MBB: NESCAC

[rdanie03]

Yeah, that was both a good and bad thing during soccer season. Good in that you know where your school is at all times, bad in that if you have something(a star player missing a couple games with injury) that might warrant consideration normally, you can't get that anymore.

[Bucket]

Quick point of clarification...there is no such thing as a regionally-ranked win anymore. The regions do not matter at all with the introduction of the NPI.

As of now, wins over nine NESCAC teams would warrant a "quality win bonus" as their NPIs are above 53.

More here: https://d3datacast.com/npi/

This morning's projection has five NESCAC teams making the tournament.

Waiting for my Williams friends' heads to collectively explode when they see the Ephs currently slotted at 82, when the cut off for a pool C is around the upper 30s.

Obviously so much will change when we get into the conference season, but with NPI determining at-large we're in a whole new land . . .

[bantamfan31]

I know the name speaks for itself here, but the Bantams need to be given some serious love for how they've pieced things together in an offseason that saw 2 starters depart. DPOY has been filled by committee with Lazarre, Dorion, Okorougo, etc stepping up to guard the other teams best players. Dominant wins over Yeshiva & USJ now. A quality road win where they led by double digits for most of the game. The Bantams are pretty clearly favorites moving forward. Guys have taken that next step in their games like Lazarre, Davis and Berry which add to an already deep roster. This is all still to mention the best player in the conference, Henry Vetter. The league is deep, and Trinity's games against Tufts, Wesleyan, and Williams will be awesome as always, but I'd be hard-pressed to see the Bants not having a similar season to last year.

[rdanie03]

I know the name speaks for itself here, but the Bantams need to be given some serious love for how they've pieced things together in an offseason that saw 2 starters depart. DPOY has been filled by committee with Lazarre, Dorion, Okorougo, etc stepping up to guard the other teams best players. Dominant wins over Yeshiva & USJ now. A quality road win where they led by double digits for most of the game. The Bantams are pretty clearly favorites moving forward. Guys have taken that next step in their games like Lazarre, Davis and Berry which add to an already deep roster. This is all still to mention the best player in the conference, Henry Vetter. The league is deep, and Trinity's games against Tufts, Wesleyan, and Williams will be awesome as always, but I'd be hard-pressed to see the Bants not having a similar season to last year.

I think Trinity will be quite good again, but I don't think Vetter is quite as good as Gyimesi in terms of being a complete player

[RollConts25]

Just want to come on here and clarify something because a lot of people on here seem to be confused, misguided, or simply aren't watching enough basketball. The best player in the NESCAC is not Henry Vetter, it is not Scott Gyimesi, or any of these other names I'm seeing. The best player in the NESCAC is Hank Morgan. I don't know if maybe you guys don't want to give him the credit he deserves because he gave your favorite team 20+ last year or what, but the kid is the best in the league. I have watched countless Division 3 games this year, probably around 50-75 full games as well as pieces of others, and there is not anyone in the country I have seen that is as good as him this season. Jair Knight of Emory and Toby Harris of Brandeis are the closest I've seen, but I still like Morgan.

P.S. Someone posted the mock NPI rankings yesterday, and Hamilton's only loss this season is to the number 1-ranked team on that list. They also have a 2-time all-league PG who hasn't shot it the way we know he can yet this season, and they're still 8-1. I don't know why they get so much disrespect on this page.

[GoUBears]

After a bad outing against Bates, it was great to see Bowdoin come back strong against 2 ranked squads. I thought Bowdoin looked better overall than Carnegie Mellon and it took an amazing performance by Justin Allen for them to win by 3. The Tartans finished 12% from 3PT range which wasn't a fluke... Bowdoin is 1st in the country in 3PT defense at 20%.

In the Emory game, Bowdoin charged out to a 6-0 lead and held Emory scoreless for 5 minutes! The game was close 7 minutes into the second half with Bowdoin trailing by 2. At that point Emory went on a run and finished with a decisive win, but holding Emory (who was averaging 89) to their season low of 69 points, and their second lowest scoring margin after Calvin (9), is impressive. Emory shot 16% from 3PT range and 33% from the field - both season lows.

Considering that Carnegie Mellon and Emory are a combined 15-1 and Emory is ranked #1 in the country, Bowdoin has proven they can compete with the best teams in the country. To win those games Bowdoin will need to limit the turnovers and have a little more consistency on offense, but their defense is looking great.

