Not as Easy as It Looks: Williams Men’s Basketball Preview 2019-2020

Williams College Ephs

2018-2019 Record: 23-7 (6-4 NESCAC), lost in semifinals of NESCAC Tournament; lost in Elite 8 of NCAA Tournament

2019-2020 Projected Record: 19-9 (6-4 NESCAC)

Key Losses: G Bobby Casey, F James Heskett, F Kyle Scadlock, F Marcus Soto, C Michael Kempton

Projected Starting Lineup:

G: Mickey Babek ’20 (3.2 PPG, 1.8 REB/G, 1.2 AST/G, 45% FG)

The Southern California native finds a spot in the starting lineup after pretty minimal action in his first three years. However, Babek did see time in all 30 games last season and got to play alongside some of the most talented Eph players in recent memory. Thrust into the starting point guard role this season, a lot more will be asked of him as a senior. Babek has the height and length to overmatch a good portion of opposing point guards, but his defense is a huge area of focus. The NESCAC has some of the most explosive guards in all of Division III and Babek will be asked to defend many of them for extended periods of time. He isn’t the type of guy who will be putting up 25 points every night but if he can minimize turnovers and play solid defense against some of the opposing team’s best players, it will keep Williams in just about every game this season.

G: Spencer Spivy ’22 (2.3 PPG, 0.8 REB/G, 45% FG, 4.2 MPG)

Spivy is the perfect example of a guy that likely would have played much more significant minutes last year if he was on any other team (besides maybe Hamilton). Unfortunately he was stuck behind Casey, Heskett, and Scadlock, so Spivy didn’t get quite as much action as he would have liked. Now he’s jumping right into the starting lineup where he’ll have quite a bit more asked of him. Spivy is a versatile scorer who can really knock it down from deep, but he can also surprise you with his court vision as well. Realistically, the Ephs are going to need Spivy to start scoring a lot. They lost a ton of production from last year and they don’t have an obvious scoring threat left in the backcourt, so it’s Spivy’s year to step up. The sophomore had a decorated high school career so we know he has it in him, but it remains to be seen if he’s ready to take a step up to the next level in Williamstown.

F: Henry Feinberg ’20 (6.5 PPG, 3.2 REB/G, 1.2 AST/G, 49% FG)

Feinberg is a role player if there ever was one. This guy’s stats have been alarmingly consistent from year to year, but never jaw-dropping. He was a starter last year on their stacked Elite 8 team so he clearly brings something to the table, but to the untrained eye it’s hard to tell exactly what. Feinberg is a big hustle guy and will surely be the first to dive on the floor for a loose ball, but not a lot of what he does will show up in the box score. He has a big frame and is asked to defend a wide range of different players, so it’s very beneficial for Coach App to have a guy that he can task with defending anyone from point guards to big men. With that being said, it’s hard to say what more Feinberg can do this year given that he doesn’t show up much on the offensive end. With the amount of experience Feinberg has, it seems as though his most positive contributions will be helping groom some of the younger guys and teach them the Williams basketball way.

F: Jovan Jones ’22 (1.4 PPG, 1.4 REB/G, 5.7 MPG)

Much like Spivy, Jones would have likely seen significant time on any other team last season, but he was playing behind a slew of star caliber players. Now it’s his time to shine because this guy has talent, size, and athleticism that is very hard to come by in the NESCAC. At 6’5”, 210, Jones could have found himself a spot on a low-Division I roster, but he opted for Williams and it should pay dividends. He has the strength to muscle past a lot of the guards that will be defending him, but the quickness to beat a bigger guy if that’s the way that teams go. Working on his jump shot will be key because Jones hasn’t proven that he can consistently knock down the 3-ball and he has been an absolute liability at the charity stripe through one and a half seasons thus far. Jones has the athletic ability to be one of the most impactful players in the league so keep an eye on his progression this year.

