Hamilton – Page 35 – Nothing But NESCAC

Handicapping the Player of the Year Race

There are just two conference weekends left, and while athletes, coaches and fans are focused on the battle for seeding in the NESCAC tournament, individual performances over the final two weeks will play a major role in determining to whom the end-of-year awards are given.

Conference play is weighted heavily when looking at these awards because that is when the voting members, aka NESCAC coaches, get a first hand look at the candidates. Therefore it is necessary to look at matchups over the next few games in order to split hairs between all the great players in this league.

The race will be tight, and is still wide open, especially with preseason favorite Chris Hudnut ’16 succumbing to a season-ending knee injury on Jan. 24. In the five conference games that Hudnut was able to play, he averaged 21.8 points and 10.0 rebounds per game, numbers that would put him second and third respectively in conference games. Other players with high expectations, such as Hunter Sabety ’17 and Hayden Rooke-Ley ’15 have shown flashes of brilliance when on the court, but injuries will ultimately stop them from getting enough minutes to be true contenders. With Hudnut going down, the picture became a lot less clear. Below we handicap the Player of the Year race as it stands today.

C John Swords ’15

Odds: 50:1

As the guy who ought to be the hands-down Defensive Player of the Year, he should be in the discussion for overall Player of the Year as well. He probably won’t do enough on the offensive end to be seriously considered for the award, but his defensive impact is unquantifiable. Beyond the 17 blocks (1st) and 65 rebounds (2nd) that he has in seven conference games, he is undeniably the best rim protector in the NESCAC, and the main reason why opponents jack up more treys against the Polar Bears than anyone else.

PG Joseph Lin ’15

Odds: 30:1

Lin’s transformation has been a hot topic this season. The senior is the third-leading scorer in NESCAC games and the league’s top assist man by a wide margin. On a winning team his odds would be much better. While the POY award isn’t necessarily the best player on the best team, it often seems that way. Aaron Toomey’s ’14 Jeffs won the NESCAC tournament in both years that he was given the award, Ryan Sharry ’12 and the runner-up Panthers finished 26-4 that season. Troy Whittington ’10 and Williams went 29-3 in 2010-11. You get the idea. With no clear cut dominant team in the NESCAC this season the award could go to a player on a middle of the pack team, but not one who isn’t in the NESCAC playoffs.

SG Lucas Hausman ’16

Odds: 25:1

Another Bowdoin guy, and another that has elevated his game to a new level this season. Hausman has been an animal in conference play, averaging 23.7 points per game. He’s somewhat one dimensional; he loves to cut to the hoop, especially in transition, and force off-balance shots in traffic. But hey, it works for him. He is shooting 44.9 percent from the field in conference games and he is arguably the league’s best free throw shooter, which is good because he gets to the stripe more than anyone. As unfair as it is, his class might hurt Hausman somewhat in this chase. If it comes down to him and a senior who seem like a toss-up, the award will probably land in the elder’s hands. But a strong tournament run could quickly and significantly improve Hausman’s odds.

G/F Connor Green ’16

Odds: 18:1

After a fantastic sophomore campaign in which Green became the Lord Jeffs’ second option to Toomey, Green had a bit of a slow start to 2014-15. Through his first two games of January (10 total), Green was averaging 13.2 PPG. In the subsequent 10 games? 18.0 points per game. And in the last five, since the changing of the guard occurred at the point, Green has topped 30 points twice, including 33 against Bowdoin on Jan. 31, a record for the junior against D-III opponents (Green dropped 42 against D-II Nova Southeastern in a 105-101 loss last season). With more strong games against Conn. College and Wesleyan this weekend, followed by a big game against Middlebury next weekend, Green could leap frog those with better odds and steal this award. That last game in particular will be huge, as Green will probably have to deal with the size, speed and strength of Dylan Sinnickson ’15. A win in that head-to-head matchup, much like the one earned by our POY favorite, will go a long way towards winning over the votes of the NESCAC coaches.

PG Graham Safford ’15

Odds: 9:1

Safford fits the POY mold; senior leader, battle-tested, big moments on his resume, leading scorer, fills up the stat sheet and almost never leaves the court. Like Toomey in the last two years, Safford is the type of court general without whom his team would fall apart. Let’s compare the stat lines of Toomey from ’13-’14 and Safford from this year:

Safford: 36.6 MPG, 15.7 PPG, 5.6 RPG, 6.1 APG, 2.3 SPG, 1.5 A/TO, 39.2 FG%, 31.2 3PT%, 78.3 FT%

Toomey: 34.6 MPG, 19.9 PPG, 5.2 RPG, 6.4 APG, 2.0 SPG, 2.5 A/TO, 46.4 FG%, 40.2 3PT%, 91.2 FT%

The glaring difference doesn’t appear until you start looking at the percentages. Toomey was a more prolific scorer and he did it in a more efficient way, but Safford is comparable to Toomey across the board in other categories. The most important thing in favor of Safford’s campaign is that Bates rides or dies with the point guard’s play. If he can take them to the NESCAC Championship game he might convince the coaches that he is worthy of the award.

F Dylan Sinnickson ’15

Odds: 5:1

What a great story this kid is. As a freshman on Middlebury’s best team ever he played just over 10 minutes per game, averaged 5.7 PPG and shot just two, that’s right, two, three-pointers. Then he had to sit out his entire sophomore campaign because of a broken arm. Last year he returned and was a revelation, running the pick and roll to perfection with Joey Kizel ’14 and spreading the floor, dropping 43 percent of his attempts from long range, including a couple of game winners. He’s past the injury that took away his sophomore season, he’s returned with a vengeance from the personal break that he took from the game last season, and he’s completely reinvented his game. He’s possibly the most athletic guy in the NESCAC in any sport. He runs like the wind. On the baseball diamond he’s known for beating out routine grounders to shortstop. He jumps through the roof. And when he grows that hair out people often refer to him around campus as “That kid that looks like Jesus”.

The numbers bear out the praise. Sinnickson has racked up 18.7 PPG (4th in NESCAC), 11.1 RPG (1st), and does so with good percentages, 48.0 percent from the field and 35.0 percent from deep. On the other end of the floor, he often draws the opponent’s trickiest matchups. Hamilton’s Ajani Santos ’16 and Conn’s Zuri Pavlin ’17 can tell you just how much of a menace Sinnickson can be. The only reason he isn’t tops on this list is because in his toughest head-to-head matchup of the season Sinnickson was bested by our POY favorite.

G/F Dan Wohl ’15

Odds: 3:1

Against Middlebury last Friday night, Wohl went 5-10 from the field and 7-7 from the stripe for 18 points while also shutting down Sinnickson, who went 3-11 from the field for seven points. Wohl has been consistently great, but he has truly been incredible since a December 6 matchup with Springfield. Amidst all the change of the offseason, there seemed to be a transition period for this Williams team at the beginning of the season, and while they are still working out some of the kinks, Wohl seems to have gotten very comfortable. In the span of 28 seconds near the end of that Springfield game, Wohl completed an and-1 and flushed another lay up to put the Ephs up nine and score what would end up as the winning basket. He added a steal and two more free throws in the final two minutes to seal the victory, finishing with 20 points and seven boards. Since that game, Wohl has averaged 22.1 PPG.

