MBB: NESCAC

[toad22]

Curt Tong was a special guy. I was lucky to get to know him after my wife and I retired to Williamstown in 2006. I had met him a couple of time while he was coaching at Williams, but getting to know him later was a privilege. He was a revered figure around Williamstown, especially among the basketball types. A truly kind man, someone who asked about you, and really meant it. I recommend his book about his life in a concentration camp as a child. Later in life, Curt reached out to many of Japanese guards at the camp, in an act of reconciliation. I think "Popo" had it right when he said that Curt was a better man than I am.

[jumpshot]

Thanks, nescac1 for posting the article on Curt Tong! Lots of wisdom and insight to the human condition captured by an outstanding writer.
Especially meaningful to those of us who played (and continue playing) sports ---and anyone else, for that matter!

[jayhawk]

I am not sure but I believe Gerry Alaimo was a basketball coach for a period of time at Lynbrook High School on Long Ilsand and I interacted with him at a basketball camp on Long Island?

[polbear73]

Old Guy:  Ray Bicknell was just as you described.  Wonderful guy with a huge heart and a dry, on target sense of humor.  I'm not sure that the refs who were on the receiving end of Ray's tirades would necessarily agree, but he was beloved by Bowdoin students, players and non players alike. 

[ContinentalDomer]

Wonderful piece.  Thanks for sharing.

Great story on former Eph coach Curt Tong, who recently passed away:

http://www.si.com/nba/2017/02/13/gregg-popovich-coach-mentor-curt-tong-williams-pomona-pitzer

[gordonmann]

Wow. That really is beautiful.

Thanks for sharing.

[Mr. Ypsi]

Thank you for sharing the article!

I confess I had never heard of Curt Tong.  Prior to d3hoops.com, news of folks like him never got beyond VERY local areas (I didn't know my alma mater, IWU, won the MBB national title in 1997 until several months later when the alumni mag showed up!)

He sounds like he was a wonderful human being.

[creakyknees]

An incredibly thoughtful piece on Curt Tong and a reminder why coaches like him are remembered so fondly by so many.  I received a nice one page, hand signed letter from Coach Tong in the spring of 1980 congratulating me on a successful high school basketball season and career.  The letter concluded by asking if I might be interested in applying for admission to Williams College for the upcoming year.  The only problem was that I had just finished my first year playing for Amherst and we had beaten Williams twice that year.  Needless to say, Coach Tong and I shared a few laughs over that letter each time we played each other over the next few years.  What a gentleman, and yes, 37 years later - I still have that letter.       

[Cards Fan]

Middlebury and Hamilton win 2 out of conference games if anyone cares. Hamilton keeps their Pool C hopes alive. (Barely)

[7express]

Middlebury and Hamilton win 2 out of conference games if anyone cares. Hamilton keeps their Pool C hopes alive. (Barely)

After their lost weekend I don't think they had any pulse left for a pool C.

[Cards Fan]

Middlebury and Hamilton win 2 out of conference games if anyone cares. Hamilton keeps their Pool C hopes alive. (Barely)

After their lost weekend I don't think they had any pulse left for a pool C.

To be honest, I'm speaking literally. If you look at the numbers I believe they have a good enough record. I know it would be a miracle to make it.

[ContinentalDomer]

They're a bit nicked up, too.  A return to good health may give them at least a puncher's chance.

Middlebury and Hamilton win 2 out of conference games if anyone cares. Hamilton keeps their Pool C hopes alive. (Barely)

After their lost weekend I don't think they had any pulse left for a pool C.

[nescac1]

Nice recruiting pickup for Colby, a former Boston Globe POY:  http://www.newenglandrecruitingreport.com/news/hanna-is-nescac-bound

Hanna adds to Colby's impressive stable of young guards.  Next year looks likely to be another brutal one in NESCAC play for the Mules, who have very little returning upperclass talent.  But the long-term future, in 2-3 years, looks far brighter. 

Really impressive to see the point totals Midd has been putting up, against quality competition, without Jake Brown the last few games.  Matt St. Amour has picked it up in Brown's absence and is absolutely on fire (averaging 30 ppg over the past three games and shooting the lights out) and playing like a first-team all-American.  If Midd wins the NESCAC tourney, they may have a shot of being separated from Babson and may get to host until the Final Four; at the very least, they will be hosting through the first two rounds for certain. 

[maineman]

Nice recruiting pickup for Colby, a former Boston Globe POY:  http://www.newenglandrecruitingreport.com/news/hanna-is-nescac-bound

Hanna adds to Colby's impressive stable of young guards.  Next year looks likely to be another brutal one in NESCAC play for the Mules, who have very little returning upperclass talent.  But the long-term future, in 2-3 years, looks far brighter. 

Really impressive to see the point totals Midd has been putting up, against quality competition, without Jake Brown the last few games.  Matt St. Amour has picked it up in Brown's absence and is absolutely on fire (averaging 30 ppg over the past three games and shooting the lights out) and playing like a first-team all-American.  If Midd wins the NESCAC tourney, they may have a shot of being separated from Babson and may get to host until the Final Four; at the very least, they will be hosting through the first two rounds for certain.

Does anyone know if Jake Brown' ankle will be good to go for Saturday's game against Bates?

[Bucket]

Nice recruiting pickup for Colby, a former Boston Globe POY:  http://www.newenglandrecruitingreport.com/news/hanna-is-nescac-bound

Hanna adds to Colby's impressive stable of young guards.  Next year looks likely to be another brutal one in NESCAC play for the Mules, who have very little returning upperclass talent.  But the long-term future, in 2-3 years, looks far brighter. 

Really impressive to see the point totals Midd has been putting up, against quality competition, without Jake Brown the last few games.  Matt St. Amour has picked it up in Brown's absence and is absolutely on fire (averaging 30 ppg over the past three games and shooting the lights out) and playing like a first-team all-American.  If Midd wins the NESCAC tourney, they may have a shot of being separated from Babson and may get to host until the Final Four; at the very least, they will be hosting through the first two rounds for certain.

Does anyone know if Jake Brown' ankle will be good to go for Saturday's game against Bates?

I have no inside info, other than knowing that despite every effort, there was no way for him to go against Trinity.

I'm sure the training and coaching staffs are approaching Jake's rehab prudently. Stating the obvious, if he's close to healthy, I bet he plays. But if the trainers were to say that the only way to have Jake healthy in 2 weeks (i.e. first round of NCAA tournament) is to rest, then I can see him sitting out, especially the way Midd has been able to maintain pace without him.

Unless a decision has already been made to sit the weekend out of abundant precaution, my guess is that the coaches themselves don't know yet, and it is wait and see until Saturday.