Tag: Matt Folger

It’s Almost February?!: Power Rankings 1/30

Power Rankings 1/30

Every week I closely follow the results of all the conference games, hoping that as each weekend passes we’ll be provided with more clarity on where each team falls relative to one another. Unfortunately, I haven’t once come away from a weekend this year feeling like I knew exactly where each team stood and how they would fare in the upcoming games. As a fan, this is exactly how I like it. I really hope the NESCAC is still working on that deal with ESPN 8 “The Ocho” because the entertainment value is off the charts. It’s a fool’s task to try and look through stats and box scores to decide who you think will win a given game because it’s more or less a crapshoot. This conference is a dream come true for a fan of the game, but as someone who has a horse in this race* it makes me but my nails to the nubs on a weekly basis. I guess you could call that fun. Anyways we’re a little over halfway through conference games, and there is still very little set in stone so take a look to see how far everyone has climbed or fallen in the rankings:

*If anyone from the NCAA is reading this I just want it on record that I have never involved myself with any sort of gambling or sports betting and I do not condone or endorse such behavior, this is merely a figure of speech; an idiom, if you will.

(3) 1. #6 Williams (18-2, 5-1)

Last week: W 86-50 vs. Trinity

This week: @ Colby, @ Bowdoin

The Ephs only had one game on the weekend, and they demolished Trinity by a score of 86-50. Four of five starters scored in double figures, with Bobby Casey ’19 contributing 20 points to lead the way. Williams was able to get out to an early lead and the Bantams completely folded, seeing their 24-point halftime deficit turn into a 36-point loss. It seems that the losses to Middlebury and Amherst are in the past because the Ephs are looking an awful lot like the dominant team they were to start the season. Questions still exist moving forward about their depth and what they can get out of their bench, but they really just have so many talented scoring options. Any of their guys can beat you on a given night, so even if one of their best players is off they’ve got another right there to pick up the slack. They lead the NESCAC in shooting percentage at 49.8% and average over 83 points per game, so they’re about as devastating a team as you can find. Matchups with Colby and Bowdoin this weekend should be interesting given that the two teams are trending in opposite directions. Colby surprised us last weekend, so Williams will have to be certain that doesn’t happen again.

(1) 2. Wesleyan (15-5, 5-2)

Last week: W 85-75 @ Bates, L 75-71 @ Tufts

This week: vs. Trinity

The loss to Tufts on Saturday is unfortunate, but I’m not down on the Cardinals just yet. They’ve already got wins over Middlebury, Hamilton, and Amherst, and a somewhat favorable remaining conference schedule. Austin Hutcherson ’21 has absolutely exploded in his second season, as he’s currently tied with Kena Gilmour for the league lead in points per game at 19.9. He does this while shooting over 45% from the floor and over 40% from behind the three-point line. Not all he does is score though; Hutcherson averages nearly 6 rebounds and over 3 assists per game, the latter a team best. Jordan Bonner ’19 and Antone Walker ’21 have also done a nice job in their secondary and tertiary roles, with Bonner chipping in 14.5 points and 9.5 rebounds per game and Walker adding 13.6 points per game. The Cardinals could still very well end up with the top seed, but they would need Williams to lose at least twice since they hold the head-to-head tiebreaker between the two. It’s been a crazy year so far, so who knows what’s still in store.

(5) 3. Middlebury (15-5, 4-2)

Last week: W 75-38 vs. Trinity

This week: @ Bowdoin, @ Colby

Matt Folger has been the man on the court this year, and that mustache tells us he has also been the man off the court

Much like Williams, the Panthers took care of business in their only game of the weekend at home against Trinity. The Bantams simply couldn’t get anything to fall, and Middlebury remains one of the four 2-loss teams near the top of the standings. Max Bosco ’21 has continued to impress since he entered the starting lineup, and he led the way with 15 points and 5 assists on Saturday. His size isn’t particularly imposing, but Bosco is so quick and has so many different ways to score, obviously making him incredibly difficult to defend. The Panthers have so many guards in their lineup that sometimes they don’t have a ton of size on the court, but Matt Folger ’20 has done an outstanding job alongside big man Eric McCord ’19 to do the bulk of the work. The duo combines for 19.5 rebounds per game, and Folger averages 15.4 points per game as well. Middlebury will also take the trip to Maine to visit Bowdoin and Colby this weekend in a very important couple of matchups. Colby has been red hot and this could end up being a very exciting game, but Bowdoin has been struggling recently and this is a game that the Panthers need to win if they want to stay near the top. Lots of eyes will be on the results from Maine this weekend.

(4) 4. #11 Hamilton (17-2, 3-2)

Last week: W 77-42 vs. Bowdoin, L 86-78 vs. Colby

This week: vs. Bates, vs. Tufts

Things certainly didn’t go the way the Continentals had hoped this weekend after they earned a solid win on Friday, but were stunned by Colby on Saturday on their home court. They were simply outplayed by the Mules in nearly every aspect of the game, so once Colby took the lead late in the first half they never looked back. Kena Gilmour ’20 had a solid 24-point day, but no one else could really get anything going on the offensive end and Hamilton only shot 39.3% as a team. This was an unfortunate loss, but the Continentals are still very early in their NESCAC season since they had their game versus Amherst postponed. They’ve only got 2 losses in conference play and two winnable games in the weekend ahead of them. They finish the season with games against Middlebury, Williams, and Amherst, so if they want to host a first round game in the conference tournament then they’ll have to go 2-0 against Bates and Tufts. It’s hard to envision Hamilton winning more than one or maybe two of their final three games, so this weekend is a big one.

(2) 5. #23 Amherst (15-3, 3-2)

Last week: L 83-73 vs. Colby, W 86-62 vs. Bowdoin

This week: vs. Tufts, vs. Bates

Well Amherst is in literally the exact same position that Hamilton is in. They’re behind in games played so at 3-2 in conference they’ve still got a lot left to play. Their game with the Continentals still doesn’t have a date set, but you can obviously see the importance of that head-to-head matchup. They also have two games this weekend that are essentially must-win to stay in contention for a first round home game. The Mammoths are a pretty balanced squad, but Grant Robinson ’21 and Eric Sellew ’20 have put forward a good effort in leading the way. Robinson is averaging 15 points and 3 assists per game (both team bests), but he ups those numbers to 18 points and 4 assists in conference play. Sellew pitches in 11 points and 8 rebounds per game, bringing some size to the lineup and finding a place among the top forwards in the conference. Amherst is a very well coached team and they are loaded with talent as always, so this weekend shouldn’t be a challenge right? Tufts and Bates are two of the weaker teams in the NESCAC so surely the Mammoths should secure two home wins shouldn’t they? What makes this conference so fun is that we really have no idea what’s going to happen in those two games – NESCAC football could certainly take some notes from this kind of parity.

(10) 6. Colby (15-5, 3-3)

Last week: W 83-73 @ Amherst, W 86-78 @ Hamilton

This week: vs. Williams, vs. Middlebury

Sam Jefferson has elevated the Mules to another level over the last few games

Well I’ll be the first to admit that Colby shocked everyone over the weekend, going on the road to beat both Amherst and Hamilton (teams that previously had 3 combined losses between them) in convincing fashion. Neither game was a blowout, but the Mules were in control the whole way in both affairs, led by NESCAC Player of the Week Sam Jefferson ’20. Jefferson tied for the team lead with 24 points against Amherst on Friday, and then torched Hamilton to the tune of 29 points and 8 rebounds, while shooting over 56% on the weekend. This was a jaw-dropping effort from a team that has quickly changed the trajectory of its season. The Mules now sit at 3-3 in the conference with games left against Williams, Middlebury, Wesleyan, and Conn College. A win in at least one of those games likely gets them a spot in the postseason, but two wins secures it without a doubt. What Colby also proved is that they’re capable of winning big games on the road, a quality that will serve them well and terrify opponents come playoff time. They look like the hottest team in the NESCAC right so we’ll have to wait to find out who will be the first to slow down the Mules.

