Tag: George Papadeas

Last Chance to Buy or Sell: Stock Report 2/22

The disappointment was evident for Adam Philpott '15 and Co. after the loss on Saturday, but Bates still resides on the Pool C bubble for the NCAA Tournament.
The disappointment was evident for Adam Philpott ’15 and Co. after the loss on Saturday, but Bates still resides on the Pool C bubble for the NCAA Tournament. (Courtesy of Daryn Slover for Bates College)

It was a wild quarterfinals Saturday in the NESCAC, and we laid out our initial reactions in this video Saturday night, but we’ve now had a bit of time to digest all the action and think about how those results will impact Championship Weekend. We had two games go as expected with #1 Trinity and #2 Bowdoin sealing victories, and two underdogs win on the road in hostile environments.

Stock Up

The NbN Team

I got so caught up in the excitement of Saturday’s games that I almost didn’t realize that as a team we went 4-0 in our predictions, and Adam’s snipe of the Wesleyan upset was really impressive. He almost pinned the score, too. Obviously, no one wants to read about us, they want to read about the players. But I thought we deserved a quick little pat on the back, so excuse our self-indulgence.

Amherst Center David George ’17

Back to business now. George was an animal on Saturday. I don’t know if the big man reads the blog, but maybe he got a little riffed that I called out his offensive game in my Amherst-Tufts preview. Well, touché, my friend. George went 6-13 from the field and 7-8 from the stripe for 19 points in addition to 10 rebounds and two rejections. He was able to stay out of foul trouble, as well, which shouldn’t go overlooked given the Twin Towers with which he was forced to match up (though Hunter Sabety ’17 was far below 100 percent). As I said in the game preview, a productive George arguably makes Amherst the favorite for the NESCAC Championship. He will need to play well against Bowdoin’s seven-footer, John Swords ’15, and if the Lord Jeffs get through that game he will have another tall order if he goes against the strong Trinity frontcourt. If Wesleyan were to pull off another upset and meet Amherst in the championship George will still be an x-factor because the Cardinals’ strength is the backcourt, meaning George would have the opportunity to dominate.

Class of 2016 Player of the Year Candidates: Lucas Hausman ’16 and Connor Green ’16

Adam wrote earlier this year about the talented junior class in the NESCAC this year when Green topped 1,000 points in his career, and the class of 2016 has not slowed down, especially not these two. I think writer Peter Lindholm described it best via Twitter:

Hausman has now claimed a commanding lead in the scoring race, and will almost definitely end up with the crown unless he goes ice cold this weekend. His point totals since January 24 at Colby: 24, 30, 19, 32, 21, 44, 16, 17 and 37. And he’s not a phenomenal outside shooter. He gets most of his buckets by getting into the lane, drawing contact and finishing contested shots. When he gets to the line he is nearly automatic (88.0 percent on the year). And he’s been Bowdoin’s only consistent scorer all season.

Green’s advantage is his size and ability to rebound. Johnny McCarthy ’18 and Dan Wohl ’15 are the only perimeter players with more rebounds than Green. Green also stretches the floor a little better as he’s knocking down over 40 percent of his trey balls.

Both of these guys are phenomenal players capable of taking over games, and I expect fireworks when they go at it on Saturday.

Wesleyan Forward Joe Edmonds ’16

Head Coach Joe Reilly has settled on a starting five that rarely leaves the floor. All fives of Reilly’s starters against Bates played at least 29 minutes, and for Edmonds, who has started 14 of 25 games this year, that was his third consecutive game starting and playing over 30 minutes. His two highest-scoring games have come over that stretch as well. The Cardinals essentially run out three point guards in Harry Rafferty ’17, BJ Davis ’16 and Jack Mackey ’16, so there are a lot of drive and kick opportunities, and Edmonds, as the best three point shooter on the roster, really has the ability to make an impact for the Cardinals. He did just that in the win over Bates, leading the Cards with 22 points and going 5-6 from deep.

