MBB: NESCAC

[nescac1]

Jefffan, not sure too many of us saw some of the all-time legends before the last 10-20 years, but sounds fun!  Heck, I'm not sure when NESCAC started.  Maybe going back to the start of NCAA tourney eligiblity in 1994 makes sense, because that is when we could actually judge NESCAC stars against the rest of the country for the first time.  It would exclude legends like Sheehy, Rehnquist, and Hancock, but very few of us have seen any of them play in all events ...

Of the players I've seen (since the mid-90s) my nominees for potential inclusion would be (in no particular order) Mike Nogelo, Andrew Olson, Aaron Toomey, Leo Jones, Tyler Rhoten, Ryan Sharry, Ben Coffin, Jamal Wilson, Mike Crotty, Michael Mayer, John Bedford, Steve Zieja, Blake Schultz, Kareem Tatum, Keith Wolff, Michael Schantz, James Wang, Willy Workman, Joey Kizel, and Lucas Hausmann.  I'm sure I'm forgetting a few worthy candidates, but I believe that all or nearly all of those guys were at least one-time all-Americans and most if not all were NESCAC POY or were locked out by someone else on the list. 

Nogelo, Olson, Toomey and Schultz, all of whom won at least one national player of the year honor, seem like the no-brainers from the last 20 years.   

[amh63]

Amherst exams ends today!  Amherst's next game on Dec. 30 followed by another non conference game with Keystone.  First Nescac game follows...in LeFrak...with Trinity.  Will be a game to gage where this "young" Amherst team is at and heading.

[Old Guy]

Just an aside, during this brief quiet period in NESCAC play: I spent two days over Thanksgiving with my basketball mentor, Geoff Morton, Williams '59. He played on terrific Williams teams before the organization of NESCAC —and was the Ephs first 1000 point scorer when that was a really hard plateau to reach, and I believe still holds their per game scoring average. 6'5"-6'6" — a really good player.

He was the varsity basketball coach (and Director of the Upper School) at University School in Cleveland and I was the JV coach and his assistant for six years in my 20s in the 1970s. Excellent hoop program at U.S. then and now (cf. alums Kyle Scadlock, Midd's Nolan Thompson, Wms' Tucker Kain, NESCAC stars, and a number of D1 players). As we prepared for other teams back then, I was often designated in practices as the opposition's high scorer and Geoff told me to shoot at will (no other coach ever told me that!). Fun!

We shared a passion for the game and had some great hoop experiences — we attended the very first Cleveland Cavaliers game in the old Cleveland Arena in Hough, and have remained friends in the four decades since then

He's the single most important reason that I don't share the animus for Williams' teams that some of my Midd friends possess.

[nescac1]

Two more Nescac commitments, to Bowdoin and Colby:

https://twitter.com/ben_mcpherron/status/1076247151154479104?s=21

And Cooper Wikala to Colby:

https://newenglandrecruitingreport.com/in-the-news/2018-top-prospects-in-the-mpa

[MiddWatcher]

Jeffan:  Yes, it would be fun to come up with the All  Time, All Time    But, virtually impossible, for sure, to narrow it down. But, truly, some great ones. And, yes, I have seen them all : )  I Must be really old !  NESCAC formed in 1973 ... I began playing pre-NESCAC in 1971 at a school soon to become a NESCAC member. And sit here tonight being a former NESCAC player, coach, AD, spouse of NESCAC coach and parent of a NESCAC player.  I think I am the answer to some absurd trivia question ... the only one : ) to have that pedigree. HA : )

As hard to believe as it may be now - back " in the day " there was COLBY .... and certainly Williams and Amherst and an occasional party-crasher - but the Mules were the cream of the crop for a long time. All pre-NCAA tournament eligible time. Lots of ECAC titles.  Matt Hancock, a phenomenal self-made player ... what a work ethic !  Rick Fusco ( 18 assists one night ), John Daileanes ( maybe the deepest range of any NESCAC shooter ever .... made St. Amour's bombs look like layups !  Kevin Whitmore, a tough, tough, tough player - would strongly support him as Best Two-Way player in NESCAC world .... and a 6'5 center named Brad Moore who was beyond legendary, averaging 27 points and 15 rebounds a game en route to three All American awards.  And this ' Watcher would argue to the  dying day that the All Time NESCAC coach is Dick Whitmore. There could not have been a better teacher / mentor this side of the Wizard of Westwood in those days.  So, yeah, a bit of homerism here, but those teams were ahead of the curve .... for a long, long time.  It would be wonderful to see them return to some form of those glory days. Their current coach is terrific, and maybe the new building and positivism around campus will bring them back.  But that is not to short shrift the legends of many of the other players mentioned already. One thing is for sure: if you brought 12 of them back together in their primes ..... you would have one helluva team : )))

[toad22]

Just an aside, during this brief quiet period in NESCAC play: I spent two days over Thanksgiving with my basketball mentor, Geoff Morton, Williams '59. He played on terrific Williams teams before the organization of NESCAC —and was the Ephs first 1000 point scorer when that was a really hard plateau to reach, and I believe still holds their per game scoring average. 6'5"-6'6" — a really good player.

He was the varsity basketball coach (and Director of the Upper School) at University School in Cleveland and I was the JV coach and his assistant for six years in my 20s in the 1970s. Excellent hoop program at U.S. then and now (cf. alums Kyle Scadlock, Midd's Nolan Thompson, Wms' Tucker Kain, NESCAC stars, and a number of D1 players). As we prepared for other teams back then, I was often designated in practices as the opposition's high scorer and Geoff told me to shoot at will (no other coach ever told me that!). Fun!