C: Matt Karpowicz ’20 (11.8 PPG, 6.1 REB/G, 1.7 AST/G, 1.4 BLK/G, 61% FG)

Death, taxes, and Matt Karpowicz. It really just seems like we can’t get rid of this guy. When he’s not spending his time writing some terrific NbN articles, Karp is busy hauling down rebounds and posterizing opposing players. The 12th-year senior has played in literally every single game since his freshman campaign and this guy has been dominant. Karpowicz is shooting a career 61.6% from the field and has steadily increased his scoring numbers each season. He stands at 6’8” and 250lbs, and his impressive footwork and low-post ability make him one of the best true centers in the NESCAC. Williams has always had a very tall roster so Karp hasn’t needed to rebound as much as he’s capable of, but this year he’ll have to take a small step up in that area. The good news is it appears that he’s already doing that, as he posted a 29-point, 20-rebound double double in their most recent game against Springfield. The Ephs haven’t needed him to play up to his potential so far in his career, but this year he’s the star. This year the Ephs will only be able to go as high as Karpowicz can take them.

Everything Else:

Given their history, a 4-3 start isn’t exactly where Williams wanted to be at this point in the season. The reason for the slow start, however, is because the Ephs lost by far more production from last year than anyone else in the league. Graduating Casey, Heskett, Scadlock, Kempton, and Soto means losing 55.7 points per game (out of 82.1), 22.9 rebounds per game (out of 40.5), 10.6 assists per game (out of 15.4), and 126.7 minutes per game (out of 200). That is insanity. Losing over 50% of your team’s production usually results in what is colloquially referred to as a “building year” but we all know that those don’t exist in Williamstown. As usual, Coach App has a hoard of capable recruits and underclassmen that are ready to go.

There’s no doubt that Cole Prowitt-Smith ’23 will have the biggest impact of any freshman this season. Prowitt-Smith gained the attention of an array of Ivy League and Patriot League schools, but ultimately chose Williams and has made an immediate impact. Already averaging 12 points and 4 rebounds per game, Prowitt-Smith has a surprising level of athleticism and can knock down shots from anywhere on the court. His ability to get to the rim and defend at a high level are already more developed than most guards in the league and he’s only a freshman. This guy is the NESCAC’s next superstar.

Nate Karren ’23 will provide some support for Matt Karpowicz ’20 down low, but he is still in the progress of refining his skill set. Fellow rookie Alex Stoddard ’23 is a dynamic scorer and has already found himself scoring in double figures on a few occasions so far this year. The backcourt duo of Michael Myers ’21 and Ryan Moon ’22 will see an increase in minutes as well, but they, too, are relatively unproven and Coach App will look for them to develop mightily over the course of the season. The Ephs will also largely benefit from the return of Marc Taylor ’21 who missed the end of last year and the start of this year with injury. Taylor is a 6’8”, 200lb wing who can score and defend with the best of them. He will add a huge boost in size and depth for Williams who could really use help with both at this point.

This year will be a very telling one for the Eph squad and Coach Kevin App who, for the first time in his tenure, lost 5 seniors to graduation, all of whom played significant minutes. During App’s first 5 years at the helm, he never graduated more than 3 players in a single year and usually only 1 or 2 was playing meaningful time. We know he’s a capable recruiter, but we’re going to learn a lot about App’s ability to develop players in a much shorter time span if he wants the Ephs to be as competitive as they typically are. I don’t see them falling to the bottom half of the conference, but the NESCAC is very competitive and Williams has had a target on their back for quite some time now. They have to be very careful because it’s easy to get hurt when you fall all the way from the top.

Wild, Wild West(ern Mass): Williamstown Regional Preview

Williamstown Regional Preview

#19 Williams (20-6, 6-4, at-large bid)

The NESCAC is always one of the best basketball conferences in Division III and the Ephs are always one of the best teams in that conference. This year was no exception as Williams finished 20-6, earning themselves a no. 19 national ranking and at least two potential home games in the NCAA Tournament. Senior forward James Heskett won NESCAC Player of the Year last season and classmate Bobby Casey was likely the first runner up for this year’s award behind Hamilton’s Kena Gilmour. These guys have about as much talent as you’ll find at the D3 level and they’re not looking to go home empty-handed in their third straight NCAA Tournament appearance.