Stock Down

Offense of the Trinity Frontcourt

Trinity was looking unbeatable recently, coupling a suddenly explosive offense with its usual lockdown D, but the Bantams put up a mediocre 66 points against a Colby team whose tallest impact player, besides Sam Willson ’16, is its point guard, Luke Westman ’16. The combination of Alex Conaway ’15, George Papadeas ’15, Shay Ajayi ’16 and Ed Ogundeko ’17 isn’t exactly known for its collective offensive skill set, and the big guys didn’t play badly on Saturday (combined 11-22 from the field), but each and every one of them had size and strength advantages over their defenders and didn’t dominate like they should have. Down the stretch Ogundeko made a big impact with 11 points in the second half, but he was the only one to make a difference. The defense is fine, and will still give the Bantams a chance to win it all, but they will need some low-post scoring to win two games next weekend.

Amherst Guard Jeff Racy ’17

Since exploding for 30 points on 10-14 three-point shooting at Conn. College on February 6, Racy is 9-27 (33.3 percent) from deep. For a 41.3 percent three-point shooter on the season, that is not so great. I had Racy as my x-factor in the Lord Jeffs’ matchup with Tufts. As it turned out they didn’t need much from Racy as the game was over before it even started, but going forward, Green and Racy are the only guys that scare opposing defenses when they rise up from beyond the arch, so Amherst needs Racy to get hot once again.

Wesleyan Point Guard Triumvirate

Mackey and the Cards pulled off the big upset against the Bobcats, despite poor shooting from the Wesleyan guards. (Courtesy of Daryn Slover for Bates College)
Mackey and the Cards pulled off the big upset against the Bobcats, despite poor shooting from the Wesleyan guards. (Courtesy of Daryn Slover for Bates College)

Mackey made it into our Stock Up section last week, and he had another fine game on Saturday against Bates (18 points, 7-18 FG, 4-12 3PT FG, 6 rebounds), but his running mates, Davis and Rafferty, were anemic on the offensive end. They’re both really quality shooters so to see them go so cold was a surprise. I have a lot of concerns for Wesleyan this weekend. They’re undersized on the perimeter, they rely on the three-point shot, they have little depth, and they don’t have a clear go-to guy that they can hand the ball to at the end of a game. Of course that’s not always necessary. I’m sure that any of the trio would be comfortable with the ball in his hands in the final seconds. But Coach Joe Reilly is leaning so heavily on this group that I doubt that they can sustain a high level of play for the 80 minutes that will be necessary to take home the crown this weekend. Furthermore, their games are too similar. Davis brings a bit more quickness and driving ability to the floor than the others, Rafferty is a lefty and a really smooth shooter with range and Mackey likes to shoot off the dribble, but when it comes down to it they are all point guards who want to score the basketball. The unconventional lineup can cause problems against some opponents, but when it doesn’t work out you can have stat lines like the combined 11-36 (30.6 percent) from the field that Mackey, Davis and Rafferty put together on Saturday.

NESCAC Quarterfinal Preview: #8 Colby at #1 Trinity

In a normal NESCAC basketball season, the one seed versus the eight seed would be a guaranteed blowout for the top team, and I would have written this preview in fifteen minutes with Twitter open on three different Apple devices to see if the Celtics had traded for Goran Dragic. But 2014-2015 has been anything but normal for NESCAC basketball, and therefore even this weekend’s Trinity versus Colby matchup has upset potential.

Last time they played – 88-79 Trinity:

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

Much like Trinity’s final performance against Middlebury, the game was uncharacteristically high scoring for a team that had struggled to score early in the season. After a back and forth start, the Bantams used a 19-5 run, highlighted by 11 points from Jaquann Starks ’16, to take an 11-point lead into the half. The lead reached a height of 23 points in the second half at 66-43, and, while Colby did claw their way back down to single digits, the game was simply not close. Starks ended the game with 25 points and five assists, while Shay Ajayi ’16 and Ed Ogundeko ’17 added 12 points and five rebounds and 13 and five, respectively. For Colby, Ryan Jann ’16 led all scorers with 27 points, while Luke Westman ’16 finished with 14 points, five rebounds and five assists.