[NESCACBBALLFAN]

Just want to come on here and clarify something because a lot of people on here seem to be confused, misguided, or simply aren't watching enough basketball. The best player in the NESCAC is not Henry Vetter, it is not Scott Gyimesi, or any of these other names I'm seeing. The best player in the NESCAC is Hank Morgan. I don't know if maybe you guys don't want to give him the credit he deserves because he gave your favorite team 20+ last year or what, but the kid is the best in the league. I have watched countless Division 3 games this year, probably around 50-75 full games as well as pieces of others, and there is not anyone in the country I have seen that is as good as him this season. Jair Knight of Emory and Toby Harris of Brandeis are the closest I've seen, but I still like Morgan.

P.S. Someone posted the mock NPI rankings yesterday, and Hamilton's only loss this season is to the number 1-ranked team on that list. They also have a 2-time all-league PG who hasn't shot it the way we know he can yet this season, and they're still 8-1. I don't know why they get so much disrespect on this page.

Having played against all three, can assure you that this is not true - though he is a very good player.

[jumbomumbo]

Just want to come on here and clarify something because a lot of people on here seem to be confused, misguided, or simply aren't watching enough basketball. The best player in the NESCAC is not Henry Vetter, it is not Scott Gyimesi, or any of these other names I'm seeing. The best player in the NESCAC is Hank Morgan. I don't know if maybe you guys don't want to give him the credit he deserves because he gave your favorite team 20+ last year or what, but the kid is the best in the league. I have watched countless Division 3 games this year, probably around 50-75 full games as well as pieces of others, and there is not anyone in the country I have seen that is as good as him this season. Jair Knight of Emory and Toby Harris of Brandeis are the closest I've seen, but I still like Morgan.

P.S. Someone posted the mock NPI rankings yesterday, and Hamilton's only loss this season is to the number 1-ranked team on that list. They also have a 2-time all-league PG who hasn't shot it the way we know he can yet this season, and they're still 8-1. I don't know why they get so much disrespect on this page.

Having played against all three, can assure you that this is not true - though he is a very good player.

I would have to agree. Hank is very talented but also has the pleasure of sharing the court with 2 equally dynamic guards in Singh and Keyhani.  Teams have to choose who defends who when they play Hamilton, and it makes them seem tougher than their record as you can't just take 1 away with out the other 2 having a great night, for many teams. On tufts, scott is the guy in all categories and is the key matchup in that game 100% of times. Also, tufts is better than Hamilton-  another reason I agree with you. Vetter is also the guy on Trin you need to slow down in order to beat them. Hank is still a hell of a player.

[RollConts25]

Just want to come on here and clarify something because a lot of people on here seem to be confused, misguided, or simply aren't watching enough basketball. The best player in the NESCAC is not Henry Vetter, it is not Scott Gyimesi, or any of these other names I'm seeing. The best player in the NESCAC is Hank Morgan. I don't know if maybe you guys don't want to give him the credit he deserves because he gave your favorite team 20+ last year or what, but the kid is the best in the league. I have watched countless Division 3 games this year, probably around 50-75 full games as well as pieces of others, and there is not anyone in the country I have seen that is as good as him this season. Jair Knight of Emory and Toby Harris of Brandeis are the closest I've seen, but I still like Morgan.

P.S. Someone posted the mock NPI rankings yesterday, and Hamilton's only loss this season is to the number 1-ranked team on that list. They also have a 2-time all-league PG who hasn't shot it the way we know he can yet this season, and they're still 8-1. I don't know why they get so much disrespect on this page.

Having played against all three, can assure you that this is not true - though he is a very good player.

Really, really glad to hear you say this, because I played against all three also, and probably you as well if this is true. Nothing against Vetter or Gyimesi, but Morgan is just better. You know what Hank has done that neither of them have? Been the leading scorer on a NESCAC champion team. And he did it as a sophomore. Gyimesi and Vetter are great players, deserving of being 1st team all-league and even in POTY considerations, but they are not Hank Morgan.