How They Got Here

Kyle Scadlock has been a huge part of the three-headed monster for Williams

It’s been an interesting year for the Williams College Ephs. They spent the first half of the season on fire and holding on to a no. 2 national ranking. The trio of Bobby Casey ’19, James Heskett ’19, and Kyle Scadlock ’19 looked absolutely unstoppable and talented big man Matt Karpowicz ’20 was the perfect complement. Unfortunately things got a little rocky in the middle of the season when the Ephs were faced with some depth issues. They finished 4-5 in their last 9 regular season games, earning them the 4thseed in the NESCAC Tournament. They took care of Trinity in the first round but fell to Amherst in the semifinals – the third loss of the year to their arch nemesis. A number of quality wins coupled with a strong strength of schedule was enough for the committee to select Williams as a host for the first two rounds where they (as always) look like the favorites to advance to the Sweet 16.

How They Lose

The only problem I see for the Ephs – and it’s a big one – is depth. Williams boasts one of the strongest starting fives in the nation and they have ridden those five guys all the way to the NCAA Tournament. In their six losses this year combined, the bench has accounted for 67 total points – about 11 points per game coming from non-starters. However, 28 of those points came in the Hamilton game, so in the other five losses the bench accounted for just 39 points. This simply won’t cut it on the national stage where they’ll be playing teams who go 8 or 9 guys deep. The Ephs need more out of Mickey Babek ’20, Marcos Soto ’19, and Michael Kempton ’19, who are really the only three guys they use off the bench. If these guys step up, they’ll go a very long way. If they don’t, it’ll be an earlier trip home than Williams is hoping for.

The Competition

Husson (17-10, 11-3, NAC Champions)

The Eagles come out of the North Atlantic Conference where they dominated all year. Having ten losses certainly doesn’t look great out of a tournament team, but Husson played a surprisingly tough non-conference schedule to make up for their cupcake conference opponents. They’ve actually matched up with NESCAC teams four times already this season – a win versus Bates and losses against Trinity, Colby, and Bowdoin. These results bode well for the Ephs who are 4-1 this season against those very same teams. The Eagles have been led this year by Justin Martin, who averages over 15 points and 9 rebounds per game. The 6’6” senior is on his way to earning a third consecutive all-conference appearance and does an excellent job bringing size and shooting ability to help spread the court. There’s no doubt that Williams is the favorite in this game, but don’t count out the Eagles who will scrap and claw right to the finish.

Plattsburgh State (20-6, 14-4, at-large bid)

Aside from the Ephs there’s no question that the Cardinals are the most likely team to come out of this region. They already have a win against Middlebury under their belt and they played Wesleyan very closely, so they’re no strangers to NESCAC opponents. Plattsburgh actually fell to Brockport in the SUNYAC semifinals, but was able to secure an at-large berth to make their second consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance. Jonathan Patron recently received his second straight SUNYAC Player of the Year award, leading the league with 23.7 points and 10.7 rebounds per game. He has already posted a number of jaw dropping box scores, including a 32-point, 20-rebound effort early in the year. In fact, Patron has recorded a double-double in 15 of the team’s 26 games this season. It’s easy to see that this guy is a total stud and he’s capable of taking any team deep into the postseason. Patron is a force to be reckoned with and he’s here to make sure that everyone has heard of Plattsburgh State.

Gwynedd Mercy (19-8, 9-3, Atlantic East Champions)

The Griffins are definitely the biggest mystery in this region. The Atlantic East isn’t known for being a basketball powerhouse, but Gwynedd Mercy seemed to have some pretty competitive games. At their holiday tournament in December they lost to Tufts and beat Bates in two tightly contested affairs so they, too, have some experience with the NESCAC. The trio of Rich Dunham, Courtney Cubbage, and Clayton Wolfe do the heavy lifting, accounting for the vast majority of the team’s scoring and rebounding. None of those three guys are over 6’1” and the Griffins don’t really use anyone over 6’5” in their regular rotation, so size could be an issue for them. I don’t see Gwynedd Mercy making a lot of noise in this region, but once March rolls around we might as well throw every stat out the window.

