Tag: Fru Che

Final Regular Season Power Rankings

March is Overrated, “February Frenzy” is Upon Us – Power Rankings 2/13

Chaos doesn’t even begin to describe this week’s edition of the Power Rankings. Heck, we didn’t even know that Midd was the #1 seed until last night! In these past two weeks, we’ve witnessed the unexpected: Williams tumbling out of the top three? Yup. Trinity catching fire late while Wesleyan sinks like a stone? Sure. Amherst blitzing past everyone in their path? Check. These two weeks have proven that any of the top eight teams in the postseason tournament have the ability to get hot and win the entire thing, which makes for an extremely entertaining set of games. It’s also an indicator that the teams we consider to be a part of the upper echelon of NESCAC basketball are nowhere near safe, even in their opening games. Without further ado, here’s my interpretation of the madness.

(5) 1. #11 Amherst (20-3, 7-2)

At this very moment, no team is hotter than the Mammoths. Winning six straight conference games until last night was no easy task, especially considering the volatile nature of the NESCAC this season. Their two most impressive wins of the season came last weekend; on Friday, the Mammoths traveled to Williamstown and secured a season-sweep of rival Williams, and if that wasn’t enough, they followed up that performance with a road win against Middlebury. Grant Robinson ‘21 (19.0 PPG last two games) and Fru Che ‘21 (15.0 PPG last two games) paced the Amherst attack, and bench players Garrett Day ‘21 and C.J. Bachmann ‘19 reach double figures in both contests. What’s more impressive is Amherst is a team that usually grinds down teams with its defense, but against the Panthers they proved they can outscore teams by dropping 97 points.  Even with their loss to Hamilton last night, I’d still consider Amherst as the front-runner for the NESCAC Championship.

(3) 2. #25 Middlebury (18-6, 7-3)

If the Panthers had defeated the Mammoths on Saturday, they would have clinched regular season crown; instead, they had to wait for Hamilton to knock off Amherst. A weekend split between Hamilton and Amherst is nothing to be ashamed of, however, and the Panthers’ win against the Continentals was massive in the sense that the result ensured they would earn a top two seed for the postseason tournament. Jack Farrell’s ‘21 18 points paced Middlebury against the Continentals, but it was sharpshooter Max Bosco ‘21 who sunk a three-pointer with 2.4 seconds left to give the Panthers their seventh conference win. The Panther defense that had been brilliant in recent games was non-existent in their matchup with Amherst, as Middlebury allowed a season-high 97 points, including 56 in the second half. The Panthers will now turn their focus to their matchup against Tufts in the first round of the postseason tournament and will be expected to advance.

(4) 3. #10 Hamilton (20-6, 6-3)

The Continentals bounced back from their heartbreaking defeat against the Panthers with huge wins against Williams and against Hamilton. Those wins cemented their place as the two seed for the postseason tournament. Kena Gilmour ‘20 was sensational, registering 25 points, six rebounds and four assists, as three other players joined him with double figures in the scoring department. Hamilton also held the Ephs to just 7-23 from beyond the arc and forced 16 turnovers in the process. The Continentals have really picked up the quality of their play in recent games even with the one blemish against Middlebury, and they’ll be undoubtedly one of the favorites in the NESCAC tournament and possibly beyond.

(1) 4. #18 Williams (19-5, 6-4)

What on Earth is going on in Williamstown? No one would have predicted the former #2 team in the country to endure a three-game losing streak this late in the season and plummet to #18 in the national rankings. After defeating Colby, the Ephs and the rest of the NESCAC community were left stunned when Bowdoin’s Sam Grad ‘21 nailed a game-winning three in overtime. This past weekend, Williams lost to rival Amherst, and if that wasn’t bad enough, their second-leading scorer, James Heskett ‘19, tweaked his ankle and missed their regular season finale against Hamilton. Word on the street is he should be ready to go in their quarterfinal matchup, and he’ll be needed because Bobby Casey ‘19 cannot do it all by himself, despite averaging 21.0 PPG over their last three. The Ephs might want to focus their attention on the whole defensive thing: They’ve allowed opposing teams to shoot 52.2% in the past three games, including 44.7% from downtown.

(9) 5. Trinity (17-7, 6-4)

After getting absolutely pounded by Williams and Middlebury by a combined 71 points (ouch), Trinity was sitting at 2-4 in conference with just four games remaining. Their win against in-state rival Wesleyan completely re-energized this squad, and the Bantams rattled off three straight  conference wins against Conn, Tufts and Bates to soar up the standings into fifth place. Their most recent win against Tufts was the most impressive sans the upset against Wesleyan, as the Bantams dominated the Jumbos from start to finish en route to an emphatic 20 point victory. Four players reached double-digits, led by Donald Jorden Jr.’s ‘21 20 point, 10 rebound performance. Trinity now has plenty of momentum heading into their quarterfinal matchup, and the league’s fourth best defense will have to be ready to shut down a Williams team that hung 85 on them last time out.

(2) 6. Wesleyan (16-8, 6-4)

Even with the loss to Tufts, Wesleyan looked like it was in position to snag a top three seed. They had a very favorable remaining schedule and already boasted wins against Middlebury, Hamilton and Amherst. Then came the loss to Trinity, but hey, the Cardinals only shot 19% from deep and when you have an in-state rivalry game, anything can happen. Next up was a non-conference loss to Amherst; not a huge deal considering Amherst is a great squad and it was only a one point loss, but concerning because Austin Hutcherson ‘21 struggled to score for the third consecutive game. Stopping the bleeding after the Amherst loss was essential in order for the Cardinals to hold on to a top three seed; well, the Cardinals responded by going down 26 points – at halftime – to Colby, and despite a frantic comeback, the deficit was too large to overcome. Hutcherson had a horrific first half (5 points, 2-11 from the field) before finding his stroke in the final twenty minutes, and only one player (Sam Peek ‘22) contributed off the Cardinals’ bench. Hutcherson (37 points) and Wesleyan bounced back the following day by annihilating Bowdoin, but the damage from their recent defeats was done and Wesleyan fell in the standings to simply a middle-tier team. Don’t get me wrong: Wesleyan certainly has the capability to make a deep run in the postseason, but the shine from their blazing start has worn off and those three losses severely hampered their quest  an NCAA at-large selection. Winning the tournament might be the only way we see Hutcherson, Jordan Bonner ‘19, and company make it to the Big Dance.

(6) 7. Colby (17-7, 5-5)

If I’m being completely honest, I have no idea what to think of this team. Colby has some of the strongest wins in league play (@ Amherst, @ Hamilton, and this past Friday, @ Wesleyan). Against the Cardinals, Matt Hanna ‘21 (19 points) led the offensive assault as the Mules drained 18 three’s, and freshman sensation Noah Tyson ‘22 recorded a double-double (17 points, 10 rebounds) while knocking down four triples of his own. Their performance against Conn on Saturday, however, was much less exciting, as the Mules were unable to finish off the only winless NESCAC squad until the very waning minutes. Sam Jefferson ‘20 (20 points, carried an offense that hit only 39.7% of their shots, 21.1% from deep, and a head-scratching 58.3% from the charity stripe. As strong as some of their wins are, the Mules do own losses against both Bates and Bowdoin, so maybe it’s just an instance of Colby playing to the level of their competition? If so, it’s good news that this team will open up the NESCAC tournament against the #2 seed, Hamilton.

(7) 8. Tufts (11-13, 4-6)

On February 1st, The Jumbos sat one game ahead of Bowdoin for the eighth seed in the NESCAC standings with three games to play. One win in those three games would have ensured their participation in postseason ball. Well, the Jumbos proceeded to get whacked by Amherst, lose a close one to Hamilton, and get annihilated yet again, this time by Trinity. Luckily, the Jumbos own the head-to-head tiebreaker against the Polar Bears, so despite their three-game losing streak, Tufts lives to see another day. In their most recent loss to Trinity, Eric Savage ‘20 led the Jumbos with 20 points and big man Luke Rogers ‘21 (14 points, 11 rebounds) added yet another double-double to the stat sheet, but the defense (or lack thereof) is a real cause of concern for Coach Sheldon and his team. Tufts is dead last in defensive PPG, FG% and 3PFG%. The boys in brown and blue have a lot of work to do this week in order to prepare for their first round matchup.

(10) 9. Bowdoin (15-9, 4-6)

The win against Conn gave the Polar Bears a real shot at snagging the seventh seed from Colby (due to their head-to-head victory over the Mules back in January), as long as they could beat a Wesleyan team in full nosedive mode. The Polar Bears trailed by nine at half, and were eventually run out of the gym as they saw their postseason hopes fade away in what was surely one of their worst performances of the season. They shot just 36.2%, and David Reynolds ‘20 and Jack Simonds ‘19 combined to shoot just 9-26 from the field. The defense was porous to say the least, allowing Austin Hutcherson to explode for 37 points as he and the Cardinals hit at a 54.5% clip on the day. What’s more, the Polar Bears committed 19 fouls, leading to 26 free throw attempts for Wesleyan. All in all, the poor performance will certainly leave a bitter taste for Polar Bear fans, who will have to wait until next season to see if their squad can make the postseason dance.

(8) 10. Bates (7-17, 3-7)

I really thought the Bobcats were going to make a late push for a playoff spot, but they ran out of gas and dropped their last three league games. Defending the long ball has been a weak spot for Bates all season, and it was evident in their losses against Hamilton and Trinity. Despite forcing 21 turnovers against the Continentals, the Bobcats allowed them to sink 16 triples, and the Bantams drained 13 of their own in what proved to be the difference in a tightly-contested contest. Center Nick Lynch ‘19 capped off his career with a 20-point performance against Trinity before fouling out with 1:12 left, and Jeff Spellman ‘20 came alive with 14 points in the second half, helping erase an 11 point deficit with under five minutes and claw within one point. With the season over for the ‘Cats, there’s plenty to look forward to as Spellman, Kody Greenhalgh ‘20, Tom Coyne ‘20 and Nick Gilpin ‘20 will all return for the 2019-2020 season; the biggest concern will be filling the role of Lynch (13.4 PPG, 7.3 REB/G).