Trinity X-factor: Offense/Intensity

The regular season meeting against Colby, while it was certainly an impressive win for the Bantams, also brings up some issues that further manifested themselves against Middlebury, and could be a problem in the tournament. After seemingly putting the game out of reach against both Colby and Middlebury, the vaunted Trinity defense took a snooze, allowing huge second half point totals and letting the opponent back into the game. The same sort of streakiness can be seen in their offensive performance. In their early season struggles, Trinity struggled mightily offensively, often scoring under 60 points and relying on stifling defense to get by. They have recently been putting up high point totals, but sometimes turning off the jets for periods of time. Starks’ game is symbolic of these sometimes-lackadaisical tendencies. He has a penchant for disappearing for long stretches and then reappearing in a blaze of glory, like a comet, or the McRib. However, if he doesn’t return, like he didn’t in the second half against Middlebury, then Trinity’s offense can become stagnant, especially against a team with solid interior defense. Trinity may be able to get by in this game with streakiness, but at later levels of the tournament they’ll have to get more consistent, and Colby will certainly be on the watch for lazy streaks to attack on Saturday.

Colby X-factor: Ryan Jann

Ryan Jann '16 has become one of the NESCAC's most explosive scorers with multiple big games in the absence of Chris Hudnut '16. (Courtesy of Dean Denis Photography/Colby Athletics)
Ryan Jann ’16 has become one of the NESCAC’s most explosive scorers with multiple big games in the absence of Chris Hudnut ’16. (Courtesy of Dean Denis Photography/Colby Athletics)

Jann was having a solid junior season before the injury to Colby’s POY candidate Chris Hudnut ’16, but since Hudnut went down, Jann has raised his game. In addition to the 27 he poured in against Trinity, Jann had 26 in the Mules’ big win over Middlebury, and 26 against Tufts as well. The Mules’ offense has changed since Hudnut’s injury, with a lot more room for perimeter players like Jann to drive and cut through the line, which has also provided Jann with chances for open jumpers when other players drive and kick. For Colby to have any hope in this game, Jann will need to continue this strong play and then some.

Three Questions

1. Will Trinity sleep on Colby?

Trinity could almost not be faulted for looking past the eight seed to either Tufts (their only league loss) or Amherst (the most talented team in the league on paper.) However, given the volatile nature of this iteration of NESCAC, any team can beat any other team on a given day, and it is vital for both teams that they keep that in mind.

2. Can Colby get interior stops?

While Colby and Middlebury both solved Trinity’s defense in the second halves of their respective matchups with Trinity, they were stuck trading baskets for a while, as neither team could keep Trinity’s forwards out of the paint. If Colby can handle the three-headed forward creature of Ajayi, Ogundeko and George Papadeas ’15, then they will be much more equipped to take advantage of Trinity’s streakiness on the perimeter.

3. Are Trinity’s high scores legit?

Trinity’s offense in league play has been putting up huge numbers, with 88 against Colby and 90 against Middlebury, as two examples. However, my cousin’s Catholic elementary school team could put up 80 against Middlebury these days, and Colby without Hudnut is certainly lacking in some toughness. It remains to be seen whether Trinity has really changed into an offensive juggernaut.

What to Expect:

Also imperative in Colby’s upset hopes is Westman, he of the absurd 74.2 percent shooting percentage. The point man got some love on Twitter earlier this month.

(Currently, Westman is still just shy of qualifying for the NCAA lead in field goal percentage. Players must average five made field goals per game played.)

Westman has had a fantastic season, and he and Jann coupled with Hudnut would be a formidable big three. But without the man in the middle, Westman will need to continue playing well, and even go beyond his solid 13.3 points per game average, to lessen the load on Jann’s shoulders. Expect solid performances from both of them, but ultimately not transcendent enough to pull the upset.