Even the Mighty Fall: Stock Report 1/23

Stock Report 1/23

Stock up

Potential end-of-season drama

Right when it was starting to look like no one would beat Williams, they lost. Then, they lost again. Now the best record in the NESCAC belongs to none other than the Hamilton Continentals, while Wesleyan shares the top spot in the conference standings with the Ephs (although Williams does hold the head-to-head tiebreaker). Additionally, the Amherst vs. Hamilton game that was supposed to happen this past weekend was postponed due to the snowstorm. That game will surely have playoff seeding implications given that these two teams are at the top of the conference, and the fact that it’s being rescheduled later in the season will add even more excitement to what was already going be a very exciting finish to the year. Everyone in the league except for Conn has picked up a conference win, and everyone except for Colby and Conn have two, so it’s exciting to see a little bit of parity between the teams (especially coming on the heels of football season). We’re looking at yet another terrific year for NESCAC basketball.

Bates’ playoff chances

It’s no secret that non-conference play was a disaster for the Bobcats, but they’ve looked like a completely different team in the New Year. The win at Colby was a promising way to start, and then Bates put up two valiant efforts against some of the league’s best teams in Williams and Middlebury but came away empty-handed. Beating Tufts for the 3rd straight year (and 4th time in 5 years) was nothing short of a statement win. The Jumbos haven’t had the best season ever, but they’ve already recorded wins over Middlebury and Bowdoin – two of the teams that defeated Bates. Tom Coyne ’20 has been a huge part of the turn around as he returned from a shoulder injury with a very hot hand. The junior put up 18 points off the bench on 6-12 shooting including 3-7 from downtown against the Jumbos, his third consecutive 17+ point game. The first half on Saturday was all about Nick Lynch ’19 as he scored 20 of his game-high 22 points thanks to a barrage of midrange jump shots. Kody Greenhalgh ’20 also turned in a very fine effort, posting 14 points, 5 rebounds, 5 assists, and 5 steals. The Bobcats may have started the season on a sour note, but they’re playing well when it counts so don’t count them out of the postseason just yet.

Middlebury as a title contender

Max Bosco is playing his way out of contention for our 6th Man of the Year award

Definitely the best way to secure a spot in the “stock up” column is to take down the top team in the league, and the Panthers did just that on Saturday with a convincing 80-66 win over Williams. Jack Farrell ’21 led the way with 24 points on a very efficient 9-14 from the field, and he also dished out 5 assists. An important thing to note for Middlebury is that Coach Brown recently decided to insert Max Bosco ’21 into the starting lineup in place of Griffin Kornaker ’21, and it has paid dividends. Bosco put up 21 points in his first game as a starter, and then put forth an 18-point, 6-rebound effort in the win against Williams. This is the type of spark the Panthers were looking for as they’re now looking like one of the scarier teams in the conference. The loss to Tufts hurts but other than that Middlebury has a nice looking resume and adding a win over Williams certainly doesn’t look too shabby either. They’ve got Trinity, Bowdoin, and Colby in the near future, so it’s a good time for the Panthers to snag a few more wins before they have to finish the year with two of the very best – Hamilton and Amherst.

Stock down

Colby in close games

The Mules have been off to a great start, but something that stands out as a real area where they have struggled is playing close games. Colby has shown an inability to win close games, especially when it counts. They’re 3-5 this year in games decided by 10 points or less and 1-3 in one possession games. These aren’t great numbers from a team who wants to be making an impression on the rest of the league. It’s especially frustrating when two of those close losses came to Bates and Bowdoin in conference play, both teams that the Mules defeated in their non-conference matchups. Winning close games more often than not comes from a combination of coaching and player maturity. Coach Strahorn is doing an excellent job so we know that isn’t the issue; the reason they have struggled so much down the stretch is that Colby only has one senior on their roster and he isn’t one of the guys who would be handling the ball at the end of a close game. They’ve got talent on their team, but the guys are young – they need these experiences in tight matchups to continue learning for the future. This will serve them very well in one, two, three years from now when they’ve got a team full of players who have been there time and time again. For now they’ll have to try and claw (hoof?) their way in it with what they’ve got.

Note: I wrote this before Colby’s 101-98 victory over Husson on Tuesday, so it looks like they’re already starting to turn things around.