Wohl is the second-leading scorer in conference games while also snagging 8.5 RPG in those games, and is among the league’s best defenders, swiping 1.3 SPG while playing lock-down defense. Williams still has to play Bates, Tufts, Conn and Wesleyan before the season is out. All of those teams except Conn are in the top half of the NESCAC in scoring defense, meaning that it will be a challenge for Wohl to keep up his scoring production down the stretch. But if he can score 18 on Middlebury, Wohl should be up for the challenge.

Point Guard Power Rankings

While watching Jake Brown ’17 frustrate Joseph Lin ’15 this Sunday, to the tune of a 4-14 performance from the field for Lin, I got to thinking, Who is the best point guard in the NESCAC right now?

There are a lot of variables when you consider a question like this. These kinds of debates are had all the time on ESPN and in the media and have been throughout history. For example, Tiger vs. Phil, Roddick vs. Federer, Manning vs. Brady, LeBron vs. Durant, etc. The list goes on. But the answer is always determined by the parameters of the question. Are we talking about one game, or one season? Are we talking about the regular season or the playoffs? Scoring, or all-around solid play? The rest of this year, or the rest of the players’ careers?

Sports is a win-now culture, and with that in mind, I’ve decided to compile a rankings of the five best point guards in the NESCAC in terms of who I would want to lead my team from this point to the end of the NESCAC tournament. Their roles on their current teams are not entirely relevant. What holds more weight is each player’s skill set and leadership abilities. Without further ado, here it is.

5. Jaquann Starks ’16 (Trinity)

Jaquann Starks '16 (Courtesy of Trinity Athletics) — Jaquann Starks ’16 (Courtesy of Trinity Athletics)

13.4 PPG, 2.4 APG, 1.2 A/TO, 3.1 RPG, 41.7 FG%, 43.9 3PT%

The point guard of the best team in the NESCAC squeaks in at number five, but like I said, these rankings are meant to remove each player’s abilities from their current situation. Starks is a score-first point guard, which in part is why he is not higher on this list, as I tend to favor distributors who can get other players involved. However, he is very good at scoring the rock and, more importantly for me, very efficient. I despise volume shooters, and Starks is far from that, shooting over 40 percent not only from the field, but also from deep. What’s more, you know he’s committed on the defensive end because you don’t step on the court for the Bantams if you aren’t going to play defense. He’s not very tall (5’9″), but he’s strong and I like that in a player. Finally, he put up 21 in the NESCAC quarterfinal victory over Bowdoin last year, so I know he’s ready for the limelight.

4. Graham Safford ’15 (Bates)

Graham Safford '15 (Courtesy of Bates Athletics) — Graham Safford ’15 (Courtesy of Bates Athletics)

15.7 PPG, 6.1 APG, 1.5 A/TO, 5.6 RPG, 2.3 SPG, 39.2 FG%, 31.2 3PT%

All of the rankings are very close, but especially the gap between Safford, Starks and some of the just-missed point guards. I want to knock Safford for his inefficiency, and the fact that he might not be the best guard on his own team (the numbers compared to Mike Boornazian ’16 are eerily similar) gave me pause, but in the end the most important thing down the stretch and in the playoffs is leadership, and Safford appears to have that in spades. I watched first hand last year as Safford put the dagger into the Panthers with a game-winning three-pointer, and amidst rumors of injuries and even sitting out one game, Safford refuses to leave the floor, averaging a ridiculous 36.6 minutes per game. He is the heartbeat of the Bobcats, and I would gladly let him run my team any day of the week. Not to mention he contributes all over the floor with impressive numbers in not only points, but also assists, rebounds and steals.

3. BJ Davis ’16

11.2 PPG, 3.8 APG, 2.7 A/TO, 3.5 RPG, 44.6 FG%, 35.8 3PT%

Davis has flown a little bit under the radar this year, but he has been a huge part of the Cardinals’ best season in, well, maybe ever, the 20-6 2011-12 season aside. Davis bears less of the ball handling burden than other players on this list, as Jack Mackey ’16 and Harry Rafferty ’17 have the ability to start the offense as well, but what I like about Davis is that he takes care of the basketball. Davis boats the best assist-to-turnover ratio of all qualified players. I also like that Davis has elevated his game in conference play, putting up 13.5 PPG and shooting 48.1 percent from the field and 52.2 percent from deep. On another note, Davis might be the most athletic guard in the league. He doesn’t have great size (6’0″, 160 lbs), but he makes up for that with quickness and absurd ups. He’s a fun player to watch.

2. Joseph Lin ’15

Joseph Lin (Courtesy of Hamilton Athletics) — Joseph Lin ’15 (Courtesy of Hamilton Athletics)

14.5 PPG, 7.0 APG, 2.4 A/TO, 3.0 RPG, 1.9 SPG, 44.9 FG%, 37.9 3PT%

The poor shooting night against Middlebury aside, Lin has been great for the majority of the conference season. Going into 2014-15, Lin was an after thought on this Hamilton roster. We assumed that the scoring burden was going to fall on the front court for the Continentals, and understandably so given that Lin had been a bench player for three years and only scored 5.6 PPG last season. Boy were we wrong. Lin is scoring 14.5 PPG overall and a ridiculous 19.0 PPG in conference. He’s pretty good from behind the arc and maintains a good field goal percentage. Most importantly, he leads the NESCAC in assists per game with 7.0, which means that he either scores or assists on something like 65 percent of Hamilton’s baskets from the field. That’s an indispensable type of player.

1. Luke Westman ’16

Luke Westman '16 (Courtesy of Colby Athletics) — Luke Westman ’16 (Courtesy of Colby Athletics)

13.3 PPG, 4.0 APG, 1.8 A/TO, 4.5 RPG, 1.7 SPG, 76.1 FG%

If you are a close follower of NbN (as I’m sure all of you are), you might have noticed my obsession with efficiency. I despise Kobe Bryant-esque ugly shots off the dribble. I believe there is no place for the long two-point jumper (even though that’s all I could ever hit in my playing days. Hence why I don’t play basketball anymore). If I were a coach I wouldn’t allow my players to shoot after putting it on the floor unless they were right underneath the hoop. I exaggerate, but only just. In short, Westman would be my type of player. He doesn’t shoot three pointers (only five attempts on the season) and he still racks up 13.3 points per game because all he takes are lay ups. He is crazy athletic. He’s a captain as a junior, a testament to his leadership ability. There are only a handful of guards that rebound better than him, and he gives up an inch or two to almost all of them. And, did I mention, he’s incredibly efficient. Give me Westman and a team of three-point shooting, defense-playing swingmen and I’m going all the way.

I hope you enjoyed these rankings, and I’m sure there will be plenty of disagreement, so please let me know where I erred. One interesting observation that should come as no surprise, the internal struggle for who to put at the top of my ranks was much harder than it would have been any of the last three years, when Joey Kizel ’14 and Aaron Toomey ’14 strung together three consecutive years on the NESCAC First Team. Before the season began we talked about how it could turn into the Year of the Big Man. I would argue that there has been a lot of great guard play this season, but there are no transcendent point guards like we’ve gotten used to seeing in recent history.

