MBB: NESCAC

[amh63]

Did not see the Tufts lost coming.  Picked all the CAC teams on a Pick'm board.  In truth, I did wander about on-line at the games.  The Bates game caught my attention in that the one of the big twins...Malcom was not on the floor and did not appear on the stat roster.  I put the Midd game on the big screen to see if the Midd posters were at the games.  Camera coverage made it hard for me.  The game was fast paced.  Jake Brown does like to shoot.  John Daly indeed came to play last night.
Seems Magicman is doing the honors on this board for his Midd friends
Watched the Tufts game the most.  Pace was taken out mid first half and also in the second half for rest as the game was was back and forth.  FY Racy and others tried to hold off opponents bigs on the boards but lost that battle.  Actually left the game in the second half as I expected Tufts to pull it out....but what do I know?  Low man on the pick'em game.
Went on to watch some close Big Ten and ACC games.  My Terps won on the road and leads the conference!  Glory days maybe back.
Oh yes, did see some of the Bowdoin game.  A favorite announcer is back...the one that lets out a "Bang" shout whenever a Bear player makes a basket.   

[Old Guy]

Did not see the Tufts lost coming.  Picked all the CAC teams on a Pick'm board.  In truth, I did wander about on-line at the games.  The Bates game caught my attention in that the one of the big twins...Malcom was not on the floor and did not appear on the stat roster.  I put the Midd game on the big screen to see if the Midd posters were at the games.  Camera coverage made it hard for me.  The game was fast paced.  Jake Brown does like to shoot.  John Daly indeed came to play last night.
Seems Magicman is doing the honors on this board for his Midd friends
Watched the Tufts game the most.  Pace was taken out mid first half and also in the second half for rest as the game was was back and forth.  FY Racy and others tried to hold off opponents bigs on the boards but lost that battle.  Actually left the game in the second half as I expected Tufts to pull it out....but what do I know?  Low man on the pick'em game.
Went on to watch some close Big Ten and ACC games.  My Terps won on the road and leads the conference!  Glory days maybe back.
Oh yes, did see some of the Bowdoin game.  A favorite announcer is back...the one that lets out a "Bang" shout whenever a Bear player a basket.

I love the Bowdoin announcer. He's folksy (a Maine guy) and partisan but not excessively so.

Kinda ragged game last night - Midd-Keene. Lots of turnovers. Spirited play certainly. The Panthers beat a good team without playing its best. Jake Brown took 12 shots last night in 37 minutes, was 4-6 from three (and had seven assists). He averages 9.4 shots a game - hardly seems excessive for a player who's on the floor over 31 minutes a game. He and Jack Daly shared the premier etoile last night.

Midd is taking nothing for granted this weekend in Maine against Colby and Bowdoin. I watched the Bowdoin-Amherst game and note that Colby just beat Bowdoin. We come back the following week against Trinity and Amherst. The team knows it has to play well to stay in the thick of things.

[grabtherim]

Agreed on the Bowdoin announcer.  He's a good listen, very entertaining.  Midd certainly shouldn't take anything for granted this weekend.  The trip to Colby and Bowdoin is long and tiring, especially for the freshman and sophs doing it for the  first time.  Midd's bugaboo this year has been letting large leads slip away, and then coming back to take games over again.  As I recall the only time they were not able to follow that scenario this season was against Endicott.  When the playoffs and hopefully NCAA games start up, under one and done and better competition, under pressure, regaining lost leads will not be as easy.  It would be nice to see this team build on some leads now before the NESCAC tournament.  I've read a bit recently about where and who specific scoring needs to come from, stats, the constant pre-mature hall of fame play by play analysis of one kid and while being dismissive of a senior's "inconsistency" based solely on him not scoring more than 14 points in a game before in his career (which infuriated me beyond belief).  Maybe just maybe the kid has brought something more to the table for the team over the three years the expert had not seen him play.  I guess I'm from the oldest school possible, maybe even a one room schoolhouse, but no matter what, it's always about the team, good or bad, never the individual.  Continuing with that simplistic theme, perhaps I'm not the sophisticate some of you hoops geniuses are, but for me it's pretty basic and simple: it all starts at the defensive end with quality stops, fueled by helping swarming team defense  That has been the hallmark of Midd's best teams under Brown over the past decade or so.  The good news is, to do that is as much or more about commitment and effort than a skill.  Of course, it's no guarantee, but it will help you win plenty of games you might not have won.  In many cases, via that defense, you can take the heart out of your opponent, and more times than not it leads to a run which ends a game.  I've seen it from Midd teams before.  I would love to see it again.   

