been the collective humility of Panther partisans, and this has included years when the Panthers were in contention for national titles, advancing to the Final Four in 2011 and Elite Eight in 2013.

Let's keep things in proper perspective, shall we?

Agreed Bucket.  I love the enthusiasm, and he may end up being Nostradamus, but things have to play out a bit more for some of the conclusions jumped to.  Many Midd Hoop Alums will be among the Panther faithful in Pepin on Saturday nursing sore muscles from their morning game.  Hoping this year's edition steps up for them against a tough squad from Hamilton.  Reflecting back, the 2009-13 Panthers only NESCAC losses were to Williams and Amherst, most of them on excruciating last second shots or OT heart-breakers.  That team was 104-14 over that stretch.  Hopefully, we are saying similar about this bunch in a few years.     

[nescac1]

While I missed last night's Williams-Amherst game, a few statistical notes.  Amherst's three most impressive performances of the season are certainly the Babson game and two Wiliams games.   In those three games, Reid Berman scored 32 points, including going 5-9 from 3.  In the rest of the season combined, Berman has scored 18 points and shot 3-25 from distance.  I seem to recall Berman having a few big shooting games in last year's tourney, as well.  Sort of like how McCarthy seems to become a much better shooter in the last minute of games, Berman seems to be able to score at all only in big rivalry / especially high-stakes games.  Weird. 

For Williams, one bright spot was the continued emergence of frosh big man Karpowicz: 12 points on 6-9 shooting, 2 boards, 3 assists, 2 blocks, in a season-high 18 minutes of play.  Karpowicz's last six games have been ridiculous overall: avearaging nearly 10 ppg in just over 10 mpg, while tossing in nearly one block per game on the defensive end despite the limited playing time.   Unfortunately, that increase in prodution is offset by a few guys who are really struggling right now.  Story of Williams' season -- whenever a few players are really up, a few others seem to be down. 

[BigMike33]

Bucket

Since I represent my opinions and not the greater we..I will still call it like I see it.....

My comments are to stimulate conversation..not a rough draft to be censored.....

I will again leave the human flaw of memory to the greater we and your stats that do not involve this year. Every year is different. Every team is different.

You own your cringe....I am interested in the NESCAC & Middlebury basketball. Watched every minute of every Panther game this year, 9 in person. Basketball is basketball. If I'm right I gain credibility, If I'm wrong, the reasons why, I was wrong, will surely be apparent and I'm sure you will let me know.  I also don't make players out to be other players. I respect individuality and prefer to compare & contrast basketball skills of contemporaries.

The comment on Folger was that he is a future star...but does change momentum and game flow frequently, which is consistent with the path to becoming a future star.  McCord & Tarantino start. Majors & Folger sub.  These are the "Bigs" led by Coach Reilly. The minutes are almost the same for all 4 with fouls & effectiveness being cases when Coach Brown deviates. Please reference the thought on blocks & stops in today's offensive focused game.

Middlebury pushes on your makes....that will be the speed of game..they will dictate....

Great Alumni weekend game for the school showcase. 

Final comment Panther fans and foes....There is only one St. Amour--consensus NESCAC player of year...this is their year to do whatever it is they are going to do... Jake Brown also a senior. Guards dictate games because the ball is in their hands more of the time than the other players. Senior Guard oriented teams have great success in NCAA tournament.

Hamilton will be very formidable in the next 3 years as currently constituted that's where the Zach Baines loss will hurt middlebury more.  Baines also would have been guarding Gilmour on Saturday. Saturday will show the trajectory of Hamilton's growth.

[LarryBasketball33]

Bucket

Since I represent my opinions and not the greater we..I will still call it like I see it.....

My comments are to stimulate conversation..not a rough draft to be censored.....

I will again leave the human flaw of memory to the greater we and your stats that do not involve this year. Every year is different. Every team is different.

You own your cringe....I am interested in the NESCAC & Middlebury basketball. Watched every minute of every Panther game this year, 9 in person. Basketball is basketball. If I'm right I gain credibility, If I'm wrong, the reasons why, I was wrong, will surely be apparent and I'm sure you will let me know.  I also don't make players out to be other players. I respect individuality and prefer to compare & contrast basketball skills of contemporaries.