Friday Recap and Saturday/Sunday Preview

Reaction to Friday’s Games

Will the Real Middlebury Please Stand Up?

You’re killing me, guys. A 9-0 start, an 0-2 start to conference play including a blowout loss to Tufts, an absolute dismantling of Wesleyan, just scraping by with a win against the conference’s only remaining winless team, and now another blowout loss to the Ephs. I was starting to think that the Tufts and Conn. games could be chalked up to having to play on Sunday and maybe that’s where Middlebury’s struggles were based, but there was no excuse for this one. Nearly a full week of rest and preparation and the Panthers just fell flat. And the game was never really close. Middlebury had the lead for all of one possession of the ball game before Williams stole it away for good with a Dan Aronowitz ’17 trey with 19:11 to go in the first half.

Hayden Rooke-Ley '15 poured in 20 points on 5-11 (3-8 3PT) shooting to lead all scorers. (Courtesy of Williams Athletics) — Hayden Rooke-Ley ’15 poured in 20 points on 5-11 (3-8 3PT) shooting to lead all scorers. (Courtesy of Williams Athletics)

Obviously, I’m closer to the Middlebury team than any other in the NESCAC, and so I still have hope for this season because I understand why they’ve had some of their struggles. Matt St. Amour ’17 returned tonight but likely wasn’t at full strength and showed some rust from the three-point line, going 0-4. Captain Dean Brierley ’15, who has filled in in the starting lineup the last three games, is a capable shooter himself but St. Amour has a more dynamic offensive game when he’s good and healthy. The performance from Matt Daley ’16 was certainly promising. It’s been a month now since the athletic big man has returned to action but Coach Jeff Brown has been working him into the rotation slowly. For what reason, we don’t know. Perhaps to teach Daley a lesson or simply because Nick Tarantino ’18 had been playing consistently. However, a near double-double from Daley in just 21 minutes (a season high) might inspire Coach Brown to let Daley loose a bit more going forward. It’s worth the chance because obviously this team is not in a place right now where it can compete for the NESCAC title, and Daley could be an X-factor down the stretch. Last but not least, it was just an uncharacteristic night for Middlebury as they shot poorly from everywhere on the floor and they allowed the Ephs to shoot over 50 percent from the floor. On the season Middlebury opponents were shooting under 37 percent from the field before this game. Maybe the sloppy performance has something to do with the fact that J-term just ended for the Middlebury team. Perhaps they felt that little bit of fatigue mixed with relief that always comes with passing in a final paper or taking that final exam. But they will need to overcome distractions much more serious than that if they are going to win the NESCAC this season.

The PG Battle in Amherst is Over

Reid Berman ’17 is the real deal. I talked in the Friday Preview about how Berman was a pass-first point guard who could really grab hold of the starting job with a good performance on Friday night. Berman did pretty much exactly what he was supposed to do, dishing out 13 assists. And as advertised, he didn’t look to shoot much, only taking five shots (missing them all). Of course, Berman is not a polished product. Zero percent from the floor isn’t a good stat, no matter how many assists you tally, and he also turned the ball over six times, but he seems to be a good fit on a team with three starters who can knock down a lot of trey balls.

All Hail the Bantams

For at least one day, Trinity is the undisputed king of the ‘CAC. I doubted the Bantams going into this one, thinking that John Swords ’15 would force Trinity to take a lot of threes and I didn’t think a lot of those threes would go in. Well, I was half right. Trinity attempted 26 threes, just three short of a season high, but they were able to sink 11 of them (42.3 percent). Rick Naylor ’16 was the hero for the Bantams, scoring seven straight points, including a three at the end of regulation and four points to open the overtime period, to help clinch the victory.

Rick Naylor '16 scored 13 of his 16 points after halftime to help the Bantams beat the Polar Bears. (Courtesy of Trinity Athletics) — Rick Naylor ’16 scored 13 of his 16 points after halftime to help the Bantams beat the Polar Bears. (Courtesy of Trinity Athletics)

Defense was the story of the night. Shot clock violations played into the narrative on both sides. Trinity forced one near the end of regulation and Bowdoin caused their own with five seconds left in overtime, but was unable to get a clean shot for the win and Bryan Hurley’s ’15 desperation three was no good as the buzzer sounded.

Ed Ogundeko ’17 continues to be a beast on the boards for Trinity. The 6’6″ forward snagged another 12 rebounds and still leads the NESCAC in rebounds per conference game despite coming off of the bench and only playing 20.5 minutes per conference game.

If there’s a downside to the Bantams thrilling victory, it might be that this game would suggest that Trinity needs an uncharacteristically efficient shooting night in order to beat the NESCAC’s best. But this is just one game, so let’s not jump to conclusions. Instead, let’s let the Bantams enjoy their time atop the heap. If we’ve learned anything in the NESCAC this season it is that no one is safe, so don’t get too comfortable up there.

Saturday/Sunday Preview

Players to Watch

1. Guard Joseph Lin ’15 (Hamilton)

Hamilton has given Middlebury a tough time in these teams’ last two matchups, Middlebury is going to be angry and Lin and Co. got Friday off so they’re going to be fresh. The student body is on vacation in Middlebury so it won’t be a particularly boisterous crowd, and I think that could benefit Lin, who had his worst conference game so far in the Hamilton win over Williams last week. I think Lin bounces back despite Middlebury’s tough defense. This is somewhat of a gut call, but if there’s one reason that I think Lin could have a big game it’s simply that I don’t see anyone else in the Hamilton starting five drawing a favorable matchup. Not that Lin vs. Jake Brown ’17 is an easy assignment for Lin to score on, but I think the Continentals lean heavily on the senior guard in this one and that he rises to the occasion.

2. Center John Swords ’15 (Bowdoin)

Last night Swords was more active and engaged on the offensive end than he has looked in a lot of games recently shooting it 13 times, a season high. Unfortunately he made only six, a terrible night considering his usual shooting percentages. Still, the Polar Bears would be happy to have Swords shoot so often every game. How Swords’ minutes get managed today will be fascinating to watch. He played a season high 41 minutes against Trinity, a very physical team. Bowdoin does not really have another player who can keep David George ’17 off of the offensive boards for Amherst so they are going to need their big guy to play a lot. Whether Swords is physically up for it is a big question. If he is not then the Polar Bears will need to dig deep if they want to avoid an 0-2 weekend.

3. Guard Harry Rafferty ’17 (Wesleyan)

Like Wesleyan as a team, at times Rafferty looks like one of the finer guards in the conference who is especially lethal from downtown. Then he also has games where he struggles to find his rhythm. Yesterday, Rafferty came off the bench, something he has done a couple of other times only to return to the starting lineup the next game. He played well coming off the pine with 15 points, six rebounds and three assists. That was not enough for Wesleyan to overcome a huge night from Graham Safford ’15. Rafferty has become more of a straight scorer this year, so making him the primary scorer off the bench is not actually a crazy idea. He and Tarik Smith ’17 could end up locking horns on both ends of the floor if both of them come off the bench. That two guards so talented are both filling a reserve role makes for an interesting storyline to watch today.