[amh63]

Guess what posters....there is a game between Connecticut and WConn tonight.  This game and the Monday night Williams game are interesting scheduling ones.  Is this game one that was delayed to the weather?  Amherst's game with RIC is still up in the air.  Strange weather lately in DC.  Little snow even today here and up in Amherst.  I watch the new science building construction almost daily before doiing my chores.

[Old Guy]

Guess what posters....there is a game between Connecticut and WConn tonight.  This game and the Monday night Williams game are interesting scheduling ones.  Is this game one that was delayed to the weather?  Amherst's game with RIC is still up in the air.  Strange weather lately in DC.  Little snow even today here and up in Amherst.  I watch the new science building construction almost daily before doiing my chores.

CC whomped WCT by 27 points. Messier went off for 32 points, 11-12 from the floor, 8-9 from three. He's a shooter. He had 18 against Midd, four 3s. 75% of his shots are from beyond the arc. A junior. 

[BigMike33]

It is kind of funny the pretzel logic that is unleashed here.

I call out a freshman for his ability to change and block shots...ie get defensive stops in an offensive focused world.  This freshman plays 18 minutes a game.

Now I'm chastised because somehow, I have prematurely made this person an all star...yet the final comment from the critic is that defense is what wins games and that is his simple approach to the game. That was my original reason for highlighting Folger.
Read much??  I have been right a few times..that is because the eyes don't lie...hardly an expert.

If you have watched every Middlebury game this year like I have, you would say that the inconsistency of the guards coming off the bench is an issue. Bryan Jones has had good and poor games. Watch how Coach Brown substitutes and you will see close games this year where he brings in the freshman guards before Jones in 2nd half because Jones  I just used the 14 point career high versus 25 on Saturday to highlight that inconsistency. I have no comment on Bryan's first 3 years because I did not see him play. Dahleh, a sophomore, has been out all season with injury. The other 2 guards are freshman.  Bryan is being counted on to step up and when he squares his shoulders he is a game changer. Wouldn't you say that the loss of Zach Baines requires more offensive production from the bench guards to compensate?

Middlebury has lost it large leads at halftime to be specific. Last night a 19 point lead cut to 7 at start of 2nd half  I was at the Endicott game-double digit lead at half. My belief is that Middlebury focuses on their offensive mistakes with the big half time lead while the opposing coach is making tactical adjustments. Opposing team gets some confidence in that Middlebury on occasion does not change tactics. The Wesleyan game was interesting, also in person, Middlebury changed tactics at halftime and started to double team Kuo to start the half. Wesleyan's halftime adjustment was to get the ball to Kuo consistently. Wesleyan went over 4 minutes to start the 2nd half without scoring which in the end caused their demise.

Jake Brown comment.  He seems to shoot and score when they really need it. When others like St. Amour are hot...he defers. The Middlebury coaching staff will tell you that they are at their best when Jake is facilitating rather than shooting. There are times when teams lock up St. Amour and Jake's subsequent aggression causes the floor to open back up for St. Amour, later in the game.
Brown, Daly & St. Amour have a special chemistry, which is why I have been trying to soak up every minute in person this year that I can.

Business Trip to Maine...we will take two W's anyway we can, no artistic successes needed. Bowdoin on the second of the back to back will be difficult because Hamilton's style on Friday will prepare Bowdoin for Panthers

[7express]

Guess what posters....there is a game between Connecticut and WConn tonight.  This game and the Monday night Williams game are interesting scheduling ones.  Is this game one that was delayed to the weather?  Amherst's game with RIC is still up in the air.  Strange weather lately in DC.  Little snow even today here and up in Amherst.  I watch the new science building construction almost daily before doiing my chores.

No.  This Western/CC game has been scheduled for today since the season began.  I believe the CC women played @ Eastern yesterday, so I think they would've ended up playing even if it was scheduled for Tuesday.

[BigMike33]

And...Grab the Rim....since you make a generalist seem specific.   Let's get this...

Endicott game.  The little point guard Max Montroni from Rhode Island on Endicott..under 6 feet for sure... played one hell of a second half.  Jake Brown had trouble containing the stop and go hesitation movements and picked up 4 fouls with 6 to 8 minutes to go and fouled out with 3 minutes plus left. Jake scored 2 points. Bryan Jones came in and was not effective on either end of court.  Middlebury had Zach Baines then and went to larger line-up.