(11) 11. Conn (7-17, 0-10)

The Camels had nothing to play for this weekend, but credit this team for fighting hard until the very last whistle of their 2018-2019 season. They could have easily folded against Bowdoin and Colby knowing that they were effectively eliminated from postseason ball, but they made the Maine schools earn their wins. Unfortunately, we’re not here to hand out participation trophies, and Conn’s valiant performances does not mask the fact that the Camels have not won a NESCAC game since February 10th, 2017 (a streak that has extended to 21 consecutive games). It does not help that Conn will graduate David Laboissiere ‘19, a prolific scorer who ended a fantastic career with combined 34 points over the two contests. On the bright side, the Camels only graduate three seniors, and forward Dan Draffan ‘21 (21.0 PPG last two games) and company will hope to erase the Camels’ woes on the hardwood next season.

Confusion at the Top: Final Regular Season Stock Report

Stock Up

Amherst Bus Trips

Fru Che and the Mammoths are making moves.

It was quite the weekend for the Mammoths as they knocked off two of the top NESCAC teams, both victories on the road (84-79 W @ Williams; 97-93 W @ Midd). Despite uncertainty regarding their depth entering the season, they have proved to be the most consistent team in the conference in 2019 and control their own destiny to lock up the #1 seed in the NESCAC tournament. Grant Robinson and Fru Che combined for 68 points over their last two games and are constantly on the floor, playing nearly every minute, never giving their opponents a break from their attack. If they beat Hamilton this weekend, again on the road, they will be the favorites entering the postseason and will be a top national seed in the NCAA tournament. Their drive back to campus after their win at Midd must’ve been a fun one. 

Middlebury Guards

Despite a key loss to Amherst last Saturday that could’ve locked up the #1 seed for the Panthers, they still had a solid weekend with their last minute comeback win against Hamilton. This young Midd team knocked off the experienced and deep Continental team (with a pretty weak home crowd) much to my surprise. Jack Farrell and Max Bosco, both starting as sophomores, are legit DIII players and will give any team in the country a run for their money. Max Bosco made a deep, contested three in the final seconds of the game to give Midd the lead and had an impressive, quick release on the shot. Jack Farrell out dribbles opponents and is too quick to defend and is starting to find his shooting groove. They also have fellow sophomore Griffin Kornaker as the sixth man coming off of the bench to give them a hand. This stock up is about the guards, but they aren’t even the best players on the floor for the Panthers. Watch out for this team in the tournament.

Max Bosco made a good move by choosing a college in the North Pole because he has ice in his veins.

Stock Down

Eph Dominance

The reign of terror of Williams is over. I don’t even care if they win the NESCAC and NCAA tournament, an 0-2 weekend for a team with this talent is inexcusable. They really struggled against Hamilton without James Heskett who was out due to an ankle sprain but even lost two in a row to Bowdoin and Amherst with him on the floor. Williams’ losing streak is now at three games and this cold streak couldn’t be coming at a worse time. Bobby Casey is just 13-52 from deep in his last five games, good for just 25% of his massive amount of shots. The Ephs went with an unusual and big starting lineup against Hamilton on senior day, with Marcos Soto, Jake Porath, and Michael Kempton all on the floor to begin the game. It definitely hurt them to not have Henry Feinberg and Matt Karpowicz on the floor for more minutes and Kyle Scadlock was basically a non-factor in the offense. It will be fascinating to see how these preseason favorites fare in the NESCAC tournament as they might have an early exit if they play like they have the last two weeks.

Kyle Scadlock is a hugely underutilized weapon in the Ephs’ offense.

Cardinal Depth

Wesleyan is now tied for the best team in Connecticut with Trinity as both are now a surprising 6-4 in NESCAC play. Trinity has been playing much better than expected and better than they were at the beginning of the season, while Wesleyan has struggled, especially last weekend against Colby. This upset win for the Mules revealed a weakness in depth off the bench as just six players managed to score points in the contest. While Austin Hutcherson and Antone Walker had monster games, combining for 47 points, the bench shot just 4-9 as a group. They simply didn’t put up enough shots to give themselves a chance to win against a deep-ball shooting Mule team. The Mules put up 15 more threes than Wesleyan and had a 27 point advantage on such shots. Colby is likely the only team to gain such an advantage on perimeter shooting, but if Williams’ Bobby Casey gets hot, the Ephs could also take over a game in a similar way. For the Cardinals to beat a team like Colby on a hot shooting night, they will need to better distribute their scoring. 

Bowdoin/Conn/Bates

The bottom three are set for the 2019 season. It’s too bad that Bowdoin finds themselves on the outside looking in as they really could’ve given teams a challenge in the playoffs, but a crucial loss to Tufts doomed them despite a win over Williams. We will see these teams again in 2020…

Changing of the Guard: Power Rankings 1/24

Power Rankings 1/24

As the title of this week’s Power Rankings suggests, Williams has been ousted from the top spot, something they’ve held for quite some time. If I’m being completely honest, any of the top four teams in this week’s edition of the power rankings has a legitimate case to be ranked number one, and that’s what makes this league so exciting. The chaos from top to bottom surrounding the league’s potential seeding makes every game a must-watch, and with some incredibly important conference games set to take place this weekend, hopefully we’ll get a more clear picture of where teams stand. Or, maybe it’ll be even more chaotic. There’s only one way to find out.

(2) 1. #25 Wesleyan (14-4, 4-1)

Last Week: W 78-70 @ Conn College

This Week: @ Bates, @ Tufts

After going back-and-forth, I’ve decided to stick with the hot hand that is Wesleyan. Since falling to Williams in their conference opener, the Cardinals have rattled off six consecutive wins. Their 4-1 mark in conference play is very impressive and because their conference schedule was front-loaded with teams such as Williams, Hamilton and Middlebury, the Cardinals have one of the league’s easiest remaining schedules. Wesleyan has cemented themselves as a force to be reckoned with; the question that remains, however, is can they beat the teams they’re supposed to beat? The first “test” came Saturday in New London, where the Cardinals staved off a frantic Camels comeback to secure a 78-70 victory. Everything was fine and dandy in the first half as Wesleyan jumped out to a 47-29 lead; the second half was a completely different story, as the Camels went on a 12-0 run to open things up and eventually cut the lead to five with a minute remaining before Wesleyan ended their hopes with some clutch free throw shooting. Austin Hutcherson ‘21 struggled from the field, but Jordan Bonner ‘19 carried the Cardinals with 24 points to go along with 10 rebounds, his 9th double-double of the year. Up next for the Cardinals is a feisty Bates squad before heading down to Medford to take on the Jumbos.

(4) 2. #19 Amherst (14-2, 2-1)

Last Week: postponed @ Hamilton

This Week: vs. Colby, vs. Bowdoin

*From the Nothing But NESCAC Community, our thoughts and prayers go out to Coach Hixon and his family regarding the passing of his mother this past week.

Amherst has quietly been lurking in the background amongst the perennial conference front-runners, but made their presence known with a marquee victory over bitter rival Williams. The Mammoths clawed their way back from an eleven point deficit in the second half, taking the lead with three minutes remaining on a Fru Che ‘21 three pointer. Che ended up scoring the game-winning shot with eight seconds to play to cap an emotional week for the Mammoths, who were without Coach Hixon for the first time in nearly 42 years. Amherst’s defense has been superb in conference play (59 ppg) and held Williams to just 35.8% from the field. This is a deep squad that consists of 11 players averaging 10 min/game or more, and their only conference loss was on the road at Wesleyan on a shot with seconds left. A convincing non-conference victory over a ranked Eastern Connecticut squad will have the team’s confidence sky high as they look to continue their winning ways with home games against Colby and Bowdoin this upcoming weekend.

(1) 3. #8 Williams (16-2, 4-1)

What’s wrong with Williams’ big 3? The trio will need to fix their offensive woes

Last Week: L 80-66 vs. Middlebury

This Week: vs. Trinity

The warning signs were there in their win against Bates, but many people shrugged off the Ephs’ sluggish performance. Their offensive woes continued in their non-conference loss to rival Amherst, but even more painful was a second consecutive loss at home to Middlebury. Some might say dropping Williams to #3 might be harsh, but their coaching staff and players will be the first to tell you they expect better execution than what’s been presented the past few games. This is a team that was averaging well over 85 ppg, but in their last three games against NESCAC opponents has mustered up 75, 62, and 66 points. In their loss to Middlebury, Williams shot an abysmal 2-20 from beyond the arc; Bobby Casey ‘19 was just 1-7 from three, and Kyle Scadlock ‘19 (13.8 ppg) was a non-factor, scoring three points. James Heskett, a normally deadly three point shooter, was a combined 3-24 from downtown in their most recent games against Bates, Amherst and Middlebury. Williams is still talented enough to win if one of the three has an off night, but they need more consistent production from their trio of stars in order to right the ship and fix their offensive woes. Next on tap are the Bantams, who’s defensive statistics are in the top half of all NESCAC teams.

(3) 4. #6 Hamilton (15-1, 2-1)

Last Week: postponed vs. Amherst

This Week: vs. Bowdoin, vs. Colby

Hamilton was supposed to play Amherst on Saturday, but extreme weather conditions postponed the game to a later date. With no non-conference games during the week, Hamilton will have gone ten days without a game when they welcome Bowdoin to campus on Friday. Kena Gilmour ‘20 continues to dazzle for the Continentals, leading the ‘CAC with 20.4 ppg. Like the three teams ranked ahead of them, Hamilton still controls their own destiny in regards to seizing the regular season championship. However, their final two games are absolutely brutal, with road trips to Middlebury and Williams back-to-back and the rescheduled home meeting with Amherst penciled in somewhere near the back portion of the schedule. But before we look too far ahead, Gilmour and co. must take care of business against Bowdoin and Colby – two teams that have no trouble shooting the rock – in order to keep pace with the rest of the league.

(5) 5. Middlebury (14-5, 3-2)

Last Week: W 80-66 @ Williams

This Week: vs. Trinity

I guess the Panthers read my stock report last week, because their defense came to play this past weekend against Williams. Middlebury did everything right: they only turned the ball over eight times (and forced thirteen turnovers of their own), shot 46% from the field while holding the Ephs to just 36.2% (including 10% from three) and converted 86.7% of their free throw attempts. Jack Farrell ‘21, Max Bosco ‘21 and Matt Folger ‘20 continued to set the nets ablaze, accounting for 59 points. Their next stretch of games is an opportunity for the Panthers to separate themselves from the likes of Bowdoin, Trinity, Bates, etc. and secure (at worst) the 5th seed for the conference championship. Middlebury can build off their phenomenal defensive performance when they face Trinity on Sunday, the worst offensive team in the NESCAC.