Game of the Day: Bowdoin (13-5, 4-2) at Amherst (13-5, 3-3), 3:00 PM

I get the feeling that this will be the closest of the five games to be played today and tomorrow. After Bowdoin lost the nail-biter with Trinity yesterday this game took on a lot more meaning for the Polar Bears, who could go from potential number one seed to middle of the pack over the course of two days if they lose to the Lord Jeffs. As mentioned above, the Swords-George matchup should be a good one, but the most interesting battles to watch will not be when the ball is in either player’s hands, but rather the fights for rebounds. Both players are defense-first and are top five in both rebound and blocks per game. Offensively, both players are very efficient, so something will have to give in this matchup.

Amherst’s biggest challenge will be stopping explosive guard Lucas Hausman ’16. The kid just keeps getting better and does most of his damage inside the arc or at the free throw line. The Lord Jeffs have had some difficult stopping guard penetration this season and have committed the third-most personal fouls per game in the NESCAC. Those two factors combined could mean a lot of trips to the line for Hausman, a 91.1 percent free throw shooter who went 13-13 from the stripe against Trinity last night. We will see some combination of Johnny McCarthy ’18 and Connor Green ’16 lined up with Hausman. Whether either player can slow down the Bowdoin scoring machine could be the difference in this game.

Lucas Hausman '16 has been unstoppable as of late. The junior dropped a career-high 30 against Trinity in a losing effort on Friday. (Courtesy of Bowdoin Athletics/www.CIPhotography.com) — Lucas Hausman ’16 has been unstoppable as of late. The junior dropped a career-high 30 against Trinity in a losing effort on Friday. (Courtesy of Bowdoin Athletics/www.CIPhotography.com)

Another interesting matchup occurs at the point guard position, where both teams employ Rajon Rondo-like playmakers. Hurley and Berman are both looking to pass first, the latter almost to a fault, so it should be fun watching them attack one another possession after possession. Hurley obviously gives up some size to Berman, but that shouldn’t be much of a disadvantage in this game seeing as Berman is unlikely to rise and fire, meaning that Hurley could have one of his best defensive games of the season today.

I missed on my prediction yesterday when I stated that Bowdoin would win by 10 over the Bantams, and today I’m going to have to pick against the Polar Bears. Especially given Amherst’s home court advantage, I think the Lord Jeffs win on a couple late free throws by Green. Keep in mind, though, that Amherst lacks a dead eye free throw shooter like Hausman. Green is the best from the stripe and he is shooting under 75 percent. I think he comes up clutch today, but the opportunity is there for Bowdoin to foul early and capitalize on some missed front ends of a one-and-one. Nevertheless, the pick is in: Amherst by five.

Enjoy all the games today.

Hamilton Stays Alive with Back-to-Back Wins

Joseph Lin '15 as taken his game to another level this season for the Continentals. (Courtesy of Hamilton Athletics) — Joseph Lin ’15 as taken his game to another level this season for the Continentals. (Courtesy of Hamilton Athletics)

Wins against Williams and Keystone College have provided hope that Hamilton is starting to turn it around after a rough patch to start NESCAC play. The Continentals were able to compete in their first four NESCAC games, losing by seven to Amherst and five to Colby, but a loss is a loss and before last weekend Hamilton was buried deep in the NESCAC cellar. However, the Continentals two most recent games have Hamilton players and fans thinking that all might not be lost. The most encouraging sign? That Hamilton has now shown an ability to win in different ways. Against the Ephs, Hamilton held an offense averaging 75.8 PPG on the season to 64 points, and against Keystone the Continentals dialed in from long range, nailing 9-18 three pointers.

Hamilton’s defeat of Williams was important not only for morale, but also to keep Hamilton mathematically afloat in the conference. While Hamilton went down by 12 points at 53-41 with 12:33 to go, they showed the tenacity to wait out Williams’ shooting barrage and pour in the points themselves to chip away at the lead. Williams made 14-29 three pointers (48 percent), with Hayden Rooke-Ley ’15 shooting 7-10 from behind the arc. However, Hamilton stuck with the defense and held the Ephs to just 5-13 from three point range in the second half. The Ephs did not score from long range in the final 9:28 of the game.

With Williams cooling off, the Continentals took advantage with a key three pointer by Jack Donnelly ’16 followed by points from Peter Kazickas ’15 and Joseph Lin ’15 to cut the lead to four. The teams went back and forth for a while before Hamilton took the lead with 1:18 left on a jumper from Ajani Santos ’16. With Lin on the bench after his fifth foul, Jack Dwyer ’18 knocked down a couple of clutch free throws to put Hamilton up three. Finally, Kazickas’ shots from the line closed it out for the Continentals in their first NESCAC win.

Head Coach Adam Stockwell showed his experience down the stretch, twice instructing his players to foul with Hamilton up three. Williams’ Mike Greenman ’17 made 3-4 free throws in the game’s final moments, not enough to close the gap.

Kazickas led the way for the Continentals with 18 points and six rebounds, while Kyle Pitman ’17 had 12 and Lin followed them in double figures with 11 points and nine assists. Rooke-Ley finished with 21 points for the Ephs, and Wohl contributed 13 points and six rebounds.

After two NESCAC playoff appearances in the last three years, Hamilton struggled in the midseason this year with two straight losses to former Liberty League rivals Vassar and Union and four consecutive defeats in NESCAC play, which dropped the Continentals to 10-6 after a 7-0 start. The loss of transfer Matt Hart, who averaged 20.6 points per game last season, and the graduations of Greg Newton ’14 and Bradley Gifford ’14 left a major hole on the court for Hamilton, and many wondered whether there was enough talent left on the roster to fill that gap. Senior captain Kazickas has stepped up all over the floor, though, averaging 10.3 points per game, while Lin has transformed himself, taking on a full-time starting role and averaging 15.1 points and 6.7 assists per game, 5.6 and 1.8 last year. Lin currently leads the NESCAC in assists and is sixth in all of Division-III. Santos (11.5 PPG, 6.6 RPG) and Jack Donnelly (7.4 PPG, 39 percent 3-PT) have picked up where they left off last year and sophomores Pitman and Wes Wilbur ’17 have done their part averaging 6.7 and 5.5 points off the bench, respectively, with Pitman shooting 38 percent from behind the arc. Joe Pucci ’18 and Dwyer are getting better and better every game, and learning new roles, with Pucci, a natural guard, having to play more in the high post with his 6’7” frame. Zander Wear ’18 also adds height to the team, with his huge 6’11” body; while he’s only played 98 minutes so far this season he has shown the ability to win battles on the boards.

Hamilton’s 1-4 NESCAC record will have several pundits counting them out of the running for a playoff run, but their recent wins should give them some momentum as they go on the road. They have already played some of the better NESCAC teams in the conference in Amherst, Trinity and Bowdoin and close out their schedule with easier games (if there is such a thing in the NESCAC this season) against the Connecticut teams, Wesleyan and Connecticut College. Despite the recent improvements, Hamilton still has a young team. However, the bench is improving with every game as the Continentals enter the NESCAC stretch run. The Continentals are showing signs of improvement and should be a contender for one of the eight playoff spots, and then anything can happen.

