MBB: Skyline Conference

raptor31 · November 14, 2008, 02:44:08 PM

You gotta love how discussion about two of last years worst Skyline teams has dominated the board. Let's bring some reason to all this though. Purchase and their new roster that could apparently win the NESCAC is unproven and we haven't seen how a couple kids that weren't good enough for a higher level will do at this level. The Skyline has a ton of players that could avg .4 and .3 at a low DI School. I am sure with the additions it won't be a 2 win campaign again but let's take it easy before we give them the automatic bid.

As for Bard. The program has been a work in progress for the past 8 years and Coach Wood should be commended for his efforts in taking a program that was 0-25 against bad DIII's and non affiliated programs to a place where they are competitive in a recognized conference. The Raptors hung with Farmingdale at home last year, gave Old Westbury all it wanted and lost a handful of games in overtime and the last 3 minutres. Let's be realistic though, a playoff berth is within their grasp but I wouldn't go out and say they are a top tier team yet.

If you haven't seen my guy Justin White play this year go check him out. Santana and Acree are phenomenal players but J will be right there with them this season. He has taken tremendous strides as a junior and it showed in the Vassar scrimmage where he put up 20+ pointss, 9 assists (could have been 13) and 5 steals. He was clearly the best player on the court and had people in the crowd wondering how he ever got to Bard. He has put a ton of effort into it and deserves all the credit.

Should be an exciting weekend as the Raptors kick it off against Plymouth St. tomorrow.

Raptormania! · November 14, 2008, 07:20:50 PM

"Let's be realistic though, a playoff berth is within their grasp but I wouldn't go out and say they are a top tier team yet."

A playoff berth plus a few wins equals a championship.

Let's be realistic though...Raptormania! is spreading.

d3hero · November 15, 2008, 02:15:07 PM

well you people missed an exciting slam dunk contest last night. unfortunate... but don't worry. purchase will be bringing that contest to a gym near you soon!

Raptormania! · November 15, 2008, 02:51:07 PM

All trash-talk aside, I sure hope so- I'd love to see Purchase become a big Skyline player. Love the school, have always enjoyed the people when I attend Bard/Purchase games there. I even called my first postseason game at the Purchase gym, when Bard made the HVMAC tournament back in 2000-2001. I wish Purchase luck- except in two contests.

d3hero · November 15, 2008, 10:51:53 PM

Stevens just beat Polytech by 40 points. Ramapo beat Yeshiva by 50.

Polytech is ranked higher than Purchase in this conference?

Things are going to change REAL fast.

OH yeah....Bard lost tonight, too.

d3hero · November 15, 2008, 10:55:36 PM

wow...

i just noticed that bard's two only scorers are both guards, 6'0" (generous height given to White) and 5'11" Martin. Bard has absolutely no inside presence and their two "scorers" are not what i would call excellent.

OH yeah, MSM won tonight by like 60 points but they played a non-ncaa opponent.

BklynBasketball · November 15, 2008, 11:07:33 PM

While St Joe's Bklyn is not in the Skyline, this seemed to be the best place for a report. 2 point win for the Bears tonight over Mt Aloysius in the Mounties own tourney.
Freshman Antoine Forehand (Rice) dropped 21 to be high scorer. Senior Ervin MAddox (St Peter's) had 12 points (with 2 asst to go with the points). With his output tonight Maddox eclipsed the 1,000 point mark for his career.Congratulations to the Bears and to Maddox. Anyone familiar with NYC d3 bball would know who Maddox is, he is almost always the smallest guy on the court however he is extremely talented and when he is playing like he did tonight he is one of the region's best guards. Congratulations Ervin!

In Skyline news, Stevens Tech put a hurting on the Polytech boys. My friend told me DeMarco wasnt in attendance for Poly, not sure why??

From Stevens' website:

The Ducks rolled 91-54 over Polytechnic University in the 2008-09 Stevens Tip-Off Tournament on Saturday night in Hoboken at the Canavan Arena. Senior guard Anthony Passalacqua scored a game-high 22 points to lead the Ducks, and fellow senior Virgil Gray poured in 21. Junior guard Matt Higgins recorded a double-double with 11 points and a game-high 13 rebounds as Stevens jumped out to a 25 point halftime lead and never looked back.

Stevens looking strong again looks like first year head coach Hurley should be pleased with his teams start.

