Tag: Basketball

Basketball Power Rankings 1/8

Connor Green '16 and the Lord Jeffs are at the top of the ranks. What else is new? (Mark Box, Clarus Studios, Inc.)
Connor Green ’16 and the Lord Jeffs are at the top of the ranks. What else is new? (Mark Box, Clarus Studios, Inc.)

There are a lot of teams in the NESCAC that have performed very well so far this year, but everything changes once conference play begins. Will Amherst continue playing to their potential? Is Colby a real threat to go deep in the tournament? Is Tufts’ fast pace sustainable? Check out the initial power rankings to get a closer look at how each NESCAC team has done so far this year.

1. Amherst (10-1)

Coming into the year, Amherst was a clear favorite to win the NESCAC. They lost next to nothing from last year’s roster, and their younger players such as Jayde Dawson ’18, Michael Riopel ’18, and reigning NESCAC ROY Jonny McCarthy ’18 all gained valuable experience that has already provided dividends here early in the season. Amherst has played some low-talent teams this year, but what’s important is that they’ve beaten these teams in convincing fashion. Amherst has also played some very solid teams – Babson, Eastern Connecticut and Rust – and has showed that they can, in fact, win close games. In their one loss this season, to Rhodes College, Amherst shot just 6-11 from the free throw line. Additionally, McCarthy and Connor Green ’16 combined to shoot just 11-32 from the field, 3-15 from beyond the arc, and attempted zero free throws. Though Amherst has a deep bench, the Lord Jeffs can’t rely on the bench to carry the scoring load. McCarthy and Green can’t keep missing 12 threes a game between them and expect to win in conference play. Regardless, I expect that this will just be a blip on the radar and the Lord Jeffs will get back up to speed when they open up NESCAC action in Amherst tonight against their bitter rival, Williams.

2. Tufts (9-2)

Last year, Tufts was 4-7 when they faced off with Middlebury in their first conference game. With a new and improved offense, and a much more mature team, Tufts stands at 9-2 and is ranked #22 nationally as they prepare to host Bowdoin tonight. Their new run-and-gun offense has propelled their scoring average from a NESCAC-low 67.6 ppg last year to 84.1 ppg this year. Last year, Tufts was 10th in the NESCAC in free throws made per game and ninth in free throw attempts per game, but this year they are first in both categories, averaging 21.7 points from the line per game! The Jumbos are winning games against strong teams by putting pressure on their opponents. They gang rebound on defense and then push the ball up the court. On the other end, they crash the boards hard, pulling down 13.3 offensive rebounds per game. Obviously, Tom Palleschi ’17 is leading the team in rebounds, but it has been Vinny Pace ’18 that has anchored the offense this year. It seems that Palleschi is fine with his decreased scoring role, however. He has instead focused more on his defense, shown by his leap from 2.4 bpg to 4.2 bpg. The key for the Jumbos this year has been balance. They use a lot of guys in the rotation, and, so far, this has led to success for them. As long as they can stay in control at such a fast pace, I’m anticipating more success with this style against conference opponents.

3. Wesleyan (11-1)

Wesleyan heads up to Middlebury tonight riding an 11-game winning streak, and over 12 games they have allowed just 65.6 ppg, which ranks third in the NESCAC. The Cardinals have built this impressive record with their stifling defense, which causes havoc for opposing ball handlers and forces turnovers. Wesleyan leads the conference with 7.9 spg, allowing for easy run outs. Though Coach Joe Reilly’s team has struggled with turnovers a bit themselves, they are also forcing their opponents into taking bad shots, which is why they’ve had so much success. On the offensive side of the ball, BJ Davis ’16 has stepped up his game immensely this year, and is scoring nearly eight points per game more than he did last year. In some ways, this could be worrisome for the Cardinals; though it’s great that Davis has been such an effective scorer this year, the team as a whole is depending on him to put up his 19.1 ppg, as Joseph Kuo ’17 is the only other Cardinal averaging over 10.0 ppg. I’m anticipating that Davis’ numbers will drop in conference play, opening the door for other players to step up and continue Wesleyan’s hot start.

4. Colby (10-1)

After starting off the season with a 98-92 overtime loss to Staten Island, the Mules have reeled off 10 straight wins, two of which came in back-to-back games against Bowdoin and Bates. However, besides those two victories, none are very impressive. Regardless, 10-1 is nice, and we will see if Colby is as good as they look when they have a rematch against Bates tonight and then head down to Somerville to take on Tufts tomorrow. Colby’s success thus far has come through their five senior starters, particularly center Chris Hudnut ’16 and forward Ryan Jann ’16, who average 16.6 and 17.3 ppg, respectively. The reason these players are able to score so consistently stems from Colby’s team-first approach. Every player on the team is looking to make the extra pass, and each of the five starters records at least two assists per game. Colby’s 19.2 apg leads to open shots, which is why Colby is currently second in the NESCAC in scoring. If Colby can continue to share the ball so effectively, it will be a tough task to take them down.

5. Williams (8-3)

The most remarkable part of the 8-3 record the Ephs have posted so far is the youth that this teams rolls out there day in and day out. Of the seven players with appearances in every one of Williams’ games this season, four are freshmen. Though the Ephs are definitely led by Daniel Aronowitz ’17, Kyle Scadlock ’19 has made a big splash so far this year, exemplified by his 12.4 ppg and 6.7 rpg numbers. I think that the best showing that Williams has had this year is in their two-point loss to Wesleyan. Though Wesleyan did miss 14 free throws in that game, Williams showed they could play defense against a legitimate NESCAC title contender, allowing only 58 points in the game. In the same game, Aronowitz stepped up big-time, scoring 27 of his team’s 56 points. If Aronowitz can continue to hold down the fort for a bit, I think Scadlock’s fellow freshmen will become more comfortable, making Williams a dangerous team as the season progresses.