(6) 6. Trinity (13-5, 2-2)

Last Week: Non-conference

This Week: @ Williams, @ Middlebury

The Bantams were off from NESCAC play this past weekend, where they stomped St. Joseph’s (L.I.) by a score of 92-38. Connor Merinder ‘19 led the way with 21 points and shot 5-6 from beyond the arc, and Trinity shot a season-high 61.8% from the field. The fun will be short-lived, however, because Coach Cosgrove and his squad have two conference games on the road this week that will really test their defensive prowess. First up is a Friday matchup with Williams, a team that is struggling on the offensive end but given their plethora of talent, can erupt at any moment. After a day off, the Bantams will have another go against a top five team, this time against Middlebury. It’s a matchup of contrasting styles, as Middlebury likes to bomb away from deep and can score at will, while the Bantams prefer to grind down their opponents on the defensive end. This game in particular is crucial for the Bantams in order to prove they belong in the discussion for a top six seed come tourney time.

(8) 7. Bowdoin (11-5, 2-2)

Last Week: W 72-69 @ Colby

This Week: @ Hamilton, @ Amherst

The Polar Bears avenged their non-conference loss to Colby earlier in the year with a 72-69 victory up in Waterville. David Reynolds ‘20 was once again the go-to-guy for Bowdoin, as the junior finished with 24 points and 8 rebounds. Jack Simonds ‘19 also had a nice game, tallying 18 points, and big man Hugh O’Neil ‘19 hit the go-ahead shot with 38 seconds remaining. It was a big win for the Polar Bears, who improved to .500 in conference play and into a tie with Trinity and half a game behind Middlebury in the conference standings. Road trips with Hamilton and Amherst certainly doesn’t bode well on paper, but if the duo of Reynolds and Simonds continues to put up lofty scoring numbers, they just might have a chance to spring an upset or two away from home.

(10) 8. Bates (5-12, 2-3)

Kody Greenhalgh ‘20 puts his athleticism on full display, driving to the hole for a layup

Last Week: W 76-65 vs. Tufts

This Week: vs. Wesleyan, vs. Conn

After two close contests against Williams and Midd, the Bobcats finally picked up a conference win on their own floor against the Jumbos by a score of 76-65. Nick Lynch ‘19 scored 20 of his 22 points in the first half and juniors Jeff Spellman ‘20 (16 points, 8 rebounds, 7 assists) and Kody Greenhalgh ‘20 (14 points, 5 rebounds, 5 assists, 5 steals) were extremely active on both sides of the court.  The return of Tom Coyne ‘20 has been monumental for the Bobcats, and the sniper from long range turned in another impressive performance with 18 off the bench. The defense has played significantly better since allowing 100 to Middlebury, forcing 17 turnovers against Tufts and holding them to just 34.8% from the field. This team is peaking at the right time, and welcomes both the best team in the conference and the worst team to Alumni Gym this weekend. Saturday’s tilt with Conn is an absolute must win if the Bobcats want to secure a spot in the conference tournament, but they most certainly have a chance to knock off the Cardinals. It’s going to be an extremely exciting weekend for Bobcat fans.

(7) 9. Tufts (8-10, 2-3)

Last Week: L 76-65 @ Bates

This Week: vs. Conn, vs. Wesleyan

If the Jumbos defeated Bates, they more than likely would have solidified a place in the conference tournament barring a collapse down the stretch. Instead, they’re on the outside looking in. Luke Rogers ‘21 (18 points, 10 rebounds) was the only bright spot for a team that struggled to shoot the ball on Saturday, and the big man will be a thorn for opposing teams in the years to come. The starting five combined to shoot a paltry 3-18 from three, and as a team the Jumbos struggled mightily from the charity stripe (52.6%). They have the inverse schedule of Bates this weekend, with Conn first up to visit Medford on Friday followed by Wesleyan. Similar to the Bobcats, the Jumbos cannot afford to trip up against a Conn squad that did show some fight against Wesleyan, as a loss would all but doom their hopes of making the postseason dance.

(9) 10. Colby (13-5, 1-3)

Last Week: L 72-69 vs. Bowdoin

This Week: @ Amherst, @ Hamilton

The game between Bowdoin and Colby presented huge ramifications regarding the playoff picture, and the loss pushes the Mules towards the bottom of the league’s standings. Four of Colby’s starters (led by Sam Jefferson ‘20) finished with double digits in the scoring department, but they got very little production from their bench. The shiny overall record Colby experienced to the 2018-2019 season was inflated by a weak non-conference schedule, and it’s beginning to show. With just one win in conference play to date and remaining games against all of the league’s top five teams (starting with road games against Amherst and Hamilton this weekend), all of this doesn’t bode well for Colby’s playoff chances.

(11) 11. Conn College (6-11, 0-5)

David Labossiere has been one of the few bright spots for the Camels this season

Last Week: L 78-70 vs. Wesleyan

This Week: @ Tufts, @ Bates

The Camels are once again struggling in conference play, but I’ll give them credit for fighting back against Wesleyan this past weekend. The Cardinals came out and punched Conn in the mouth, taking an 18 point lead into the half. David Labossiere ‘19 and Dan Draffan ‘21 willed their team back in the second half, and the two leading scorers finally received some additional help on the offensive end from Phil Leotsakos ‘19, who finished with a career-high 16 points. Although this performance wasn’t enough to produce a win, the Camels should feel more confident about their chances against Tufts and Bates, two teams who aren’t as strong as Wesleyan. Road games in the ‘CAC are tough to win, and Conn hasn’t won a league road game since the 2016-2017 season; but if the Camels replicate their performance against Wesleyan (most importantly having a third solid scoring option), then they might just shock the NESCAC with a win this weekend.

Starsky and Hutch(erson) Solve the Case of NESCAC Teams: 1/19 Game of the Week

Game of the Week Preview

A week changes a lot in college basketball. Prior to last Friday, both Amherst and Hamilton were riding high with undefeated conference records. Hamilton was ranked top ten in the nation. Both teams, however, got “Hutcherson’ed”. Wesleyan’s sophomore superstar Austin Hutcherson unleashed himself at the expense of Hamilton and Amherst. Hutcherson put up thirty-two against Hamilton, and beat Amherst the next day on a game winner. Sound familiar, Amherst fans? If not, refer back to Nathan Krill’s, of Wesleyan, shot against you guys last season to send you guys home. Wesleyan, therefore, has shot up the power rankings—showing the league that it’s Williams and Wesleyan at one and two. As of right now, the third position in the conference is up for grabs.

Michael Grassey needs to step up this weekend as a reliable second option to Gilmour

Amherst and Hamilton are led by veteran coaches, who know how to make critical decisions down the stretch. Who will step up in the clutch? Hamilton star Kena Gilmour only put up fifteen against the Cardinals. In a big game like that, I predicted that he would match Hutcherson bucket for bucket. As the game progressed, though, Hutcherson showed that he and the big man from Williams are the two prime contenders for league MVP. As for Amherst, Grant Robinson’s must be getting close to a herniated disk in his lower back. He has carried Amherst all season long in the scoring department. The early season loss for is beneficial for both teams in my opinion. These are talented teams, but in order to be the best in an ultra competitive conference, they must address their weaknesses no matter how small they are. If a team’s winning, it’s easy to sweep under the rug a weakness that may not be visible. Getting hit in the mouth, in contrast, will always force you to look yourself in the mirror, and immediately address areas to improve.

X-Factors:

Hamilton: Kena Gilmour

Gilmour is one of the most talented, creative scorers in the league. While Hutcherson may have shown up Gilmour last Friday, I don’t doubt that the game was an anomaly for him. Gilmour can flat out score whether it be on the perimeter, slashing, or in transition. He still leads the league in points per game, albeit only by 0.1 over Hutcherson. What I believed bothered Gilmour last Friday was Wesleyan’s defense. Wesleyan’s Coach Reilly has always been known to put an extremely athletic team on the floor. Switching on all screens is something that Wesleyan can do because one through five can guard the opponent’s one through five. I still remember the 2017 Eastern Conference Finals where it seemed like 5’ 9” Isaiah Thomas would switch onto Kevin Love in the post, or concrete-footed Kelly Olynyk would get switched onto Kyrie Irving at the point. Brad Stevens, no matter how smart he looked, seemed to get played by Ty Lue (ironic, right)? Nevertheless, Amherst couldn’t exploit the switch-happy Cardinals. Gilmour had to deal with a longer Hutcherson or the wingspan of Jordan James. That game was the first test of the season for Hamilton. They lost to a very comparable Wesleyan team. Amherst will be no less talented than Wesleyan. Amherst has great coaching and talented players; they may not have Wesleyan’s athleticism, but they play great individual defense. Gilmour has to explode for at least twenty to win it for Hamilton.

Amherst: Grant Robinson

As stated in the introduction, Grant Robinson has been carrying Amherst offensively all season long. Robinson averages about fifteen points per game. None of his teammates are close to him in scoring. Robinson also shoots the ball at an efficient percentage, shooting at almost fifty percent per game. Robinson’s efficient not only in the field, but at the line as well. He shoots at 93% from the line, which is Steve Nash like numbers. He also leads the league in steals. Robinson can’t do it alone, but I picked him over his other teammates because he must score to give his team a shot at winning. Sure Eric Sellew or Fru Che could go off for fifteen or twenty points a piece. A counterpoint to that argument is the following: as seen in the Wesleyan game, all the attention has to be on Robinson to get those guys going. If Robinson’s having an off night, the defensive scheme against Amherst could be switched to giving Sellew or Che more attention. There’s no way these guys have the offense, even combined, to carry Amherst to victory without a strong showing from Robinson. As seen all year, Grant Robinson has to be the guy in order for Amherst to come away with a win.

Final thoughts:

Both teams are at critical junctures of their seasons. Winning the league title is not over by any means. Wesleyan simply woke them up. Stars didn’t perform down the stretch for Hamilton; Amherst has relied too heavily on one player. I give the edge to Hamilton here because your best player having an off night against one of the best defenses in the country is more easily treated than relying on one guy to score every possession. I’m going Hamilton in this one.