[RollConts25]

Just want to come on here and clarify something because a lot of people on here seem to be confused, misguided, or simply aren't watching enough basketball. The best player in the NESCAC is not Henry Vetter, it is not Scott Gyimesi, or any of these other names I'm seeing. The best player in the NESCAC is Hank Morgan. I don't know if maybe you guys don't want to give him the credit he deserves because he gave your favorite team 20+ last year or what, but the kid is the best in the league. I have watched countless Division 3 games this year, probably around 50-75 full games as well as pieces of others, and there is not anyone in the country I have seen that is as good as him this season. Jair Knight of Emory and Toby Harris of Brandeis are the closest I've seen, but I still like Morgan.

P.S. Someone posted the mock NPI rankings yesterday, and Hamilton's only loss this season is to the number 1-ranked team on that list. They also have a 2-time all-league PG who hasn't shot it the way we know he can yet this season, and they're still 8-1. I don't know why they get so much disrespect on this page.

Having played against all three, can assure you that this is not true - though he is a very good player.

I would have to agree. Hank is very talented but also has the pleasure of sharing the court with 2 equally dynamic guards in Singh and Keyhani.  Teams have to choose who defends who when they play Hamilton, and it makes them seem tougher than their record as you can't just take 1 away with out the other 2 having a great night, for many teams. On tufts, scott is the guy in all categories and is the key matchup in that game 100% of times. Also, tufts is better than Hamilton-  another reason I agree with you. Vetter is also the guy on Trin you need to slow down in order to beat them. Hank is still a hell of a player.

I urge the people on this page to watch a Hamilton game before they come on here commenting. Keyhani is great, great player, a star, and when Singh and Morgan are gone, I think a 1st team all-league player at least. That being said, Keyhani is averaging 9 points this season, Singh hasn't shot it great yet, and still Hamilton is 8-1. This is not at all a criticism of those guys, we know how great they are, but it is a credit to Morgan and a testament to how good the Continentals really can be when everyone gets it going.

[RollConts25]

Just want to come on here and clarify something because a lot of people on here seem to be confused, misguided, or simply aren't watching enough basketball. The best player in the NESCAC is not Henry Vetter, it is not Scott Gyimesi, or any of these other names I'm seeing. The best player in the NESCAC is Hank Morgan. I don't know if maybe you guys don't want to give him the credit he deserves because he gave your favorite team 20+ last year or what, but the kid is the best in the league. I have watched countless Division 3 games this year, probably around 50-75 full games as well as pieces of others, and there is not anyone in the country I have seen that is as good as him this season. Jair Knight of Emory and Toby Harris of Brandeis are the closest I've seen, but I still like Morgan.

P.S. Someone posted the mock NPI rankings yesterday, and Hamilton's only loss this season is to the number 1-ranked team on that list. They also have a 2-time all-league PG who hasn't shot it the way we know he can yet this season, and they're still 8-1. I don't know why they get so much disrespect on this page.

Having played against all three, can assure you that this is not true - though he is a very good player.

I would have to agree. Hank is very talented but also has the pleasure of sharing the court with 2 equally dynamic guards in Singh and Keyhani.  Teams have to choose who defends who when they play Hamilton, and it makes them seem tougher than their record as you can't just take 1 away with out the other 2 having a great night, for many teams. On tufts, scott is the guy in all categories and is the key matchup in that game 100% of times. Also, tufts is better than Hamilton-  another reason I agree with you. Vetter is also the guy on Trin you need to slow down in order to beat them. Hank is still a hell of a player.

Furthermore, "tufts is better than hamilton" yet Hank having great teammates makes it easier for him, but not these other two guys you claim have better teams? How does that make logical sense? Gyimesi is not the leading scorer on his team, and Vetter wasn't last year. This is now the 3rd year in a row that Morgan has led Hamilton in scoring. Including, I say again, on a team that won the league, share of the regular season and the tournament. Not that scoring is everything, I understand that, but if you are talking about diverting the focus of the defense, it seems these other two guys are benefitting even more from diverted defensive efforts than Morgan is. Your argument just seems backwards to me.

I could come on here and say that Gyimesi benefits from having a 6'11 teammate in the starting lineup that diverts attention in the paint on rebounding and scoring, but I won't because I know that it's because he's a great player, and everyone benefits from their teammates in some way, shape, or form.

We will have to see when the new year hits and we get to see all these guys on the same court. I must say, I am excited at the prospect of the NESCAC potentially being a 4-5 bid conference come March, and I get more and more excited the more success I see out of all the teams in the conference. Wish everybody regardless of who you're a fan of the best of luck.