Any info on the Yeshiva rout???

d3hero · November 16, 2008, 03:19:12 AM

Zach Gordon transferred out leaving with Yeshiva the weakest roster it has had in over a decade. They're going to have a horrendous year.

raptor31 · November 16, 2008, 10:56:20 AM

Bard lost first game of the season but Justin White scored 27 pts to kick off what is going to be a special year for him. All he needs is a couple of the other guys to come along and watch out. This is still a developing team as they have 0 seniors and a crop of freshmen and sophomores that are getting the first major playing time of their college careers.
Down 2 to Plymouth St. with 2 min left at their place is nothing to hang their heads about. As this team continues to develop and a few of the young guys get their legs under them they won't lose a game like that. James Martin (who also had a great game in the scrimmage against Vassar) will have a nice year and be a big player in the Bard transition game along with White. He gives Justin something Bard hasn't had since the days of Collin Orcutt, a natural athlete on the wing who is great in the open court. Good luck to the Raptors today against Centenary, should be a big first win of the season.

How did the hyped up Purchase team to btw? Didn't see a score.

zonescantstopme · November 16, 2008, 12:03:36 PM

not so fast raptor, centenary played a great game last night against wheaton who is alot better then the plymouth team bard faced. the cyclones are much improved and it should be THEIR first win of the year. nice game by white last night but, when your two best players are 5'9 and 5'10 its gonna be really hard to win games anywhere Baker should dominate in the post for the cyclones today and 6'5 swingman kearney the raptors just dont have a match up for.

Rhodes Scholar · November 16, 2008, 02:20:00 PM

Quote from: d3hero on November 16, 2008, 03:19:12 AM
Zach Gordon transferred out leaving with Yeshiva the weakest roster it has had in over a decade. They're going to have a horrendous year.

Yeah, I just found out he transferred to Penn and is sitting out this year. That's a pretty big jump up in competition. It'll be interesting to see how he does there.

CityD3 · November 16, 2008, 02:38:02 PM

i've seen st. joe's play a couple cuny's over the past few years. maddox is a tough kid wit a lot a game. congrats to him. I did notice that mount aloysius was missing their best player mcnutt, but it is an impressive win for the potential skyline team (they are in the provisional process.) it will be interesting to see how they do against catholic in the championship.

Quote from: BklynBasketball on November 15, 2008, 11:07:33 PM
While St Joe's Bklyn is not in the Skyline, this seemed to be the best place for a report. 2 point win for the Bears tonight over Mt Aloysius in the Mounties own tourney.
Freshman Antoine Forehand (Rice) dropped 21 to be high scorer. Senior Ervin MAddox (St Peter's) had 12 points (with 2 asst to go with the points). With his output tonight Maddox eclipsed the 1,000 point mark for his career.Congratulations to the Bears and to Maddox. Anyone familiar with NYC d3 bball would know who Maddox is, he is almost always the smallest guy on the court however he is extremely talented and when he is playing like he did tonight he is one of the region's best guards. Congratulations Ervin!

In Skyline news, Stevens Tech put a hurting on the Polytech boys. My friend told me DeMarco wasnt in attendance for Poly, not sure why??

From Stevens' website:

The Ducks rolled 91-54 over Polytechnic University in the 2008-09 Stevens Tip-Off Tournament on Saturday night in Hoboken at the Canavan Arena. Senior guard Anthony Passalacqua scored a game-high 22 points to lead the Ducks, and fellow senior Virgil Gray poured in 21. Junior guard Matt Higgins recorded a double-double with 11 points and a game-high 13 rebounds as Stevens jumped out to a 25 point halftime lead and never looked back.

Stevens looking strong again looks like first year head coach Hurley should be pleased with his teams start.

Any info on the Yeshiva rout???

zonescantstopme · November 16, 2008, 04:02:42 PM

Centenary over Bard. Great game from Sophs Will Atkinson and Rob Urie. Also Baker with good game as well

d3hero · November 17, 2008, 03:23:18 AM

91-54, 82-49.

Whoever picked Polytech #5 in this conference pre-season must have been absolutely wasted.

Raptormania! · November 17, 2008, 09:21:17 AM

"i just noticed that bard's two only scorers are both guards, 6'0" (generous height given to White) and 5'11" Martin. Bard has absolutely no inside presence and their two "scorers" are not what i would call excellent."

Sad when people make broad roster judgments based on one game.

Bard' best returning interior player, Eli Strauss, is still recovering from a broken finger, but no more than a week away. Alvarez-Ringer and Hinton are freshmen with solid, developing games.

But after a pair of heartbreaking losses, I'm excited for a competitve season in the Skyline. As Raptor31 said, I expect a tremendous season with Bard in contention- and a Bard team that gets better as the season progresses.