Prediction: Trinity 84 – Colby 63 

Clash of the Titans: Friday 1/30 Preview

Hayden Rooke-Ley '15 returned in a big way against Hamilton last week, going 7-10 from deep in a Williams loss. Rooke-Ley and the Ephs welcome the Middlebury Panthers into Chandler Gymnasium tonight. (Courtesy of Williams Athletics)
Hayden Rooke-Ley ’15 returned in a big way against Hamilton last week, going 7-10 from deep in a Williams loss. Rooke-Ley and the Ephs welcome the Middlebury Panthers into Chandler Gymnasium tonight. (Courtesy of Williams Athletics)

We are just a few hours away from a full slate of Friday night NESCAC action. The top two teams in the conference meet in Hartford tonight, but every game is important and will have conference implications. Because of the driving snowstorms around the northeast, no team in action tonight has played since last weekend. Hamilton was the only team able to get any games in this week, but they are off until Sunday when they will travel to Middlebury (an exciting matchup given the upset that Hamilton pulled in the regular season last year).

Players to Watch Tonight

1. Forward Jacob Nabatoff ’17 (Amherst)

Nabatoff has seen his numbers wax and wane this season. He was playing 30 minutes or more for a period but as other players like Eric Conklin ’16 have returned from injury, he has played less in recent weeks. Nabatoff can be a frustrating player for Amherst fans to watch because he has the size at 6’8″ and skill to be a very productive player. But he is still a young player and he barely played last season so he is inconsistent. Colby’s defensive woes are well-documented, so Nabatoff could have a solid game tonight against the Mules.

2. Guard Reid Berman ’17 (Amherst)

Not to load up on Amherst sophomores, but in case you missed it, Berman has stolen the starting point guard role away from transfer Jayde Dawson ’18. Whether this move becomes permanent remains to be seen, but Berman has had two solid games in a row. The youngster is a pass-first type, who racked up 12 assists against just two turnovers combined against Williams and Trinity. Dawson’s minutes have shrunk in the last few games with Berman’s emergence, and with another solid game the sophomore could solidify his place as the starter.

3. Guard Matt St. Amour ’17 (Middlebury)

The Vermont native has been out since January 18 when he suffered an ugly-looking ankle sprain against Conn. College at home late in the game. The sprain wasn’t as bad as it looked, and St. Amour was able to limp to the locker room after the game, but it did keep him off the court for two games, and likely would have held him out on Tuesday if the snow hadn’t caused a postponement of Middlebury’s game against Lyndon St. The sharpshooter’s return will be huge for the Panthers this weekend. St. Amour has been a much better player this year than in his freshman campaign which is all the more impressive given that he had to recover from a torn ACL in the offseason. Williams’ opponents have jacked up 393 treys on the season already, third most in the NESCAC. If the shots are there for St. Amour, he’s going to take them. He’s been more effective getting to the lane so far this season (45.5 percent from the field) than shooting from deep (24.6 percent from 3PT), but this could be the game where he gets his long distance stroke going. As for the ankle, St. Amour isn’t showing any signs of it bothering him, but these things do linger so if he comes up gingerly at any point during the game, we’ll know why.

Game of the Night

Bowdoin (13-4, 4-1) at Trinity (14-5, 4-1)

John Swords '15 was the only player for either side in double figures in last year's game against Trinity. The big man had 11 points, six boards and four blocks in the Bowdoin win. (Courtesy of Bowdoin Athletics)
John Swords ’15 was the only player for either side in double figures in last year’s game against Trinity. The big man had 11 points, six boards and four blocks in the Bowdoin win. (Courtesy of Bowdoin Athletics)

If you like high-scoring basketball, I’d look elsewhere. Last year’s matchup ended 46-39 in favor of Bowdoin. Only one player ended up in double figures. Bowdoin’s 46 points were the lowest in a Polar Bear victory since 1949. However, if you’re a NESCAC fan (or player) this game holds a lot of meaning.

Who had this late January game pegged as a matchup of conference leaders? Not me, although I have said all year that Bowdoin would be in the running for a conference title (though with the losses of Neil Fuller ’17 and Keegan Pieri ’15 I’m a little less confident nowadays), but I never thought that Trinity would find the offense to win four of their first five conference games.