6. Bowdoin (7-3)

As expected, Lucas Hausman ’16 is off to a hot start for the Polars bears. Through 10 games, Hausman is averaging 24.7 ppg, highlighted most recently by his 35-point performance against Bridgewater State. Since an out-of-conference loss to Colby a month ago, Bowdoin has won four straight, and look to continue that streak tonight against Tufts. As we enter NESCAC play, a huge part of Bowdoin’s success will lie in the hands of Jack Simonds ’19, who has put on quite a show in his bid for NESCAC ROY so far. As a forward who relies on his perimeter shooting, Simonds will be tested in a conference where there are very few teams that play two natural big men. Against Tufts, for example, it’s likely that Simonds will be defended by Vinny Pace and Stefan Duvivier ’18, both of whom are long and athletic, which will make it difficult for Simonds to get his shots off from deep. However, if Tufts or other NESCAC opponents focus primarily on shutting down Hausman, Simonds will have opportunities to launch from deep and will the Polar Bears to victory.

7. Bates (7-5)

Five losses in 12 games is not great, but minus a stretch of three losses in December, Bates has been pretty solid so far this year. Even in those three losses, the Bobcats played pretty well, losing by four each to Colby (in overtime) and Southern Vermont, and by just seven to WPI. Those three teams are all very solid squads, so Bates should not be disappointed with these losses. What is a bit worrisome, however, is allowing triple digits in their other two losses, but luckily for Bates, those two games seem to be anomalies. In wins this year, the Bobcats have been able to keep opponents to just 65.0 ppg, in large part due to the imposing presence of the twin towers down low, Marcus Delpeche ’17 and Malcolm Delpeche ’17. On the offensive end, Mike Boornazian ’16 leads the way with 15.6 ppg. An encouraging sign for Bates is that Boornazian put up 23 points and seven rebounds against Colby, showing that he will indeed be the primary scorer once conference play rolls around. Regardless, what Bates needs out of Boornazian and the Delpeche brothers is consistency, because they really don’t have any other major scoring threats besides those three guys.

8. Trinity (8-4)

It’s pretty easy to look at Trinity’s losses and think that they are getting snubbed with a #8 nod here, but take a closer look. Sure, they’ve lost to solid teams, but do they have any good wins? Not yet. Trinity has not won a game by single digits, and that’s because they have not been able to beat any the good teams on their schedule. The Bantams started the year ranked 12th in the nation, and have since fallen out of the ranks because they have not shown the ability to win a close game. Against Eastern Connecticut, for example, the Bantams we’re actually up by six at the half, but went on to shoot 26.5 percent from the field in the second half and ended up losing by eight. Against Springfield, Trinity turned the ball over 10 times in the first half alone. It has been a trend in all their losses that Trinity has struggled to put together 40 minutes of good basketball. Nonetheless, I have faith that Jaquann Starks ’16, Ed Ogundeko ’17 and Shay Ajayi ’16 can help turn around the Bantams in the second half. Trinity has played good defense all year, so if they can turn things around on offense they’re still in fine position to finish in one of the top four spots in the NESCAC.

9. Connecticut College (7-3)

Conn College has showed a little life this year due to the play of freshmen David Labossiere ’19 and Tyler Rowe ’19. Both players have stepped in and made a huge impact so far, complementing the continued success of sharpshooter Lee Messier ’18 and big man Zuri Pavlin ’17. Rowe, a natural point guard, has done a great job attacking the paint, knowing when to shoot and when to dish. Labossiere, arguably the most athletic freshmen in the NESCAC, rebounds decently well and knows how to finish around the rim. As the Camels face off against NESCAC teams we will learn whether or not these promising young players have made the Camels a competitor in the NESCAC as their three-point loss to a solid SUNY-Canton team suggests. I think that the answer to that question is going to come down to whether or not Conn can slow down their opponents in shooting the basketball, as they currently allow opposing teams to shoot 42.5 percent from the field, the second-worst mark in the league.

10. Hamilton (7-4)

Hamilton, like Williams and Connecticut College, is a team that has been powered primarily by their freshmen so far this year. Peter Hoffmann ’19 has been the main bright spot so far for the Continentals, a freshman star who has stepped in and filled the hole left by the departure of Joseph Lin ’15. The freshman guard is averaging 13.5 ppg through 11 contests this year, and is doing most of his damage inside. While Hoffmann can step out and hit the three here and there, he has a knack for getting to the hoop, and as a result, gets to the free throw line every game. Another freshman bright spot has been Andrew Groll ’19. Groll isn’t a natural scorer, but he is pulling down 7.1 rpg. I think the early season success can be attributed to Hamilton’s players working together and accepting their individual roles on the team. Though they are last in the league in assists, there is no one player that does the majority of the scoring – eight guys are piled in the 3-10 point range, and just two, Hoffmann and Jack Dwyer ’18, are averaging double digits. I am not expecting a lot out of Hamilton in league player this year, but in the next couple years I expect them surge onto the scene as their young core matures.