(9) 7. Tufts (10-10, 4-3)

Last week: W 91-87 vs. Conn College, W 75-71 vs. Wesleyan

This week: @ Amherst, @ Hamilton

Tufts is in an interesting position because they appear to be right near Colby and Bates in the middle tier of the conference standings right now, but having 4 wins under their belt puts them at a huge advantage. Usually having 4 wins gets you into the tournament, but they’ve still got a chance to add to their resume with games left against Amherst, Hamilton, and a struggling Trinity team. The Jumbos have already shown us that they’re capable of beating the best teams by knocking off both Middlebury and now Wesleyan. Brennan Morris ’21 led the way over the weekend, putting up team-leading totals of 16 and 20 points against Conn College and Wesleyan, respectively. What makes the effort by the Jumbos all the more impressive is the scoring balance that they’ve displayed. In both games this weekend Tufts had at least three guys in double figures and saw nine different players score at least one basket. This is the way that they’re able to compete with teams on the level of Wesleyan and Middlebury: Tufts doesn’t have one true stud player, but they have a deep rotation of guys that can score and they play good team basketball. A huge road trip lies ahead of them, but each of their opponents fell to Colby last week so truly everyone is vulnerable.

(8) 8. Bates (6-13, 3-4)

Last week: L 85-75 vs. Wesleyan, W 76-59 vs. Conn College

This week: @ Hamilton, @ Amherst

This might be a generous ranking given their 6-13 overall record, but I’m going with the hot hand. The Bobcats looked atrocious in non-conference play, but have looked like an entirely different team in the New Year. In NESCAC play, Bates is actually first in both shooting percentage and three-point shooting percentage, first in assists per game, and they turn the ball over less than anyone. Kody Greenhalgh ’20 has come alive in conference play, averaging 12.6 points and a team-high 1.6 steals per game. Tom Coyne ’20 has helped provide another legit scoring threat since returning from injury and Nick Lynch ’19 has put up 3 consecutive 20+ point games while shooting over 60% from the floor. The Bobcats started very slow, but their recent emergence has made them a much scarier opponent to face. They surely aren’t the favorite in either of their games this weekend, but if they could find a way to steal one on the road then they’ll be in a terrific position to lock up a playoff spot. This team is a total wild card right now and I have to say it makes them very fun to watch.

(6) 9. Trinity (13-7, 2-4)

Last week: L 86-50 @ Williams, L 75-38 @ Middlebury

This week: @ Wesleyan, vs. Conn College

Nick Seretta and the Bantams have some work to do if they want to play postseason basketball

Trinity and Bowdoin both had horrendous weekends and have nearly identical records, so I’m going with the winner of the head-to-head matchup. In both of their games over the weekend Donald Jorden ’21 was the only Bantam to score in double figures, and he never got higher than 12. Losing by a combined 73 points is about as bad as a weekend could possibly go, and a deeper dive into the numbers doesn’t make things seem any better. Between the two games, Trinity shot 25% from the field and 19% from deep, they were out-rebounded by 17, they turned the ball over 9 more times than opponents, and they even committed 17 more fouls than their opponents. These are abysmal numbers by any standard, but especially not for a team that’s hoping to sneak into the NESCAC Tournament. Having two conference victories definitely keeps them in the conversation for the playoff race, but it’s an uphill battle from here for the Bantams. They’ve got 4 games left and would likely need to win 2 (maybe even 3 depending on tiebreakers) to clinch a playoff spot. They aren’t out of it, but they’ve got their work cut out for them.

(7) 10. Bowdoin (12-7, 2-4)

Last week: L 77-42 @ Hamilton, L 86-62 @ Amherst

This week: vs. Middlebury, vs. Williams

The same thing I said for Trinity applies here for the Polar Bears. They had a truly awful weekend that they’ll look to put behind them, and they’ll have to pull off an upset or two to find their way into the postseason. At this point it really looks as though Bowdoin only has four guys that actually do anything. David Reynolds ’20 and Jack Simonds ’19 score as much as anyone in the league, Zavier Rucker ’21 has a hand in the scoring and does a fine job running the point, and Hugh O’Neil ’19 grabs a ton of rebounds. No one else on the roster has an impact whatsoever on the game, and it’s really hurting the Polar Bears right now. They’ve got a good foundation with some valuable players in solid roles, but they simply need more production from their other guys. As Colby showed us, things can change a lot from week to week so who knows what to expect this weekend. Bowdoin isn’t out of the equation yet, but they do still have quite a bit left to prove.

(11) 11. Conn College (6-14, 0-7)

Last week: L 91-87 @ Tufts, L 76-59 @ Bates

This week: @ Trinity

It really does get challenging sometimes finding new things to say about a team that really hasn’t changed much. The Camels now run their losing streak in conference games up to 18 dating back to the very end of the 2016-2017 season. I’m not quite sure what needs to happen in New London, but things have been very bleak for a while now. David Labossiere ’19 and Dan Draffan ’21 continue to impress, but that’s about all they’ve got. It would be nice if they could be getting more out of the NESCAC’s tallest player, Ryan Omslaer ’22, who stands at 7’0” and weighs in at 215 pounds. You’d think a guy that much taller than everyone else would thrive, but I guess he’s still a work in progress. After all, he is only a freshman. Conn was almost able to steal their first conference win against Tufts on Friday, in an impressive effort fueled by David Labossiere who scored 26 points and hauled in 8 rebounds. At this point in the season their starters must be absolutely gassed because they pretty much only use 7-8 guys per game, and even the few guys that do come off the bench usually only see 10-15 minutes at most. They face Trinity this weekend and if there was ever a team that was struggling enough to lose to Conn this year, it could be the Bantams right now. Hopefully the action heats up on Sunday in Hartford.

Mules Making Moves; 1/29 Stock Report

Stock Up

Upsets (and the Colby Mules)

One of my first power rankings this season highlighted how far above the competition Hamilton and Williams were after the preseason. I’ll get to that misinterpretation more later, but the point for this stock up section is that I would have never expected Colby to upend Hamilton at any point in the season. Amherst has been a bit of a surprise themselves, but the Mules managed to beat them this past weekend also which shows that it really is anybody’s championship to win (except Conn). After all, we saw Middlebury upset Williams recently, which nobody (not even a big Panther fan) saw coming. This is a good year for NESCAC basketball, and while we don’t have quite as many teams in the top-25 as normal, as it is just Hamilton and Williams for now, each weekend contest is much more entertaining to the average viewer. 

The Mules are going up, up, and up after last weekend.

Balance

In a related point, I don’t think we have ever had such a log-jam in the top ten NESCAC teams. Trinity, after an awful weekend, is still just two games out of third place. Now, I have no inclination that they will make a run for a home playoff game, but it’s still good to see how meaningful these last 3-5 NESCAC games will be for each team in the final weekends before the playoffs. The race is particularly interesting when it comes down to who will host the first round playoff games as its five teams in right now for four spots. In an unexpected turn of events, Hamilton now finds themselves tied with Amherst at just 3-2 in conference play and nearly on the outside looking in. Balance is not just in the standings, either, as each team has a group of weapons that make each unit dangerous in their own way. Hamilton has Kena Gilmour amongst four seasoned and talented senior starters, Middlebury has Matt Folger and some out-of-nowhere productive guards, Colby shoots lights out, Williams has three potential POYs, Wesleyan’s Austin Hutcherson is a beast in the simplest of terms; Amherst’s Grant Robinson is breaking out this year, Bowdoin has a trio of terror in Jack Simonds, Hugh O’Neil, and David Reynolds, Tufts’ duo of Eric Savage and Brennan Morris can turn the tables in any contest, and Bates has one of the best guards in the league in Jeff Spellman. Enough said. NESCAC basketball can bring it on any given night.