Well, turns out, they really haven’t, as they rank ninth in the league in points per conference game. But the defense has turned it up in big games, allowing three less points per conference game than overall. Maybe this is a result of Trinity taking air out of the ball, but the Bantams are going to have to score some points tonight against a Bowdoin team that seems to be getting hot offensively despite the injuries. Bryan Hurley ’15 and Lucas Hausman ’16 are one of the league’s best offensive backcourts and John Swords ’15 should be good for a few put-back buckets, though expect George Papadeas ’15 and Ed Ogundeko ’17, the NESCAC’s leading rebounder in conference games, to neutralize Swords offensively.

On the other end, Swords’ presence is the main reason why teams have shot 433 three pointers against Bowdoin this season, the most in the NESCAC. Wesleyan is next on that list. Cardinals’ opponents have shot 414 threes in one more game than Bowdoin has played. That means that the offensive pressure for Trinity lands mainly on the likes of Jaquann Starks ’16 (41.5 percent 3PT, 4.9 attempts per game), Chris Turnbull ’17 (35.9 percent 3PT, 2.6 attempts per game) and Andrew Hurd ’16 (31.2 percent 3PT, 2.5 attempts per game).

This is a difficult matchup for Trinity, and therefore I have to give the advantage to the Polar Bears. Prediction: Bowdoin by 10.

Trinity Ready for the Limelight

The Bantams have started off the season strong producing a 10-2 record to begin the year. While other teams like Bates and Middlebury have gotten most of the press, Trinity is currently riding an eight-game winning streak heading into league play beginning on Friday. This is the best start in Coach Cosgrove’s five years at the helm and it is about time this team starts getting some love.

Offensively, the Bantams are making strides. Last year Trinity’s biggest problem was putting the ball in the hoop as they only averaged 61.4 points per game but are up to 72.6 so far in 2014-15. Guard Jaquann Starks ’16 and forward Shay Ajayi ’16, classmates both averaging double-digit points, lead the Bants. Those two have done a phenomenal job getting to the charity stripe, and as a team Trinity is tops in the NESCAC in free throw attempts and makes per game. But it’s not just this experienced duo that is doing the work. Coach Cosgrove has gotten contributions from multiple players. This has been the biggest difference in Trinity’s success this year. The defense remains near the top of the league, but this year the offense has picked up the slack and has given Trinity reason to believe that it can contend for a NESCAC title.

Starks has elevated his game and become one of the NESCAC's top point men. (Courtesy of Trinity Athletics)
Starks has elevated his game and become one of the NESCAC’s top point men. (Courtesy of Trinity Athletics)

Let us not forget, though, that this team builds its identity around defense and rebounding. If you are playing against the Bantams you are going to have a difficult time finding a clean shot. The Bantams lead the league in the rebound margin at 10.8 per game. The large front line highlighted by George Papadeas ’15, Ed Ogundeko ’17, Alex Conaway ’15 and Ajayi has swarmed the backboards. Rebounding and defense is just effort and intensity, and that mentality has been instilled in the Bantams this season as it has in years past. They also lead the NESCAC in forced turnovers with 16 per game. This ability to get steals leads to easy buckets in transition on the other end. NESCAC play will be a tough test for the Bants, who are just 2-2 against teams that currently have a winning record, but if they continue to swarm opponents on defense, they will put themselves in a good position to win.

Two players that have elevated their games this season are ones that were not highlighted heavily this year in the preview. Guard Steve Spirou ’15 and forward Alex Conaway have been major x-factors for the Bantams. These two stood out in the Bantams’ impressive win over Springfield College on December 3. Both these players are leaders for Coach Cosgrove and how they have helped the Bantams most has been through the gritty nature of their play. Conway and Spirou will not fill up the stat sheets in terms of points, but their intensity both on the defensive and offensive ends have given their team so much needed life to get out to their most successful start in a while.

Trinity opens conference play with Williams this Friday, but for me the biggest game on the Bantams’ schedule will be a January 16 meeting with Bates at home. Bates appears to be for real, and both of these squads have strong front lines, so it will be a collision of two immovable forces. If Trinity can come out on top they will prove to spectators around the league that the Bantams are here to stay.