11. Middlebury (6-6)

The Panthers are off to a tough start, and their mediocre offense is mostly to blame. Middlebury is having trouble winning games primarily because of two main factors: three-point shooting and free throw shooting. Middlebury is ranked second-worst in the NESCAC in made three-point field goals per game with just six. They’re also ranked 10th in made free throws per game, where they hit just 58.6 percent. With such low numbers at the charity stripe, especially in combination with such a lack of outside shooting ability, Middlebury’s only chance is to play absolutely stellar defense because you can’t expect them to shoot that much higher than the 45.5 percent mark that they’re hitting shots at. To their credit, Middlebury has done a solid job on the defensive end of the court. They’re forcing turnovers and difficult shots out of their opponents, but their lack of offense is ultimately the Achilles heel for the Panthers. Matt St. Amour ’17, Jake Brown ’17 and Matt Daley ’16 have done what they can to put the ball in the hoop, but they don’t really have anybody else who can score the ball. Middlebury is in the midst of a rebuilding period, and I don’t anticipate them making a playoff appearance this year.

Welcome to the First Day of the Rest of Your Lives: Weekend Preview 1/8

Like the rest of us, Bates Head Coach Jon Furbush is sick of this nonsense. Let's play some NESCAC basketball. (Phyllis Graber Jensen/Bates College)
Like the rest of us, Bates Head Coach Jon Furbush is sick of this nonsense. Let’s play some NESCAC basketball. (Phyllis Graber Jensen/Bates College)

Through about one month of the season (factoring in the time off for the holidays) NESCAC teams are a combined 87-33. Ten of 11 teams have records over .500. No teams remain undefeated, but Amherst, Wesleyan and, surprisingly, Colby all only have one loss. Babson, a Final Four team a year ago that took out Trinity in the Elite Eight and brought back Player of the Year candidate Joey Flannery, is 7-4, with all four of those losses coming against NESCAC teams. Amherst is ranked ninth and Tufts 22nd, with Trinity, Colby and Wesleyan knocking on the Top 25 door.

Suffice to say it’s been a successful start to the year for the NESCAC, all things considered. Because of the location of some of the member schools (read: Middlebury, Bates, Bowdoin, Colby and Hamilton, especially), NESCAC teams often face weak schedules to open the season because there just aren’t many quality teams around. That’s why it’s critical for teams to find good competition in tournaments early on. Trinity lost by five to No. 11 Susquehanna on Dec. 11 in Pennsylvania. No. 12 WPI has already bested Tufts and Bates this year. Wisconsin-Stevens Point walked all over Hamilton in Arizona on Dec. 30, and No. 20 Oswego St. handled Middlebury back in November. Colby actually beat No. 18 Mount Union down in Orlando last week. And lest we forget, the NESCAC’s success against Babson has knocked the Bobcats out of the Top 25. Win or lose, the teams that have seen this high level of competition will benefit this weekend when the intensity turns up and there are no more easy games.

Below we will give you a brief preview of each matchup (mind you, that’s 10 games, so forgive our brevity), the player or matchup to watch and a prediction. I’m supremely confident that most of our predictions will prove to look foolish this time Monday morning.

Middlebury at Wesleyan, Friday 7 PM

This is a really tough opening game for the Panthers, but if they match up well against any of the top teams in the NESCAC, it’s definitely Wesleyan, and they catch the Birds early on when they’re still nursing a few battle scars. Middlebury crushed Wesleyan 97-60 last year, and Wesleyan’s roster is basically the same, though the Panthers have lost their two best scorers. The matchup to watch is between point guards BJ Davis ’16 and Jake Brown ’17. Talk about quickness and flair, this duo has it in spades. Both teams are guard-heavy, so that’s likely to be a wash. If either front court can take over offensively, that unit’s team will win the ball game. Despite Middlebury’s struggles, their defense is underrated, so expect this to stay tight throughout.

Prediction: Wesleyan 68 – Middlebury 61

Hamilton at Conn College, Friday 7 PM

A matchup of two teams struggling to make the playoffs consistently, this is basically a must-win if either squad hopes to achieve that goal. Hamilton has been impressive early on with some talented young players, but the same could be said for Colby. We talked about three of those guys (and gave an honorable mention to another) on Wednesday. Conn’s Zuri Pavlin ’17 has been one of my favorite players to follow the past two seasons because he’s a double-double machine, but his numbers are down a little bit this year, and Hamilton has a rebounding fiend of its own in Andrew Groll ’19 than can neutralize Pavlin’s impact on the boards. Outside of Pavlin, Conn does not rebound well. Neither team is particularly strong defensively, but Conn has a little more juice on the offensive end right now, so I think they’ll eventually pull away. Plus, being at home, especially this early in the year when teams aren’t used to weekend travel, could be a bonus.

Prediction: Conn 82 – Hamilton 72

Bowdoin at Tufts, Friday 7 PM

Prior to the season, I would have guessed this would be a blow out. Now, however, with the emergence of Jack Simonds ’19, Bowdoin has a legitimate 1-2 punch, and I’m not sure anyone can stop it. On the flip side, I am pretty certain no one at Bowdoin can stop Tom Palleschi ’17. Palleschi is the man to watch. The Polar Bears will need to throw some double teams at the lefty, but in their favor is the fact that they can roll out a few forwards to slow him down, while there is very little front court relief for Palleschi. and if he stays out of foul trouble (a big if), this is going to be a comfortable, though not easy, win for the Jumbos. I have no numbers to prove this (perhaps we will compile some at some point – any stat nerds out there with some free time?) but I believe that if we had strength of schedule numbers Tufts would be near the top of the list. For the last two years they’ve been 13-12 and just some chemistry or flow or voodoo away from being really, really good. Maybe this is the year.