Clear reason why they did not maintain lead in Endicott game. Foul trouble in their Big 3 (St. Amour, Brown, Daly) and no bench production. 3 losses this year. Williams destroyed them second half. Did not match their intensity. Tufts & Endicott extended periods of time with one of the Big 3 in foul trouble. Tufts game. Daly fouled out and St. Amour & Brown sat for times in 2nd half with 4 fouls

So you want Middlebury to build on leads..yet you only care about team & wins.  Walking conundrum?? You don't even know why they lost or how teams can beat them.  Middlebury with their Big 3 on court has an edge in experience & talent.  St. Amour is a prolific scorer. Jake Brown is a lock-down defender, Daly is 5 stat guy who seems to do exactly what the Panthers' need on a given night.  Keene State had athletic guards to cover St. Amour so Daly goes for 23.

Given these facts, foul trouble causing less minutes for Big 3, as most likely cause of a Middlebury defeat, why wouldn't it be fair game to comment on that first guard off bench, Jones, Leighton, De Lorenzo and their relative contributions & consistency as being key to the Panthers future this season. Let's use your better teams to be played scenario. Then the Big 3 will be guarding talented guards oh....yeah...like they did against Tufts & Endicott, which led to foul trouble & losses.

My comment on Bryan Jones was FACTS not criticism. If you want to wax poetic about the 3 years previous go right ahead but understand my point had nothing to do with career highs it was using the career high example to highlight inconsistency this season
Here are the FACTS of the 2 Middlebury losses.  Big 3 needs help these games. Bryan Jones, senior, first man up...
Tufts game: Bryan Jones 13 minutes 1 for 5 FG 0 for 4 3Pt.....2 points
Endicott game: Bryan Jones 16 minutes 0 for 4 FG .....0 points

One more point.... Freshman Folger was absolutely schooled by that little Endicott point guard Montroni on a switch with 1 minute to go, pulled the stop and go hesitation then drained a step back 3... right in his grille. That gave Endicott a 4 point lead and the separation they needed.

Freshman have a lot to learn,which is why there are higher expectations for a Senior like Bryan Jones with Dahleh hurt & two freshman as the back-up guards. I personally believe that the Keene State game was Bryan's coming out party and look for more squared shoulder knockdown threes from Bryan on the Maine trip and in the future. 

[BigMike33]

Now for the Williams loss.

I see this game as a total team loss basically from the time they left to bus to walk into the gym.
Every good team has one game that just horrifies them so much as to how it went, that they build on and use to propel them....

FACTS
Flat Defensively - Closeouts on 3..Williams 13 for 27
Flat Bigs - Outrebounded 43-25
Jack Daly (Big 3) fouls out with 3 points
No one else steps up from bench..  37-18 Williams Bench
Bryan Jones ---did not play... Leighton, De Lorenzo & Naughton shared guard minutes

3 Middlebury Losses...only 1 common denominator....1 of the Big 3....Daly, St. Amour, Brown foul out, not enough bench production to overcome.

Let's go back to the beginning, before I was attacked for mere commentary & opinion, there was no attack on any player...not my style..

The Big 3 is the Big 3... Leaders of the Team
The 4 Bigs rotation is very successful and improving every game.   
The key to rest of season will be...Jones, Dahleh, Leighton, De Lorenzo.  Development & Production.....

Development....St. Amour, Brown, Jones are all seniors.  Leighton & De Lorenzo will be very important next year.  Lucky for them they have the finest teachers & role models you could ask for in the Big 3 & great coaching staff.

Coach Brown has impressed me on several occasions specifically the Illinois Wesleyan & the Wesleyan games as having out-coached his opponent when the teams were comparable. Coach Brown uses timeouts occasionally to run a specific offensive play based on opponent defense. These plays have been layups all season...fine coaching.

[grabtherim]

Sometimes poking someone is good, they snap to attention, end up doing exactly what you hoped they would, and what they should have all along.  In this case, we have a dad who in his zeal to get back at me came up with some great stuff versus the constant one sided self serving "daddy" talk below. 
Please contribute more of what you just did, real analysis, and less about the "freakish talent" of your son and his "magnificent hand eye coordination".  I'm not sure I can take any more of that on a consistent basis.  The kids in the league have been known to read this stuff over the years.  Therefore, even if he turns out to be Jordan and LeBron incarnate, when talking about your son:  less is more.
As painful as it may be here are your highlights.  In case you don't remember, your key words prior to tonight have been "best freshman" and.... wait for it..... "Folger".  I'm hopeful this is the last of our being somewhat uncivil toward each other.  If not, before you react quickly to me this time Mr. Folger, at least switch to decaf first as I do know a bit more than you have given me credit for in your rush to judgement.   