[D3BBALL]

Just because someone is a leading scorer doesn't make that player the best player in the league. Morgan is not close to the best player in the league. Vetter, Regan and Gyimesi are better. 2 Years ago during conference play Morgan was the 4th leading scorer on his team and shot 37% from the field and 21% from 3. That is not great, it is not even good. Last year he shot 41% from the field. Look at Regan last year he shot 47% and 35%. There is no way he is close to the best player in the league. Good player yes.

My updated league ranking
1) Trinity - They just don't lose and they have the best 1-8 in the league.
2) Wesleyan - Now 3 scorers, and they are getting enough from their bigs. Huge win at Williams and Williams has way more talent upfront. And Regan hasn't shot well yet
3) Tufts - Gyimesi is is so good, their depth is good, can their guards shoot and defend consistently will need to find out. If they do, watch out and they have played a tuft schedule.
4) Williams - so disappointing, just soft and they have problems defending at times. Bad pick for preseason #1
5) Middlebury - 2 losses both against top 25 teams, but they are tough and Stevens looks like he is back. Need more help off the bench
4 of of this 5 have a shot at NCAA
6/7) Amherst and Hamilton - Neither has enough to stay with the top 5 consistently, they can pull off some upsets.
8) Colby - still a year away
9) Bates/Bowdoin - Both have played better than last year and keep improving, but not enough talent.
10) Conn - finding out what life is like without Murray on both ends of the floor.

First weekend of conference play Williams/Middlebury against Wesleyan/Trinity, 2nd weekend Tufts at Williams/Middlebury, Wesleyan/Trinity at Hamilton/Amherst.

Will know a lot after just 2 weeks,

[Ryan Scott (Hoops Fan)]

I've always felt comparing individual players in basketball is a bit silly, since it's a team game - and somebody's ability to win 1-on-1 isn't relevant to team success.

Morgan is super good.  Very athletic, a big guard.  I sat next to Stockton's Scott Bitner on the first night of the Widener tournament.  He took all of 30 seconds to recognize Morgan as the best player in the building that weekend.  I know he impressed me greatly seeing him in person.

The more relevant thing to me, is Gyimesi's size.  It just gives him a lot more impact at this level.  You don't see the combination of size and skill very often - makes him more dangerous and harder to guard.

D3 is always full of really good guards; players with size, who can move, are always going to be a rarity and this, generally more valuable.

That doesn't really reflect on who's "better" necessarily, but I also don't think that's an argument anyone can definitively win.  Any coach would be happy to have either guy.  Which one they'd actually choose, given a choice, would depend on who else is on the roster.

[nescac1]

Yeah I think Vetter, Gyimisi, and Morgan all have a reasonable case as the best player in the league and I wouldn't call any of them clearly superior to the other two.  Shane Regan has an argument too and could get into the conversation with a big year in league play. I expect all three will be at least honorable-mention all-Americans this year and all bring very different things to the table. 

If I was guessing at what all-league will look like this year, I'd say something like those four as first team locks if healthy, with Stevens, Morakis, and either Poulton or Hudson Hansen filling out the first team.

For the second team, Hansen/Poulson, Alex Lee, Nicky Johnson, Babacar Pouye, and Elias Espinosa seem like good bets for five spots.  That leaves two spots for Okorougo, Lawson, Kwalina, Singh, Schanfield, Dorion and Bernstein. 

[rdanie03]

Yeah I think Vetter, Gyimisi, and Morgan all have a reasonable case as the best player in the league and I wouldn't call any of them clearly superior to the other two.  Shane Regan has an argument too and could get into the conversation with a big year in league play. I expect all three will be at least honorable-mention all-Americans this year and all bring very different things to the table. 

If I was guessing at what all-league will look like this year, I'd say something like those four as first team locks if healthy, with Stevens, Morakis, and either Poulton or Hudson Hansen filling out the first team.

For the second team, Hansen/Poulson, Alex Lee, Nicky Johnson, Babacar Pouye, and Elias Espinosa seem like good bets for five spots.  That leaves two spots for Okorougo, Lawson, Kwalina, Singh, Schanfield, Dorion and Bernstein. 

This is a pretty good list. The one I'd keep an eye on is Dylan Reilly. Probably the best 3 and D guy in the conference. Absolutely shut down Toby Harris on Sunday.