Prediction: Tufts 78 – Bowdoin 72

Colby at Bates, Friday 7 PM

The Mules’ MO this season is score the basketball, and they’ve done that quite well. They can shoot the three (39.9 percent), get to the line (282 FT attempts, second in NESCAC) or just throw it into big man Chris Hudnut ’16 (16.6 ppg). Even though we expected Bates to present a unique problem on defense for its opponents with the Delpeche twins in the middle, teams have been scoring at a pretty rapid clip against the Bobcats (72.1 ppg, 42.4 FG%). That could result in a recipe for disaster for Bates tonight. Colby SG Ryan Jann ’16 is the man in this one. I don’t see anyone that can stop him from Bates, and he had a cool 19 points on 6-9 shooting in their last meeting, when Colby won just 78-74 in Waterville, but the Mules also shot well below their season averages. If they can play to their potential, Colby wins this one.

Prediction: Colby 80 – Bates 70

Williams at Amherst, Friday 7 PM

When these two teams meet there is always an added level of intrigue. All-time, Williams holds the 119-97 (55.1%) advantage over Amherst, though recent history has favored the Lord Jeffs. Between 2012 and the 2014 NESCAC Championship, Amherst won eight straight contests. Miraculously, Williams broke the streak in that year’s NCAA Semis, then won again in the teams’ first meeting of 2015. Amherst won the last contest 86-76 in OT. Amherst is definitely the favorite coming into this one, as they will be in ever game unless someone knocks them off. They have far more experience, and as we’ve noted before, the 2015-16 Williams squad is similar in make up to the 2014-15 Amherst team. Dan Aronowitz ’17 plays the role of Connor Green ’16, leading a talented squad deficient of seniors. Simply put, Amherst has the advantage at every position, so a big game from young point guards Chris Galvin ’18 and Bobby Casey ’19 who have had to take over for the oversized production of the injured Mike Greenman ’17. Unless those guys have huge games, it’s going to be over early.

Prediction: Amherst 85 – Williams 73

Colby at Tufts, Saturday 2 PM

Saturday begins with an exciting matchup of two teams trying to prove that they belong. Both could be 1-0 coming in, but don’t surprised if they are both 0-1. That’s the beauty of NESCAC basketball. This should be a fun one to watch as both teams know how to put the ball in the hoop, ranking second (Colby) and third (Tufts) behind Amherst in points per game. In the second game of a back-to-back, the bench becomes more important, so which role player can step up and make the difference will be a difference-maker. Tufts goes a little bit deeper in its rotation, and a guy like Drew Madsen ’17 might need to chip in 10 points or so for the Jumbos. Palleschi is going to be working his butt off as the focal point of the Tufts attack against Bowdoin, and either fatigue or foul trouble could force him to the bench for stretches in this one.

Prediction: Tufts 89 – Colby 87

Hamilton at Wesleyan, Saturday 3 PM

This seems like a slam dunk for the Cards … and I think it probably is. Crazier things have happened, but I don’t see anyone stopping BJ Davis, and I doubt that the Continentals will be really sharp in their second game of the weekend because of their youth and inexperience. The X-factor for Hamilton still has to be Ajani Santos ’16. Santos has been a staple on this team for the past few years, last season averaging 10.5 ppg and 5.6 rpg while starting 23 games. This year he has 1.6 – just 1.6 – ppg and is only on the floor for 13.5 minutes per game. Coach Adam Stockwell wouldn’t reveal what the issue was, but there’s clearly something going on here. Santos has been in the starting lineup the last few games, though, so maybe things are finally coming around. Joseph Kuo ’17 is a strong interior presence for the Cardinals, but as we know their team strength is guard play and the bench doesn’t run very deep, so a coming out party from Santos could swing the tide of what is otherwise bound to be a lopsided affair.

Prediction: Wesleyan 69 – Hamilton 59

Middlebury at Conn College, Saturday 3 PM

A couple of years ago, this game would have been a cake walk for the Panthers. Now, it’s hard to even pick them as a favorite. Conn is still untested, but they have some interesting pieces. Zuri Pavlin is a known commodity, even though his numbers are down so far this year, and Lee Messier ’18 is taking the expected step forward and turning into a go-to scorer, but newcomers Tyler Rowe ’19 and David Labossiere ’19 look like the real deal, too. Forward Isaiah Robinson ’18 missed the first few games of the year, played the next six and then missed the last contest with the Coast Guard, but he’s a solid body that can bang down low and bring toughness, and don’t forget about Bo McKinley ’16, the incumbent at point guard, surpassed by Rowe, who brings three-point shooting off the bench. Conn has all the pieces to pull a fast one on the Panthers. The key for Middlebury is point guard Jake Brown. Perhaps it’s unfair because I watched Joey Kizel ’14 run the show for two years, but my sense is that Brown needs to drive this team if they are going to make it back to the playoffs.

Prediction: Conn College 78 – Middlebury 73

Bowdoin at Bates, Saturday 3 PM

I’m predicting that Tom Palleschi and the Jumbos will be able to stifle the Polar Bears, but I think that Bowdoin will break out in a big way against Bates. Simply put, who is going to guard Lucas Hausman and Jack Simonds? Mike Boornazian is a great offensive player, but I’m not convinced he can stop Hausman, and Simonds is going to be an issue for either Mike Newton ’16 or Marcus Delpeche ’17, whomever Bates chooses to throw at him. The Bobcats don’t even get the benefit of the Alumni Gym crowd, as classes don’t begin again until Monday. It’s an unfortunate time to waste a home weekend for Bates, and I think Bowdoin can take advantage.