Williams’ depth

Mickey Babek will have to step up if Williams is going to make a run

There’s no way the Ephs weren’t falling in the “stock down” column after suffering their first two losses of their year to Amherst and Middlebury, respectively. They’re fortunate that the Amherst game was technically a non-conference affair and that they get another crack at the Mammoths at the end of the year. Either way, Williams isn’t all high and mighty like they were before. In the loss to Amherst they had 16 points off the bench and against Middlebury it was a mere 3. Literally only 3 points. This is not characteristic of a team that wants to compete in the NESCAC even, let alone on a national scale. They need more production from guys off the bench like Mickey Babek ’20, Marcus Soto ’19, and Marc Taylor ’21, each of whom have the capability of hitting shots and playing a bigger role. As I like to say, no reason to panic for the Ephs. They’re still very much in the driver’s seat and with Trinity, Colby, and Bowdoin on the horizon they’ve got a very nice chance to stay on top.

I’ve Herd Enough About How Young the Ephs Are, They’re Still Good: Williams Basketball Season Preview

Williams the awesome opportunity to travel to Spain as a team this summer, a big advantage heading into the season (Courtesy of Williams Athletics)
Williams the awesome opportunity to travel to Spain as a team this summer, a big advantage heading into the season (Courtesy of Williams Athletics)

Editor’s Note: While 99% of the work on these previews is done by the writers, the projected records for all NESCAC Men’s Basketball teams were decided upon by the editors collectively,  not decisions of the writers themselves. So, if you want to be mad at someone about the record projections, be mad at us.

Projected Record: 7-3

2015-2016 was a rebuilding year for the Ephs after losing Hayden Rooke-Ley ‘15 and Dan Wohl ‘15, and youth was definitely an inhibitor at times for Coach App’s squad. Well, there are two sides to the youth coin. When you flip that coin, you’ll realize that Williams gained a bundle of experience last season preparing them well for a title run this winter. If the 2015-2016 season wasn’t enough time for some of the Williams calfs like Cole Teal ‘18, Chris Galvin ‘18, Kyle Scadlock ‘19, Bobby Casey ‘19, Marcos Soto ‘19, and James Heskett ‘19 to develop some familiarity and comfort playing with each other, the squad had the rare opportunity to travel to Spain this summer. Coach App thought the trip was an awesome experience for his players. Obviously it’s great that they got a chance to play together as a team over the summer, but more importantly, the team had time to just focus on building team chemistry and enjoying each other’s company, all while exploring a different culture. This seems to have translated to comfort on the court, something the staff is super excited about as they head into this year looking to improve on their first round exit in the NESCAC tournament as the #6 seed.

2015-2016 Record/Playoff Appearance: 15-10, 5-5, lost to #3 seed Tufts in quarterfinals of NESCAC tournament

Coach: Kevin App, 3rd season, 30-20 (.600)

Starters Returning: Four

Guard Mike Greenman ‘18 (7.8 PPG, 1.8 AST/G, 2.3 REB/G, 0.8 STL/G)

Guard Cole Teal ‘18 (10.5 PPG, 1.4 AST/G, 3.5 REB/G)

Guard Dan Aronowitz ‘17 (18.2 PPG, 2.3 AST/G, 7.4 REB/G, 0.9 STL/G)

Forward Kyle Scadlock ‘19 (11.1 PPG, 1.0 AST/G, 6.2 REB/G)

Key Losses:

Center Ed Flynn ‘16, started 25/25 games, (7.1 PPG, 1.6 AST/G, 5.4 REB/G)

Projected Starting Five:

Guard Mike Greenman ‘18

Mike Greenmail '18 (Courtesy of Williams Athletics)
Mike Greenmail ’18 (Courtesy of Williams Athletics)

Greenman spent essentially all of last year on the shelf, but he is back this season, and I can’t emphasize enough how big that is for Williams. Bobby Casey ‘19 did a fine job of running the point in Greenman’s absence, but the kid was just a freshman after all, and with immaturity comes mistakes. Greenman is just 5’8” (such a classic NESCAC point guard height), but he is quick, smart, and knows how to distribute the basketball. As a sophomore, Greenman played 31.4 MIN/G, averaging 8.6 PPG and 4.4 AST/G. After basically an entire season off from basketball, it will be interesting to see how Greenman adjusts to getting back into game-shape, but I have no doubt that he will be back to his normal self by the time NESCAC play rolls around. Getting Greenman back gives Williams a giant edge since they now have two point guards with big-minute experience – look for the 4th year junior to have a great year for the Ephs.