Just Another Crazy Weekend: Stock Report 1/26

It was another wild weekend in NESCAC basketball, with all of the action going down on Saturday afternoon/evening. The amount of chaos so far in the conference is unquantifiable, but comparing the current NESCAC standings to our preseason composite power ranks gives you a good idea. Things might still shake out and end up a little bit closer to what we imagined at the beginning of the season, but right now the only teams we appeared to be really close on are Conn. College and Wesleyan, whom we ranked sixth but is sitting in a tie for fifth at the moment.

This weekend might have been the craziest yet. We had underdogs pulling off big wins at home in Clinton and Lewiston (that’s if we’re buying into Tufts. Are we ready to do that?), a classic CBB game with Bowdoin and Colby, and Middlebury losing to an United States College Athletic Association school (did anyone even know that the USCAA was a thing?). What do we make of all the madness? As always, some players’ stock rose while others fell.

Stock Up

1. Bryan Hurley ’15 and Lucas Hausman ’16

The two Bowdoin backcourt mates combined for 47 points, nine boards, seven assists and three steals to help the Polar Bears edge Colby by three points on Saturday, 68-65. With the crushing news that Keegan Pieri ’15 has probably played his last basketball game for Bowdoin due to his second concussion of the year (see below), this was a major statement game for the Polar Bears.

Bowdoin senior forward Keegan Pieri sustained another concussion last night against UMPI. He had another concussion earlier in the year.

— Nothing But NESCAC (@CACSportsBlog) January 22, 2015

Boy, did Hurley and Hausman respond in a big way. We’ve talked quite a bit in this space about how Hurley hasn’t been quite the same player as he was pre-ACL injury, and Saturday was not a classic Hurley performance, but it was undoubtedly his best game of the season as he went 7-16 from the field, 4-9 from three and 5-6 from the line for 23 points. He’s now had four straight games shooting over 40 percent from the field and six straight with multiple made treys. Suffice to say he looks much more comfortable these days.

As for Hausman, he might have a case for Most Improved Player in the NESCAC this season, and he’s among the league leaders in scoring. With him and Hurley firing on all cylinders, Bowdoin might have the best offensive backcourt in the NESCAC. But it remains to be seen whether the duo can keep up this level of performance for the rest of the season.

2. Joseph Lin ’15

I guess it’s time to start believing in Lin, who’s averaging 19.6 PPG and 9.8 APG in conference games. Lin had his worst shooting night of the NESCAC season against Williams (4-12, 11 points), but he stilled handed out nine assists in 37 minutes. He is the key cog for Hamilton, and it must have been huge for the team’s confidence to knock off the Ephs for Hamilton’s first conference win of the season. Now I must acknowledge that the three minutes that Lin did not play just so happened to be the last three of the game on Saturday and he exited with Hamilton down by three, so others probably deserve more credit for the upset win in particular, but Lin has been spectacular overall in big games and I think we can expect that to continue for the senior.

3. Trinity Offense

Now let’s take this with a grain of salt. The Trinity offense is still no Middlebury or Williams, but maybe they’ve caught on to something – shoot more threes. The Bantams went 8-18 from deep in their victory over Amherst, and are shooting 37.7 percent from three in conference games but have taken the fewest number of attempts. Chucking up shots from long range doesn’t really fit with this team’s personality. They’d much rather be physical in all facets of the game, but maybe that’s what the Bantams need to do to get the offense rolling. Hart Gliedman ’15 is a perfect example of this. He is a defense-first guard, a tough defender who gets a lot of steals and only scores 4.3 points per game. But he is shooting 47.4 percent from deep on the season. He hasn’t been a great three-point shooter in the past so maybe that percentage is an aberration, but for all we know he spent his entire summer jacking up treys like Jimmer Fredette and this could be for real.

Stock Down

1. NCAA Dreams for Non-Champions

If any of the top half of the league can win out in the regular season, that team will have a very good shot at making the tournament with an at-large bid based on the wins they would have to earn from here on out. Bowdoin made it last year at 19-5 and 6-4 in conference. But with the parity in the NESCAC the chances of Bowdoin or Trinity ending up 9-1 or for Middlebury going 8-2 are slim. Williams just had a terrible loss against Hamilton and has two other bad losses against teams hovering around .500. With eight losses already, Tufts would be a long shot if they lost in the NESCAC tournament, and the same can be said for Colby with seven losses. Bates is 12-4 and all of those losses came against winning teams, but with the rumors swirling that Graham Safford ’15 is less than 100 percent right now the Bobcats will be hard-pressed to remain contenders. Safford hasn’t been shooting particularly well since 2015 began and was already rested for one game two weeks ago. What Bates does have in their favor though is that two of their losses came against out-of-region teams, so they won’t hurt the Bobcats as much when the selection committee convenes. The Middlebury loss to Maine-Fort Kent was not pretty, but Fort Kent isn’t a D-III school so the same logic applies. The Panthers should be rooting hard for Tufts to keep winning to boost their strength of schedule. Wesleyan still has an outside chance, but the loss to Curry will be crushing for them. Amherst has just five losses, but some of them came in dominating fashion, which leads one to believe that the Lord Jeffs have flaws that will prevent them from going on a run and remaining unbeaten from now until tournament time. The NESCAC might be a one-bid team this year, something that has been talked about quite a bit this season but is becoming ever more realistic.

2. Conn. College Camels

Not to kick a team while its down, but the blowout loss to Wesleyan probably ends the Camels’ chances of sneaking into the playoffs. There was a glimmer of hope after Conn. played Middlebury tough last weekend, but that glimmer has been extinguished. Conn. is a young team with a lot of work to do. They’ve let teams run away with games too often this season, losing by double figures five times this season. The Camels need to learn how to play a complete game and sustain runs from their opponents.

3. PG Tarik Smith ’17 (Tufts)

Smith has been featured in this section for three straight weeks now, but for the first time his stock has fallen. Since being removed from the starting lineup Smith had elevated his game in NESCAC play and turned into a leader for the Jumbos. But then he goes and has his worst game in over two weeks, 10 points on 3-9 shooting and six turnovers as Tufts fell for the first time in conference. I think what this says is that Tufts needs Smith to be a scorer off of the bench if they are going to beat the good teams in the NESCAC. Hopefully Smith can go back to the player he had been in the previous four games when he shot nearly 70 percent from the field and averaged 17 PPG and return to the Stock Up section next week.

Power Rankings 1/21

Currently at seven in our ranks, Williams can move up starting tonight with a non-conference matchup at Amherst. (Courtesy of Williams Athletics)

The results this past week have brought forth much change in this edition of the power rankings. Teams we once thought were falling have started to find a groove, and teams that once looked great are beginning to slip. While only two or three games separate this weeks rankings from last’s, the conference action this week sent the league into upheaval.