The comment on Folger was that he is a future star...but does change momentum and game flow frequently, which is consistent with the path to becoming a future star.  McCord & Tarantino start. Majors & Folger sub.  These are the "Bigs" led by Coach Reilly. The minutes are almost the same for all 4 with fouls & effectiveness being cases when Coach Brown deviates. Please reference the thought on blocks & stops in today's offensive focused game.

Middlebury pushes on your makes....that will be the speed of game..they will dictate....

Great Alumni weekend game for the school showcase. 

Final comment Panther fans and foes....There is only one St. Amour--consensus NESCAC player of year...this is their year to do whatever it is they are going to do... Jake Brown also a senior. Guards dictate games because the ball is in their hands more of the time than the other players. Senior Guard oriented teams have great success in NCAA tournament.

Hamilton will be very formidable in the next 3 years as currently constituted that's where the Zach Baines loss will hurt middlebury more.  Baines also would have been guarding Gilmour on Saturday. Saturday will show the trajectory of Hamilton's growth.

I've been sitting on the sidelines watching this league and board for ten years or so.  I haven't opined for years and probably will hibernate again until the guy who just took the oath in DC goes back to New York.  Anyway, maybe it's me, but singling out a freshman sub as a "future star", "changing games" etc,  while bellyaching about that same kid not getting the stats he deserves no matter how true it ultimately may or may not be comes across more dad like than objective analyst like to me.  After all, where I come from, the only stat which really matters and is worth barking about is the big number under each team on the scoreboard.  While your prediction on St Amour may turn out to be true, even I know there is plenty of basketball left to be played to decide that.  Don't rip my head off while telling me how little I know compared to you.  I'm gone.               

[amh63]

Wow!  There appears TWO new posters with the number "33" in their handle.  What say you Old Guy?
LarryBasketbal33...I know you posted before but 10 years is a long time!  Maybe before my time..can't remember when I first posted here...due to old age.  Therefore, you are new in my mind.
I am most interested in watching Both Hamilton and Middlebury.  They are both formidable teams in the path for Amherst to host the CAC Tourny.  Hamilton maybe young but Clinton has always been a tough place to get a win.  Middlebury has young talent but it is the seniors that worry me. And the Panther fans can be brutal! .
Will have to check out the game this weekend.  Amherst games remain  hard for me to watch .

Back again!  All this talk about Folger got me to look him up.  First, the family name is interesting. Amherst alum Folger along with his wife gave the Folger Shakespeare Library on Capital Hill to us all.  Yes, a name associated to Folger Coffee.  Folger the player went to a prep school only a short distance from Amherst.  The same school that Willy Workmam attended. I'm sure a few Panther fans remember Willy Workman.  Wonder if Folger attended any Coach Hixon's camps.   Finally, Folger is from Weston Ct.  Weston is next door to Easton Ct...former home of GE..where my wife grew up.  Weston is where the richer folks live and where booze can be served.  The 19th hole clubhouse was located just down the road from my wife's last family house. 

[Old Guy]

Bucket

Since I represent my opinions and not the greater we..I will still call it like I see it.....

My comments are to stimulate conversation..not a rough draft to be censored.....

I will again leave the human flaw of memory to the greater we and your stats that do not involve this year. Every year is different. Every team is different.

You own your cringe....I am interested in the NESCAC & Middlebury basketball. Watched every minute of every Panther game this year, 9 in person. Basketball is basketball. If I'm right I gain credibility, If I'm wrong, the reasons why, I was wrong, will surely be apparent and I'm sure you will let me know.  I also don't make players out to be other players. I respect individuality and prefer to compare & contrast basketball skills of contemporaries.

The comment on Folger was that he is a future star...but does change momentum and game flow frequently, which is consistent with the path to becoming a future star.  McCord & Tarantino start. Majors & Folger sub.  These are the "Bigs" led by Coach Reilly. The minutes are almost the same for all 4 with fouls & effectiveness being cases when Coach Brown deviates. Please reference the thought on blocks & stops in today's offensive focused game.