Writer’s Pick: Hamilton 73, Amherst 70

It’s Always a Mystery: Power Rankings 1/17

Power Rankings 1/17

We’re now in the thick of things as each team has played 3 or 4 NESCAC games, and there is absolutely no more clarity in the rankings than we had last week. This conference is tough, and everybody just seems to be beating everybody. Even Williams is no longer unbeaten (continue reading to find out more). The Ephs still remain the league’s top team and they stand alone now that Hamilton has taken a conference defeat. Next week will give us some more marquee matchups and maybe next week the rankings will somehow be easier to write. Probably not, and that’s what makes it fun. For now let’s see where everyone falls in the mid-January rankings:

(1) 1. #3 Williams (15-1, 4-0)

Last week: W 85-61 @ Tufts, W 75-69 @ Bates

This week: vs. Middlebury

It wasn’t pretty at times, but Williams is still every bit deserving of their top spot in the rankings. After an impressive team effort in a blowout victory on Friday, the Ephs faced a bit more adversity in their matchup with Bates in Lewiston. The Bobcats led by as many as 14 in the first half and it remained close right up until the very end. The Ephs looked visibly uncomfortable against Bates’ 1-3-1 zone, uncharacteristically turning the ball over on several occasions. It took some hot shooting by Bobby Casey ’19 and a few critical plays by Kyle Scadlock ’19 to secure the victory for Williams. The ability to win games in which they aren’t playing their best has really set this Eph team apart through the first half of the season, and it was very much on display against the Bobcats. Williams actually took their first loss of the season on Thursday night in a non-conference matchup with Amherst, so maybe things aren’t as pretty as they seem in Williamstown. A huge matchup looms on Saturday when the Middlebury College Panthers come to town to try and hand Williams their second consecutive loss so stay tuned for the result this weekend in Western Mass.

(4) 2. Wesleyan (11-4, 3-1)

Last week: W 73-69 vs. Hamilton, W 62-60 vs. Amherst

This week: @ Conn College

Austin Hutcherson is slowly becoming “the man” in Middletown

It’s no secret why the Cardinals worked their way up to the 2 spot in this week’s rankings. After knocking off no. 6 nationally ranked Hamilton for the first time, Wesleyan turned around and gave Amherst their first conference loss of the year – just their second over all. This weekend was the Austin Hutcherson show: against Hamilton on Friday the sophomore dropped 32 points on 9-19 shooting, including 9-10 from the free throw line. He absolutely took over the game, scoring 24 points in the last 20 minutes and scored 12 in a row at the very end, sealing the win for the Cardinals. The very next day Hutcherson took an inbounds pass with 11 seconds to go in a tie game, drove the length of the court, and banked in a game-winner with 3 seconds remaining to defeat the Mammoths. Wesleyan made a statement this weekend that not only can they compete with anyone, but they have the star power to do some real damage in this league. Conn College won’t do much to get in the way of this machine, so look for the Cardinals to put another one in the win column this weekend.

(2) 3. #7 Hamilton (15-1, 2-1)

Last week: L 73-69 @ Wesleyan, W 91-46 @ Conn College

This week: vs. Amherst

They had to lose eventually and I suppose eventually for the Continentals was last Friday in Middletown. Wesleyan was the better team that night, carried by Austin Hutcherson and Jordan Bonner. Hutcherson won the star battle with his 32 points, as Kena Gilmour ’20 scored only 15 points, while grabbing 2 rebounds and dishing out 2 assists. Obviously he can’t put up insane numbers every single night, but no one besides Gilmour and Michael Grassey ’19 (20 points) could get into double figures and the rest of the team was very cold shooting the ball the entire game. The good thing was that Hamilton bounced back on Saturday and demolished Conn College by a score of 91-46. This is a powerful way to respond after suffering your first loss of the season, so my guess is that the Continentals aren’t going anywhere. They’ve got another huge chance to prove themselves when they host an Amherst team this weekend who is also looking to rebound after a loss. I’m sure we’ll be in for an exciting matchup from New York.

(3) 4. Amherst (13-2, 2-1)

Last week: W 88-60 @ Conn College, L 62-60 @ Wesleyan

This week: @ Hamilton

The Mammoths are in the exact same position as the Continentals coming out of the weekend. They were off to a tremendous start, lost a tough game to Wesleyan, and now have to come back and play another tough team who’s in the same spot. Grant Robinson ’21 continues to impress, posting 18 points on Friday and 21 on Saturday while nearly draining a three-pointer for the win in the final seconds of the Wesleyan game. The only apparent problem for the Mammoths is that Robinson isn’t getting a lot of help right now. He’s averaging 15.1 points per game (19.3 in conference play) and his teammates haven’t been able to support him as much as Coach Hixon would like. In the loss at Wesleyan, Robinson had 21 and there actually were double-digit efforts from Fru Che ’21 and Eric Sellew ’20 who had 13 and 11, respectively. The problem was that is took them both at least 14 shots to get there, so not very efficient. I’ll say the same for Amherst as I said for Hamilton – they have nothing to worry about and they’re still in a comfortable position, but this should serve as a wake up call. This Saturday is a big one.

(5) 5. Middlebury (13-5, 2-2)

Last week: W 100-93 @ Bates, L 86-84 @ Tufts

This week: @ Williams

Max Bosco has been playing really well as of late, and even worked his way into the starting lineup in their mid-week game

What a tough way to end the weekend for the Panthers who really hoped to go 2-0 against the likes of Bates and Tufts. It took a bit of late-game magic for the Jumbos who picked up a huge win at home. Again, no reason to panic yet in Vermont – Tufts is a good team and it’s still very early. In the game against Bates the Panthers were forced to deal with the same 1-3-1 zone that stifled Williams at times, but they shot the Bobcats out of the gym. The game was relatively close the whole way, but Middlebury led pretty much start to finish. It really felt like every time Bates would get the game a little bit closer they’d hit another big shot to keep the Bobcats at bay. Max Bosco had a huge weekend, dropping 28 on Bates and 17 on Tufts, while shooting 50% from the field. He has a very crafty nature and can beat you in a variety of ways – one of which is taking it hard to the basket and often getting fouled. In fact, he got to the line quite a bit over the weekend hitting 14 of his 17 free throws, good for 82%. Midd will take a trip down to western matchup for an enormous matchup at Williams on Saturday so keep your eyes on the score from that one.

(9) 6. Trinity (12-5, 2-2)

Last week: W 66-56 vs. Bowdoin, W 62-60 vs. Colby

This week: non-conference

I have to admit; I was a little down on Trinity early in the year and even after their close game with Hamilton, but this weekend they definitely proved something. Colby and Bowdoin aren’t traditionally the top teams in the NESCAC, but they’re having very good seasons and had played well recently. Winning close games in this conference is no small task, and the Bantams won two of them in a single weekend. Kyle Padmore ’20 led the charge on Friday, netting 20 points on 8 of 12 shooting, grabbing 7 rebounds, and even blocking 4 shots. The hero on Saturday was freshman Anthony Kelley ’22 who caught the inbounds pass and took the ball coast to coast, laying it in with 3.5 seconds on the clock to win the game for the Bantams. That basked accounted for 2 of just 4 points for Kelley on the afternoon, but they were certainly the biggest. Donald Jorden, Jr. ’21 has slowly been making a name for himself as he posted 26 points and 19 rebounds on the weekend, continuing to play really good basketball all season. Trinity is idle this weekend as far as conference play goes, but they’ve got big games coming in the near future with Williams, Middlebury, and Wesleyan, so there’s no question that they have some preparing to do.

(8) 7. Tufts (8-9, 2-2)

Last week: L 85-61 vs. Williams, W 86-84 vs. Middlebury

This week: @ Bates

The loss against Williams was tough, but I’d say this was a fairly successful weekend for the Jumbos. They had 5 guys score between 14 and 17 points against Middlebury, but it was Brennan Morris ’21 who stole the show, hitting a fade away baseline jumper with just a few seconds left to win it. Those were 2 of Morris’ team-high 17 points in the contest, but it was a true team effort in the win. Eric Savage ’20 and Luke Rogers ’21 turned in really the only significant performances in the big loss against Williams. Savage scored 16 points and handed out 6 assists while Rogers recorded a double double with 10 points and 12 rebounds. Tufts has been a bit of a wild card thus far, struggling at times in non-conference play but picking up a couple of impressive wins in Bowdoin and Middlebury when conference play started. They sit at 2-2 and they’ll travel to Lewiston on Saturday to take on a streaky Bates squad. A win puts them at 3-2 and in a great spot in the standings, but the Bobcats have won 3 of the last 4 meetings between the two teams so it’s certainly not a matchup to take lightly.

(6) 8. Bowdoin (9-5, 1-2)

Last week: L 66-56 @ Trinity

This week: @ Colby

The loss to Trinity is a bummer for the Polar Bears who surely had their hopes a little higher for this one. The Bantams played terrific defense, holding Bowdoin to just 34.4% from the field on the day. Moving forward they’re going to need more from their stars, David Reynolds ’20 and Jack Simonds ’19. These guys combined for 14 points and 9 rebounds, and that’s not going to win you a tough conference game on the road. Zavier Rucker ’21 had the best game scoring 14 points of his own, but really no one stepped up for the Polar Bears and they drop to 1-2 in conference play. It seems like if Simonds and Reynolds don’t play well then they lose, because no one else has stepped up this season in the scoring column aside from Rucker at times. They’ve got an important game on Saturday with Colby in what is essentially a must-win game if Bowdoin wants to stay in the race to potentially host a first round NESCAC tournament game. Colby won their first meeting 83-70 when they faced off in a non-conference CBB game, so some adjustments are going to be necessary if the Polar Bears want to have a chance this weekend.

(7) 9. Colby (12-4, 1-2)

Last week: L 62-60 @ Trinity

This week: vs. Bowdoin

It seems that many teams are in the same spot heading into their 4th/5thconference games because Colby could use a bounce back. They started conference play well by defeating Tufts, but they’ve dropped games to Bates and now Trinity since then, so things seem a bit shakier. Alex Dorion ’20 put together a notable effort off the bench, dropping 17 points that included 4 of his 6 3-point attempts. I’ve obviously pointed it out enough at this point, but the NESCAC is a star-driven league and Sam Jefferson ’20, Matt Hanna ’21, and Noah Tyson ’22 weren’t their usual selves against the Bantams. These guys have led the team in scoring and rebounding all year and they couldn’t really produce against a tough Trinity defense. The Bowdoin game this weekend will be very telling because the Mules have already defeated them once so they certainly know what it takes. They beat Bates in their first meeting but lost in the conference matchup so Colby really can’t afford to let this happen again. At this point only time will tell.