Prediction: Bowdoin 81 – Bates 71

Williams at Trinity, Sunday 2 PM

Finally, we get the NESCAC debut of Trinity, last year’s top regular season team. Even though the Bantams lost a few important players, there seemed to be enough holdovers in place for Trinity to stay near the top of the heap. The losses of defensive stalwart Hart Gliedman ’15, multi-talented forward Alex Conaway ’15 and center George Papadeas ’15 have hurt more than expected. As a team, Trinity is still playing strong defense, holding opponents to a mere 35.5 field goal percentage. They just can’t put the ball in the hoop. Starks and Rick Naylor ’16, in particular, need to shoot the ball better, but it could be a big game for Ed Ogundeko ’17. Long an enigma for his impressive rebounding rate in limited minutes, Ogundeko has made some strides offensively out of necessity. He’s a true center, something that is lacking from many NESCAC rosters, and if he can manhandle Williams’ Edward Flynn ’16 then Trinity can shake off the early season struggles and start the NESCAC sched 1-0.

Prediction: Trinity 68 – Williams 63

Freshmen Standouts Through Non-Conference Play

Every year, there is a handful of new kids that know how to step right in and become stars. Last year it was Amherset's Johnny McCarthy '18. Who will it be this season? (Courtesy of Peter Connolly '18/Amherst College, Office of Communications)
Every year, there is a handful of new kids that know how to step right in and become stars. Last year it was Amherset’s Johnny McCarthy ’18. Who will it be this season? (Courtesy of Peter Connolly ’18/Amherst College, Office of Communications)

The first part of the season is now finished – but for a 7:00 PM Thursday tilt between Elms and Trinity, who has just one NESCAC game this weekend – and conference games are starting up this Friday. The urge is to make early assumptions about the top teams in the NESCAC. However, as Peter noted in his article yesterday, out of conference records don’t always lead to success once conference actions begins. Sometimes a team will rise throughout conference play because its freshmen begin to get more comfortable and make more of an impact. On the other hand, freshmen getting a lot of minutes early on have been known to hit a wall, which can send a team’s hopes and dreams spiraling down. In-depth scouting reports have not yet been developed on these freshmen, or at least not fully, and many freshmen are only now starting to work their ways into the rotations. Here’s a look at my list of the top five freshmen in the NESCAC as conference play approaches (in no particular order):

Forward Kyle Scadlock – Williams

The moniker "diaper dandy" doesn't really apply to Kyle Scadlock '19. He's a grown a$$ man. (Courtesy of Williams Athletics)
The moniker “diaper dandy” doesn’t really apply to Kyle Scadlock ’19. He’s a grown a$$ man. (Courtesy of Williams Athletics)

Scadlock is a 6’6”, 205lb. forward who has been on our radar all year long. Having lost a total of 50.2 ppg from last year’s squad via the graduations of Daniel Wohl ’15, Hayden Rooke-Ley ’15 and Ryan Kilcullen ’15, Williams needed someone to step up to fill in that scoring gap. Scadlock has stepped up his game and is currently second on the Ephs roster in scoring with 12.4 ppg. Shooting at a 53.8 percent clip, Scadlock’s accuracy is what’s most impressive about his game, but his 6.7 rpg (also second on the team) has provided a huge boost for Williams as well. Scadlock’s biggest weak spot lies in his ability to protect the ball; he is last on the team in turnovers (2.9 to/g) and assist-turnover ratio (0.3 a/to). I think turnovers can at least partially be blamed on inexperience, however, and I expect Scadlock to improve on these numbers as the year goes on.

Forward Jack Simonds – Bowdoin

Jack Simonds '19 came into the NESCAC ready to get buckets. (Courtesy of Bowdoin Athletics)
Jack Simonds ’19 came into the NESCAC ready to get buckets. (Courtesy of Bowdoin Athletics)

When you think of Bowdoin hoops, obviously Lucas Hausman ’16 comes to mind first, and rightfully so. Jack Simonds should be next in mind. Through nine games this season, Simonds is second on the Polar Bears roster in scoring (behind Hausman), averaging 17.6 ppg. Simonds is an excellent shooter, and does a lot of damage from the perimeter, where he is shooting 50.0 percent on the season; he has hit at least two threes in every game except his first, and against No. 10 Babson he drilled five shots from beyond the arc on way to his career high 29-point performance. A strongpoint for Simonds aside from his scoring is that he takes care of the ball. His ball control is exemplified by his average of just one turnover a game, a superb rate for Simonds’ team high 30.3 minutes per game. As NESCAC play begins, look to Simonds to increase his scoring numbers as teams focus on shutting down Hausman.

Guard Peter Hoffmann – Hamilton

Peter Hoffman '19 is just one piece of the best recruiting class that Hamilton has seen in a long time. (Courtesy of Hamilton Athletics)
Peter Hoffman ’19 is just one piece of the best recruiting class that Hamilton has seen in a long time. (Courtesy of Hamilton Athletics)

After losing their top two scorers from last season, Hamilton needed someone to step in and take the reigns for the Continentals. Peter Hoffmann has done just that. Through 11 games, Hoffmann has an average of 13.5 ppg to lead a Hamilton team that’s out to a 7-4 start. Also, Hoffmann has often been tasked with guarding the best opposing guards, a role in which he has done quite well. At 6’5”, Hoffmann is a bigger guard, and he has taken advantage of his size by recording nine blocks so far this year. It will be vital for Hoffmann to continue his strong play on the both ends against NESCAC opponents, but can he handle defending guards just as big or bigger and as physical as he is, such as Johnny McCarthy ’18, Matt St. Amour ’17, or Vinny Pace ’18. On the offensive side of the ball, the Continentals have only one other player averaging double-digits in points, Jack Dwyer ’18. If Hamilton wants to have success in league play this year, Hoffmann will need to continue to produce both offensively and defensively.