Gilmour and the Conts need to lock it in before the playoffs if they want to have a chance against the Ephs.

Stock Down

Preseason Scheduling 

Non-conference games have contributed to our confusion as a writing staff at this point in the season. Hamilton is the main culprit here as they appeared narrowly behind Williams in talent level after they finished their non-conference schedule. Both of the Continentals’ losses have come in conference, while Amherst has also lost two of their three games this season against NESCAC teams. Colby, on the other hand, has been making moves up the power rankings, showing that their early season blunders were more of an aberration. Bates too shows that not all preseason schedules are made the same as they were 3-9 and now find themselves 3-4 against NESCAC teams. 

The Mighty Chickens and Words of the Jealous

Trinity needs to figure out whatever went wrong last weekend.

We often have complaints during football season from non-Trinity football fans, claiming that the Bantams are athletically far and above any other NESCAC school due to their “lower” academic standards. I do not endorse or agree with such claims and firmly believe Trinity should belong in the NESCAC for good, their basketball team’s performance last weekend goes to put those fans’ opinions to rest. Sure, they are great at football. But if you were a recruit looking to play at a high academic school, why is it so ridiculous to think that the majority wouldn’t choose a school in an urban setting and one with a fantastic track record of success. As DIII sports continue to get more competitive, it is no surprise that Tufts, a stone’s throw from Boston, has made a quick transition into a successful football program either. Regardless, since football is only one of many NESCAC sports, schools’ success in other areas should indicate whether all of their students have an athletic advantage. Trinity, as good as they are at football, really threw up a dud against Middlebury last weekend. No, their season is not over and they could easily make the playoffs, however, 22.4% FG will not win any games, ever. Their high scorer, Donald Jorden, put up 11 and led the team with a 50% shooting night. That definitely can’t happen again. And to those NESCAC fans that continue to find excuses for why other teams can’t beat Trinity: If you can’t take the heat, get out of the kitchen. That’s a hot take on a cold winter day.

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.

The Mighty Can Fall: 1/18 Weekend Preview

NESCAC Basketball Weekend Preview

Tufts (8-9, 2-2) @ Bates (4-12, 1-3)

The Jumbos come into this weekend’s contest feeling good after a solid win over a very good Middlebury team. They were able to come from behind and take down the Panthers with help from Luke Rogers (16 pts, 9 reb) and lots of help off the bench from Carson Cohen (15/6/4). Coming up to Maine to face the Bobcats more than likely won’t intimidate this Tufts squad. While Bates’ record holds a lot to be desired, when you look closer at their last 2 games you can see that they’ve been putting up a fight against some very talented teams. They took #3 Williams down to the wire and got handed an impressive 7-point loss and against Midd they were also able to stay within single digits. Despite all this I’m still not convinced that the Bobcats have turned a corner.

Score Prediction: Tufts 89 – Bates 77

Middlebury (13-5, 2-2) @ #3 Williams (15-0, 4-0)

Folger has quietly been having a very solid year

Middlebury will have a tough task ahead of them, heading down to Williamstown and attempting to take down elite but recently defeated Williams team. Midd’s season has been a roller coaster thus far, going up and down with wins and losses. They split their two NESCAC contests last weekend against Bates and Tufts and then they split their midweek games too. The most consistency that the Panthers have seen is from Jack Farrell and Matt Folger. These two have near identical numbers on the season, Farrell is averaging 15.9 /5.1/ 4.4 while Folger is averaging 15.6/9.2/1.1. Whether or not these two can handle this Williams squad is yet to be determined. Williams has kept rolling all season but had a peculiar loss in the biggest trap game of all time against Amherst this past Wednesday. They breezed through their first 15 games of the season, but lost to Amherst in a bizarre non-conference matchup this week by one point, having the worst shooting performance that we will likely ever see from them. Praising Williams is just beating a dead horse at this point, we all know that they’re elite and could win every game until the last rounds of NCAAs. Now that somebody has finally beaten them there will be a lot more to talk about.

Score Prediction: #3 Williams 86 – Midd 63

Wesleyan (11-4, 3-1) @ Connecticut College (6-10, 0-4)

To understand how Wesleyan is playing right now you just have to look at the last three games they’ve played. Game #1: Win over (then) #24 Midd. Game #2: Win over #7 Hamilton. Game #3: Win over (then) #24 Amherst. After taking down three straight ranked opponents, I don’t think the Cardinals are going to be scared to face Conn. Part of the reason for Wesleyan’s success of late has been due to Austin Hutcherson. In the first two of those three games Hutcherson went off, dropping 36 and 32 points respectively. If Hutcherson can turn it on again this weekend there won’t be a Camel who can stop him. Conn has really been thrown into the fire in terms of NESCAC play. Their first 6 games are against the 6 best NESCAC teams. It is going to be a tough task for Conn to pull out a win over any of the first 6 NESCAC teams they play and an 0-6 record going into game 7 is a tough look. There have any been 4 games but it seems as if this year may already be over for Conn.

Score Prediction: Wesleyan 89 – Conn 69

Bowdoin (9-5, 1-2) @ Colby (12-4, 1-2)

Sam Jefferson will have to continue to lead the way for the Mules

The battle for the frozen tundra occurs this weekend in Waterville as Colby hosts Bowdoin. This has all the makings of an interesting game. To start it off, both teams are 1-2 in league. Bowdoin’s win came over Bates, who Colby lost to. Colby’s win came over Tufts, who Bowdoin lost to. There doesn’t seem to be a whole lot to separate these two on paper. Both teams have a solid core of starters with some quality bench players that can come on and make an impact. In their preseason meeting Colby was able to take down Bowdoin 83-70. While this may seem like a solid indicator of how this game may turn out, that is not necessarily true. When Colby faced Bates in the preseason they were able to beat them easily, but in conference they couldn’t get the job done. All in all, this game has all the makings of a classic.

Score Prediction: Colby 92 – Bowdoin 88

New Year, New Pecking Order: Holiday Power Rankings

2019 Preseason Holiday Power Rankings

1.) #2 Williams (9-0)

This Williams team looks nearly unstoppable. They have three players averaging over 14 points per game and three averaging over five boards per game, dominating each of their nine opponents thus far. Bobby Casey has been lights out from deep, draining 47.7% of his threes, Scadlock has been electric from the floor, shooting over 60% from the field, and James Heskett has been doing his thing for the Ephs, following up his All-American season with some more balanced numbers among a more talented supporting cast with the return of Scadlock. Matt Karpowicz and Michael Kempton have been doing well all around as a big man unit, averaging a combined 14 PPG and over ten boards, equalling a dual double-double. No NESCAC team can match the size and big-game experience of this Eph team with the Continentals as the only real threat on their road to a second straight NESCAC championship.

Casey and the Ephs are not going to be a fun opponent this season.

2.) #5 Hamilton (9-0)

I’ve been a big fan of this unit that Coach Stockwell has developed for quite some time. They were set on a course for predestined greatness in this 2018-2019 season long ago when the group of Peter Hoffmann, Tim Doyle, Andrew Groll, and Michael Grassey joined forces in the 2015-2016 season. Those four along with the most athletic player in the lineup, junior Kena Gilmour, make up this team that could bring the Continentals their first major men’s sports championship in who knows how long. Gilmour and Grassey are doing most of the scoring in the perfect 9-0 start to the season, averaging 19.7 and 15.2 PPG, respectively. They are a balanced team and Gilmour, Grassey, and Groll all haul in over five boards per game. Their trusty point guard, Doyle, dishes out passes to the rest of the shooters and is the glue that keeps the gears turning and rounds out the deadly group that is, top to bottom, without any glaring weaknesses. 

Gilmour’s Continentals are the biggest threat to the Ephs in 2019.

