MBB: NESCAC

[MeOak21]

I was told that Ben Etten is actually bigger and stonger than his older brother but I haven't been able to see Babson play since '04 so I can't make the comparison

He is 6'3" and rugged with good speed. What impressed me most was his defense.

Thanks for the name... it sounds familiar but I've been a little out of the loop on Maine HS basketball since moving to NH for college and now work.

edit: I just looked at the Babson website and apparently Zach Etten is 6'4" so Ben isn't bigger. If Ben learned much from Zach, then it looks like it was a good pick-up for Bates if Ben really is going there. Zach has done very well at Babson...

[formerbant10]

Thank you to nescac1 and MeOak21 for bringing the board back to basketball. Thanks for the recruit info.

Does anyone have an opinion that zone defense is used too much in this league given the wealth of great perimeter shooters who thrive on the zone? If my observation is correct, can anyone comment on why they think the zone is used so much? I have not seen that many guards who were so quick that they would make man-to man untenable. Any thoughts?

W/O those quick penetrating guards who make man-to-man scary, zones can be very effective.  They can extend out on shooters and collapse around the few big men in the league.  Shooters love zones, but when if there is nobody to draw 2 guys and get them open looks from their comfort zones they can be forced to take shots from 3-4 feet further out.
Those same shooters often have plays designed against the man-to-man that gets them into a better shooting range.
You say you have not seen that many quick guards offensively......but those are also the same guys defensively who are not quick enough.....possibly.

[The Historian]

Thank you, thank you.

[NY hoopster]

Bant-good points re zone. Defensively quick guards need pure athleticism, and desire, with a mix of cunning. Offensively quick guards need all that and insane dribbling ability in traffic. There are more quick defensive guys, I think, than offensive guys, in the league. My opinion is that given the number of great shooting guards in the league, I would be loathe to give them that split second of an open look that even the best zones concede. If they got the open look off a pick or other play, OK, you got beat on that one play. I just would like to see the shooters be made to work a little harder than I've seen them work in alot of the games I've watched.

[MeOak21]

I spent most of my time this season watching LEC ball where there didn't seem to be a prevalence of zone D being used.

Did many teams in the NESCAC use the zone as their staple defense??

[fpc85]

I spent most of my time this season watching LEC ball where there didn't seem to be a prevalence of zone D being used.

Did many teams in the NESCAC use the zone as their staple defense??

The better teams in the league used man defense.

Amherst, Tufts, Bates and Trinity- All man defense

Williams- 90% man and some 1-3-1 and mathcup zone

Colby- 23 zone/matchup

Not sure about the others.

[VigoTheCarpathian]

nescac1, that was the greatest post of all time in the history of the internet...seriously.

David Blaine, your magic is real and I believe in you.

Baller, you are a legend.

[JustAFan]

MeOak and nescac 1, the 5-7 point guard that Bates was recruiting is Chris Hurley, point guard for BC High, which just won the Mass D1 state title. He announced earlier today that he's going to St. Michaels' College in the NE-10, a DII school that offers basketball scholarships. Too bad, because he'd be a better fit in DIII--he's very quick, a good penetrator and passer and he plays with great heart.

[Col. Partridge]

Sports Guy wants Holy Cross to join NESCAC

[hasanova]

Sports Guy wants Holy Cross to join NESCAC

Hold a crucifix in your "holy cross"ed fingers on that one!

[nescac1]

He seems to assume that Holy Cross would fare well in NESCAC -- but of course he fails to mention that, depsite a roster of all scholarship players, the Cross lost, at home, to Williams, the last time they faced a NESCAC squad.  I bet this year's Amherst squad would have given them a run for their money as well. 

[mrmike88]

They'd still probably be a conference power, and they too could glean the pleasure of destroying the dregs of New England, instead of being one of those dregs in D1!

[Ryan Scott (Hoops Fan)]

Going from playing non-cons at Syracuse and Duke, they can play home games against Bard and MCLA.

That would certainly improve the record.  The problem is that joining the NESCAC with their current basketball structure is only going to get them confined to the basement.  Once you take the scholarships away, the coach will be just as poor a recruiter in d3 as he is in d1.  The NESCAC is just too much league for the Cross.  Although I hear the NEWMAC is still auditioning for that 8th team.

[formerbant10]

He seems to assume that Holy Cross would fare well in NESCAC -- but of course he fails to mention that, depsite a roster of all scholarship players, the Cross lost, at home, to Williams, the last time they faced a NESCAC squad.  I bet this year's Amherst squad would have given them a run for their money as well. 

As did pretty much every team Williams played that year.

[JeffRookie2]

Holy Cross isn't really one of the dregs of DI. Didn't they win the patriot league this year? They are clearly not a powerhouse, but there are certainly worse teams out there.