Forward David Labossiere and Guard Tyler Rowe – Connecticut College

David Labossier flies through the sky for a rebound. (Courtesy of Conn Athletics)
David Labossiere ’19 spends most of his time in mid-air. (Courtesy of Conn Athletics)

Freshmen David Labossiere and Tyler Rowe have provided a huge lift to the Conn College squad this year. Lee Messier ’18 and Zuri Pavlin ’17 were the only two Camels who averaged double-digits in points last year and both are back. However, Labossiere and Rowe have added some scoring with 11.0 ppg and 12.4 ppg respectively.

Labossiere, a 6’4” forward, thrives in his ability to both distribute and protect the rock. This, along with his exceptional athleticism, is how he has earned his playing time so far this year. In the first two games, Labossiere had little impact, playing just five and then 13 minutes, but through his positive production, he earned his minutes, and has not played under 19 minutes since. In his most recent performance, against Coast Guard, Labossiere accumulated 19 points, seven rebounds, and five assists, showing just how much of an all-around player he can be.

Staying in front of PG Tyler Rowe '19 is a losing proposition. (Courtesy of Conn Athletics)
Staying in front of PG Tyler Rowe ’19 is a losing proposition. (Courtesy of Conn Athletics)

Rowe is a point guard who excels at scoring the ball. While his 12.4 ppg rank him second on the team behind Messier, Rowe is also the lead distributer on the team with 3.5 apg. Rowe is able to amass these statistics due to his innate driving ability and vision, as he is frequently able to get to the paint, which has helped the Camels to a 7-3 record thus far. The Camels will rely on both Rowe and Labossiere to lead the team as they round up the out of conference schedule and begin competition against NESCAC opponents this weekend.

Honorable mention:

Center Joseph Schneider – Amherst
Forward Andrew Groll – Hamilton
Guard Bobby Casey – Williams

If you’re looking for a few other freshmen to keep an eye on, Joseph Schneider of Amherst, Andrew Groll of Hamilton and Bobby Casey of Williams have all had starts worth paying attention to so far. Schneider is of interest strictly because of his size. He hasn’t carbed out many minutes so far with David George ’17 and Eric Conklin’16 clogging up the paint, but he’s not far from making a big impact.  Groll, meanwhile, is a fierce rebounder, pulling down 7.1 rpg in just 21.4 mpg so far. Casey has joined Scadlock in the Williams’ starting lineup for most games, though his shooting percentages have slowly slid since an epic 15-point performance in his first game in which he hit four three-pointers. These players will develop greater consistency as their roles increase, making them intriguing players to watch.

2016 NbN Preseason All-NESCAC Basketball Teams

Is it any surprise that Lucas Hausman '16 is our choice to repeat as POY? No? Well, sorry to disappoint. He's just too good. (Courtesy of Bowdoin Athletics)
Is it any surprise that Lucas Hausman ’16 is our choice to repeat as POY? No? Well, sorry to disappoint. He’s just too good. (Courtesy of Bowdoin Athletics)

We came to the realization this fall that no matter much we may disagree, and no matter how smart we think we are, and no matter how witty our editorial commentary may be, our end-of-year All-NESCAC decisions aren’t going to be quite as weighty as the official All-NESCAC teams. That’s why we decided to put together an extensive awards list in lieu of the usual All-League format for the football season.

BUT! We remain the one and only place to find the picks for preseason All-League honors. Now you might say, “The season is halfway over. All you have to do is look at the top scorers and project them as All-League studs.” Oh, how wrong you are. NESCAC play is an entirely different beast, and those leaderboards are going to look a good bit different come March. Don’t believe us? Wait and see. These are our predictions for the guys who will win All-NESCAC honors.

First Team

Guard Lucas Hausman ’16 – Bowdoin

This one’s a no-brainer. He was an All-American a year ago, and he’s only gotten better. Despite the target on his back, he’s scored more points per game in fewer minutes and is shooting just as efficiently as a year ago. He was the top scorer in NESCAC games in 2015, and we expect that trend to continue. Hausman scores in unique ways. He’s not a phenomenal long-range shooter and he’s not very tall. What he is able to do is shoot off the dribble and finish in all kinds of traffic. There’s always a place for a guy that can put the ball in the hoop.

Guard BJ Davis ’16 – Wesleyan

What was an equal opportunity, three point guard team a season ago has turned in to the BJ Davis show. Recall for a moment that no Cardinal scored more than 11.9 ppg last season, and it was basically a six-man rotation. This year injuries to Jack Mackey ’16 and Joe Edmonds ’16 have made them ineffective (though Edmonds has shot the ball well percentage-wise), and the Cards have had to reshape their identity as the season has progressed. Through it all, Davis has been a scoring machine. He can shoot from anywhere and go by almost anyone. He has risen to another level.

Guard Connor Green ’16 – Amherst

I hemmed and hawed over this pick for awhile, because Green has a lot of questions around him. Being the primary scorer hasn’t seemed to suit the swingman over the past two seasons. His best work was done as a sophomore when he averaged 17.9 ppg and shot 44 percent. Before all of you in LJ country pick up your pitch forks, though, recognize that I’m still picking Green to be a First-Teamer. As the best player on the best team (so we think), Green is going to be worthy of some accolades. He’s still a matchup nightmare, and a great rebounder for his position. Johnny McCarthy ’18 might be ready to challenge Green for the title of top Jeff by the end of the season, and the wealth of talent around Green might cut into his numbers a little bit, but I believe his talent will shine through this season.

Center Tom Palleschi ’17 – Tufts

What a boon for Tufts to get this guy back after a heart condition kept him out of the 2013-14 campaign. Palleschi’s light feet allow him to slip right by lumbering big men and just get buckets. The Jumbos don’t have much in the way of size around Palleschi since Hunter Sabety – as we all know – departed, so his play is that much more impressive and important. He’s no slouch on defense either. Palleschi is at or near the top of the charts in every rebounding category and in blocked shots. The one other stat in which he leads the league disqualifications, i.e. foul outs. That won’t stop him from putting up big, First Team numbers, but it might stop Tufts from going deep in the NESCAC tournament.