3.) Amherst (7-1)

This is a bit of a surprise for me as I figured that after losing some studs, the Mammoths would enter more of a rebuilding year. Their only loss so far was to the 2017 national champion Babson Beavers and they received votes in the last D3 Hoops rankings. Their big man, Joe Schneider, is their only senior, boding well for the future of this historically dominant program. Grant Robinson is leading the way on the scoring front with 15.8 PPG with Eric Sellew putting in 9.6 PPG, and sixth man-to-be and deep threat off the bench, Garrett Day, dropping 9.3 PPG in just 17.3 minutes per game. Five Mammoths average over four rebounds per game and while Robinson is the closest they have to a superstar, they are a deep team with many possible contributors and several wild card players who entered into new roles at the start of this season.  

4.) #24 Middlebury (8-2)

This is an unusual year for the Panthers as they are without a true leader on the court like they have had the past few years. Matt Folger is the most talented player on the floor for Midd and has been off to a hot start, putting up 16.0 PPG, shooting over 50% from the field and over 47% from deep which is going to need to be sustainable for the Panthers to have a shot to compete with Bobby Casey and the Ephs. My biggest concern for the Panthers this season was at the guard position as they lost Jack Daly and had a big scoring, passing, and rebounding hole to fill. Jack Farrell, Max Bosco, and Griffin Kornaker have all contributed surprisingly well so far this year, making up the next wave of elite Panther guards. Farrell is averaging 15.8 PPG, 4.9 REB/G, and 4.3 A/G while Bosco is scoring 13.8 PPG in 21 minutes per game off the bench. Kornaker is more of a distributor, averaging 4 A/G and spreads the floor well between Folger, Hilal Dahleh, and Eric McCord down low. While Folger hauls in boards in his own right, raking in 9.5 per game to nearly total an average of a double-double for himself. McCord and freshman forward Alex Sobel are the defensive specialists, grabbing 10.8 and 5.4 REB/G, respectively. The guards are going to need to continue to play lights out for the Panthers with Folger leading the way for Midd to compete in the postseason. Their early season conference match ups should provide a good indication of how this rather unpredictable teams competes against better competition. 

5.) Wesleyan (7-3)

Contrary to Andrew’s (unsurprisingly) favorable preview for the Cardinals entering this season, this team has proven to be human in the early going despite their notable athleticism. They played a non-conference game against Williams and lost by 15—not such a bad result considering the prowess of the second-ranked Eph team. It actually was a poorly played game by the Cardinals, boding even better for their future games against the NESCAC’s top foes as they shot just 25% from beyond the arc. They also hauled in just 28 boards which was likely the main issue—allowing Williams to dominate on defense. Jordan Bonner, Austin Hutcherson, and Antone Walker are the big time scorers for this Wesleyan team, all averaging at least 14 PPG and represent a dangerous trio of shooters. This young team may be a bit inconsistent at times with Bonner as the only senior on the roster, but they should have a shot in some games that they are not favored in due to their athleticism and potential to score. 

6.) Colby (8-2)

This young Mule team is coming out of nowhere to intimidate the other NESCAC competition in the 2018-2019 preseason. While I didn’t really expect them to compete without any seniors on the roster, they are quietly putting together wins with five players averaging double digit point in the early going. Matt Hanna (14.1 PPG, 5.7 REB/G, 3.5 A/G), Sam Jefferson (16.6 PPG, 4.0 REB/G, 40.3% 3-PT), Wallace Tucker (11.1 PPG, 3.7 REB/G, 2.0 A/G), Noah Tyson (11.8 PPG, 8.6 REB/G, 2.6 A/G), and Ronan Schwarz (11.9 PPG, 4.9 REB/G, 58.2% FG) round out a well-balanced, and deep starting five for the Mules. While it’s hard to determine the quality of their opponents, they knocked off Bowdoin pretty easily 83-70 and Bates 86-69. 

7.) Trinity (7-3)

Trinity is a team much like Colby in that they lack a superstar or one player really performing above the rest of the team. Four of five starters (Kyle Padmore, Donald Jorden, Christian Porydzy, and Nick Seretta) average 10 PPG while Connor Merinder adds 8.3 PPG. Jordan and Merinder each haul in 8.1 and 6.4 REB/G, respectively and are the best rim defenders on the team. They lost to pretty badly 84-67 to 16th ranked Nichols but lost by less than five points in their other two hiccups thus far. This team still has a lot to figure out after losing key players last season, much like Middlebury and Amherst, but they seem to have a deep enough lineup so far to be dangerous and a match for many NESCAC foes. 

8.) Bowdoin (6-3)

Despite a below average 6-3 record entering the break, including a loss to rival Colby College, the Polar Bears are boasting a modest four game win streak after staring the season just 2-3. While it often takes some time for younger teams to get going, I didn’t expect to see this from the rather experienced Bowdoin team. Jack Simonds, Jack Bors, Hugh O’Neil, and David Reynolds who represent a similar level of experience to the Hamilton team. In fact, I’d even go to say that similar to Hamilton, this is the year of hope and destiny for the Bowdoin team too. If there was ever a year for them to make a run at the whole thing, this is it. Now I’m by no means saying they’re as talented as Hamilton or Williams, but David Reynolds and Jack Simonds both have POY potential, making a run at the league’s scoring title, and Hugh O’Neil has DPOY potential, bringing down rebounds with the best of them for his entire career. They fall all the way down here to eighth on these first power rankings of the season, but I wouldn’t be surprised to see them get hot and make a run and host a first round playoff game. 

Simonds, Bors, and O’Neil represent a NESCAC ‘Big 3’ that could challenge any team on any day.

9.) Tufts (4-5)

Nobody lost more key players than Tufts did at the end of 2018. They lost starters Thomas Lapham, Everett Dayton, and, most importantly, Vinny Pace, leaving them with just Miles Bowser and team leader Eric Savage remaining. Savage, however, is the only Jumbo left in the starting lineup from last season as Bowser is no longer on the roster. Tyler Aronson and Carson Cohen are two of the new starters and are freshmen looking to make a quick impact at the college level. Both highly decorated high school players, Aronson and Cohen should improve as the season goes along but likely, as seen in their early record, will be overmatched by against some better teams and will experience up-and-down shooting nights. Rounding out the starting five are sophomores Justin Kouyoumdjian (that is a mouth full), Brennan Morris, and Luke Rogers. Savage has been a bit banged up thus far, leaving room for Cohen to make an early impact, but expect Cohen to come off the bench in games that Savage plays in. Arguably their best game of the season was in a loss to #7 MIT that went to OT early in the season. While the Jumbos might be the last ‘good’ team in these power rankings, they still have the talent to knock off any team on any day, speaking to the depth of the NESCAC. 

10.) Conn College (3-5)

And then there were two. Conn and Bates seem to be far below the rest of the NESCAC competition thus far. I hope they prove me wrong, but each program is in different places and will struggle for different reasons throughout the spring. For Conn, they have their star player, David Labossiere, leading the way but they lack a solid supporting cast to propel them into the fire of the NESCAC competition. Dan Draffan is another great player for the Camels, but Jack Zimmerman, Phil Leotsakos, and Ryan Omslaer need to step up their game for Conn to work to sneak into the playoffs. With that said, however, Labossiere could make a run for the NESCAC scoring title and could take over any game as he is shooting 40% from deep and averaging nearly 20 PPG so far. Draffan scores over 16 PPG and hauls in nearly 10 boards per game and if they can figure out how to score, this team could upset better NESCAC teams on their off nights. 

11.) Bates (2-7)

Bates had an underwhelming but not abysmal 2017-2018 season, but lost one of their starters in Guards Shawn Strickland. They went into the holiday break with five straight losses, two to NESCAC teams (Colby and Bowdoin) which I think clearly makes them the worst team in Maine so far. They shoot from beyond the arc at just 27.8%, make under 60% of their free throws, and only have two players in Jeff Spellman and Nick Lynch scoring in the double digits per game. Lynch and Spellman are also the only Bobcats averaging over six boards per game and it looks as if, unless there is going to be a dramatic shift in the new year, this may be a long season for Bates. Tom Coyne should return after the break in time for NESCAC play, and while it’s been rough so far, I wouldn’t be shocked to see Bates make the playoffs and slowly climb up the rankings into the top eight.