(11) 10. Bates (4-12, 1-3)

Last week: L 100-93 vs. Middlebury, L 75-69 vs. Williams

This week: vs. Tufts

Tom Coyne has had the hot had off the bench recently

Bates lost two games this weekend, but it definitely wasn’t all negatives in the two games. The Bobcats introduced a new 1-3-1 zone that they used on Middlebury and Williams and it gave us a few different results. Middlebury shot the ball incredibly well – in fact they shot a higher percentage from behind the three-point line than they did in front of it. The zone was a sneaky look, but the Panthers simply shot too well to lose this game. Nick Lynch ’19 had one of the quieter 25-point games I’ve ever seen, but along with 11 rebounds he had himself a pretty nice looking double double. On Saturday the defensive ploy worked a bit better, confusing the Ephs and giving the Bobcats a number of fast break layups. Tom Coyne ’20 had himself a huge game off the bench, lighting it up from the perimeter to the tune of 24 points on 8-13 shooting including 7-11 from 3-point land. Towards the end of the game it was Coyne’s hot hand that kept Bates within striking distance where they ultimately got stuck. There’s no doubt that the Bobcats have struggled this year, but they have showed some positive signs and they have a winnable game against Tufts on Saturday. This could be an exciting mid-January matchup from Alumni Gym.

(10) 11. Conn College (6-10, 0-4)

Last week: L 88-60 vs. Amherst, L 91-46 vs. Hamilton

This week: vs. Wesleyan

It seems like more of the same in New London as the Camels took two drubbings at home at the hands of Amherst and Hamilton. For a number of years now they just haven’t been on the same level as the rest of the NESCAC. David Labossiere ’19 and Dan Draffan ’21 have been putting together some very strong seasons, but neither of them could get anything to fall over the weekend. I will give them the fact that these games were against Amherst and Hamilton who are currently right near the top of the standings, but Conn struggled nonetheless. Their next game is against a hot Wesleyan squad that just knocked off the same two teams that they just lost to. The expectation is low at this point for the Camels but maybe that’s a good thing. Spoiler is a fun position to be in sometimes so maybe they can make something happen.

Waist deep in NESCAC play: Power Rankings 1/9

Now we’re really in the thick of things. While it is still totally unclear what the pecking order is for the bottom eight teams in the NESCAC, there has been lots learned after the first weekend of games and here is our best guess (yes, a total guess) at where the rest of the teams fall after Williams and Hamilton, because, yes, they are really just that good.

1. #2 Williams (12-0, 2-0)

Last Week: 68-54 W vs. Wesleyan, 95-69 W vs. Conn College

This Week: @ Tufts, @ Bates

The only thing I am surprised by from Williams’ games last weekend is that they didn’t score more points against Wesleyan. They saw uncharacteristically poor performances from their stars Kyle Scadlock and Bobby Casey as the duo shot a combined 6-25 on the night. As we know, shooting at a 24% clip just won’t cut it for the Ephs…if they’re going to win a national championship. They still managed to knock off a good Wesleyan team despite a terrible shooting performance. Having said that, in the future, they might not fare so well on such nights as the Cardinals shot just 27.9% as a team, which is undeniably horrible. Was it the defense or just an off night for Wesleyan? Hard to tell, but the Ephs still came out clean in the opening weekend and will own this spot until a team knocks them down.

2. #5 Hamilton (13-0, 1-0)

Last Week: 72-70 W vs. Trinity

This Week: @ Wesleyan, @ Conn

Hamilton is barely holding on the the #2 spot in these rankings as I do not like their ugly game against Trinity. Trinity, a squad with lots of roster turnover in more of a rebuilding mode, should not have given the highly touted Continentals such a run for their money. This first conference game was incredibly even and came after an off night for Hamilton, giving me even more doubts as there wasn’t a clear reason why they were met by an equal competitor in the Bantams. Trinity got hot in the game and shot well, but that happens from time to time and shouldn’t be a source of failure for a Hamilton team with their eyes on making a deep run in the NCAA tournament. They’re still #5 in the country and undefeated, so that’s worth something, but I’m not sure they’ll be here for the long haul. 

3. Amherst (11-1, 1-0)

Last Week: 84-55 W vs. Trinity

This Week: vs. Williams

I like what I’m seeing from this Amherst team. I didn’t have high expectations for them this season but Grant Robinson is doing a great job of leading a young team. Robinson scored 19 in their lone conference game and with him, Fru Che, and Eric Sellew, they have a talented core and are off to a hot start.

4. Wesleyan (11-3, 2-2)

Last Week: 54-68 L @ Williams, 80-77 W @ Middlebury

This Week: @ Conn, @ Wesleyan

I won’t fault Wesleyan for their loss to Williams—it was inevitable and not nearly as ugly as it could’ve been for how poorly the Cardinals played. They are a deep, big, and athletic team, and showed that they are capable of explosive games like in their contest against the Panthers. Austin Hutcherson put up a whopping 36 points on 12-22 shooting while Jordan Bonner posted a double-double to lead his team with ten boards. I wouldn’t be shocked to see the Cards knock off Amherst or Hamilton in the near future.  

Hutcherson and the Cards are a dangerous group.

5. Middlebury (10-4, 1-1)

Last Week: 92-80 W vs. Conn, 77-80 L vs. Wesleyan

This Week: @ Bates, @ Tufts

I’m genuinely surprised by the Midd loss to Wesleyan. I’m not a very biased writer, but Midd always finds ways to win, especially at home. I’d like to chalk this one up to the student body not being at the game because of winter break, but that isn’t entirely fair to the efforts of the Wesleyan team. Midd got beat on defense and not one player had more than six boards on the night. Max Bosco has been great off the bench so far and bolsters a balanced lineup along with Jack Farrell, and Griffin Kornaker that spreads the ball out well but they just couldn’t quite get it done against Wesleyan and for the first time in a while find themselves outside the top four.

6. Bowdoin (8-4, 1-1)

Last Week: 72-57 W vs. Conn College, 79-87 L vs. Tufts

This Week: @ Trinity

This remains a team that performs below its potential. Jack Simonds, David Reynolds, Hugh O’Neil, and Jack Bors are a force to be reckoned with, however, they lost to a Tufts team that lost in turn to a young Colby Mules team. This is a team that has top four potential but need to be more consistent. In the loss against Tufts, O’Neil and Bors scored just 6 combined points (Bors had 0) and they allowed four Jumbos to score more than 14 points. Defense may be an issue going forward, but they can sure score.

The Polar Bears need some consistency from Hugh O’Neil.

7.  Colby (10-3, 1-1)

Last Week: 103-93 W vs. Tufts, 71-81 L vs. Bates

This Week: @ Trinity

It was a pretty bizarre opening weekend for the Mules, taking down a perennial power in Tufts and losing to one of the worst teams in the league in Bates. They had already beaten Bates and an inter-Maine game will never be a rollover contest, but seriously? Bates? If the Mules are really here to challenge top teams, they need to have a consistent approach to games and score more near the rim. They really lived and died by the three last weekend and it came back to bite them. Having said that, when they are hot, they are hot, so they could represent a trap game for many top teams. 

8. Tufts (6-8 1-1)

Last Week: 93-103 L @ Colby, 87-79 W @ Bowdoin

This Week: vs. Williams, vs. Midd

Like many teams, it was a mixed opening weekend for the Jumbos who find themselves below a team that they beat. They have a poor non-conference record which isn’t helping their ranking and a team that is not particularly deep. They will be out-talented by the top teams despite some scoring ability from all of their starters. Luke Rogers hauled in 16 boards against Bowdoin, but other than him, they really lack a rebounding presence at all and if he can get well-guarded, the Jumbos might be seriously deficient on defense.  

9. Trinity (9-5, 0-2)

Last Week: 55-84 L @ Amherst, 70-72 L @ Hamilton

This Week: vs. Bowdoin, vs. Colby

I’m terming Trinity’s opening weekend as mixed as Tufts because they nearly knocked off an impressive Hamilton team, losing 72-70. Nick Seretta and Donald Jorden made a statement in this game, combining for 39 points and shooting 17-23 as a pair. Jorden added 11 boards and led his team to a halftime lead against the #5 team in the nation. Kyle Padmore had a quiet night, shooting just 1-5 for just two point on the night and as one of the veteran presences on this team, he will have to have a bigger impact going forward.

10. Bates (3-10, 1-1)

Last Week: 70-99 L @ Bowdoin, 81-71 W @ Colby

This Week: vs. Midd, vs. Williams

I don’t really expect much from this Bates team, but their win against Maine rival Colby had to feel good in their opening weekend after losing to Bowdoin the night before. Granted their performance against Colby might just be the ceiling for how well they can play. They shot 65% from deep (11-17) while the Mules who were hot against Tufts show just 29% from deep. In other words, it required the perfect storm for Bates to overcome Colby.

11. Conn College (4-8, 0-2)

Last Week: 80-92 L @ Middlebury, 69-95 L @ Williams

This Week: vs. Amherst, vs. Hamilton

As one of just two winless teams after the first weekend, it would’ve been hard to not put Conn at the bottom of the barrel. Dan Draffan and David Labossiere are the only two weapons that the Camels have and Labossiere is significantly more dangerous than Draffan. The duo could get hot and give some weaker teams a run for their money, but as seen in their 26 point loss to Williams, they will just get flat out beat by the top teams in the league. I don’t think they will go winless in NESCAC lay if that is any consolation. 

Amherst College 2019 Basketball Season Preview

Amherst Mammoths Basketball Season Preview

2017-2018 record: 16-10 (overall), 6-4 (conference)

Losing on a buzzer beater is never easy; losing to a Little Three rival in the playoffs on a buzz beater is even more devastating. It is a new year, however. The pain from last year may still be present in some of the veteran players, but each Mammoth comes into the season with a mindset that they’re going to win the league. Amherst, a perennial NESCAC powerhouse, is reloaded and ready to take revenge on Wesleyan and other rivals.