Center Chris Hudnut ’16 – Colby

This pick is a bit speculative, as he joins Davis as the two guys who didn’t make All-NESCAC teams last season, and right now his numbers are not First Team worthy, and it’s hard for big guys to get All-League recognition. Last year five guards were First Teamers. However, I have faith that his best is yet to come. Hudnut can be an offensive juggernaut at times (see: 38 vs. Curry on Nov. 21 and 21 vs. Bowdoin on Nov. 5). However, he has disappeared against good frontcourts, too (see: four points on 1-6 shooting against Bates on Nov. 5). There are half a dozen front courts in the NESCAC (and that’s a lot, considering there are only 11 teams) with the ability to shut down Hudnut. Can he turn up the intensity in those games, or will he fail to realize his potential?

Second Team

Guard Jaquann Starks ’16 – Trinity

The hometown hero was a First Teamer last season because of the way he lead Trinity to the No. 1 seed in the NESCAC tournament, so this might be seen as a knock on Starks, but more than anything it’s a testament to how his supporting cast has elevated its game. The offense always ran more smoothly last season when the slender Andrew Hurd ’16 handled the basketball, and he’s really taken over signal-caller duties full-time this year, starting most games and averaging 5.2 apg. Perhaps Starks is still adjusting to the different role, because his percentages are down, but he’s still an elite player and adds intensity on the defensive side as the face of Trinity’s ferocious defense. Opponents are shooting just 35.4 percent from the field against the Bantams. That’s not from three-point land. That’s from the field. In case you were wondering, yes, that number was tops in the D-III nation as of Jan. 4.

Guard Johnny McCarthy ’18 – Amherst

McCarthy was the 2014-15 Rookie of the Year. In 2015-16, he will make his first of three appearances to come on the All-NESCAC list. He’s an iron horse, playing over 30.0 mpg, something that might not cause the coaches to vote for him, but it should, and in addition to scoring and rebounding possesses the unique skill of being able to steal the basketball. Steals are something that are often a result of luck – a tip from one player turns into a steal from another – but McCarthy is a legit threat to pick pockets and passing lanes alike.

Guard Dan Aronowitz ’17 – Williams

As good as this Williams team can be, they don’t have the senior leadership that characterized the last two editions of the Ephs – from Mike Mayer ’14 and Taylor Epley ’14 to Dan Wohl ’15 and Hayden Rooke-Ley ’15, there has been a put-the-team-on-your-back senior tandem the last two seasons. Despite the difficulty of emerging from a no-pressure, third- or fourth-option role into indisputable superstar, Aronowitz is better than ever. He’s shooting 52.9 percent from the field and 43.5 percent from three while scoring 17.5 ppg. Oh yeah, he’s got 7.5 boards per game, too. Aronowtiz’s situation reminds me of Green a year ago, who was a junior leading a team devoid of impact seniors. He doesn’t have Green’s track record, but he could match the LJ’s 2014-15 stat line.

Guard Mike Boornazian ’16 – Bates

The Delpeche brothers are maybe the most fun duo to watch just because of their size and backstory as twins, but Bates will go only as far as Boornazian can take them. He has played second fiddle to Graham Safford ’15 the last few seasons, putting up solid numbers but deferring in the big moment. No more. The Bobcats are Boornazian’s team, and his current mark of 15.6 ppg could go up in conference play. He’ll tack on his fair share of rebounds and dimes as well, but this is one player whose intangibles and passion are noticeable.

Forward Jeff Racy ’16 – Amherst

Perhaps the biggest stretch of anyone chosen for these two teams, Racy has elevated his game to be Amherst’s second-highest scorer – more than McCarthy, more than big man David George ’17, more than D-I transfers Eric Conklin ’17 and Jayde Dawson ’18. Even though defenses know exactly what’s coming, they can’t stop it. Racy takes 8.7 shots per game and 7.2 of them are three pointers, which he is hitting at a 54.4 percent clip. Because he stands 6’5″, his range pulls an opposing swingman out of the paint, where guys like George, Green and Dawson do some of their best work. Racy’s ability to score in bunches will propel him to his first All-NESCAC honors.

Awards Predictions:

Player of the Year: Lucas Hausman

Hausman will repeat. There’s no reason to think that his play will drop during conference play.

Defensive Player of the Year: Jaquann Starks

This is always tough to predict. The past few years it was made much easier by the 7’0″ presence of John Swords ’15, but now there are a bevy of players who could deserve the honor, including some guys – i.e. Jake Brown ’17, David George – who aren’t even on our All-NESCAC roster. However, the honors are likely to go to someone who makes either the First or Second team, so we’re going with Starks, the front man for the league’s best defense.

Rookie of the Year: Kyle Scadlock ’19

Contributor Rory Ziomek just highlighted the best diaper dandies so far this season, which narrows down the field somewhat. The ROY battle is really a two-horse race between Scadlock and Bowdoin’s Jack Simonds ’19. Simonds is scoring at a better clip right now, but Scadlock adds the rebounding factor, and whomever wins the award will be more than worthy.

Coach of the Year: Damien Strahorn, Colby

This is basically like picking the team with the lowest expectations that will make a run for the NESCAC title. Strahorn benefits from having a five-man starting lineup of all seniors, but he’s done well to get those kids to this point. Now if he can just teach them to play defense, this will be a lock.