Middlebury pushes on your makes....that will be the speed of game..they will dictate....

Great Alumni weekend game for the school showcase. 

Final comment Panther fans and foes....There is only one St. Amour--consensus NESCAC player of year...this is their year to do whatever it is they are going to do... Jake Brown also a senior. Guards dictate games because the ball is in their hands more of the time than the other players. Senior Guard oriented teams have great success in NCAA tournament.

Hamilton will be very formidable in the next 3 years as currently constituted that's where the Zach Baines loss will hurt middlebury more.  Baines also would have been guarding Gilmour on Saturday. Saturday will show the trajectory of Hamilton's growth.

I've been sitting on the sidelines watching this league and board for ten years or so.  I haven't opined for years and probably will hibernate again until the guy who just took the oath in DC goes back to New York.  Anyway, maybe it's me, but singling out a freshman sub as a "future star", "changing games" etc,  while bellyaching about that same kid not getting the stats he deserves no matter how true it ultimately may or may not be comes across more dad than analyst like to me.  After all, where I come from, the only stat which really matters and is worth barking about is the big number under each team on the scoreboard.  While your prophesy on St Amour may turn out to be true, even I know there is plenty of basketball left to be played to decide that.  Don't rip my head off while telling me how little I know compared to you.  I'm gone.               

#33 - Larry Legend of course. Pretty good hoop number: in addition to Larry, Kareem, Patrick, Scottie, Shaq, and Earl the Pearl.

Anyone who has coached understands that love, loyalty, and family trumps objectivity. Dads can be forgiven their excesses, but transparency dictates that paternity be acknowledged on this board.

[grabtherim]

" Guards dictate games because the ball is in their hands more of the time than the other players. Senior Guard oriented teams have great success in NCAA tournament."
Interesting thought BigMike33, and from what I've read you don't like to look back, but Middlebury's only trip to a Final Four preceded by a NESCAC Championship win versus Williams in their gym, which was not too long ago was led by two soph guards, a junior forward, a senior forward,  and a 7' senior shot blocker, the best in Middlebury history. The first guard off the bench was a freshman who went on to have quite a NESCAC career.  Add to that a bench full of players who stepped up and contributed in one way or another every night. Ask anyone who saw them dominate at 28-2, they were a TEAM. Different guys stepped up when called on. No stars, no one dictated, except perhaps for the big guy in the middle who swatted almost anything which came his way, and affected too many other shots to count. Those kids were just teammates who played for each other and came very close to getting the brass ring. Pronouncements of what positions dictate games in the regular season or tournament are not written in stone.  A coach works with the talent he has, and that can change on a given night depending on who gets hot, foul trouble or other stuff.  Combine all that with desire and heart which do matter as well.  That Middlebury team proved it, and it's no crime to look back while looking forward.  Hopefully this year's squad or another one in the years to come will be as good or better.     

[ContinentalDomer]

OldGuy - Your last sentence ... guilty.  But I do strive for fair and balanced.
[/quote]

#33 - Larry Legend of course. Pretty good hoop number: in addition to Larry, Kareem, Patrick, Scottie, Shaq, and Earl the Pearl.

Anyone who has coached understands that love, loyalty, and family trumps objectivity. Dads can be forgiven their excesses, but transparency dictates that paternity be acknowledged on this board.
[/quote]

[jumpshot]

Duncan Robinson plays an excellent game tonight with 13 points on 5 of 7 from the field, 3 of 5 threes, and a couple of stunning assists as Michigan blows out Indiana.

[P'bearfan]

Dads can be forgiven their excesses, but transparency dictates that paternity be acknowledged on this board.

Well, ok, guilty.

[Cards Fan]

FIRST Hamilton puts up 127, now Tufts puts up 113. Offense is heating up in the nescac.

[P'bearfan]

Looking forward to the Bowdoin v Colby game this weekend.  I'll be traveling to Waterville to see it live.  Here's hoping the Polar Bears can play at the same level as they did against Williams and Amherst.

GoUBears!!