WBB: Empire 8

[Caz Bombers]

Conference  games at the halfway point, where do your teams stand. Encouraged, disappointed,or simply confused??How do you think things will shakeout now?? Elmira and Ithaca at top right now, but I think it will be Elmira and Utica in the end. EC playing some great balll, getting everyone involved. Solid returning players, and some solid freshman play.Their deep bench is a asset for a playoff run.

Definitely extremely encouraged by IC being 6-1 and assured of at least a split with everyone that will be trying to make the tournament.  Encouraged as well by the fact that it seems to be a different player stepping up each game and also by nearly hitting 100 points on two different occasions (Elmira, at Alfred).  Concerned with the knowledge that 5 of the last 7 are on the road.

[sotier]

Very nice post ,Caz. How about the other teams out there fans.Lets hear from SJF and UC and the rest.

[superman57]

Fisher is having a down year this year to many freshman...but man this team could be dominating in a year or two

[lileyes]

UC beat Ithaca last night by 19...they played a great team game!  Tell me the last time you saw a women's DIII player have 27 pts, 19 rebs, 8 steals, and 5 blocks??

Should be 2 good game's out east today, Elmira and Utica, Ithaca and Hartwick. 

[bigchief]

UC beat Ithaca last night by 19...they played a great team game!  Tell me the last time you saw a women's DIII player have 27 pts, 19 rebs, 8 steals, and 5 blocks??

Should be 2 good game's out east today, Elmira and Utica, Ithaca and Hartwick. 

I think there might be only one good game E vs U. Ithaca lost by 19 to a team (U) they had beaten by 18! Ithaca should be coming into this game with something to prove. Especially having lost to Hartwick earlier this season.

[sotier]

elmira-utica looked to be a good game for the first ten minutes or so. Then a elmira run...utica collapse.Looking forword to EC-Fisher next saturday. Really looking forword to EC-Ithaca the tuesday after.Can Ec revenge their only loss(so far) against IC?? That will be a  pre-playoff test for both,and a real edge for the winner. P.S. congrates to Ava Thomas of UC on scoring her 1,000th point.

[Caz Bombers]

E8 All-Conference candidates (all stats league games only) as we enter the final couple weeks:

Melanie Jackson (Alfred) - 13.1 ppg 9.9 rpg 16 steals SOPHOMORE

Kortney Troutman (Elmira) - 14.0 ppg 6.4 rpg 20 steals JUNIOR
Marcia Coakley (Elmira) - 13.7 ppg 4.6 rpg 40 steals SOPHOMORE
Mary Symonds (Elmira) - 9.0 ppg 4.6 rpg SOPHOMORE
Bridget Catanese (Elmira) - 8.8 ppg 7.1 rpg 23 steals 10 blocks .484 FG% JUNIOR

Lindsay Wilson (Hartwick) - 21.0 ppg 6.3 apg 19 steals SENIOR
Mara Tichy (Hartwick) - 13.6 ppg 8.1 rpg 23 steals .474 3pt% SENIOR
Jenny Knight (Hartwick) - 10.2 ppg 9.2 rpg 17 blocks .589 FG% SENIOR

Erika Steele (Ithaca) - 16.4 ppg 8.6 rpg 23 blocks .523 FG% .829 FT% JUNIOR
Sue Kelly (Ithaca) - 14.3 ppg 6.0 rpg SENIOR
Erin Sanvidge (Ithaca) - 11.0 ppg 4.4 apg 22 steals .826 FT% SENIOR

Whitney Smith (Nazareth) - 11.7 ppg 5.4 rpg .391 3pt% FRESHMAN
Kelly Dunne (Nazareth) - 9.4 ppg 19 steals .842 FT% FRESHMAN

Margot Sandy (RIT) - 16.2 ppg 8.8 rpg 24 blocks .792 FT% SENIOR
Joanna Dobeck (RIT) - 11.3 ppg 5.3 rpg 18 steals JUNIOR
Ramata Diallo (RIT) - 10.0 ppg 9.4 rpg 27 steals SENIOR

Allison Boehm (SJFC) - 14.8 ppg 9.0 rpg 5.1 apg 20 steals 10 blocks .400 3pt% JUNIOR
Ashley Dean (SJFC) - 13.3 ppg 7.1 rpg  JUNIOR
Mary Kate Comfort (SJFC) - 10.8 ppg 4.9 ppg 14 steals FRESHMAN

Ava Thomas (Utica) - 17.1 ppg 11.5 rpg 33 steals 24 blocks .500 FG% SENIOR
Laura Keating (Utica) 14.9 ppg 4.5 rpg 20 steals JUNIOR
Mallory Davis (Utica) - 13.5 ppg 4.5 rpg 16 steals SOPHOMORE

I'd vote for Ava Thomas as E8 Player of the Year with L. Wilson, A. Boehm, M. Sandy and E. Steele as the rest of the 1st Team.  Coach  of the Year either Matt Donohue (EC) or Dan Raymond (IC), whoever wins the regular season title.  Rookie of the Year to W. Smith of Naz with M.K. Comfort and K. Dunne right behind.

