MBB: Landmark Conference

[sp0rtsfan]

Will do....Thanks, Ronk....Let's hope for good weather...

[NEPAFAN]

Here is hoping for good weather by June. Let's go find Father Quinn and at least ask for a HD feed on the basketball games. Normally I wouldn't think money would go to athletics from a donation like that; but they said several times it was a former athlete.

Hooper I am tracking on your question and have some ideas but will give it a few more days.

[Charles]

The record was 1-3, not 1-4, but was disappointing because there were 3 home games and 1 neutral-court game. While not in the selection criteria, poor NCAA results have to be somewhere deep in the minds of the selectors.
  Absent very good newcomers, only Catholic and Susque seem strong enough to warrant at-large consideration, if needed.

No way of knowing for sure and it's very early, but I don't see CUA having the kind of season that could earn an at-large bid next season. Aside from the 4 seniors, I have a feeling there's going to be a roster overhaul this summer. There are 6 guys who were sophomores this past season, none of whom played even a small role. In fact, 5 of those 6 played in fewer games and played fewer minutes as sophomores than they did as freshmen. I was surprised they all came back this past year and I'm sure they won't all be back next year. Could be the best part of another whole class that's gone before senior year.

Right now I'm seeing 5 guys returning next season who even played 100 minutes last year. Some of those guys will have greatly increased roles next year. Gonna be a lot of growing pains next season, but some of these guys show great potential and I look forward to them getting their chance.

At this point it is looking like the CUA coach has a hard time keeping assistants and players.
Kids no longer are interested in playing there.

[NEPAFAN]

The record was 1-3, not 1-4, but was disappointing because there were 3 home games and 1 neutral-court game. While not in the selection criteria, poor NCAA results have to be somewhere deep in the minds of the selectors.
  Absent very good newcomers, only Catholic and Susque seem strong enough to warrant at-large consideration, if needed.

No way of knowing for sure and it's very early, but I don't see CUA having the kind of season that could earn an at-large bid next season. Aside from the 4 seniors, I have a feeling there's going to be a roster overhaul this summer. There are 6 guys who were sophomores this past season, none of whom played even a small role. In fact, 5 of those 6 played in fewer games and played fewer minutes as sophomores than they did as freshmen. I was surprised they all came back this past year and I'm sure they won't all be back next year. Could be the best part of another whole class that's gone before senior year.

Right now I'm seeing 5 guys returning next season who even played 100 minutes last year. Some of those guys will have greatly increased roles next year. Gonna be a lot of growing pains next season, but some of these guys show great potential and I look forward to them getting their chance.

At this point it is looking like the CUA coach has a hard time keeping assistants and players.
Kids no longer are interested in playing there.

Do you have more information on this?

[Charles]

In the past 7 years, only 8 players out of 35 recruited freshman have played for the entire 4 years.
The assistant coaches have not stayed either, in fact the only asst coach now is a grad assistant
The alumni aren't happy either.
There is an inherent problem with the program (or head Coach) when players don't want to play for him.

[sp0rtsfan]

Ronk, sorry I missed you Saturday. It seems I was never in the same place long enough to track you down. If you had followed J. Kelly and big Mike Ely after 11pm, we would have been at the same place in Reddington Hall, 1st floor, large room, loud music, and lots of refreshments. '76 year was hosting it.

Hope you had a great time too !! Will catch up at the Long Season next season.   

[ronk]

Ronk, sorry I missed you Saturday. It seems I was never in the same place long enough to track you down. If you had followed J. Kelly and big Mike Ely after 11pm, we would have been at the same place in Reddington Hall, 1st floor, large room, loud music, and lots of refreshments. '76 year was hosting it.

Hope you had a great time too !! Will catch up at the Long Season next season.

Sorry I missed u also. Stayed in reddington 5 years ago when I was here w/o my wife. Our post-dinner program didn't end til 10:50, so I missed the party at the Byron. Missed Kelly lewandowski(Salisbury head coach) but I'll c her next month at the aau tourneys. Did meet with mike and Linda strong before the cocktail area and ran into nepafan in the bookstore Sunday Morn. John a Walsh ESPN exec editor til recently made remarks after dinner. Turns out we were only class to have 3 presidents (long, sponga, galvin) in our 4 years. Toured new buildings - rehab/therapy/nursing and the science center. Thoroughly enjoyed the weekend.

[NEPAFAN]

Ronk, sorry I missed you Saturday. It seems I was never in the same place long enough to track you down. If you had followed J. Kelly and big Mike Ely after 11pm, we would have been at the same place in Reddington Hall, 1st floor, large room, loud music, and lots of refreshments. '76 year was hosting it.