Guard Cole Teal ‘18

Cole Teal '18 (Courtesy of Williams Athletics)
Cole Teal ’18 (Courtesy of Williams Athletics)

Every team needs their shooter, and guess what, Cole Teal is that guy. Teams had success against Williams when they could chase Teal off the three-point line, but as the team has progressed, I just don’t know how much opposing defenses will be able to focus on that this winter. Teal is knockdown from deep…I mean seriously, as a sophomore, he shot 41.3% from three-point land…AND 52.3% IN CONFERENCE PLAY. That’s absurd. Though he only averaged 10.5 PPG over the course of last season, he would have had a much higher average if not for his slow start. Teal showed the ability to go off for 20+ a couple times, and 15-17 points pretty frequently. It’s consistency that has held Teal back, but if he can avoid those games where he is completely shut down, it will only open things up for his teammates.

Guard Dan Aronowitz ‘17

Dan Aronowitz '17 (Courtesy of Williams Athletics)
Dan Aronowitz ’17 (Courtesy of Williams Athletics)

Team MVP last year, league MVP this year? Seriously, Dan Aronowitz might be the best all-around player in this league, and what’s awesome for him is he has a chance to be the go-to-guy two years in a row for the Ephs. His 18.2 PPG ranked third in the league behind Bowdoin’s Lucas Hausman ‘16 and Middlebury’s Matt St. Amour ‘17, and Aronowitz was also one of just two guards in the top 10 in the NESCAC in rebounds (the other being Tufts’ Ryan Spadaford ‘16). The kid did it all for Williams this year, and the game should be easier for him now that the rest of his team is more experienced. I wouldn’t be surprised if his scoring drops due to the improvement of the players around him, but I could also see Aronowitz averaging 20+ this year pretty easily given his knack for putting the ball in the bucket. He is a tough matchup at an athletic 6’5”/200 lbs. because he’s bigger than most guards, but quicker than most forwards/centers. I’d be surprised if Aronowitz had anything less than a First Team All-NESCAC type of season.

Forward Kyle Scadlock ‘19

Kyle Scadlock '19 (Courtesy of Williams Athletics)
Kyle Scadlock ’19 (Courtesy of Williams Athletics)

Scadlock is one of the most agile big men in the league, which is definitely his biggest strength. While he is nearly as tall as most NESCAC centers, Scadlock has the athleticism and quickness of many wing players, making him a big threat for this Williams offense. The sophomore had a solid freshman campaign by all accounts, and I expect him to take off this year now that he knows what to expect. Scadlock’s 11.1 PPG was the second highest on the team behind Aronowitz, but what was more impressive was his usage as a freshman: 27.2 MIN/G overall, 29.3 MIN/G in-conference. Scadlock was also the second-best rebounder for Williams, and he will need to shoulder the load on the boards once again as the Ephs boast some very young big men this winter. If Williams is going to make some noise this year, it’s not going to be without contributions from Scadlock — keep an eye on this kid for an All-conference type of season.

Center Matt Karpowicz ‘20

Matt Karpowicz '20 (Courtesy of Williams Athletics)
Matt Karpowicz ’20 (Courtesy of Williams Athletics)

Though he is just a boy in terms of age, Matt Karpowicz is a man physically. The freshman center measures in at 6’8”/250 lbs., and he is just what the Ephs needed after the departure of Ed Flynn. Karpowicz is a big body that can band around down low with the Ed Ogundekos and the Tom Palleschis of the league, and he has a big interior presence on both ends of the court. Though Marcos Soto is definitely going to see big minutes this year, Karpowicz’s game complements Scadlock’s better due to the fact that they have such different styles of play. Expect an upward trend over the course of the season out of Karpowicz as he adjusts to the physicality of the college game. I know he comes from the elite New England prep league, but high school ball and college ball aren’t the same thing. Karpowicz’s advantage is his size, which will allow him to adjust much quicker than other first year players – I’m excited to see this kid play.