1. Middlebury (12-2, 2-2) Last week: 3

At the start of the conference season Middlebury was expected to be at the top and a couple months in they have done enough to regain the top spot. Right now they are on a four-game winning streak during which Dylan Sinnickson ’16 has averaged 16.0 points per game and the team as a whole has averaged 89.0 points. But what has been underrated so far has been Middlebury’s defense. Opponents are averaging 62.2 points per game, but they also get more chances against the fast-paced Panthers. NCAA.com D-III hoops statistics were last updated on Monday, but at that time Middlebury’s opponents’ field goal percentage was tops in the nation and the Panthers had the 11th-best scoring margin in D-III. The grind for the Panthers comes at the end of the season, and as we know that a lot can change in a week in the NESCAC. As of right now, Middlebury has found a groove that looks sustainable

2. Amherst (11-4, 2-2) Last week: 4

The Lord Jeffs went 1-1 this week but remain ranked in my top three. A solid offense and a solid defense is obviously key, but what makes Amherst appealing is their winning culture. They’ve been here before. David Hixon’s experience and the reputation of his team’s to get better as the year goes on (Amherst won 24-straight to win the NCAA title in 2013 and 20 out of 21 before losing to Williams in the semifinals last year) earns the Lord Jeffs the benefit of the doubt. Despite a loss to Tufts, which seems to be happening to every top team, the Lord Jeffs are getting good production off the bench especially from G Jeff Racy ’17, who leads the league in three point field goals made in conference games.

3. Trinity (13-4, 3-1) Last week: 2

Winning a double OT thriller 71-69 against Williams and holding off a late Bates run gives Trinity the invaluable experience in close games come playoff time. But the Bantams won’t see the top spot in my ranks just yet. After an offensive breakout earlier in the season, the Bantams have cooled off and are ninth in points per NESCAC game.

4. Bates (11-4, 1-2) Last week: 1

The Bobcats had a difficult couple of games this past week; games that give us a better sense of who they really are. While Graham Safford ’15, who has been an integral part in the team’s success, did rest against UMPI, he and his squad were unable to get even one conference win against Amherst and Trinity. Is another late season slide in the works for Bates, or can they look to bounce back quickly against a Tufts team that has played very well as of late? While it has only been a couple of games, this week proved that the Bobcats need their entire starting five to contribute if they are going to beat the NESCAC’s elite squads.

5. Bowdoin (11-4, 3-1) Last week: 8

With the Polar Bears playing their last four games against conference opponents, they are now 3-1 in NESCAC play, tying them for first in the league standings. While a 3-1 record puts them in a good spot right now, two of those W’s came against struggling Hamilton and Conn. College teams. Don’t look now, but Bowdoin’s offense seems to be streaking, averaging 73.8 points per game in conference play. With Trinity and Middlebury among those still left to play, it will be interesting to see how Bowdoin stacks up against some of the league’s best defenses.

6. Tufts (7-7, 3-0) Last week: 11

The Jumbos, a team that was not high on my rankings last week, has proven me wrong by beating Middlebury, Amherst and Trinity in three consecutive games. Former starting PG-turned-sixth man Tarik Smith ’17 has played a huge role in their streak, shooting lights out, as well as in the clutch, hitting some big free throws against Trinity. Yes, they are 3-0 in the conference, and yes, Tufts has beaten three of the top teams in the league, but those are only three games, lets not start crowning them league champs. They are still 7-7 overall, which probably eliminates them from contending for an NCAA at-large bid already. This recent influx of offense, scoring 80+ points in four of their last six games, is bound to recede, but hey, maybe they’ve found something special this year.

7. Williams (11-5, 2-2) Last week: 5

Williams sits middle of the pack but has the pieces to get hot at any time. Recently, the Ephs played Trinity, Amherst, Colby and Bowdoin, a four-game stretch that epitomized their inability to get a consistent level of play. While Trinity and Amherst are similar, so are Colby and Bowdoin, and the Ephs were only able to win one of each. That being said, Daniel Wohl ’15 has been lights out offensively, averaging 23.2 points per game in-conference. Williams has the talent and are on the brink of finding their groove.

8. Colby (11-6, 3-1) Last week: 7

Colby is in a similar situation as Bowdoin, beating middle-of-the-road conference teams to give them a strong conference record. Chris Hudnut ’16 has been a huge factor in both scoring as well as rebounding the basketball (22.5 PPG and 11.5 RPG in-conference), which has helped the Mules get off to this fast start within the NESCAC. Colby has tallied the most points per game in-conference, but Wesleyan was the only opponent that is among the top half of the league in defensive scoring. We’ll know if Colby is for real after they go through the gauntlet of Bowdoin, Amherst and Trinity.

9. Wesleyan (12-5, 1-2) Last week: 6

Wesleyan is a team that looked promising early on has had a tough couple of games against Amherst and Middlebury. In both losses the offense struggled, scoring only 46 and 60 points, respectively. Their high-powered three point shooting was non-existent, while frequent turnovers halted any offensive flow. What a shame for a team that got off to an unprecedented start this season, winning 10 games faster than any team in program history. Facing Conn, Bates and Tufts in the next three games, Wesleyan needs to rediscover their offensive production.

10. Conn College (7-8, 0-3) Last week: 10

Conn is in a similar position to Hamilton, losing their last four games. Statistically ranked tenth offensively and eighth defensively in NESCAC games, the playoffs seem unlikely for the Camels. It might be time to adopt the spoiler role for the Camels. Wesleyan, Tufts and Bates are their next three opponents, and they can disrupt the league with every conference win they get.

11. Hamilton (10-6, 0-4) Last week: 9

Nothing seems to be going right for the Continentals, especially within the last four games. In these four NESCAC games, Hamilton has failed to get a win. Starting the season 7-0 in all non-conference games says one of two things; the NESCAC is much higher quality basketball than the upstate New York teams, or Hamilton’s game has lost its touch. I think it’s safe to say that both previous statements hold some amount of truth. While the playoffs are a pipe dream right now, don’t count Hamilton out to play spoiler against some “on the cusp” teams late in the season.

The Biggest Stories of the Year: 2014 in Review

Doing an article about the year that just happened around New Years is a long-time tradition that often results in news sources practically plagiarizing each other. But the fact of the matter is that nobody else is going to review the biggest stories in the NESCAC if we don’t. So we thought the idea actually was not that bad after all. 2014 was really chock-full of good stories. Besides the obvious choice of the inception of this site as the biggest story in the NESCAC this season, a few other moments jump out. Here is our look back at some of 2014’s highlights

Duncan Robinson and Matt Hart Transfer

Duncan Robinson (Courtesy of Detroit Free Press)

Matt Hart (Courtesy of Hamilton Athletics)

Transfers into the NESCAC are not unusual (e.g. McCallum Foote), but not very often do we see players voluntarily transfer from the league. In June, Hart, a first team All-NESCAC performer in 2013-2014 as a sophomore, took a preferred walk-on spot at George Washington. Then, in July, Duncan Robinson, the 2013-2014 NESCAC ROY, made the unprecedented move of going from the NESCAC to the Big Ten by accepting a full scholarship to Michigan. By NCAA rules transfers to Division 1 have to sit out a year before they are eligible to play so we won’t hear much from this duo until next winter. Both are practicing and taking classes this year, and they are making an impression already. The departure of both of them also helped create the wide open landscape in NESCAC basketball heading into conference play in 2015.

