MBB: NESCAC

[jayhawk]

Bates with nice commit
Big man from Old Avon Farms: Kenny Aruwajoye on his commitment to play basketball for Bates College! #NESCAC #

[Middfan]

It will be interesting to see if the Panthers can shake off some expected rust from the break.  The team has been off for a number of days now and in exams before that.  Like other NESCAC teams their last game was on the 8th.  I believe they report back for a practice on the 28th before they jump on a bus for the 10 hours bus ride to W&L and a game against undefeated York.  I'm glad they're young!  By contrast, York is still active with their final game tonight. 

Of course, one perspective deserves another...  with this schedule the real priorities of family and studies take precedent over the sport.

[Old Guy]

On Sunday, Occidental College hosted #1 Whitman and lost by four points, 83-79. Zach Baines had 25 points for Occidental. I didn't watch, just read the recap. Sounded like an exciting game.

Earlier tonight, York College of Pennsylvania, Middlebury's next opponent, knocked off Dickinson on the road, 66-63. York is now 9-0 and should move up in the national rankings.

[nescac1]

More on the Bates big man who jayhawk mentioned:

https://newenglandrecruitingreport.com/news/aof-big-man-nescac-bound

Bates REALLY needs a big guy, as the Bobcats have struggled to replace the Delpeche brothers.  Bates got blown out by a mediocre Concordia (WI) team last night.  Bates' Nick Lynch has produced fairly well on the inside, 8 ppg and 7 rpg, but he is the only guy over 6'4 getting any minutes for Bates.  Bates is 5-3 but only one of those wins (Colby) is really a quality win and they've struggled to beat some pretty bad teams.  Bates has a nice group of sophomore guards, led by Jeff Spellman who as expected is having a break-out year.  That group should keep getting better over time, but the frontcourt is really hurting right now, so hopefully for Bates this guy can make an early impact. 

Speaking of Maine teams, the most interesting stat line of the year from an unexpected player is Colby's Dean Weiner.  In only 20 mpg, he is filling up boxscores to the tune of 9.8 ppg, 8.6 rpg, 4 apg, 1 spg, and a crazy 3.4 bpg.   Those are Draymond Green-type numbers!  Weiner made barely any impact his first two years, and it's not like Colby had tremendous frontcourt talent in front of him last season, so clearly he did something right this offseason.  He combined for 8 blocks in a total of 40 minutes vs. Bowdoin and Bates.  The only downside for Weiner has been struggling with foul trouble (averaging 4 fouls per game over his last four) which has limited his minutes ... but that comes with the territory with some, apparently, very aggressive defensive play. 

[Cards Fan]

I guess with the recruitment news the Bates 26 point loss to Concordia was overlooked... Yeesh. Not a strong showing to an average at best team.

[Cards Fan]

Interesting side note... according to massey ratings, Wesleyan has the 10th best defense in the country, but is 126th in offense.

Unrelated fun fact: Rhodes College has the 3rd BEST offense in the country, and the 3rd WORST defense - they have not allowed less than 90 points in a game, have not scored less than 100, and have hit 140 twice. Sheesh!

[toad22]

Interesting side note... according to massey ratings, Wesleyan has the 10th best defense in the country, but is 126th in offense.

Unrelated fun fact: Rhodes College has the 3rd BEST offense in the country, and the 3rd WORST defense - they have not allowed less than 90 points in a game, have not scored less than 100, and have hit 140 twice. Sheesh.

I've given up trying to make sense of of offensive and defensive ratings. So much of it is how fast you play.

[middhoops]

If you play an up tempo game like Midd (run on every touch, even made baskets) or run some version of "the system" like UNE this year; playing fast or full time pressing gives the opponent many more possessions.
Opponents high scores don't mean bad defense.  Often quite the opposite.

I'd be interested to know how Massey determines "defensive power to prevent opponent from scoring" in their ratings.

[magicman]

A nice article about perhaps the best athlete in the McCarthy family....

https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/columnist/erik-brady/2017/04/12/nba-playoffs-russell-westbrook-triple-doubles-okc-thunder-johnny-mccarthy/100334566/

Thanks for posting this article. I remember Johnny McCarthy but never knew this little known fact about him.

Plus K

[amh63]

Awaiting some family members arriving today for the Holidays.  Snow on the ground in Amherst. School closed for the holidays.  No Amherst games to watch.
Latest rankings has York at the 25 spot.
Amherst will be in Florida for it's nest game....Southeastern Un. In Lakeland Fl.  Lakeland is between Orlando and Tampa.  Opponent's roster is filled with upper div. transfers. Not sure what Division SEU is in...NOT D3.  Therefore, think the game will not " count" , win or loss. Guess this tough opponent will be a sort of "test/warmup" for the likes of big, talented teams like Midd and Williams as well as the likes of Wes and Trinity, etc. etc.

[deiscanton]

Southeastern U (Florida) is in the NAIA.  The Sun Conference, of which Southeastern is currently leading, is NAIA-D2 for men's basketball.

Definitely a secondary criteria game for Amherst.

[Old Guy]

For those of you, like me, desperate for NESCAC action and news, you may appreciate the most recent nothingbutnescac's power rankings, summary of the year to date: http://nothingbutnescac.com/?cat=4

It won't be long now, with most NESCAC teams headed back into action the end of this week: Middlebury in VA, Tufts & Williams in CA, Amherst in FL. The Panthers take on York (9-0). Can't wait. Midd players come back for a day or two of practice here in snowy VT before the two-day bus ride to W&L. Tough kids, resilient, they'll be okay, climbing off the bus and getting after it. Let's go get 'em, boys.