Hope you had a great time too !! Will catch up at the Long Season next season.

Sorry I missed u also. Stayed in reddington 5 years ago when I was here w/o my wife. Our post-dinner program didn't end til 10:50, so I missed the party at the Byron. Missed Kelly lewandowski(Salisbury head coach) but I'll c her next month at the aau tourneys. Did meet with mike and Linda strong before the cocktail area and ran into nepafan in the bookstore Sunday Morn. John a Walsh ESPN exec editor til recently made remarks after dinner. Turns out we were only class to have 3 presidents (long, sponga, galvin) in our 4 years. Toured new buildings - rehab/therapy/nursing and the science center. Thoroughly enjoyed the weekend.

Ronk looked for you at the picnic but couldn't find you..sorry to be so blunt in the bookstore...haha. Loyala Science Hall is coming down...

[ronk]

Ronk, sorry I missed you Saturday. It seems I was never in the same place long enough to track you down. If you had followed J. Kelly and big Mike Ely after 11pm, we would have been at the same place in Reddington Hall, 1st floor, large room, loud music, and lots of refreshments. '76 year was hosting it.

Hope you had a great time too !! Will catch up at the Long Season next season.

Sorry I missed u also. Stayed in reddington 5 years ago when I was here w/o my wife. Our post-dinner program didn't end til 10:50, so I missed the party at the Byron. Missed Kelly lewandowski(Salisbury head coach) but I'll c her next month at the aau tourneys. Did meet with mike and Linda strong before the cocktail area and ran into nepafan in the bookstore Sunday Morn. John a Walsh ESPN exec editor til recently made remarks after dinner. Turns out we were only class to have 3 presidents (long, sponga, galvin) in our 4 years. Toured new buildings - rehab/therapy/nursing and the science center. Thoroughly enjoyed the weekend.

Ronk looked for you at the picnic but couldn't find you..sorry to be so blunt in the bookstore...haha. Loyala Science Hall is coming down...

I didn't make it in time for the picnic; got to registration about 3:45 and ran into Mike Strong; then off on the bldg tours.

[NEPAFAN]

We should start hearing about recruiting classes this month..

[saratoga]

Let me guess....the Lady Royals will have 6 recruits including a league MVP point guard and all time conference record 3 point shooter, an all conference 6' 2" wing/post from NYC, a transfer that was Rookie of the Year in a D II conference and a few others that scored between 800 and 1,400 points in HS.

Meanwhile, the Royals will probably bring in 4 kids....3 of which will never see the court until their junior year & 1 kid that may see pt at some point during the first semester.

Lady Royals continue to load up
Mens team...not so much.

[NEPAFAN]

Let me guess....the Lady Royals will have 6 recruits including a league MVP point guard and all time conference record 3 point shooter, an all conference 6' 2" wing/post from NYC, a transfer that was Rookie of the Year in a D II conference and a few others that scored between 800 and 1,400 points in HS.

Meanwhile, the Royals will probably bring in 4 kids....3 of which will never see the court until their junior year & 1 kid that may see pt at some point during the first semester.

Lady Royals continue to load up
Mens team...not so much.

Sounds like someone knows something...

[redrhino]

Saratoga is, by all reliable accounts, accurate in his description of the Lady Royals' commits for next year. The list is long and strong. It is indeed an exceptional incoming class!

So, here is a scary thought: when one considers the addition of these highly-touted newcomers--several of whom will be ready to make a substantive impact straight out of the gate--and if one also remembers that the team will return, not merely one, but two All-Americans along with the  D3 Hoops Mid-Atlantic Rookie of the Year--the Lady Royals figure to be both deeper and stronger than last season's 30-1 team, if it is possible to conceive that.

As Saratoga says, the team just keeps loading up.

[ronk]

  Spoke with AD Dave Martin yesterday at a girls' AAU basketball tourney: a priority is getting campus fields for the baseball and softball programs. Asked him about the basketball schedules: they're being wrapped up now and should be posted soon. I know the women are tipping off with a tourney in Rochester and a Marywood assistant coach said yesterday that we were on their schedule. With MMA leaving the conference now, that means 2 more nonconference games each season.
  Best wishes tomorrow to everyone playing in the Carlesimo golf tourney @ Saucon Valley honoring Coach Bessoir, one of the few coaches to win multiple NCAA championships in different decades. Wishing I could be there.   

[NEPAFAN]

If anyone is interested in the Carlesimo Event honoring Bessior; More info at this site..

http://www.501auctions.com/carlesimo2016

and an article:

http://thetimes-tribune.com/sports/collins-a-lasting-honor-for-a-treasure-of-a-coach-1.2057127