Rumor has it that Duncan Robinson broke @NStauskas11 shooting record this week! Wow! @D_Bo20 #mylordthosenumbersarestaggering

— Bacari Alexander (@bacari34) December 3, 2014

Mike Maker Gets a D1 Coaching Job

Former Williams head coach Mike Maker was a longtime Division 1 assistant before taking the head job in Williamstown, and he returned to the D1 ranks by taking a job in June at Marist. While at Williams, Maker did practically everything besides win a National Title. His up-tempo offensive oriented style of play was the prettiest in the NESCAC and resulted in the Amherst-Williams rivalry climbing to another stratosphere of watch-ability. Williams recognized Maker’s positive influence on the program and wisely hired one of his former assistant’s at Williams, Kevin App, as his successor. Maker faces a major task leading a Division 1 program, but his track record at Williams suggests he will be able to get the job done. The Red Foxes are off to a slow start, however, going 1-11 before the New Year.

Aaron Toomey, Joey Kizel, and Michael Mayer all Wrap up Fantastic Careers

Aaron Toomey (Courtesy of News & Record)

Joey Kizel (Courtesy of Middlebury Athletics)

Michael Mayer (Courtesy of Williams Athletics)

The 2014 basketball class was one of the finest in the NESCAC’s history. Impact players dotted the roster of almost every team, but the trio of Toomey, Kizel and Mayer was a transcendent group that shaped the story lines of the NESCAC for four years. Kizel’s final season was one with many what-ifs as Middlebury lost many close games and did not make the NCAA tournament despite Kizel’s 16.6 points and 5.6 assists per game. Mayer shook off a slow start because of injury to be Williams go-to offensive threat during their NCAA run. And Toomey finished his career as one of the most decorated players in NESCAC history, taking home his second consecutive National Player of the Year award. An entire book could be written detailing the clashes Williams, Amherst and Middlebury had during the careers of these three, but suffice to say that they represented the best in NESCAC basketball. All three are now continuing their careers abroad in Europe.

Wesleyan Continues its Transformation

President Michael Roth (right) introducing coach Mike Whalen (left) in 2010 (Courtesy of Wesleyan University)

The hiring of head football coach Mike Whalen away from Williams in 2010 signaled a clear change of priorities under President Michael Roth. In Roth’s own words, “Whatever we do at Wesleyan, we should strive to do well.” This mantra led to a re-commitment to the university’s athletics programs, a perspective that was not the usual one for the Connecticut school, a place known for its eccentricities and media members more than anything else. 2014 saw football under Whalen have its second consecutive 7-1 season behind a program-changing senior class. The baseball team also captured its first NESCAC championship ever and advanced to the final of their NCAA tournament regional. The reasons for the move towards an emphasis on team sports at Wesleyan are usually explained as a monetary decision. The results on the field are clear.

The Trinity Streak Ends

Middlebury brought Trinity's streak to a crashing end. Courtesy of Greg Sullivan (http://www.sevenstrong.net/TrinityFootball) — Middlebury brought Trinity’s streak to a crashing end. Courtesy of Greg Sullivan (http://www.sevenstrong.net/TrinityFootball)

For 13 years NESCAC football teams tried and failed to beat Trinity in Hartford, Connecticut. The last time that Trinity had lost at home was just 18 days after 9/11. Finally, and quite suddenly, on a late October afternoon, an underdog Middlebury team handily defeated the Bantams. The loss ended Trinity’s 53-game home winning streak. Around the Trinity program, the slogan was always “No Poop in the Coop.” For years that held up, and the field turf that Trinity installed in 2002 only saw victories until this season. Trinity also lost at home the next week to Amherst meaning they will now go into next season with a different type of streak at home. The Bantams hope this one will end quickly.

Amherst Cements a Dynasty

While Trinity stumbled for the second consecutive year, the Jeffs overcame their own offensive limitations and went undefeated to capture another NESCAC championship. It was their third title in four years (fourth in six years) and third undefeated season since 2009. This year’s team was built around a suffocating defense and an offense that came through when it mattered. In a season that many thought would be dominated by the Connecticut duo of Wesleyan and Trinity, Amherst showed its staying power. While Williams stumbled to another 2-6 season, their arch-rival is having success both on the field and off of it with 20 players on the All-Academic team, tied for the most in the league with Williams.

Rest in Peace Bates’ John Durkin and Amherst’s Alex Hero

John Durkin (Courtesy of Bates Athletics)

Alex Hero (Courtesy of Amherst Athletics)

Tragedy struck not once but twice in the NESCAC this year. Bates football player John Durkin was studying abroad in Rome for his junior spring when he went missing. His body was later found in a subway tunnel after he was struck by a train. Alex Hero, Amherst’s starting centerfielder last spring, died on Thanksgiving day only months after graduating from Amherst. We highly recommend you go read this remembrance written by Amherst head coach Brian Hamm and teammate Dave Cunningham ’16. Our condolences to both communities and may these two rest in peace.

Much to be Thankful for: Stock Report 12/1

The Thanksgiving holiday causes barely a blip in most team’s schedules, and the last week of November gave us plenty more of data points to judge teams off of. Overall it was a good week for NESCAC schools with the league going 15-4 combined. Five teams (Amherst, Bowdoin, Bates, Hamilton, and Middlebury) remain undefeated, and Tufts is the only team under .500 at 2-3.

Williams’ Hayden Rooke-Ley ’15 has emerged as the best story of the season thus far because of his sweet shooting stroke. The guard is now a perfect 61-61 from the free throw line.

Update on the Hayden Rooke-Ley free throw record: He now has hit 61-of-61 on the season. The record (corrected) is 66 straight, in 2011.

— Panther Nation (@MiddPantherBlog) December 1, 2014

Williams plays at RPI tonight at 8 PM, and you can watch as Rooke-Ley goes for the record here.

Stock Up

Guard Joseph Lin ’15 (Hamilton): After Matt Hart ’16 transferred and Greg Newton ’14 graduated, Hamilton needed to revamp their backcourt this season. Lin was a backup last season who averaged 5.6 points and 1.8 assists per game last season. He has bumped up those averages big time to lead the team in points with 13.4 per game and assists with 5.0 per game. Somewhat amazingly, Lin is still coming off the bench while Greg Dwyer ’18 runs the first team. The Continentals are off to a 6-0 start, though four of those wins have come by single digits. The younger brother of that other Lin is ensuring that Hamilton, the team that was predicted to be one of the weakest teams in the NESCAC, still has a lot of friskiness in it.

Trinity’s Defense: Just as the warning bells were starting to go off in Hartford, the Bantams appear to have righted the ship. In their last two games, Trinity has held their opponents to an average of 45 points per game. Both games were wins despite the Bantams scoring less than 60 points in both games. The Bantams will take any drop in offensive production as long as they keep grinding out victories. Jaquann Starks ’16 is leading the team in scoring though he is averaging less than two assists per game. Wednesday will be a good test for Trinity when they play Springfield, an NCAA tournament team a year ago.

Center Chris Hudnut ’16 (Colby): Consistent excellence is one of the hardest things for fans to appreciate, especially when that excellence comes in the form of unflashy play. Hudnut’s game reminds us of Tim Duncan, someone whose greatness was not properly understood for a long time. On the offensive end Hudnut is effective because he can score in so many different ways. He can work out of the pick and roll, attack from the elbow, or use his varied post game in the low block. He uses his size and strength to overcome athleticism that is really only slightly above average. Hudnut has abandoned the three pointer after shooting 64 threes last season. That commitment to playing inside helps explain his uptick in rebounding as well from 8.4 to 10.9 rebounds per game.