Slightly Too Early End of Season Award Candidates

At this point in the season every team has played between 8 and 10 games, which isn’t a particularly large sample size. Well, we decided that the p-value is low enough for us to be able to hand out some awards for what we’ve seen thus far. At the end of the season the NESCAC hands out awards for Player of the Year, Defensive Player of the Year, Rookie of the Year, and Coach of the Year. We felt that this simply isn’t enough to recognize all of the talent that is present in NESCAC basketball, so we added 6th Man of the Year and Comeback Player of the Year. We plan on putting out an updated list midway through the season and, of course, at the end of the season as well so stay tuned because we’re in for an action packed season.

Player of the Year

Kena Gilmour ’20 (Hamilton)

19.7PPG, 6.6REB/G, 2.7AST/G, 52.6% FG

Gilmour has been off to an incredibly hot start in his junior campaign after earning Rookie of the Year honors two seasons ago and finding a spot on the all-NESCAC first team last year. He is a true do-it-all player who scores, shares the ball, rebounds, and defends well. Averaging 19.7 points per game is already impressive as it is, but he hasn’t even played full minutes in a number of their matchups given that they’ve been blowing teams out. I honestly wouldn’t be surprised to see his scoring numbers actually increase come conference play. What really stands out is that he’s shooting over 50% from the field, proving that he’s an efficient scorer who has the awareness to take good shots and not force anything despite being the team’s best player. He’s certainly aided by the fact that the Continentals have so many other threats, but the 6’4” guard is already looking like a very strong candidate for POY honors.

Defensive Player of the Year

Matt Folger ’20 (Middlebury)

9.9REB/G, 2.1BLK/G, 0.9STL/G

He’s no slouch on the offensive end either, but Folger has really been making a name for himself on the other end of the court. In the NESCAC, guys who are 6’8” and 210 pounds are almost always going to be big men so Folger has a huge advantage given that he plays as a wing. He possesses the size to defend NESCAC bigs but he has the quickness and athleticism to defend guards as well. It also doesn’t hurt that the Panthers have an outstanding true big man in Eric McCord, so Folger has been able to play mostly around the perimeter. This is a huge reason for why he is tied for the league lead in blocks per game – he’s almost always defending someone 2 to 5 inches shorter than him. This allows him to often get a hand on jump shots when he’s closing out on a shooter. Folger consistently causes problems for whomever he is defending, so opponents beware and try not to get distracted by that outrageous moustache.

Rookie of the Year

Noah Tyson ’22 (Colby)

11.8PPG, 8.6REB/G, 2.6AST/G, 0.5TO/G

At this point in the season, this was the easiest award to pick. The former Mr. Basketball in Vermont has really been making a name for himself during his first season in Waterville. His scoring numbers have been good, but the 6’2” guard has been hauling in rebounds like it’s his job. His 8.6 rebounds per game is good for 8thin the NESCAC, but each of the 7 guys ahead of him on the leaderboard are over 6’4” so you can see that Tyson is a next level athlete. Perhaps the most promising feature of Tyson’s game is that he’s very sure-handed with the ball. The freshman is averaging a miniscule 0.5 turnovers per game, giving him the 3rdhighest assist-to-turnover ratio (5.2) in the league. He has all the tools to become a star, so keep an eye on the standout youngster to see if he can continue this blistering pace as we start to move into conference play.

Side note: Apologies for using this photo of Tyson from last year, but Colby hasn’t uploaded their headshots for basketball season yet so it’s the best we could do.

6th Man of the Year

Max Bosco ’21 (Middlebury)

15.3PPG, 2.9AST/G, 48.2% FG

Here’s another early award that was frankly a no-brainer. Bosco has been easily the most effective 6thman in the league, putting up an impressive 15.3 points while playing just 21.6 minutes per game. He is the perfect complement to Middlebury’s top offensive threats – Matt Folger and Jack Farrell – because it allows the Panthers to take one of those two off the court and without sacrificing any offensive production. Bosco is a guy that is easy to lose track of, but if you do then he’ll make you pay. He’s capable of knocking down threes with his quick release, but he can also put the ball on the floor and get to the rim if you close out too hard. This guy is exactly what the Panthers could ask for in a 6thman and the rest of the league should be on notice – don’t forget about Max Bosco.

Comeback Player of the Year

Kyle Scadlock ’19 (Williams)

14.4PPG, 9.2REB/G, 2.3AST/G, 63.2% FG

Not only is Scadlock a lock to win comeback player of the year, but he’s also a very serious contender for player of the year. The senior currently falls at 16thin the NESCAC in points per game, however he’s doing that while taking nearly half as many shots per game as the first 15 guys on the list. Shooting 60% over the course of an entire season seems impossible, but Scadlock has been getting great looks because of how many other weapons are in this Eph lineup. Scadlock has also been a rebounding machine thus far, but this also isn’t too much of a surprise given that he’s 6’7” and is almost always the most athletic guy on the court. Williams has also played a relatively easy schedule to this point so they haven’t needed any serious late-game leadership that a guy like Scadlock can bring. I wouldn’t be surprised to see his scoring totals actually start to increase once they start facing more talented teams.

Coach of the Year

Damien Strahorn (Colby)

This is probably the toughest award to give out this early in the season since each team has played a vastly different schedule to date. That said, Strahorn is doing an excellent job with the guys he has to come up with a winning formula. He has the Mules off to an 8-2 start while scoring the 3rdmost points per game in the conference, behind only Williams and Hamilton who currently sit at #2 and #4 in the national rankings. They also lead the league in assists per game and are doing a very respectable job rebounding given their lack of a true big man. On the other end Colby forces a ton of turnovers and are very pesky defensively, which is exactly how they need to play with their size disparity. If he can keep the Mules as hot as they have been to flip the script from last season’s 10thplace finish, Strahorn will be on his way to earning coach of the year honors.

Middlebury Basketball 2019 Season Preview

Middlebury College Panthers

2017-2018 Record: 21-7 (7-3 NESCAC), Lost in NESCAC Quarterfinals, Lost in NCAA Sweet 16

2018-2019 Projected Record: 18-6 Regular Season (7-3 NESCAC), Lose in NESCAC Semifinals, Lose in NCAA Sweet 16

Key Losses:

G Matt Daly ’18 (15.8 PPG, 8.4 REB/G, 8.5 AST/G)

The Panthers will miss Daly and his hustle this season.

Anybody who knows Middlebury basketball knows how important Jack Daly was the to program. When he wasn’t making highlight reel passes to Matt St. Amour or making off and-1 layups look easy, he was leading this team on the court and running the floor even when he didn’t have the ball. He was a classic DIII player—he made the shots he needed to, had great ball handling skills and fundamentals, but didn’t do anything that jumped off the page other than dish out dimes. He didn’t shoot well from the perimeter, shooting just 23.5% from deep, and those replacing him, namely Joey Leighton, should see a big jump in production.

F/C Nick Tarentino ’18 (7.2 PPG, 6.8 REB/G)

Tarentino was one of three big men that occupied the ‘5’ spot on the court for Middlebury. The Panthers retain just one of those three, Eric McCord, who should see a big increase in minutes per game. These three big men also split time relatively evenly, but Tarentino started each game. His production was quieter than McCords at times, but he added great defensive help and second chance baskets around the rim.

F Adisa Majors ’18 (7.6 PPG, 5.0 REB/G)

Majors was the third part of the group of big men and was the best shooter of the group. He shot well from around the elbows and was ice cold on the court. He was never phased by pressure and was a key veteran presence that will be missed with this young Panther team.

