MBB: NESCAC

[CCsalive]

Wow.
Congrats to Williams. It would be great to see three NESCAC teams in the tourney...looks like it should happen.

Who played well for Amherst? Who did not?

[nescac hoops]

congrats to the ephs! wow!

currently going back to some of the earlier, obnoxious, williams-bashing posts from earlier this season. the ephs currrent success and the win today on amherst's home floor make some of these posts and comments PRICELESS. i will try to compile my top 10 list by day's end. hilarious.

can somebody tell me the last time hixon beat williams in a playoff game (ncaa or nescac tourny)?

[nescac1]

Unfortunately I could only see in spurts as D3Cast was down much of the game, but from what I could see and what I heard, Olsen was his usual outstanding self.  He is easily the player of the year in NESCAC.  Baskauskas was tough on defense and the boards but didn't do much on offense.  Hopkins had a great all around game.  Wheeler hit some outside shots.  No one else did much.  

For the Ephs, one other person who deserves mention is Tommas Golia.  He didn't play at all in the first part of the season but has emerged as a top 7 guy in tourney play, and he nailed two huge 3's in the second half to keep the Ephs in the game.  

Now that the NESCAC season is finally over, for all conference I'd say:

First team: Olsen (player of year and it's not close), R. Kelly, Shalvoy (he wasn't even on the list a few weeks ago, but he carried the Ephs for stretches of the year, rarely rested, and was incredibly clutch down the stretch of the season), Zak Ray, Wheeler.

Second team: Cohen, Farrell, Stockwell, Kino Clarke, Russ Martin, Chris Rose (tie for the last spot between Martin and Rose).

ROY: Schultz, although Pierce, Geoghegan, and Choice are all deserving as well.  
DPOY: Cohen, with McLaughlin and Ray runners-up.  
Coach of year: who else but Paulsen?

Just missing: Weitzen, P. Martin, K. Hopkins, Baskauskas, C. Stone.  (I think that group is basically even with Clarke, Martin, Rose, pretty much impossible to distinguish).  

[nescac1]

Nescac Hoops, I'll look forward to that.  Lots to choose from on that front, for certain. 

2002 was the last playoff win for Amherst.  Since that time, Williams is 3-0 vs. Amherst in NESCAC championship games and 2-0 vs. Amherst in NCAA tourney games.  To be fair, the last two years it is highly doubtful the Ephs would have beaten Amherst had they played in either setting. 

[Bluesky]

I don't want to take anything away from Olson who is an outstanding player. But, Shalvoy showed this weekend not only his leadership skills but his ability to create his own shot and to take and make crunch time shots. His mental toughness and his will to win makes him a more valuable player than Olson. While Olson sees passing lanes that other guards don't see and makes great passes, he didn't display the leadership required down the stretch to get a heavily favored Amherst team on their own court to the victory lane.

This writer would take Shalvoy over Olson when the chips are on the line.

[mrmike88]

Woah Bluesky.  Not to take anything away from Shalvoy, who played out of his mind this weekend, but I wouldn't make that claim until Shalvoy can demonstrate his ability to play at that level for a longer period of time.

Olson had 12 points, 11 assists, and one turnover today.  He is not the primary scoring option on that team.  He doesn't create as much for himself off the dribble because that's not Hixon's system.  Amherst didn't lose because of Olson's play today.  And they've won MANY more games in the past thanks to his play down the stretch.

[frank uible]

soze: Your immodesty is embarrassing.

[walzy31]

Williams College 3pt shooting against Amherst this season:

1/6/07 - Amherst wins by 19
5-29 = 17.2%

1/20/07 - Amherst wins by 21
6-21 = 28.6%

2/25/07 - Williams wins by 1
13-25 = 52.0%
(including Shalvoy making his first 7 attempts)

[toad22]

I thought the beginning of the end for Amherst was when the Amherst fans gave Williams the Bronx cheer for scoring their first points of the game. It was clear that there was a general feeling amongst the Jeff faithful that the game was over with 35 minutes left on the clock. That behavior invites bad karma and mocks the basketball gods. They paid the price.

Soze: please don't create any bad karma for Williams, pleas don't mock the bball gods.

[soze]

Toad
The gods took them down

[La Verdad]

I thought the beginning of the end for Amherst was when the Amherst fans gave Williams the Bronx cheer for scoring their first points of the game. It was clear that there was a general feeling amongst the Jeff faithful that the game was over with 35 minutes left on the clock. That behavior invites bad karma and mocks the basketball gods. They paid the price.

Soze: please don't create any bad karma for Williams, pleas don't mock the bball gods.

In related news...

I stepped on a crack walking back from the gym after the game and my mother, who happened to be with me, instantly fell to the ground with a broken back.

Congrats to Williams, they really earned their spot in the tourney. 

[dman]

congrats to williams on winning the nescac championship and thanks for bringing the excitement back to williamstown...i hope the few williams students in attendance learned a bit about supporting their classmates from the fans from trinity and amherst....amherst is still a great team and will probably go far in the tournament...can't wait to see the brackets...and finally, nescac1 is right.  i bet walzy the usual amount ($1.00) that williams and shalvoy would eventually win one.....

[Dr E. Spengler]

A few things...

The Truth, your best post ever.  I couldn't be happier for you.

Toad, a bronx cheer is a boo...that's the point.  Get it?

Kevin Hopkins is a lot better than Drew Cohen.

Basketball gods?  Anyway we can ban pagans from site?

[toad22]

Mock the basketball gods if you choose, but immodesty and arrogance always seem to have a way of coming back at you. It always has in my life.

[feces monkey]

While complimenting Williams is like throwing bouquets at Ted Kennedy, the Ephs' win was a, um, profile in courage. Congrats.