WBB: NESCAC

[Roundball999]

All very good points and much more eloquently said than my post.  Again, I meant no disrespect to Robertson at all.  I agree with Gordon's definition and in that vein, I believe there are quite a few players more critical to the success of their team than Robertson is to Amherst, including Stedman and probably Atanga-McCormick.

[gordonmann]

And since Gordon named all three of those in his post, it didn't leave much for Dave or me to say.

Ha. Yeah, sorry. I tried to avoid the "on one hand" answers since it takes up all the good answers.

[Dave 'd-mac' McHugh]

I was just trying to give a different point of view. There were many to chose from and in my longer version of answer I did mention Stedman, but in the efforts to trim and not repeat Gordon's exact comments, I chose eliminate that line.

Again, just wanted to shine a light on a player that has certainly made a big impact in just her freshman year and to provide a different take on the question... nothing more.

I certainly don't expect people to agree with what I write, I am just looking to give perspective... and we all tried not to repeat each other (though, on one I just couldn't avoid it).

[Roundball999]

I was just trying to give a different point of view. There were many to chose from and in my longer version of answer I did mention Stedman, but in the efforts to trim and not repeat Gordon's exact comments, I chose eliminate that line.

Again, just wanted to shine a light on a player that has certainly made a big impact in just her freshman year and to provide a different take on the question... nothing more.

I certainly don't expect people to agree with what I write, I am just looking to give perspective... and we all tried not to repeat each other (though, on one I just couldn't avoid it).

Dave, I understand and appreciate your thinking and didn't intend to sound too argumentative.  Differing points of view and good back and forth discussion is what these boards are all about.  In any case Robertson deserves some attention and accolades for playing a significant role on a very talented and experienced team.  Quite an accomplishment for a freshman.

For what its worth, I mentioned Verkaik because I recently had a chance to see her play for the first time.  Quite a presence... agile 6'2" with strong low post moves with deft touch either hand, keeps and shoots the ball very high making her extremely difficult to block, very accurate mid range shot facing the basket, and will even hit the 3 if her defender lays off.  Strong rebounder and even better shot blocker.  As good as she is she's very willowy, while she plays stronger than she looks if she adds a few pounds of muscle she'll be an absolute terror next year...

[gordonmann]

Roundball:

That's a dead on scouting report on Verkaik.

[amh63]

This possible POY debate is great.  Like the out of the box thinking by Dave and Gordon's definition of POY.  Decided to join in a bit...in a sort of partisan way.
The Amherst team "struggle" a bit in their Maine trip to play Bowdoin and Colby.  The Maine teams are tough in Maine and it was the start of a stretch of away games for Amherst.  Background....Amherst had just beaten Kean in an somewhat emotional game at home.  Lem Atanaga was most dominate in the first half.  Lem was injured late in the first half and was taken out of the game and did not return.  She  got hit in the forehead by an elbow, etc.  Amherst went on to dominate and beat Kean.
In both Maine games, Lem did not play.  Five seniors start for Amherst and they play well with each other....each picking up their game when/where it is needed.  Amherst beat Bowdoin by only 3.  Stedman scored well with 14...but it was Jackie Renner who stepped up in that game by scoring 12 points and pulling down 10 boards....both a step up from her normal contributions.  Meg Robertson did not contribute much.  She was "schooled" by the experienced Bowdoin front line.  It was Renner and Bridget Crowley (9 pts., 5 rebounds) that helped Amherst win the battle of the boards and also the game, IMO.  Jackie is 6' and Bridget is 6'1" and their heights and skills were needed.  The team was adjusting a bit to having a missing starter out....as well as the play of Bowdoin players.
In the Colby game the next day...Amherst was facing a tall and talented Colby front line....with a experienced 6'3" player and a 6'1 or 2" Mack that can shoot the 3's.  Amherst won the game by only 1!  Stedman played well and her points were critical.  Bridget came in again and helped get critical boards (9 boards).  Bridget is athletic but is not always effective against bulkier players.  Meg Robertson was the key in this game.  She was the top scorer for Amherst with 18 points and had 7 boards and 2 blocks!  She played well against the more experienced and bigger Colby front line....she learned her lesson and adjusted.  Meg is listed at 6'2"...though a Williams announcer thought she was much taller..maybe because she was playing much bigger against them.
Amherst is a talented team and Meg and Bridget and recently the play of Marcia, Jasmine and others are making it a TEAM of great depth.