Projected Starting Lineup:

G: Jack Farrell ‘21 (8.3 PPG, 3.0 REB/G, 1.6 AST/G, 36.4% 3-PT)

Jack Farrell ’21

In his first year, Farrell took over a big role, replacing Jake Brown ’17. He performed well though and if you didn’t know, you wouldn’t have guessed he was a freshman. He plays a clean game and handles the ball well and should see a huge jump in assists this season after the departure of Daly ’18. He will bring the ball up court for the Panthers this season and should shoot in a similar way that Daly did, mostly scrapping to get to the rim and dishing it out to the better outside shooters—although he is more capable from deep than Daly was.

G: Griffin Kornaker ‘21 (3.3 PPG, 1.0 REB/G, 1.7 A/G, 43.4% FG)

Griffin Kornaker ’21

This role will be split between Joey Leighton ’20 and Kornaker, although I see Kornaker starting most games due to his defensive ability. The two play very different styles of basketball and Kornaker isn’t much of a shooter. He, like Farrell should pass it out often on offense but is quick and competent from mid-range. I would imagine he and Farrell will lead the team in assists by a wide margin.

 

G: Hilal Dahleh ‘19 (7.9 PPG, 2.3 REB/G, 1.3 A/G, 42.6% 3-PT)

Hilal Dahleh ’19

Daleh, a senior captain, is due for a breakout year. He was injured throughout his entire sophomore season and came back strong last year as a starter and put up solid numbers. Now, as a senior, after a healthy season behind him, he should be one of the elite shooters in the league from both mid-range and from beyond the arc. He is a smaller ‘3’ player at only 6’3” but moves well laterally and should be able to keep up on defense without issue. His 3-point efficiency was elite last year at over 40% and could only improve with more time on the court this season.

F: Matt Folger ’20 (13.7 PPG, 6.9 REB/G, 32.9% 3-PT)

Matt Folger ’20

Folger is the most important player on this Middlebury team. This is very much a win-by-committee roster that the Panthers have this season in that many players will shoot, pass, and rebound, not just the starting five like in the past few years. Folger, however, is their X-Factor. He is the most athletic player on the court, can jump well, dominate the rim, offensively and defensively, and can shoot on top of that. He could easily average over 18 PPG and push for a double-double in each contest. Fear him, NESCAC opponents.

C: Eric McCord ’19 (8.5 PPG PPG, 6.8 REB/G, 18.7 MIN/G)

Eric McCord ’19

McCord, like Daleh, should see a big uptick in his nightly averages this season. McCord has always performed well when on the court, threatening for a double-double in games where he plays far less than 20 minutes. One of the major keys for him this season is durability and discipline, as he will need to be on the floor more than in years past and often finds himself in injury and foul trouble. He is extremely physical on the court and could really dominate some of the other NESCAC big men with his 6’7” 250 lb frame.

Everything Else

Middlebury has a new era of guards who are going to start making their mark on the program in 2019. This is the first time since the 2014-2015 season that one of the big three (Matt St. Amour, Jake Brown, and Jack Daly) won’t be on the floor, and the Panthers have a lot of ground to make up here. Luckily for them they have an already experienced crop of sophomores in Jack Farrell, Griffin Kornaker, and Max Bosco who are all fully capable of running the floor. Those three, however, are not as good of shooters as some of the other guards in the league, and as a result, the Panthers are going to lean heavily on Joey Leighton for their sharp-shooting needs. Leighton was often brought in off the bench late in close games to drain threes and already started off hot, going 5-9 from deep in Midd’s opener against Vermont Tech. I’d guess that his efficiency from beyond the arc will spike to above 40% this year as he gets more consistent minutes in his junior season.

Folger and the Panthers are an athletic group.

Losing both Tarentino and Majors will really hurt the Panthers, not as much because of their playing ability which McCord could easily replace, but because of the depth and experience that each offered. McCord can’t handle the big man spot all by himself and will need a combination of youngsters to step up to cover the minutes when he is not on the court. Alex Sobel ’22 and Ryan Cahill ’21 look like the likely candidates to occupy the missing minutes as McCord probably won’t exceed 25 minutes on the court in any given night. McCord has exceeded 25 minutes on the court in just seven games in his 82 game career, reaching 30 minutes just once. His average over the past two seasons is just under 19 minutes per game, leaving a likely average of about 12-16 minutes per game this year that Cahill and Sobel will have to cover. Sobel and Cahill are both listed at 6’7” 210 lbs which suggests that they lack the physicality of McCord, fitting the mold of a player more like Tarentino ’18. Cahill played in just 11 games as a freshman and didn’t exactly shoot efficiently (18.8% FG). In order for Midd to compete for all 40 minutes in their difficult games, these two young big men will need to step up and improve around the rim and haul in boards while McCord isn’t on the floor.

Despite the graduation of Daly, Middlebury should still do what they always do—win basketball games. Coach Jeff Brown knows the NESCAC as well as any coach and he knows how to bring his team to the NCAA promise land, and this year should be no different for the #17 ranked Panthers according to D3 Hoops. It might take the Panthers a little while to find their groove, but they have enough veteran leadership and spark from deep into their bench that they should outlast most NESCAC opponents. Other than Folger, they don’t quite have the star power that they usually do, but expect them to have good fundamentals on the court and make few mistakes. They should have better outside shooting that last season and should play defense just as well. If they young guards can pass anywhere near as well as Daly, they’ll be tough to defend as they have shooters in each different part of the floor on offense. I don’t think they’ll have such an easy time in NESCAC regular season play as they have the past two seasons (15-5 from 2017-2018), but they could easily make a long run in the playoffs.

How the Tables Have Turned: Middlebury Men’s Basketball Sweet Sixteen Preview

#18 Middlebury (21-6, 7-4, Beat Lebanon Valley and Eastern Connecticut)

The Panthers played their two most complete games of the season in their first two NCAA games. They simply overpowered Lebanon Valley and Eastern Connecticut, dominating the boards and (finally) hitting some open outside shots. And, as Colby brought up in the Stock Report, Middlebury’s path to the Final Four is clearer than one might expect at this point in the tournament. Thanks to some upsets in the earlier rounds, (namely Ramapo over Williams and MIT over Johns Hopkins,) Middlebury has a team ranked behind them and two unranked teams in their bracket this weekend. It’s impossible to dream up a more satisfying start to the tournament for Middlebury, especially after such a discouraging end of the regular season. And it has a chance to get even more satisfying after these two games.

How They Got Here:

The thing that made Middlebury’s performances last weekend so satisfying was that they were finally able to play their game. After months of playing a slowed down, offensively stagnant style of basketball that even the most passionate Middlebury fans had trouble watching, the Panthers finally got out and ran. This team was always meant to play fast; that’s why coaches Brown and Dudley brought in four guards in their recruiting class. And of course, Jack Daly’s greatest strengths are finishing and creating in transition. In the half court, it’s easier for teams to sag off him and dare him to shoot jump shots. When Daly is locked up, the whole team is in trouble, as their biggest weakness is their lack of a solid secondary ball handler. But when Daly is freed up to run (and when other guards are hitting their shots,) Middlebury truly can beat anyone in the country.

Jack Farrell ’21 looked ready to step into the lead guard role last weekend against Eastern Connecticut.

The keys to Middlebury’s wins were transition offense, as I mentioned above, rebounding, and secondary scoring. Matt Folger ’20 spent much of the weekend in foul trouble, a situation that has often spelled trouble for the Panthers during their end of the season struggles. When Folger wasn’t playing well, Middlebury simply didn’t have enough perimeter scoring to keep up with NESCAC opponents. Their biggest wins came when they got contributions from guards other than Daly. Joey Leighton ’20, Hilal Dahleh ’19 Jack Farrell ’21 are all guards who have the capability of scoring double digits, but have been inconsistent for much of the season. But last weekend they all found their groove. Dahleh and Leighton both hit their open threes against Lebanon Valley, and then against Eastern Connecticut, Farrell and Dahleh went off. They combined for 35 points and hit four threes, making it so Daly could focus more on finishing at the rim and facilitating. It’s not an exaggeration to say that Middlebury played their perfect game against Eastern Connecticut, and they’ll have to play a couple more if they want a trip to Salem.