We shared a passion for the game and had some great hoop experiences — we attended the very first Cleveland Cavaliers game in the old Cleveland Arena in Hough, and have remained friends in the four decades since then

He's the single most important reason that I don't share the animus for Williams' teams that some of my Midd friends possess.

Geoff Morton is a huge player in the history of Williams basketball. He was the top scorer in his three years as a varsity player at Williams (1957-59). A really great player.

[JEFFFAN]

Jeffan:  Yes, it would be fun to come up with the All  Time, All Time    But, virtually impossible, for sure, to narrow it down. But, truly, some great ones. And, yes, I have seen them all : )  I Must be really old !  NESCAC formed in 1973 ... I began playing pre-NESCAC in 1971 at a school soon to become a NESCAC member. And sit here tonight being a former NESCAC player, coach, AD, spouse of NESCAC coach and parent of a NESCAC player.  I think I am the answer to some absurd trivia question ... the only one : ) to have that pedigree. HA : )

As hard to believe as it may be now - back " in the day " there was COLBY .... and certainly Williams and Amherst and an occasional party-crasher - but the Mules were the cream of the crop for a long time. All pre-NCAA tournament eligible time. Lots of ECAC titles.  Matt Hancock, a phenomenal self-made player ... what a work ethic !  Rick Fusco ( 18 assists one night ), John Daileanes ( maybe the deepest range of any NESCAC shooter ever .... made St. Amour's bombs look like layups !  Kevin Whitmore, a tough, tough, tough player - would strongly support him as Best Two-Way player in NESCAC world .... and a 6'5 center named Brad Moore who was beyond legendary, averaging 27 points and 15 rebounds a game en route to three All American awards.  And this ' Watcher would argue to the  dying day that the All Time NESCAC coach is Dick Whitmore. There could not have been a better teacher / mentor this side of the Wizard of Westwood in those days.  So, yeah, a bit of homerism here, but those teams were ahead of the curve .... for a long, long time.  It would be wonderful to see them return to some form of those glory days. Their current coach is terrific, and maybe the new building and positivism around campus will bring them back.  But that is not to short shrift the legends of many of the other players mentioned already. One thing is for sure: if you brought 12 of them back together in their primes ..... you would have one helluva team : )))

Okay, before we get into the best of all time discussion .... what is the reference to a team soon to become part of the NESCAC?  Did I miss something here??   

[MiddWatcher]

Must've been my lack of grammar skills .... " began playing in 1971..... at a school that was to become a NESCAC school " - in 1973 -  when the conference was formed.  That's all.

[frank uible]

Look up the Williams 1955-56 team.

[toad22]

Look up the Williams 1955-56 team.

Frank,
I love hearing talk about that team - the 1954-55 team, I think you mean. That team lost to Canisius in the first round of the NCAA tournament at Madison Square Garden, 73-60. Of course, the Bill Russell led San Francisco Dons won it all. Perhaps more impressive were the teams that Williams beat that year. The list includes URI, Hofstra, UMass, UVM, and Dartmouth. The stars of that team included Ron Wilson, Tony Moro, Robert Buss, and Wally Jensen. I believe that there are only two teams in NCAA history to have played in the NCAA tournament (all schools), the old Small College Championship, and the D3 Championship. Williams and Springfield being the two teams.  If there are others, I apologize in advance.

[frank uible]

I stand  corrected. Other teams, I believe, defeated by Williams were Hofstra and UMass.

[Pat Coleman]

Look up the Williams 1955-56 team.

Frank,
I love hearing talk about that team - the 1954-55 team, I think you mean. That team lost to Canisius in the first round of the NCAA tournament at Madison Square Garden, 73-60. Of course, the Bill Russell led San Francisco Dons won it all. Perhaps more impressive were the teams that Williams beat that year. The list includes URI, Hofstra, UMass, UVM, and Dartmouth. The stars of that team included Ron Wilson, Tony Moro, Robert Buss, and Wally Jensen. I believe that there are only two teams in NCAA history to have played in the NCAA tournament (all schools), the old Small College Championship, and the D3 Championship. Williams and Springfield being the two teams.  If there are others, I apologize in advance.

Catholic University has done this as well -- the big dance in 1944, the "college division" championship in 1964 and multiple times in the NCAA Division III championship.

[amh63]

Good stuff...basketball history!
A little more present history....Zach Baines....the former Middlebury player.   See that he is putting up "numbers" for Occidental in the L.A. area.  Story on the D3hoops page. Some "what if" thoughts if he had remained a Panther.  Different school, different team, different role, etc.

[ronk]

Look up the Williams 1955-56 team.

Frank,
I love hearing talk about that team - the 1954-55 team, I think you mean. That team lost to Canisius in the first round of the NCAA tournament at Madison Square Garden, 73-60. Of course, the Bill Russell led San Francisco Dons won it all. Perhaps more impressive were the teams that Williams beat that year. The list includes URI, Hofstra, UMass, UVM, and Dartmouth. The stars of that team included Ron Wilson, Tony Moro, Robert Buss, and Wally Jensen. I believe that there are only two teams in NCAA history to have played in the NCAA tournament (all schools), the old Small College Championship, and the D3 Championship. Williams and Springfield being the two teams.  If there are others, I apologize in advance.

Catholic University has done this as well -- the big dance in 1944, the "college division" championship in 1964 and multiple times in the NCAA Division III championship.

Also, Lebanon Valley - big dance in '53(won a 1st round game), college division in '73(educated guess on this one-played Cheyney St), and D3 winner in '94.

[amh63]

Pat Coleman....am interested in your thoughts of what happened to Catholic Un's fall in MBB.