[amh63]

NHNESCACFan......FYI.....I got info from a sighter that our Amherst man with the custom BB jacket  was seen at the Bates game.  He travels well.  Hope to see him at the games in Amherst this weekend...and say hello, etc.  Will you make it down at any time to watch live?

[NH NESCAC Fan]

Unfortunately, no.  I am in the midst of tax season.  Not much time for traveling.  I am guessing that Jasmine's parents will be at one, if not both games.  Their names are Greg and Judy.  Greg has been reading these posts...say hello if you can figure out who they are.  Have fun.

[Maine 1]

First regional rankings are interesting.  Bowdoin, with wins over Colby and Tufts, is not rated.  Conn College is rated (eight) above Colby.  We will see if Conn College is for real this weekend.  I have seen them play once this year, I don't believe they can play with either Bowdoin or Colby.  Babson ranking is pretty high. Babson is an interesting team.  They have a great record in a very weak conference.  They have a big out of conference game against Colby next week.  Some very interesting basketball coming up.  As it has been for the last few seasons, the road to the final four will go through Amherst

[amh63]

Maine1.....This weekend games and the conf. tourney will impact the next two regional rankings.  One of your Maine teams may get a bid to the post season.....though I was surprised by Colby's last lost.  Babson's coach was very careful in her discussion of her team on D3hoopsville...but did mention the win over Tufts.  Babson's team is built around the big frontcourt which IMO is kept in the games to much in wins....not allowing depth to develop.

[Maine 1]

Conn College and Wesleyan could not handle the Maine teams this weekend.  Appears that Colby really blew Wesleyan out of the gym in the first half.  I would expect the top four teams to advance to the NESCAC semifinals at Amherst.  I don't see Conn College beating Bowdoin at Bowdoin, and I don't think Williams has enough to stop Colby.  Conn College has definitely improved and could be building something.

[7express]

NESCAC playoffs which start next Saturday:

#8 Trinity @ #1 Amherst
#7 Conn College @ #2 Tufts
#6 Wesleyan @ #3 Bowdoin
#5 Williams @ #4 Colby.

This is definitely Amherst's to lose, but Colby could give them some trouble in the semifinals and likewise Tufts/Bowdoin as well in the finals.  All 4 home teams should advance.

[NE Hoop Guy]

7Express, I appreciate your postings on these boards, but I find it hard to believe you think Colby or Bowdoin will give Amherst trouble in Amherst.  I agree they have seemed a bit vulnerable this year, and this is only relatively speaking given they are undefeated, but those small instances have been on the road.  Colby should have had them in Waterville and could not get a shot off in 18 seconds. Tufts got the doors blown off last week in Medford.  Bowdoin seems to be a step down this year.  I just do not see a chance of them losing at home.  Now Round 1 NCAA may be a different story, as they will have to play on the road for the first time on the Gromacki era I believe. Depending on the pod, that could be interesting.

[Maine 1]

I do believe Colby can give Amherst a run, assuming Colby can get by Williams, which will not be an easy task.  Colby had Amherst beat in Waterville.  However, Amherst played without McCormick, and that will be a big difference if they play again.  I would expect Amherst to be playing at home as long as they are alive in the NCAA.

[BBstudent]

1) -To NE Hoop Guy I think the first year of the Gromacki era they started NCAA play at Bridgewater State against Becker (and then barely won the next game when Bowdoin missed a last second shot from less than eight feet away).
2) I agree that in theory Amherst should do better at home than on the road against teams such as Colby and Bowdoin, but in watching this year's games Amherst's MO is to get a big first half lead and then usually play even for the second half; of course that is aside from those games when Amherst starts slow and then blows the other team out in the second half (which I think covers most of the possibilities). My real point is that they seem to have had trouble concentrating for 40 minutes and when they are playing with a big lead they seem to revert to being nice, polite girls unable to stamp their opponents into the ground. I would point to their foul shooting as additional evidence of this, as I think foul shooting is a matter of concentration. All the girls have made thousands of foul shots and have the mechanics down perfect, which leaves focus as the reason they have left so many points at the line this year.
Finally, while I personally worry about the players' ability to focus for 40 minutes (or heaven forbid 45 or 50) I, along with all Amherst fans, have faith that Coach Gromacki will find a way to impress on the players the mindset needed to win the game.