(I am reminded that riding the bus today is not just like the old days. We played cards. Gin was generally what occupied our time. Some others actually read books — reading for pleasure, a lost avocation; others talked deeply with seat mates about their lives. Our rookie center was nicknamed Johnny Low-Card. It's different today as the boys have MEDIA. Not necessarily better, from my OG perspective, but certainly different.)

White Christmas here in VT: 5 inches of new snow. Merry Christmas, all.

[Bucket]

For those of you, like me, desperate for NESCAC action and news, you may appreciate the most recent nothingbutnescac's power rankings, summary of the year to date: http://nothingbutnescac.com/?cat=4

It won't be long now, with most NESCAC teams headed back into action the end of this week: Middlebury in VA, Tufts & Williams in CA, Amherst in FL. The Panthers take on York (9-0). Can't wait. Midd players come back for a day or two of practice here in snowy VT before the two-day bus ride to W&L. Tough kids, resilient, they'll be okay, climbing off the bus and getting after it. Let's go get 'em, boys.

(I am reminded that riding the bus today is not just like the old days. We played cards. Gin was generally what occupied our time. Some others actually read books — reading for pleasure, a lost avocation; others talked deeply with seat mates about their lives. Our rookie center was nicknamed Johnny Low-Card. It's different today as the boys have MEDIA. Not necessarily better, from my OG perspective, but certainly different.)

White Christmas here in VT: 5 inches of new snow. Merry Christmas, all.

I've played more ball in the Warner Center and across the hall in Dormemus Gymnasiam than in any other places on the planet. A faculty brat, I lived on those courts. (And then tacked on 4 extra years as an undergrad at W&L.) I can let the Panthers know just how the ball bounces there.

[Cards Fan]

Serious question for Amherst fans - do you think this Amherst team is doing better or worse with the loss of Jayde Dawson? Though he was your best player all around, from what I saw last year, he was NOT clutch. Once the team would go down late, instead of stepping up, calming everyone down, and icing the game, he would begin to shoot rapid fire. I see this team as more balanced, with no one who will begin to throw the game away at the end, because everyone can trust everyone, not just themselves, to take the last shot.

[nescac1]

It looks like there will be a VERY heated race for NESCAC ROY, tremendous frosh class.  What stands out the most is how many really promising point guards have arrived in the league this year -- two each at Colby, Midd, and Amherst, one each at Bowdoin, Tufts, and Wesleyan (and perhaps others who haven't had a chance yet).   Rookie power rankings after the first semester:

1. Matt Hannah, Colby - the top gun on a surprisingly solid young Colby team, 14/3/3 plus 1.5 spg and solid shooting numbers (50/41/62)
2. Austin Hutcherson, Wesleyan - he can really do it all and has been key to Wesleyan's hot start.  I have him JUST behind Hannah but he has a lot more upside and is my pick for ROY if he stays healthy.  11/3/2, 2 spg, 1 bpg, 43/50/71.  He looks like a future star. 
3. Jack Farrell, Middlebury - 9/3/2, 50/56/90, his quickness will be a problem for a lot of teams and his shooting efficiency has been a surprise, looks like a future all-league player.  Benefits from playing alongside a do-it-all star PG who garners a lot of attention, which has allowed him to ease into his role. 
4. Grant Robinson, Amherst, 9/4/4, 40/25/64.  He has yet to play up to his considerable hype but at the same time clearly has the talent to be an excellent point guard and future all-league player.  He is an explosive player but needs to improve his shooting and play a bit more consistenly and under control
5. Xavier Rucker, Bowdoin, 7/3/4, plus 1.4 spg, 67/33/74, leading Bowdoin in minutes as a frosh, not a big scorer but clearly a guy who is helping the team in various ways. 
6. Wallace Tucker, Colby - Colby looks like it will be all set on the perimeter for the next four years with Hannah and Tucker.  Tucker is at 12/3/3 plus 1 spg and respectable shooting (42/32/72)
7. Dan Draffan, Conn College, 14/6/1, 1.2 bpg, 49/41/83.  Draffan has easily the best stats of any NESCAC rookie, but I knock him down a few pegs because Conn has been the worst team in the league despite playing a very soft early-season schedule.  I've heard nothing about him and haven't seen him play and perhaps that is unfair to him.  If he can put up stats like that in league play, however, he will move up this list quickly.
8. Jordan James, Wesleyan, 8 ppg, 6 rpg, and 1 bpg.  Shooting a ridiculous 82 percent from the field.  Tremendous length and athleticism, just needs to bulk up a bit and work on his skills outside the paint, but he's gonna by a dynamite center and matchup nightmare as he grows into his body. 
9. Fru Che, Amherst, 9/3/1, 59/36/25.  A guy who can do at a little bit of everything from inside and outside at the 4 position.  Already a solid role player with potential to grow into a good starter. 
10. Tim McCarthy, Amherst, 8/4/1, 46/46/67, looks like another great McCarthy for the Mammoths.  More of a shooting-oriented player and slightly less of an athlete than his brother, but looks a lot like him on the court.  Likely to be a three-year starter at Amherst. 

Incomplete: Griff Kornaker.  Only two games, but could easily break onto this list with more PT.  Francis Uzorh, Trinity - acclaimed rookie who has produced well but only in very limited minutes.  A guy who may see more time as the season progresses. 
Others to watch: Antone Walker, Wesleyan, Justin Kouyoumdjian and Luke Rogers, Tufts, Sam Grad, Bowdoin, Tyler Washington, Hamilton.  All guys worthy of top-10 inclusion but this is a DEEP rookie group with lots of guys playing big roles on contending teams right away.