Folger is consistently not given the correct block totals. His massive wingspan makes fingertip blocks besides the shot changes he forces.

He had 4 blocks in first half...only credited with 1.   When a ball changes direction in flight...it is a block.

I will be making the trip to see the 2 best freshman in the NESCAC....Kena Gilmour & Matt Folger on Saturday at Pepin.

Folger had 6 legit blocks credited with 3.  This has been a pattern with this young man due to his freakish wing span and magnificent hand eye coordination in blocks, deflections, and midrange shooting.

For sure no needles were moved in that antiseptic game.  Folger also put-up 11 points and 8 boards.

Folger has played the most meaningful minutes.  Folger came in after 9-0 Tufts run to start game on road and put up 7 points and blocked a shot to calm game down  back to 18-15 at next time-out. That was the most impressive contribution...

Then you add the follow-up intimidation which causes ugly shots to be taken to avoid being blocked. Folger has 10 blocks in 5 NESCAC games.

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..

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. 

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.

Folger had a couple of turnovers trying to play faster than normal because Gilmour was defending.
Playing faster than normal is better experienced personally on the court to really comprehend the concept. 

Bryan Jones with a career high 25.  Jones has been inconsistent as career high before Saturday was 14.

Gilmour & Folger still the head of freshman class.

[BigMike33]

Poke all you want.  I will let my daughter know how happy you are that she attends Middlebury....

and I said that Gilmour is the Best Freshman in NESCAC

Favorite Panthers'

St. Amour
Daly
Folger

[BigMike33]

and..if you can't handle what I have to say then....just move to the next post....its' easy

[Canvas Hightops]

BigMike33, it really is not all about you. 

Lots of eyes on Tufts this weekend.
Not many games left to be played and the seeding for the tourney is wide open.

[BigMike33]

Why don't we pick back up on the Tufts discussion that was lost amongst the Middlebury discussions...

Tufts

Lost Palleschi
Pace somewhat hobbled at times
No road win of note
2 straight losses at Bates, UMass-Dartmouth

My thoughts.  This is obviously the CRITICAL weekend for Tufts.  They need a split to potentially secure regular season NESCAC.  We can speculate on Pace but maybe Coach held him out of UMass-Dartmouth game for extended periods because of the 3 game in 5 days schedule and the fact that UMass-Dartmouth was a non-conference game

Match-up Problem: Who guards Ogundeko?  Does Tufts' Bigs have enough fouls to manage him??

How much does Pace play?  Does he play most of Trinity game to secure a weekend split? Who steps up for Tufts? Racy? Savage?

Tufts split means they have weathered the storm and potentially secured hosting of NESCAC
Tufts - two losses will throw the NESCAC into one wild scramble...if it isn't already....  Trinity & Amherst go to Middlebury following weekend which would mean that any team that gets hot could tke the regular season here.

Slight edge to Tufts right now but the free for all scenario is very plausible.  Great theater if Tufts loses Friday to Trinity in Amherst on Saturday.  Bates being the travel partner means that Amherst & Trinity have their hands full as well.  Very Interesting!!!

[grabtherim]

and..if you can't handle what I have to say then....just move to the next post....its' easy

Proving definitively that denial is not just a river in Egypt.  I can handle anything you say and then some, but this tops the cake.  Daughter??  Really??  I'm sure you and your daughter go over the fine points of Folger not getting the proper credit for blocked shots on the stat sheet and his pitched battle for freshman of the year, even the fine handshake between him and Gilmour you made sure everyone was aware of.  Like you, has your daughter: "Watched every minute of every Panther game this year, 9 in person."  You're a hell of a fan.  Yeah, right.  If you or anyone believes this drivel, I have a bridge for sale, its big and goes from Manhattan to Brooklyn, and it's cheap.  I'll look for your check addressed from:  I'mFullofCrap.com   It's bad enough that you push out this self aggrandizing stuff, but now to create a "daughter".  Did you take your cue from Manti Te'o.  Sorry, I have to go now.  I'm the King of England and duty calls.  Promise to get back to basketball assuming no more  Manti Te'o fictions or similar to insult my intelligence.