X Factor: G Hilal Dahleh ’19

Hilal Dahleh
Hilal Dahleh ’19 (Courtesy of Middlebury Athletics)

It says something that Middlebury’s two best wins of the season, at home versus Williams in the regular season and last weekend at Eastern Connecticut, have been Dahleh’s two best games of the year (16 points in each.) Dahleh missed all of his sophomore season with a back injury, so some of his early season struggles can certainly be attributed to rust. But he is still often too unselfish, passing up open shots in favor of more ball movement and drives into an already crowded lane. But when Dahleh is aggressive, he adds an entirely new dimension to Middlebury’s offense. He has a smooth outside shot, and might be Middlebury’s second best creator off the dribble other than Daly, depending on whether or not Farrell is on that night. His defense is also valuable. At 6’3″ with long arms, he is capable of defending forwards on switches or simply matching up with them, something Farrell isn’t great at yet. But if he isn’t an offensive threat, it’s harder to justify having him out there. I wrote above how important secondary scoring is to Middlebury, but Dahleh might be the most important one of those three guards due to his combination of floor spacing and defense. He will have to bring both against MIT on Friday.

The Competition:

#19 MIT Engineers (24-5, 10-4, Won Their Conference):

AJ Jurko
AJ Jurko ’19 was Defensive Player of the Year last year in MIT’s conference, and has stepped up in the absence of Bradley Jomard.

The Engineers decided to break from their homework (burn) long enough to upset Johns Hopkins last weekend to earn a Sweet 16 berth. They play the Panthers on Friday in a game that is neither team’s ideal matchup. MIT fits the profile of teams that give the Panthers fits, such as Bowdoin and Hamilton (I know, not exactly contemporaries, but hear me out.) They are deadly from three point land, shooting 41% as a team. They have four regular players who shoot over 43% from downtown; guards AJ Jurko ’19, Cameron Korb ’19 and Ian Hinkley ’21, and forward Hamilton Forsyth ’21. Middlebury has struggled when teams can stretch them out with shooters, and MIT seems to have that kind of depth. For much of the season these shooters surround the all around brilliance of Bradley Jomard ’19, who averages 16 points, 5.7 rebounds and 6.3 assists per game. Incredibly, Jomard has missed their entire conference tournament and NCAA run with an injury. This article leaves it ambiguous as to whether or not he’ll play, but MIT is certainly capable of winning without him. They are dominant defensively, holding opponents to just 63 points per game, and have lots of long guards to throw at Daly (Jurko is 6’4″, as is Hinkley.) Middlebury should be ready for a dogfight.

Ramapo Roadrunners (23-6, 15-3, won Conference Tournament):

Ironically, last weekend most Middlebury fans were rooting very hard for the Roadrunners as they took down Williams. But now, Middlebury travels to Ramapo with the potential to face down the host time for a trip to the Final Four. Ramapo over Williams was certainly an upset. Williams entered the game ranked fifth in the country, while Ramapo was unranked. But Williams may have been guilty of looking past Ramapo, and specifically leading scorer Thomas Bonacum ’18.

TommyBonacumNCAA18
Thomas Bonacum ’18 roasted Williams last weekend.

Bonacum’s shooting numbers entering the game weren’t mind-blowing (14.6 points per game on 42% shooting, 30% from three,) but it turns out he had another gear to reach. He lit up Williams for 33 points (half of their team total of 66) on 11-15 shooting, and added 13 rebounds. Bonacum has great size at 6’6″ and 230 pounds, and can step behind the arc, going 5-7 from downtown against Williams. Ramapo seems to rely mostly on him and a very strong defense, holding their opponents to just 38.5% shooting on the season. This defense masks a lack of outside shooting on their own team. Ramapo only shooting 32.4% from three as a whole, so teams should be able to focus a lot of energy on Bonacum and the paint. But they also have to score points themselves, something that Williams couldn’t do against the Roadrunners.

Franklin and Marshall Diplomats (22-6, 14-4, lost in Conference Semifinal to Johns Hopkins:)

Brandon Federici
Brandon Federici ’18

The final team in this mini-bracket, Franklin and Marshall joins Middlebury as a team that has come back from an early exit in their conference tournament. They have had a somewhat easy path in NCAA tournament so far, beating two also unranked teams in Emory & Henry and Chris. Newport. But the Diplomats are dangerous (note: dangerous diplomats is a good screenplay idea.) They are led in scoring by senior guard Brandon Federici ’18, who averaged 19.5 points per game. Federici is something of a volume scorer, shooting just 41% from the field and 38% from three, but he can heat up and change a game all by himself. Alongside Federici is PG Matthew Tate ’18, who averages 14.0 points per game and 4.1 assists. Tate also shoots 40% from three. This team would seem to be an ideal matchup for Middlebury. The Panthers lock down guards as well as anyone in the country, and Franklin and Marshall is not a very big team, allowing the Panthers to own the boards. But a lot of things have to happen for this matchup to occur. Well actually, only two things. Franklin and Marshall has to upset the hosts, and, more importantly for this article, Middlebury has to take care of MIT on Friday night.

Stock Report 3/6: Just Staying Alive or Dominating the Dance?

Stock Up

Jack Daly and Middlebury’s Rebounding

While Daly might not be able to change his position in the Player of the Year race anymore, he is doing everything he can to keep his senior season going. He put up a triple-double in Midd’s opening round win over Lebanon Valley with 13 points, 14 assists, and 11 boards. The Panthers won 83-63 and continued their dominance by dominating the regional host, Eastern Connecticut, 83-58. The Panthers handed the Warriors just their fourth loss of the season and did so in convincing fashion, simply outplaying and out rebounding their opponents. We know Midd likely won’t shoot over 40% from beyond the arc, so their front court, which includes Daly, their PG, is the key to winning games. They more than doubled Eastern Conn’s board totals (54 to 26) and have a lethal combination of Eric McCord, Adisa Majors, Matt Folger and Nick Tarantino playing as forwards. They actually have a favorable path to the final four too. #19 MIT is a tough opponent, but is still missing top player Bradley Jomard, and regardless of whether he returns or not, he likely won’t be at 100% (to learn more about Jomard and MIT, check out this article by d3hoops.) In a potential elite-8 matchup, the Panthers would see either unranked Ramapo (who upset Williams 66-62) or unranked Franklin and Marshall.

Daly was on his game last weekend, and has Middlebury with the Final Four in their sights.

Hamilton’s Chances of Advancing

Hamilton breezed by their opening round opponent, Nazareth, 86-72, and then struggled to knock off #11 York 69-66. York was ranked higher than Hamilton and higher than any opponent of any of the other NESCAC teams, and was a great test for the Continentals. Now, they play unranked Springfield in a sweet-16 matchup and would likely follow that up against sectional host, Swarthmore, who is ranked 14th by d3hoops. Springfield went 1-3 against NESCAC opponents this year, only beating Wesleyan in a game where the Cardinals shot just 3-25 from three—something Hamilton won’t do. Swarthmore lost to York earlier this year but also beat Middlebury handily 91-75. But let’s not forget that Hamilton also demolished Middlebury 102-83. They also went 2-1 against #12 Johns Hopkins, but lost in their conference tournament like Hamilton. With their starting lineup’s balance and shooting potential, the Continentals just might make a run to the Final Four. Check back later for a more in depth preview of Hamilton’s sectional.

Kena Gilmour ’20 and Hamilton are making the selection committee looking silly for not giving them a home game in the first round.