[Caz Bombers]

2 thoughts while I was copying and pasting all of that stuff:

1) Alfred's roster has 1 senior, 1 junior, 1 soph and 12 freshmen.  The Lady Saxons are 4-16, 0-9 Empire 8.  These two facts might just be related somehow.

2) What happened to last year's E8 Rookie of the Year, Whitney Frament from Utica?  She's not on the roster and hasn't played in a game for UC.  A quick Google search doesn't turn her name up at another school.

[sotier]

Another fine post caz. Insightfull comment on Alfred,after seeing them play twice this season I believe they are far better than their record. They have some  good post players and some good guard play. At times they show signs of putting it together, but cannot seem to sustain.We will see if that is because of youth,and lack of time together.
Like your list! Seeing it all down like that can put it all in perspective sometimes.
  --Elmira is still very young. Looks to finish first this year,  and has a fine freshman class some playing significant time. Repeat again next year?
  --Hartwick fans must be disappointed.Senior ladden team must have entered this year with high hopes.
  --Ithaca may be the most talented team right now,and is playing with a good mix of youth and experience.This your year?? EC and IC play a very simular style, who will play it better?
  --Utica.They have a dominante player(Ava Thomas) and guards that can shoot. But they seem to lack some heart. They play great at times only to be followed by long droughts of "time off".
  --SJF. The year began with a look to the future for SJF.This was going to be a rebuilding year.  And that is what it is turning out to be. Look out EC,UC,IC and the rest come playoff time.I have a feeling Kahlers rebuilding takes far less time than most.

[Adam the Bull]

E8 All-Conference candidates (all stats league games only) as we enter the final couple weeks:

Melanie Jackson (Alfred) - 13.1 ppg 9.9 rpg 16 steals SOPHOMORE

Kortney Troutman (Elmira) - 14.0 ppg 6.4 rpg 20 steals JUNIOR
Marcia Coakley (Elmira) - 13.7 ppg 4.6 rpg 40 steals SOPHOMORE
Mary Symonds (Elmira) - 9.0 ppg 4.6 rpg SOPHOMORE
Bridget Catanese (Elmira) - 8.8 ppg 7.1 rpg 23 steals 10 blocks .484 FG% JUNIOR

Lindsay Wilson (Hartwick) - 21.0 ppg 6.3 apg 19 steals SENIOR
Mara Tichy (Hartwick) - 13.6 ppg 8.1 rpg 23 steals .474 3pt% SENIOR
Jenny Knight (Hartwick) - 10.2 ppg 9.2 rpg 17 blocks .589 FG% SENIOR

Erika Steele (Ithaca) - 16.4 ppg 8.6 rpg 23 blocks .523 FG% .829 FT% JUNIOR
Sue Kelly (Ithaca) - 14.3 ppg 6.0 rpg SENIOR
Erin Sanvidge (Ithaca) - 11.0 ppg 4.4 apg 22 steals .826 FT% SENIOR

Whitney Smith (Nazareth) - 11.7 ppg 5.4 rpg .391 3pt% FRESHMAN
Kelly Dunne (Nazareth) - 9.4 ppg 19 steals .842 FT% FRESHMAN

Margot Sandy (RIT) - 16.2 ppg 8.8 rpg 24 blocks .792 FT% SENIOR
Joanna Dobeck (RIT) - 11.3 ppg 5.3 rpg 18 steals JUNIOR
Ramata Diallo (RIT) - 10.0 ppg 9.4 rpg 27 steals SENIOR

Allison Boehm (SJFC) - 14.8 ppg 9.0 rpg 5.1 apg 20 steals 10 blocks .400 3pt% JUNIOR
Ashley Dean (SJFC) - 13.3 ppg 7.1 rpg  JUNIOR
Mary Kate Comfort (SJFC) - 10.8 ppg 4.9 ppg 14 steals FRESHMAN