2018-2019 projected record: 17-7 (overall), 6-4 (conference)

Amherst has already demonstrated that they have the fire power to compete with anyone thus far. Three wins, and two of those in triple digits, illustrate the ease in which Amherst scores. These wins are impressive, but they’re against non-league foes. With official NESCAC basketball conference games starting in January, Amherst will have confidence going into January if they continue their strong November run into December.

The Mammoths are off to a hot start in their 2019 preseason.

Key losses:

G/F Johnny McCarthy

GP: 26

PTS/G: 11.9

FG %: 43.4

3PT %: 30.3

FT %: 65.1

REB/G: 7.7

A/G: 3.0

The 6’ 5” Nobles product capped off his Amherst career with a historic 2017-2018 season. McCarthy was a solid all around player, who was as active on the glass as he was scoring buckets. Even though the three point and free throw percentage don’t necessarily show such a significant impact, McCarthy’s willingness to scrap with big boys such as Wesleyan’s Nathan Krill and Jordan Sears shows how much he will be missed. The twelve points a game, second highest on the team, will be a void that will need to be filled by the squad this season.

G Michael Riopel

GP: 26

PTS/G:12.7

FG %:46.2

3PT %:43.0

FT %:74.2

REB/G: 5.3

A/G: 2.1

Similar to McCarthy, Riopel brought great length to the Amherst lineup. The 6’ 5” guard, sitting two hundred pounds of lean muscle, was the top Amherst scorer. The numbers, especially the field goal percentage from two and three, standout. Riopel was an efficient scorer who made tough shots in his phenomenal Amherst career. The veteran guard had a solid handle, and didn’t have a huge turnover problem. His leadership ability on and off the court will be sorely missed.

Projected starting five:

Grant Robinson:

Grant Robinson ’21

GP: 24

PTS/G: 9.4

FG %3: 6.2

3PT %: 33.7

FT %: 69.6

REB/G: 3.4

A/G: 3.4

Grant Robinson came onto the scene last season as a young guard who was poised to lead a championship contending team. Sound familiar Austin Hutcherson fans? It’s tough to compare Hutcherson and Robinson beyond that, though. Robinson stands about three inches shorter, which makes him less of a threat guarding bigger guys. Hutcherson is definitely a better fit in Wesleyan’s switch happy pick and roll defense because of this. Robinson, however, obviously isn’t a Wesleyan Cardinal. He plays in an Amherst system that was led by Riopel and McCarthy last year. Robinson put up stats that makes you think he could be one of the NESCAC’s next elite guards. Amherst will always be one of the top dogs in the conference, and Robinson will be one of the reasons why

Josh Chery:

Josh Chery ’20

GP: 21

PTS/G: 4.8

FG %: 37.5

3PT %: 30.0

FT %: 51.5

REB/G: 3.6

A/G: 0.9

I feel like the following statement is the antithesis to everything I believe in (and the teachings of Michael Lewis’s Moneyball): Josh Chery’s stats don’t tell the whole story. Allow me to elaborate. His points per game, mediocre assists, rebounds, and poor free throw percentage don’t make you think he would be an impact player on an Amherst team. He averaged only fourteen minutes a game last year. He isn’t one of those guys that will wow you with his shot, but he physical presence will scare a lot of scorers. Chery, at two hundred and fifteen pounds, can defend any position. He’s got the athleticism to stay with guards, and has the strength to compete with any big man. I’m interested to see how this plays out.

Fru Che

Fru Che ’21

GP: 26
PTS/G: 8.2
FG %: 48.7
3PT %: 34.4
FT %: 36.4
REB/G: 3.9
A/G: 0.8

Che, a Brooks School product, is another athletic forward that will help Amherst defensively this season. As a side note, Brooks seemed to always defeat Rivers, my high school, in league championship games during my time at Rivers. There is still salt in the wound. Che is an efficient scorer, as seen by his numbers from last season. His free throw shooting was a liability. Late in games, without McCarthy and Riopel, Amherst needs to have confidence in guys who will step the the line and make big buckets. Let’s see if Che is up to the challenge.

Eric Sellew:

Eric Sellew ’20

GP: 21

PTS/G: 8.5

FG %: 48.6

3PT %: 21.4

FT %: 73.3

REB/G: 5.9

A/G: 1.4

Standing at 6’ 7,” Sellew is one of the tallest guy in the starting lineup for Amherst. He’s a solid big man. He has the strength to go one on one with Wesleyan’s JR Bascom or Jordan James, a highly anticipated matchup that we’re sure to see this year. With a league and a game that has transitioned from a half court set to more of transition offense, I’m interested to see how Sellew will fit this. He’s a positive player for Amherst without a question, and has good footwork both up top and in the paint. If Amherst wins the league crown this year, it’s because Sellew became one of the best rebounders in the conference, averaging around nine to ten.

C Joe Schneider:

Joe Schneider ’19

GP:26

PTS/G:6.5

FG %:52.1

3PT %-

FT %: 61.3

REB/G:5.2

A/G: 1.2

I’m a rower, so I’m used to being around guys in the six-five to six-eight range. Joe Schneider is a giant compared to most of my teammates. Standing at six-ten Schneider is one of the biggest guys in the entire league. This length not only affects shots and shot selection, but can disrupt entire offenses who rely on half court pick and roll sets. Schneider can definitely move his feet at his size, but anyone that size will have difficulty staying in front of elite athletes. Schneider is a proven commodity in the Amherst system; he knows how to play and win effectively. Those long arms and blocking ability instill fear in some guards, but I’m not entirely confident that he will be able to stay in front of the quickest. We shall see.

Everything else:

Schneider and the Mammoths have a lot to prove without McCarthy and Riopel.

There are teams, in any sport, that will put a quality product on the field or the court any year regardless of talent level. Coach David Hixon has been coaching the Amherst squad for forty-one years. He’s been a champion in more ways than one both in the league and on the national level. Is this one of the most talented Amherst teams to be assembled? No, not even lose I don’t think. They have talented players, yes, but I don’t believe they have a starting five that will wow you, or bench players that will make you think this is one of the great Amherst teams. Remember me saying, though, that Amherst will never be blown out. That’ll never happen. The program is too rich and seasoned to lose any game by double digits. Robinson will lead them, and they will be very solid. I personally can’t wait for the Amherst vs Wesleyan or Amherst vs Williams matchups this year. Those games are special to watch as a sports fan.

A conversation with Grant Robinson:

Andrew Martin: Which losses from the senior class last year will be felt the most, and what additions from this year’s freshman class will offset those losses?

Grant Robinson: Having lost Johnny McCarthy and Michael Riopel, we lose our two leading scorers from last year. Because of this, we need guys to step up and take initiative to score the ball more so than they may have last year. I think Will Phelan and Devonn Allen are two freshmen that can have an immediate impact for us this year and help offset our losses. They’ve already shown great improvement and ability early in the season.

AM:  How will Amherst reclaim its spot as the best in the league?

GB: I think to reclaim our spot as #1 in the conference we have to continue to have a chip on our shoulder throughout the entire season. A lot of people don’t have high expectations from us this year, but as a team, we will use this to our advantage and push each other to prove that we can be even better than we were last year.

 

Better Late than Never: Men’s Basketball Stock Report 1/31

Stock Up

Jack Daly’s Foul Shooting

Jack Daly ‘18 has, by far, the most responsibility on his team of any player in the league. He plays around 35 minutes a game, handles the ball 90% of the time and guards the best player on the opposing team. And this responsibility only increases late in games, when every part of the offense runs through him. Of course, this makes his foul shooting incredibly important. More often than not, he is the one that teams will be fouling at the end of close games. So when he was struggling from the line, it was a HUGE problem for Middlebury. Overall, Daly is at 68% from the line, and underwent a 7-17 mess early in the season. But, as he so often does, Daly has raised his game when it counts. In league play, he is shooting 77% from the line, and single-handedly won Middlebury’s game against Trinity at the line with an amazing 18-20 showing. And as if that wasn’t impressive enough, last night he iced Keene State as well, going 8-8. Daly is the guy Middlebury will have at the line in big moments, and the way he’s shooting right now, Middlebury wouldn’t have it any other way.

Daly is dominating the league right now, and that dominance is finally extending to the foul line.

Amherst in League Play

I don’t think we’ll ever have a NESCAC season without Amherst in the mix. After looking nearly dead for much of the season, the Mammoths have roared (trumpeted?) back to life, winning three straight NESCAC games, including blowouts over Hamilton and Bowdoin. Amherst relies mostly on an excellent defense to win games; they are third in the league (behind Wesleyan and Trinity) in opponents PPG and FG%. But their offense is beginning to come around as well. Michael Riopel ‘18 is one of the deadliest three point shooters in the league, but has diversified his game nicely and is dangerous inside the arc as well. Johnny McCarthy ‘18 has had a fascinating career arc, and has reinvented himself again as a gritty paint presence and dominant rebounder. But the key to Amherst’s success (and failure early in the season) is their supporting cast. When Amherst wins, it is because guys like Grant Robinson ‘21, Eric Sellew ‘20 and Fru Che ‘21 are all contributing. Amherst needs the help, and lately they have been getting it. However, they still have yet to play Middlebury, Wesleyan or Williams in league play, so we may well be writing a different article about them in a couple weeks.

Stock Down

The NbN Curse

It’s starting to look like the best thing for a team’s chances this year is to not be hyped up by this blog. We put Hamilton at number one in the Power Rankings when they were 15-0 and demolishing all comers like Darth Maul, and since then they’ve lost two league games and needed overtime to beat Colby. Their vaunted offense has produced 71 PPG on under 40% shooting in the last four games, and they still have to play Tufts, Williams and Middlebury. Hamilton could fall out of the top 5, and it might all our fault. And as if hamstringing Hamilton wasn’t enough, we did a whole Game of the Week about how Bates was making a move, and then they went out and got cracked by a struggling Wesleyan team 68-50. They shot 33% from the field and 25% from three, and didn’t look especially like a team ready to make a move. If they don’t grab one upset this weekend (either Hamilton or Amherst,) they might not make it to the postseason at all. We apologize in advance to anyone who we write about this week.