Stock Down

Guard Stephen Haladyna ’16 (Tufts): The junior small forward is the third leading scorer for Tufts with 8.2 points per game, but that is where the good news ends for him. He is shooting only 25.5% from the field, including an awful 17.4% from three. He has been taking poor care of the ball turning it over 2.6 times per game while only supplying 1.0 assist per game. He has seen his production tail off in the last two games in large part because he went 0-8 from beyond the arc. Tufts sits at 2-3 on the year now, and Haladyna is far from the only reason why they are in this funk. Still, he needs to shake off his early season shooting slump now for the Jumbos to get back on track.

Free Throw Shooting: For some odd reason, about half of the NESCAC is having an awful time at the line overall so far this season. Five teams are all shooting less than 66.6% from the line. For comparisons sake, Trinity had the lowest percentage last year and still made 67.0%. Tufts and Wesleyan are both barely over 60%, a level that is usually reserved only for big men. Though overall the league is not far off from where it was last year, most of that is because of the absurd rate that Rooke-Ley has taken and made free throws. Take out his shooting and the overall NESCAC percentage falls from a respectable 72.4% (only .3% off of last year’s overall total) to a much less impressive 71.0%.

Bowdoin Identity: The Polar Bears carved out an identity in 2013-2014 built around defense and rebounding. Center John Swords ’15 was the obvious reason for that being their strength, yet there were concerns that they would be unable to replicate the same template because of the loss of their senior class. Grant White ’14 and Andrew Madlinger ’14 were both well above-average perimeter defenders who allowed Bowdoin to play both man and zone. The early returns through four games for Bowdoin were good though. Opponents were scoring a NESCAC-leading 57.5 points per game while the Polar Bears out-rebounded teams by 14.2 boards per game. Then the Polar Bears laid an egg last night losing 68-48 to Babson. The offense was shut down for long stretches, but the real concerns are how Babson was able to control play. Bowdoin lost the battle for the boards by nine despite Babson only having one player above 6’5″. After starting 12-0 in 2013, Bowdoin needs to recover from their first loss quickly with games against Colby and Bates later this week.

Hamilton Team Preview: The Continentals Had Their Hart Ripped Out

Hamilton College Continentals

2013-2014 Season: 14-11 (5-5 NESCAC), tied fifth in the NESCAC, reached quarterfinals of NESCAC tournament

Head Coach: Adam Stockwell, fourth season, 41-33 (.554)

Starters Returning: 2

G Jack Donnelly ’16

F Ajani Santos ’16

Breakout Player: F Peter Kazickas ’15

With NESCAC leading scorer Matt Hart gone to Division-I George Washington and crunch time finisher Greg Newton ’14 having graduated, Hamilton will require leaps forward from many players to be as successful as last year. However, their departures will also create an opportunity for other players to step up. Kazickas is one of those players. Splitting time between the bench and the starting lineup last year, he averaged eight points and four rebounds per game in just under 20 minutes per game of playing time. He shot 54 percent from the field and 42 percent from three last year, showing a smooth stroke that will be crucial in replacing the explosive outside ability of Hart. His solid rebounding for his size (6’4″ 193 lbs) will also be important, as Hamilton will have to play much larger than they are to battle on the boards with the multitude of solid big men inhabiting the NESCAC this season. Kazickas is representative of Hamilton’s universal need for breakout seasons from their players, but he also has an impressive skill set that could set him apart from his teammates.

Projected Starting Five:

PG Joseph Lin ’15

Lin should move into the lineup full-time in his senior campaign. He didn’t do too much scoring last season and will probably continue to try to distribute this year. He needs to take better care of the ball (34 turnovers) if he’s going to be the primary ball handler, but he also provides some value defensively, as he garnered 23 steals last season.

Jack Donnelly (Courtesy of Hamilton Athletics)

SG Jack Donnelly ’16

Donnelly started 17 games last season and averaged 6.2 points per game, the majority of which came off of threes. Seventy-five of Donnelly’s 142 points came from deep. That was far and away the highest percentage on the Continentals. He and Kazickas represent the only real threats from three-point land.

Peter Kazickas (Courtesy of Hamilton Athletics)

SF Peter Kazickas ’15

As mentioned above, Kazickas is able to chip in with points and rebounds and stretch the floor a bit with some efficient three-point shooting.

Ajani Santos (Courtesy of Hamilton Athletics)

PF Ajani Santos ’16

Santos put up numbers similar to Kazickas last year, but he’s much bigger at 6’7″ and doesn’t stray too far from the hoop offensively. With that in mind, he should be counted on to haul in a few more rebounds this season and create second chances for his teammates.

C Zander Wear ’18

Wear is huge for the NESCAC (6’11” 245 lbs), so he could be an immediate boon for the Continentals. He’s young (17 years old to start the year), so maturity will be a question, but just from his brief highlight tape one can see that he brings a multi-faceted offensive game to Clinton. He’s not afraid to play pick-and-roll basketball away from the basket. He won’t be able to just reach over big men in the NESCAC though like he did in high school and will need to use his body to block out his opponents. Check out his high school tape below:

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j2wS45u8gSU&w=560&h=315]

Everything Else:

The offseason was not very kind to the Continentals. The graduations of Hart, Newton and crowd favorite and emotional leader Matt Dean ’14 leave several voids in the Hamilton lineup. However, the Continentals should also benefit from an experienced roster. Junior captains Santos and Donnelly return in the starting lineup, and seniors Lin and Kazickas should push into the starting lineup full time. The experience and chemistry of this core is the key to Hamilton overcoming their major offseason losses.

The best case scenario for the Continentals is that these four mesh together well and take a collective step forward. The arrival of the 6’11” freshman Wear provides Hamilton with size and toughness inside that it didn’t have last year that could make Hamilton a silently dangerous team which can threaten the top tier teams. However, the more realistic scenario is that Hamilton simply lacks the offensive firepower and depth to stay with the rest of the league, and ends up locked in a struggle to get into the NESCAC tournament. The Continentals had some tight conference losses last year, including the NESCAC tournament at Middlebury, but at this time the losses (i.e. Hart, Newton) seem to outweigh the gains (Wear, experience). Barring marked improvement from individual players, it could be a tough year in Clinton.

Basketball Season Introduction: Storylines

One sport ends, another one begins. In part because of time issues, our basketball coverage will be a little bit different than our football preseason coverage. We will still have complete team previews for every team in the NESCAC. For more league wide coverage we decided to try something new and make some videos about a variety of topics. Keep checking back all week for lots of material as we stuff all of our coverage into five days.

If you want to skip around in the video, here are the topics that we cover.

0:30: Williams: We have talked at length about the losses Williams endured in the offseason so we go over the guys coming back and where Williams stands right now.

4:26: Amherst: Aaron Toomey ’15, Tom Killian ’15 , and David Kalema ’15 are all gone, while two new Division 1 transfers come in. Amherst is still one of the most talented teams out there.

9:50: Big Men: 2014-2015 could go down as a year dominated by play inside with most of the returning stars from last year being forwards and centers.

11:40: Matt Hart’s Departure: The former Hamilton shooting guard leaves a massive void in Clinton that someone will have to fill quickly.

15:00: Tom Palleschi ’16 Returns: A great story makes Tufts the wildcard of the league this year.