Trinity Team Preview: The Bantams Are Back

Trinity College Bantams

2013-2014 Season: 15-11 (5-5 NESCAC) fifth in NESCAC, reached semifinals of NESCAC tournament

Head Coach: James Cosgrove, fifth season, 48-52 (.480)

Starters Returning: 5

G Jaquann Starks ’16

G Hart Gliedman ’15

F Edward Ogundeko ’17

F Shay Ajayi ’16

C George Papadeas ’15

Breakout Player: G Andrew Hurd ’16

Hurd arrives in Hartford as a transfer from Central Connecticut State, where he played in only eight games last season. The Bantams have four guards back who played at least 17 minutes a game last season, but Hurd will be in the hunt for minutes right from the jump. Hurd will help out Steve Spirou ’15 and Rick Naylor ’16 as the main guards off the bench. Trinity’s biggest weakness is on the offensive end, and Hurd should help an offense that struggled last season.

Projected Starting Lineup:

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

G Jaquann Starks

Starks is returning after starting for two seasons. He has been able to man the point guard position pretty well, leading the team in scoring in 2013-14 while also tallying nearly 100 assists. The Bantams would like to see him take care of the ball just a bit better and get that assist-to-turnover ratio over 2:1, but he’s clearly the engine that makes this team go.

 

 

Hart Gliedman '15 (Courtesy of Trinity Athletics)
Hart Gliedman ’15 (Courtesy of Trinity Athletics)

G Hart Gliedman

Gliedman is entering his senior year and needs to continue to be a factor for the Bantams. The Bantams need him to continue to thrive on the defensive end. He’s not much of a scorer, but at 6’3″ 200 lbs, he’s a strong, physical guard that fits right in with the Trinity system.

 

 

 

Ed Ogundeko '17 (Trinity Athletics)
Ed Ogundeko ’17 (Trinity Athletics)

F Edward Ogundeko

Trinity’s success on the boards last season is due directly to Ogundeko and the next two names on this list. Ogundeko’s freshman debut was a very successful one as he was pretty close to averaging a double-double (9.2 points per game and 7.5 rebound per game). Ogundeko is particularly good at creating second chances. He averaged 3.5 offensive boards per game last season.

 

Shay Ajayi '16 (Courtesy of Trinity Athletics)
Shay Ajayi ’16 (Courtesy of Trinity Athletics)

F Shay Ajayi

Ajayi was the Bantams most consistent player last year. The 6’5″ junior was nearly as proficient on the boards as Ogundeko, but brings the added weapon of the three point shot to his game, as he shot nearly 40 percent from deep last season.

 

 

 

George Papadeas '15 (Courtesy of Trinity Athletics)
George Papadeas ’15 (Courtesy of Trinity Athletics)

C George Papadeas

The Bantam’s big man from Greece is going to have to play like he did in the second half of the season. He’s had a lot of experience in his time in Hartford. There is a lot of height in the NESCAC right now, and Papedeas is going to have to play big for the Bantams to win.

Everything Else:

The Bantams look to control the rebounding battle again this year. Rebounding and defense wins championships, as they say, and the Bantams led the NESCAC in rebounds last year, averaging 43.2 rebounds per game. What’s more, Trinity’s +9.7 rebound margin per game was the second highest in the nation. The Bantams also held the teams to under 62 points per game last season, second in the NESCAC and 13th in the country. As mentioned, Gliedman is critical to the Bantams’ defense, but so is 6’6″ swingman Alex Conaway ’15 who can guard both smalls and bigs. Needless to say, the Bantams are a team that has built its identity around defense.

On the other hand, Trinity struggles offensively. They were last in both points per game and three-point percentage in the NESCAC last year. In order for the Bantams to win games and get their defense recognized they are going to need to score some points. They didn’t lose a single senior from last year, so Trinity fans will have to hope that individual players can make strides offensively and that another year together will mean better chemistry on offense. Starks, Gliedman, Naylor and the sporadically used Chris Turnbull ’17 can shoot the three and stretch opposing defenses, while the starting trio of big men and Conaway will battle for points down low.