Bates got bodied by Wesleyan last weekend, and it’s all our fault.

Middlebury F Matt Folger ‘20 (on offense)

One of the reasons for Jack Daly’s insane amount of responsibility on offense is that Folger, Middlebury’s best scorer (better than Daly even when he’s got it all working) has been really struggling shooting the ball. In league play, Folger is shooting just 36% from the field and 25% from three. Sophomores often struggle to maintain their improvement over their first season into NESCAC play (Matt St. Amour is a good recent example for Middlebury) and Folger is certainly having trouble dealing with increased defensive attention. The emergence of Eric McCord ‘19 as a dominant post scorer has forced Folger to try and create more on the perimeter, a place where he is still not very comfortable. However, he is also simply missing good looks. They will start to fall. And Folger deserves commendation, even during this slump, for his defensive intensity. His case for DPOY has only gotten stronger during the NESCAC season. He is second in the league in blocks and ninth in rebounds during league play, and his versatility has been the key to Middlebury’s seven game winning streak despite a team wide shooting slump. Against Williams, Middlebury’s biggest win of the year, Folger had four blocks and a steal, including an earth-shattering rejection on Matt Karpowicz that I still think about every night before bed. Folger will start hitting shots, and when he puts that together with his defensive dominance, watch out.

(Editor’s Note: Folger broke out a little bit last night against Keene State, putting up 22 points on 8-12 shooting, although still just 1-4 from three.)

It’s Way Too Early For Power Rankings: Men’s Basketball Power Rankings 12/18

A short disclaimer before this article: This month of non-league games doesn’t really matter. Obviously it’s better to be undefeated (like Middlebury, Wesleyan, and Hamilton) than 4-5 (like Connecticut College) but for the most part the competition is lower-quality than league play. Come January, rotations, league leaders and indeed these rankings will all change pretty much immediately. But I haven’t written anything in forever and I’m already impossibly bored here at home, so let’s round out 2017 with these premature and probably inaccurate rankings. As always, feel free to kill me for them in the Twitter dm’s.

1) #2 Middlebury (6-0)

The Jack Daly ‘18 show has been incredible to witness this season. Daly is fourth in the leangue in scoring (17.5) first in rebounding (10.0) and first in assists (9.2.) Leading the league in rebounding and assists is simply ridiculous; I can’t remember it happening at any level of college basketball. But Middlebury’s undefeated record despite playing arguably the hardest non-conference schedule (Skidmore and Endicott were both tournament teams last year) is do in large part to the supporting cast as well. Matt Folger ‘20 is making a leap, averaging 17 points per game and contending for DPOY with 1.3 steals and 2.3 blocks per game. And the other guard spots, vacated by St. Amour and Brown, have been filled admirably by a committee. Hilal Dahleh ‘19  gets healthier every game after missing all of last season with a back injury, and has averaged 13 PPG on 8-13 three point shooting over his last three games. And first year Jack Farrell ‘21 just broke out with a 22 point showing against Skidmore. Add in fellow first year (and Hogwarts student) Griffin Kornacker ’21 and the experienced frontcourt rotation of Tarantino, McCord and Majors, and Middlebury is loaded. The Panthers play two more tournament teams in Swarthmore and York before league play begins, but they’re certainly riding high at the moment.

2) #14 Wesleyan (8-0)

Wesleyan is attempting to win despite not following the “run and shoot threes” style that the Warriors have made the norm throughout basketball. The Cardinals are fifth in the conference in scoring at 81 PPG and have taken the fewest threes with 153. And yet, they sit at 8-0 and beat Williams in Williamstown. How? One word: defense. Well actually, two word: defense and Bonner. They are averaging a ridiculous 11.5 steals per game, far and away tops in the league and have five players averaging at least one per game. They also lead the league in blocks per game at 6.5 and are second to Amherst in opponents points per game. But Wesleyan’s defense is always good, and it hasn’t always translated to success. This year, at least so far, Wesleyan finally has the go-to scorer they’ve lacked in recent years in Jordan Bonner ‘19. Bonner is averaging 17.5 PPG and has four 20 point games already. As Amherst gets into league play and the games get closer, they will need Bonner to get buckets at the end of games. The defense can take care of the rest.

Jordan Bonner ’19 may be the go-to scorer that could push Wesleyan over the edge.

3) #5 Williams (8-1)

Obviously, the Ephs’ strong start has been overshadowed by the loss of star forward Kyle Scadlock ‘19 to a torn ACL. Scadlock was building a POY case when he went down, and his injury is sad both for Williams and for the league as whole. But don’t count them out just yet. Williams is very deep, especially at forward, and have shown the signs of being able to weather this storm. Since Scadlock got hurt, they have relied largely on James Heskitt ‘19 and Bobby Casey ‘19 to pick up the offensive load. Both players have averaged over 15 points per game since his injury. And Williams’ greatest strength has always been the size that they bring off the bench. Matthew Karpowicz ‘20 is a terrible sportswriter, but he’s one of the best players in the league to come off the bench. It wouldn’t be a shock to see him start in league play, or at least see an increase in minutes when Williams faces other big teams like Middlebury and Amherst. Williams is still one of the teams to beat.

4) #23 Amherst (7-1)

Fru Che ’21 is one of a number of impressive Mammoth first years.

Here’s a ranking I might get killed for if the Amherst football parents are any indication. The Mammoths are well on their way to making all of us look dumb for thinking they might be down this year. They are 8-1, and have the best scoring defense in the league at 61 PPG, a huge reversal from last year’s team. But it should be pointed out that they are continuing the time-honored Amherst tradition of playing a terrible non-conference schedule. The Mammoths haven’t played any tournament teams yet this season, a fact that contributes somewhat to their terrific team stats. Indeed, it’s hard to get a read on Amherst’s key players because they’ve played some many blowouts in which everyone on the roster sees time. However, the struggles of Johnny McCarthy ‘18 cannot be explained by inconsistent minutes. McCarthy, who was expected to make a POY-type leap this year, is averaging 10 points per game on 38% shooting, 21% from three. Michael Riopel ‘18 and stellar first year Fru Che ‘21 have picke up the slack, but in league play, star power helps. Maybe McCarthy needed Jayde Dawson more than we thought, or maybe he’s just waiting until they need him more, but Amherst can’t compete with Middlebury if McCarthy isn’t an offensive threat.

5) Hamilton (8-0)

Hamilton always gets us with this trick. They play great before league play, and everyone (especially me) gets all excited thinking they might finally be ready to challenge the big boys. Then they get smoked in NESCAC games. At the risk of falling into that trap again, Hamilton has look REALLy good thus far. They are averaging 95 points per game (albeit against the same level of competition as Amherst) and lead the league in shooting, both overall and from three. Hamilton has one thing that they didn’t have last year, however, when they started strong and then faded spectacularly in league play: experience. All the young players that made Hamilton exciting last year are a year older and have improved noticably. Michael Grassey ‘19 has become a deadly three point shooter and overall scorer, and the backcourt of Tim Doyle ‘18 and retired mobster Joe Pucci ‘19 shoots over 50% from three and provides leadership. But Hamilton’s star is Kena Gilmour ‘20. Gilmour averages 17 points and seven rebounds per game, and is exactly the kind of versatile, athletic wing that tends to dominate NESCAC (see Bowdoin’s Lucas Hausman.) This has been said each of the last three seasons, but this might be Hamilton’s year.

6) Tufts (7-3)

Expected to compete for the league title at the beginning of the year, Tufts is just now getting healthy and rounding into form. They have three losses, but two of them came in their first three games and both were against tournament teams (MIT and WashU-St. Louis.) Since those games, they are 6-1. Tufts has been without two key contributors all season in KJ Garrett ‘18 and Ben Engvall ‘18. Both players made a big difference last season, and has led to a crisis of depth for Tufts. The Jumbos rely heavily on Vincent Pace ‘18 and Eric Savage ‘18 to carry the offense. The senior duo has combined to average 33 points per game, 19 of those coming from Pace. As Amherst proved last year, relying too much on two players is not a sustainable way to win NESCAC games. Defenses are too good; Wesleyan, Amherst, Williams and Middlebury all have enough depth to throw multiple defenders at both guys. Tufts will need one or both of Savage and Garrett to return during league play if they hope to live up to preseason expectations.

7) Bowdoin (8-2)

There was brief pandamonium (or should I say…Polar Bear-monium? I shouldn’t? Okay) a few weeks ago when Bowdoin briefly climbed as high as number 22 in the national rankings. Back-to-back losses to Colby and St. Joseph’s ended that brief love affair. But as Landry Clarke must have thought after Tyra dumped him, just because it was brief doesn’t mean it was a fluke, and it doesn’t mean it can’t happen again. Bowdoin has a lot of talent. David Reynold’s ‘20 is a bona-fide super sub, averaging 15 points per game on over 50% shooting off the bench. First year guard Zavier Rucker ‘21 is shooting 66.7% from the field and has turned what was expected to be a weak spot (PG) into a strength. And Hugh O’Neil ‘19 provides size and toughness inside. Jack Simonds ‘19 still hasn’t gotten going, only shooting 39% from the field and 28% from three. He seems to be having a little trouble meshing with a suddenly-balanced team, after being very much the go-to guy last season. Once he figures it out, Bowdoin really could be scary.

David Reynolds ’19 is explosive off the bench for the Polar Bears.

8) Trinity (6-2)

As always, it’s hard to get a read on the Bantams. After losing Ed Ogundeko, Trinity has gotten off to a solid 6-2 start. However, they got pasted by Nichols, their best opponent by far, 89-75. In that game, as well as their other loss to Western Connecticut, they showed many of the offensive problems that have plagued previous Trinity teams. Those problems are primarily related to floor spacing. The Bantams are the second worst three-point shooting team in the league, trailing only Bates. Their leading three point shooter (and overall scorer) is Jeremy Arthur ‘19, and he shoots only 36%. When Trinity plays against good defenses who can handle their size inside, those teams can pack the paint and Trinity really struggles to score. Arthur has been a good player for a while and is flourishing without Ogundeko, but Trinity won’t win league games if they don’t find someone else to hit some threes.