Breakout Player: Forward/Center Marcos Soto ‘18

Marcos Soto '19 (Courtesy of Williams Athletics)
Marcos Soto ’19 (Courtesy of Williams Athletics)

Soto is a sneaky weapon for Coach App this year. The 6’8” sophomore averaged 15.1 minutes off the bench last year behind Scadlock and Ed Flynn ‘16, gaining some valuable experience in his first season as an Eph. While Soto isn’t an enormous scoring threat, he is an efficient scorer. He takes care of the ball and is just an all-around smart player, something that complements the Williams scorers of Aronowitz, Teal, and Scadlock nicely. One thing that killed Williams last year was their lackadaisical ball security, but with an increased role in 2016-2017, Soto should play a part in decreasing the team’s turnover numbers. Coach App is looking for extra helpers on the boards this season after the loss of Flynn, so if Soto can demonstrate a strong effort rebounding the basketball, he should see lots of floor-time for the Ephs.

Everything Else

As I’ve mentioned numerous times, inexperience was clearly the biggest hindrance to success for the Ephs last season. I’m certain that after taking their lumps this past winter, Williams is in a perfect position to be the snake in the grass that takes the NESCAC championship. Now that they have had time to improve individually and become more comfortable playing together, these guys are going to have a much easier time scoring the basketball. Coach App hopes that they’ll actually be able to have a much less structured offense this year because of this heightened familiarity, allowing them to push the ball in transition and make quicker decisions. It’s a matter of knowing who to get the ball in certain situations, and Williams should be much more efficient now they’ve developed this presence of mind.

Like I noted above, getting Mike Greenman back is a huge boost for this Williams roster. Greenman is a great player, but the bigger difference maker for Coach App is that he can now take a starting point guard off the bench in Bobby Casey ‘19. Casey started 7 games last year, and if not for Greenman he’d probably be the starter this year. Casey is a great asset in that he is a 6th man that can come in and get buckets. As a freshman, he averaged 9.6 PPG, and put up a season-high 17 points against top-of-the-conference Trinity last winter. He has shown the ability to come in and make positive contributions off the bench, and his 2016-2017 season will be about Casey’s ability to be consistent with those contributions. Ball control was an issue for Casey down the stretch, but that can definitely be attributed “freshman year jitters.” Expect Casey to have a phenomenal year for the Ephs.

James Heskett ‘19 and Chris Galvin ‘18 were two other contributors for Williams last year, and they should see increased roles this winter. Heskett is a 6’8”/205 forward that saw some fill-in minutes off the bench when Scadlock and Flynn needed a rest, but with the absence of Flynn, Heskett will be relied on as an additional rebounding presence for the Ephs. Galvin is a solid guard that was more of a drive and kick type of player than a high-scorer, which will fit into the Williams offense very well this season. The junior will once again be a helper on the glass from the guard spot. Michael Kempton ‘19 and Jake Porath ‘19 should also see time down low for the Ephs.

The freshman class of Williams features a range of talents, which bodes well for the Ephs. Henry Feinberg ‘20 is a big wing player that possesses a knockdown jumper; Mickey Babek ‘20 is another sizeable guard that is very well rounded, and it’s his versatility that makes him such a threat; Vince Brookins ‘20 is a talented, athletic combo guard, and he fits very well into what Coach App and staff are trying to do with the team this year. It will be an uphill battle for this freshman class to get on the court because of all the experienced returners Williams has, but Coach App is not afraid to play freshmen, so don’t be surprised if we see some of these guys in the rotation when the season starts.

The biggest knock on the Ephs is that they lack a dominant center, something that many of the league’s elite teams possess. An quicker offensive tempo should allow Williams to hide this deficiency somewhat on the offensive end, but defensively, they will be vulnerable until one of their inexperienced big men shows that he can defend offensive powerhouses in the paint. If a Williams center emerges as a defensive weapon, or Coach App game-plans around this hole in their lineup, Williams will be a pretty scary team when league play rolls around.