Ava Thomas (Utica) - 17.1 ppg 11.5 rpg 33 steals 24 blocks .500 FG% SENIOR
Laura Keating (Utica) 14.9 ppg 4.5 rpg 20 steals JUNIOR
Mallory Davis (Utica) - 13.5 ppg 4.5 rpg 16 steals SOPHOMORE

I'd vote for Ava Thomas as E8 Player of the Year with L. Wilson, A. Boehm, M. Sandy and E. Steele as the rest of the 1st Team.  Coach  of the Year either Matt Donohue (EC) or Dan Raymond (IC), whoever wins the regular season title.  Rookie of the Year to W. Smith of Naz with M.K. Comfort and K. Dunne right behind.

Caz-Excellent breakdown...As the voice of the Pioneers I have seen all of these teams play at least once and a few of them twice...you can call me biased if you want...but there is no doubt who the player of the year is. Ava Thomas is by far the best all around player in the league. The stats back it up as well...but anyone who knows anything about basketball and has watched each team play knows shw is head and shoulders better then every other player in the league.

Coach of the Year....I have to go with Matt Donohue right night...has pushed all the right buttons and has used a number of interchangeable parts on his squad to perfection. I also agree that Whitney Smith should be the rookie of the year.

[Adam the Bull]

2 thoughts while I was copying and pasting all of that stuff:

1) Alfred's roster has 1 senior, 1 junior, 1 soph and 12 freshmen.  The Lady Saxons are 4-16, 0-9 Empire 8.  These two facts might just be related somehow.

2) What happened to last year's E8 Rookie of the Year, Whitney Frament from Utica?  She's not on the roster and hasn't played in a game for UC.  A quick Google search doesn't turn her name up at another school.

Caz....Whitney Frament left school and as far as I know is not in any college currently or could possibly be playing junior college ball closer to home.

[lileyes]

I agree with Ava Thomas as player of the year. She averages a double double and is in the top of the conference in nearly every category.  I'd give coach of the year to EC's Matt Donahue, he knows how to use what he has.  It's not very often you see a coach use basically every player on the bench.  He figured out how to do that effectively.  From what I know of it, last year's rookie of the year (Whitney Frament of UC) left school to be closer to home.  She is not playing anywhere else.  It was a tough loss for the Pioneers. 

[Adam the Bull]

Another fine post caz. Insightfull comment on Alfred,after seeing them play twice this season I believe they are far better than their record. They have some  good post players and some good guard play. At times they show signs of putting it together, but cannot seem to sustain.We will see if that is because of youth,and lack of time together.
Like your list! Seeing it all down like that can put it all in perspective sometimes.
  --Elmira is still very young. Looks to finish first this year,  and has a fine freshman class some playing significant time. Repeat again next year?
  --Hartwick fans must be disappointed.Senior ladden team must have entered this year with high hopes.
  --Ithaca may be the most talented team right now,and is playing with a good mix of youth and experience.This your year?? EC and IC play a very simular style, who will play it better?
  --Utica.They have a dominante player(Ava Thomas) and guards that can shoot. But they seem to lack some heart. They play great at times only to be followed by long droughts of "time off".
  --SJF. The year began with a look to the future for SJF.This was going to be a rebuilding year.  And that is what it is turning out to be. Look out EC,UC,IC and the rest come playoff time.I have a feeling Kahlers rebuilding takes far less time than most.

Sotier...to say the Pioneers have know heart tells me that you obviously don't know this team at all. Besides their two losses two Elmira...a team they just don't match up well against...they have been in every other game this season....the reason they have been up and down is due to a lack of depth because of player (who lacked heart) that quit the team. To say that these young Women who have played very hard almost every game this season "have no heart" is an insult to them and there fans. Think next time before you speak.



By the way...I believe that Elmira and not Ithaca is the clear favorite right now to win the league...However as a big fan of Women's hoops I am excited to see that the league from top to bottom is probably as good as it has ever been. The depth and competitiveness of every team...including alfred....is very good to see.

[bigchief]

My comment is not so much of a reply to any topic. My comment is more of a question. "What happened at Hartwick?" I still can't make sense of this season. You have four seniors who've seen plenty of floor time since they were freshman. They had all played well. This year looks promising. What happened? Is it time for a change?

[Caz Bombers]

EDIT: Nope, Alfred didn't win, they lost by 34.  Whoever input the score on the empire 8 schedule website keyed it in wrong then corrected it.  Never mind.