9) Bates (5-2)

Jeff Spellman
Jeff Spellman ’20 (Courtesy of Bates Athletics)

Bates is shooting, as a team, 38% from the field and 24.5% from three. According to my “Basketball For Dummies” reference book, that is not very good. It speaks very highly of their defense that they are 5-2 despite shooting that poorly. They force nearly 17 turnovers per game, and allow teams to shoot almost as poorly as they do from three at 27%. Bates has relied largely on that defense and the clutch play of Jeff Spellman ‘20, who is averaging over 18 points per game. Most of those came in a 38 point outburst against UNE, but he has shown a knack for getting a big hoop when they need one most. Obviously, during league play, they will have to shoot better than this, or else teams will pack the paint even more than they will against Trinity.

10) Colby (6-2)

Colby may be the team that has the fairest gripe with these rankings. They have a 6-2 record and a signature win over Bowdoin. And yet here they are, two places behind the Polar Bears. In contrast with the Bobcats, much of Colby’s success is due to their three-point shooting. Colby shoots 34% from three, which isn’t amazing, but their numbers are slightly skewed by two games where they shot 22%. Colby is also young. Their leading scorer is impressive first year Michael Hanna ‘21, who averages over 13 PPG. Colby has a chance to contend for the CBB title, and maybe climb into the tournament.

11) Connecticut College (4-5)

David Laboissiere ‘19 (don’t ask me to pronounce that) has put up one of the most efficient first months we’ve seen in a while. He leads the league in scoring at 18.3 points per game, and is shooting 52% from the field and 51% from three. Unfortunately, he’s not getting a ton of help. And his team’s record reflects that. They are a league-worst 4-5, and have lost three in a row heading into break. The main culprit is certainly turnovers. They average 19 per game, by far the most in the league. They do try to play fast, which leads to some sloppiness, but that is simply not a sustainable way to play. In NESCAC play, Labossiere won’t be able to bail them out every night.

David Labossiere is putting up big numbers this year, but so far they have been for naught.

A Mammoth Shakeup: 2017-2018 Amherst Men’s Basketball Season Preview

Amherst College Mammoths

2016-2017 Record: 17-8, 7-3, lost to Williams in first round of NESCAC Tournament, earned NCAA Berth (lost to Keene State)

2017-2018 Projected Record: 18-6, 5-5

Key Losses:

G Jayde Dawson (19.1 PPG, 2.6 AST/G, 1.2 STL/G)

F Eric Conklin (8.3 PPG, 59% FG, 4.7 REB/G)

F David George (6.2 PPG, 6.6 REB/G, 2.2 BLK/G)

Introduction:

It’s hard to even write the phrase “Amherst might be down this year,” but it could be true. In an offseason marked by the graduation of one of the best senior classes in recent league history, Jayde Dawson’s loss looms very large. Dawson, for better or worse, carried Amherst last year, finishing second in the league in scoring and closing out several games with clutch shots. Of course, he also shot them out of some close games, to the chagrin of Mammoth fans. But Amherst has the perimeter scoring to replace Dawson. Johnny McCarthy has long looked ready to be a number one option, and Michael Riopel may be the best outside shooter in the league. The losses that will hurt the Mammoths more are in the frontcourt. Eric Conklin was an excellent post scorer who gave Amherst the opportunity to play inside-out with him and Riopel, and George, for all his offensive liabilities, anchored a solid defense. In a league in which two of the three pre-season top teams (Middlebury and Williams) have supersized lineups, losing your two best big men isn’t a great recipe for success.  Add in solid point guard Reid Berman and stretch four Jacob Nabatoff, and Amherst is faced with replacing four starters and a sixth man. Coach David Hixon (who is closing in  has been known for his ability to reload quickly, and Amherst again has one of the best recruiting classes in the conference, but this year will be a challenge even for him.

Projected Starters:

G Vic Sinopoli ’19 (1.2 PPG, 4.8 MIN/G, 3:1 A/TO)

Vic Sinopoli
Vic Sinopoli ’19 (Courtesy of Amherst Athletics)

This spot is a huge question mark for Amherst. Last year, Reid Berman offered a steady hand at the position, but ball handling and creating duties were pretty much  handled by Dawson or McCarthy. As Amherst’s early exit in the playoffs showed, this is not a particularly sustainable method. Sinopoli played very few minutes as a sophomore last season, but runs the offense well and has the experience that Coach Hixon always prizes. However, first year Grant Robinson ’20 is chomping at the bit for this spot. Robinson offers a higher ceiling than Sinopoli. A speed demon with great court vision, he could take ball handling duties away from McCarthy and bring the Amherst offense to a more organic level than they reached last season. Their tournament this weekend will be a fascinating chance to see who impresses the most at the one.

G Michael Riopel ’18 (10.2 PPG, 47.4% 3FG, 0.8 STL/G)

Michael Riopel
Michael Riopel ’18 (Courtesy of Amherst Athletics)

There’s more on Riopel below in the Breakout Player section, but you can see from his stat line above what he brings to this team; shooting. Riopel is as consistent a shooter as there is in the league. But he is far from a one trick pony. At 6’5,” he can guard multiple positions, and rebounds very well (3.9 REB/G last season despite varying minutes.) Riopel is freed up this season, and a huge breakout is possible.

G/F Johnny McCarthy ’18 (14.2 PPG, 8.0 REB/G, 46% FG, 34% 3FG)

Johnny McCarthy
Johnny McCarthy ’18 (Courtesy of Amherst Athletics)

For much of his career, people have discussed McCarthy like he was the victim of some horrible tragedy. “Poor McCarthy, he’ll never get the touches he deserves playing next to Jayde Dawson.” This was a dumb take. Never mind that the defensive attention Dawson drew made much of McCarthy’s drives to the rim far more open than they will be this year, but McCarthy still got twelve shots and six threes per game. But nevertheless, this year McCarthy gets his chance to be a solo act. He should be aided by a starting role and more minutes for Riopel (more on him later,) whose outside shooting should keep driving lanes open. But McCarthy hasn’t shown himself to be a great passer yet in his career. He only averaged two assists against 1.8 turnovers last year. If Amherst hopes to have a more ball movement-centric offense this season without Dawson’s one-on-one skills, that will have to start with McCarthy, their best player and, finally, their go-to-guy.

F Eric Sellew ’20 (2.5 PPG, 9.3 MIN/G)

Eric Sellew
Eric Sellew ’20 (Courtesy of Amherst Athletics)

Sellew is another player who didn’t get many minutes last season due to Amherst’s short rotation. But with George and Conklin gone, Sellow is set to have his moment in the sun. A prototypical stretch four, Sellow has been working this off-season at stretching his range behind the arc, a prerequisite for this spot in Amherst’s perimeter-based offense. As a regular contributor last season, Sellew has a clear first crack at this starting spot, but he is not without competition. Junior Dylan Groff ’19 has made tremendous strides during training camp, and Fru Che, a first year, has impressed as well. Sellew has to be an offensive threat for the Mammoths to have enough firepower to keep up with Williams, Tufts and Middlebury.

C Joseph Schneider ’19 (2.1 PPG, 4.6 MIN/G)

Joseph Schneider
Joseph Schneider ’19 (Courtesy of Amherst Athletics)

Schneider is a fascinating player, and could be the key to Amherst making the jump from “fine” to “good” or even from “good” to “great.” At 6’10” and with a tremendous wingspan, Schneider is one of the biggest players in the league, and offers a nice centerpiece to what is a very long Amherst lineup. He got little to no playing time last year behind George, Conklin and Nabatoff, but projects as a key cog in the offense this season. He has good footwork and hands, and his size alone should make him something of a shot-blocking threat. Amherst has succeeded in the past with four perimeter players and a traditional center, so the lack of outside from shooting from him and backup CJ Bachman ’19 shouldn’t be too much of an issue. If Schneider can be a real threat the way Conklin was last year, Amherst could be in business.

Breakout Player: G Michael Riopel ’18 

As I mentioned above, Riopel is a deadeye shooter. But he won’t be able to rely the constant double teaming of McCarthy and Dawson this season. Of course, McCarthy will still demand a great deal of defensive attention, but teams will still make sure to leave a good defender on Riopel. If he is going to make a leap, it will have to be as a ball handler and driver. He showed signs of being able to that last season, shooting nearly 50% from two point land overall. But during league play, he made only one non-three pointer per game. He needs to at least develop a midrange pull-up game to contend with players running him off the three point line. And with his height, he has the potential to finish at the rim too. Amherst’s offense last season was often stagnant, with far too much one on one play. The loss of Dawson should improve that, but scoring will be a problem, and Riopel is crucial to solving it.

Michael Riopel ’18 will need to become more of an all around threat to make up for the loss of Dawson.

Everything Else:

I hesitate to use the term “rebuilding year” for the Mammoths. They still have McCarthy, one of the three or four most skilled players in the league, as well as Riopel. A better term might be “retooling.” Amherst is faced with the task of changing their entire style of play. Although much of the criticism of Jayde Dawson was alarmist, he did force the Mammoths to play a slower style of basketball than they would like. This season, the Mammoths look poised to play a ball movement-heavy, 3-and-D type of game that should at least be more fun to watch, and possibly more successful as well. Riopel and McCarthy are the key to this offense, but the retooling has occurred mostly in their supporting cast. Sellow and Groll are stretch fours whom Amherst will use mostly on the perimeter. And G Tommy Mobley ’20, after barely playing during his first year, will get serious minutes and three point looks.

This new, aggressive style should apply on defense as well. After relying largely on David George to make up for gambling on the perimeter, Amherst is now playing a switchier lineup, with a focus on the perimeter. Riopel and McCarthy have elite size and length for their position, as does Sinopoli. And of course, Schneider is one of the bigger players in the league. He will be a key. If he is a liability in the pick and roll, teams like Middlebury and Williams will be able to roast him with their skilled perimeter bigs. But if they play a smaller player, they will severely lack rim protection. There’s a chance that Amherst’s off-season losses hurt them on defense more than offense.

Amherst has retooled with Williams in mind, as every team in the league has had to do this off-season.

Amherst is one of the harder teams in the league to project. They lost an almost impossibly high percentage of their scoring and minutes in the off-season. For any other team, this would be a death sentence, and this preview would be about them looking towards 2018-2019. But this is Amherst we’re talking about. They always seem to find a way to be there at the end of the season. And, with a far more sustainable (and young) offense, Amherst is in a position to be there in the future as well.