Stock Down

Second Round Success:

While both Wesleyan and Williams were able to breeze by their opening round opponents, they each suffered defeats to Swarthmore and Ramapo, respectively. Wesleyan was trounced 97-75 against the team ranked just ahead of them nationally (14 compared to 15). While they shot over 35% from the field and from deep, their fouling and Swarthmore’s unbelievable execution from the charity stripe (21-22) led them to victory over the Cardinals. Williams, on the other hand, had an easy draw in their first two rounds and lost to a Ramapo team that didn’t have a tough strength of schedule on their home court. James Heskett had a tough day from beyond the arc, shooting just 3-12 and the NESCAC champions now need to look towards next season.

NCAA Selection

Hamilton had great success in the regular season, had a high national ranking, and ridiculous thanks of schedule (thanks to the NESCAC’s four NCAA tournament team), but didn’t get to host any playoff games. The result of their opening rounds was a proverbial middle finger to the haters who paired them up with a great York basketball team. They proved that they were deserving of a home game and might legitimize their position and their program for future years.

Second Chances: Middlebury NCAA Opening Round Preview

#18 Middlebury (19-6, 7-3, Lost in Quarterfinals to Wesleyan)

After some short-but-very-real sweating over whether or not the Panthers would even get an NCAA bid, Middlebury now faces a long road trip to scenic Willimantic, Connecticut. Willimantic is the hometown of Former US Senator Chris Dodd, and, more relevantly for this tournament, the Eastern Connecticut Warriors. As most NESCAC fans probably know, Middlebury ended the season on a three game losing streak, including a loss in the NESCAC quarterfinals to Wesleyan. This was pretty incongruous with the rest of their season, which was a huge success. Middlebury was 19-3 heading into the final weekend, and climbed as high as fifth in the national rankings. There’s no reason that Middlebury can’t reach those heights again.

How They Got Here:

For most of the season, Middlebury was the consensus best team in the league, thanks in large part to recently crowned All-League  Jack Daly ’18. Daly carried a ridiculous (and it turns out, unsustainable) burden on both sides of the ball for Middlebury, leading the team in points, rebounds, assists and steals. But Middlebury’s ideal offense have come when Daly is able to sit back, pick his spots to drive and create shots for others. The Panthers’ best win of the year was at home over now #5 Williams. In that game, guards Hilal Dahleh ’19 and Joey Leighton ’20 combined for 32 points, allowing Daly to play a game more suited to his skill set. He finished with just seven points, but had 11 assists and four steals. Middlebury led the Ephs by double digits for pretty much the entire game, before Bobby Casey ’19 spearheaded a furious final minute comeback. Middlebury is at their best when they can get contributions from players other than Daly and Matt Folger ’20, and for much of the season, they did just that.

Middlebury needs role players like joey Leighton ’20 to hit some shots in order to take pressure off of the stars.

How They Lose:

This may seem obvious based on the previous paragraph, but Middlebury loses when they don’t get any secondary contributions. Daly is not a shooter, therefore teams, especially elite NESCAC defenses, have had success packing the paint and forcing him to finish over size. The obvious solution to that would be for him to kick it out to shooters, forcing the defense to spread out and giving him more open lanes to the basket, and the big men more room to finish. Unfortunately, for those who watch Middlebury consistently (like me) it feels like Middlebury hasn’t hit a three point shot in about a month. The Panthers have struggled shooting the ball to such an extent that it shouldn’t even really be called “struggling” anymore; they just aren’t a good shooting team. This was the problem in all three of the losses that ended their regular season prematurely. Middlebury couldn’t hit any shots, therefore teams could lock in on Daly and make him finish difficult layups. He had 20 against Wesleyan in the quarterfinals, but many of them were very difficult shots and he was blocked several times at the end of the game.

Unfortunately, there are no real solutions here for the Panthers other than “somebody hit some shots.” After a long slump, Folger seems to have come around a little bit towards the end of league play, but Middlebury still needs more. Leighton and Dahleh are the chief candidates; they have to view the NCAA tournament as a new season and come out aggressive. There have been too many games of late where one of them misses their first shot and then hesitates the rest of the game. First years Jack Farrell ’21 and Griffin Kornaker ’21 also must be factors, at least as ball handlers to take some pressure off Daly. Middlebury has the tools to make an NCAA run. They showed it over their first 22 games of this season. But they can’t do that if they can’t score.

The Competition:

Lebanon Valley (18-9, 10-6, Conference Champs)

Sam Light
Sam Light ’18 (Courtesy of Lebanon Valley Athletics)

Middlebury’s Friday opponent, the Dutchmen earned their NCAA berth by way of a thrilling 70-68 win in the MAC Commonwealth Championship game. Lebanon Valley is led by senior guard Sam Light ’18, who led his conference in scoring with 23.3 PPG and poured in 35 in the championship game. Light is a gunner, shooting a ridiculous 47.6% from three on the season. Second on the team in scoring is Andy Orr ’18, a forward who pours in 18 points a game along with 9.9 rebounds. Other than those two, the Dutchmen are very thing, with no one else scoring more than 8 points per game. As a team they shoot well from three at 36.5%, but are exploitable on the boards, only out-rebounding their opponents by three per game (low for a conference champion.) On paper, this seems like a good matchup for Middlebury. The Panthers defend guards very well (ask Bobby Casey,) so Light should see a heavy dose of Daly and Farrell. And Middlebury crashes the offensive glass hard, and has a definite size advantage in this game (Orr is the only player in the rotation over 6’4″.) Middlebury should be able to win this one playing their game.

#10 Eastern Connecticut (25-3, 13-1, Conference Champs)

This is the team that makes this a tough draw for the Panthers. The home team in this round of the tournament, the Warriors are tenth in the country and ended the season third in the regional rankings, sandwiched right between Wesleyan (2) and Hamilton (4) and have been a popular NESCAC non conference opponent in recent years. This season they went 3-0 against NESCAC teams, although those teams were Connecticut College, Trinity and Amherst before Amherst got good. The Warriors are a transition-minded team. They shoot very well from three, making nearly 10 per game on 37.5% shooting, and they pick nearly ten steals per game as well, which translate into fast break baskets.

Tarchee Brown ’18 is one of the best players in the region.

Like Middlebury, they rely a great deal on their star guard. Tarchee Brown ’18 was the Player of the Year in the Little East Conference, averaging over 19 points per game with 9 rebounds and 4 assists. He is the kind of Player that Middlebury has trouble with, as his length and athleticism make it hard for Daly to match him, but his quickness makes Folger not the right call either. Eastern Connecticut also boasts their conference’s Defensive Player of the Year in G Carlos Gonzalez ’20. Gonzalez averaged over 3 steals per game, as well as 5 assists. The Warriors lack size and depth in the middle, however. Their tallest starter F Leonal Hyatt ’19 at 6’6″, 210, and they only have one forward who is in the rotation off the bench. Should they match up, this is an area for Middlebury to exploit on an otherwise dominant team.

Johnson and Wales (19-9, 13-3, Conference Champs)

Brian Hogan-Gary
Brian Hogan-Gary ’19 (Courtesy of Johnson and Wales Athletics)

Annnnnnd in this corner, from the GNAC, we have the Johnson and Wales Wildcats. The Wildcats have a balanced scoring attack; all five of their starters average at least 10 points. They are led by G Brian Hogan-Gary ’19, who averaged 17.5 points per game on over 50% shooting. He also came with two assists of having a quadrouple-double against Anna Maria, putting 17 points, 10 rebound and 10 steals(!) to go along with 8 assists. The rest of the team follows Hogan-Gary’s lead. They win with a combination of timely shooting and tenacious defense, making up for a lack of serious outside threats. Their only player who shoots more than 35% from three in G Jarrell Martin ’18, who shoots exactly 35% (although they have shot better in league play than their overall numbers.) Like many non-NESCAC conference teams, they are very undersized, with no players over 6’5′. They should run into the buzzsaw that is Eastern Connecticut at home. But it’s March now, and in March, anything can happen.