(Some) League Games to Watch in 2016

Conn guard Tyler Rowe '19 and all NESCAC winter athletes will welcome the end of barren grandstands that come along with winter break. (Courtesy of Conn College/David Pizzuto)
Conn guard Tyler Rowe ’19 and all NESCAC winter athletes will welcome the end of barren grandstands that come along with winter break. (Courtesy of Conn College/David Pizzuto)

For many NESCAC college students, this time of year holds a lot of conflict. On the one hand you’ve got winter break winding down, with the glittery allure of Christmas, Hannukah, Qwanza and the Solstice in our rear view mirrors. But on the other hand, many students will have finally remembered the things that made them want to leave home in the first place and are quite excited to return to school. Here at NbN we understand the stress that this dissonance can create, so allow us to relax you by looking ahead to this coming weekend and beyond, into the depths of NESCAC basketball league play. Here are four carefully chosen league games to soften the end of the holidays and give you one more reason to return to school (other than that cutie in the third row of your Chem lecture).

Williams at Amherst, January 8

League play starts with a bang during this upcoming first weekend, with the historic rivalry matchup sitting as the crown jewel. Amherst is predictably loaded this season, with many intelligent, kind and reasonably attractive experts (us) projecting them to finish comfortably at the top of the league. However, Williams’ stellar freshman class has made an immediate impact this season, particularly forward Kyle Scadlock ’19, who is making a strong case for Freshman of the Year with a 12.4/6.7/53.8% line. Williams is young and energetic, and will be hungry to make an early splash, both in the 2015-2016 season and in the annals of the Williams-Amherst rivalry.

Middlebury at Connecticut College, January 9

Based on the early returns this season, every league game will be crucial for the Panthers if they hope to avoid missing the tournament for the second straight season. The same will be true for Connecticut College if they want to level up in the stratified NESCAC universe. The Camels have been a surprise this season, with a balanced attack leading them to a 7-3 record, with seven wins in their last eight games to boot. Middlebury wasn’t able to overcome a difficult early season schedule and sits at 6-6, a disappointing beginning to the year for the perennial league powers (is this still true…?). The Panthers will be coming off a major win at home over Southern Vermont, but have yet to prove themselves in any road tests. League play in general will be crucial to these teams for different reasons, making this a fascinating matchup.

Wesleyan at Amherst, January 15

This is David George '17. Good luck stopping him. (Courtesy of Peter Connolly '18/Amherst College, Office of Communications)
This is David George ’17. Good luck stopping him. That dude behind him couldn’t. (Courtesy of Peter Connolly ’18/Amherst College, Office of Communications)

Everybody loves a finals rematch, especially when both teams have done nothing but improve since the championship. Wesleyan kept all of their starters from their championship run last season, and sits at 10-1 this season. They dropped their first game to Lyndon State, but have won 10 in a row since. Point guard BJ Davis ’16 has emerged as a First Team candidate, averaging 19.0 points per game with a game winning shot in a non-league matchup against Williams (and, as I’m legally required to do whenever I mention BJ Davis, here is his absolutely wretched tip slam against Middlebury from last season). Amherst has started off at 9-1, with guards Johnny McCarthy ’18 and Jayde Dawson ’18 joining David George ’17 and Connor Green ’16 to form a formidable lineup. The Lord Jeffs suffered their first loss January 3 at Rhodes, but still combine with Wesleyan to form the top tier of NESCAC basketball. These teams will be jostling for the top spot in the league throughout the year, and this game will have crucial implications for seeding come tournament time. It will also most likely be a fantastic game, something that should never be overlooked when thinking about arcane measures like standings and seeding.

Bowdoin and Trinity, January 23

Coming into this season, it looked like a safe bet that Bowdoin would take a step back. After all, there was a seven-foot hole in the middle of their team that can’t be filled by anyone in NESCAC, except for maybe two Mike Greenmans in a trench coat. However, rumors of the Polar Bears’ death were greatly exaggerated, thanks in large part to Lucas Hausman ’16.  Averaging 23.6 points per game, Hausman carried Bowdoin to a signature win over 10th-ranked Babson. Newcomer Jack Simonds ’19 been able to carry some of Hausman’s Atlas-like load, with 17.6 points per game, giving the 6-3 Polar Bears the ability to go further than just as far as Hausman drags them. Trinity picked up at the start of the season where they left off at the end of last year, with tremendous defensive intensity and timely scoring taking them to a 4-1 record. However, in their last six games they are 3-3, including a loss at home to an undermanned Plattsburgh State team. The Bantams once rounded out the top tier of NESCAC, and this matchup will offer the Bantams a chance to return and Bowdoin a chance to knock off a top dog. Watching Hausman take on that challenge is something I don’t intend to miss.

When writing this article, I tried to choose four games that I thought would be close matchups, with good teams proving themselves against other good teams and league standings looming over all. However, we simply don’t know which games will be the most exciting yet because the league is so deep. Remember that last season Middlebury and Hamilton combined to go 19-2 in games prior to the NESCAC season opener. Neither squad made the NESCAC playoffs, which goes to show that right now we know nothing about how this season will play out. It’s entirely possible that Middlebury versus Hamilton will be an all-time classic, or Bates-Tufts, or Williams-Colby. That’s the beauty of NESCAC basketball; the only way to really know what happens is to watch.

 

           

 

 

Brotherly Love: Bates Season Preview

Marcus (left) and Malcolm (right) will take over as the leaders of the Bobcats, both on and off teh court. (Courtesy of Phyllis Graber Jensen/Bates College)
Marcus (left) and Malcolm (right) will join Mike Boornazian ’16 as the leaders for the Bobcats this season. (Courtesy of Phyllis Graber Jensen/Bates College)

Editor’s Note: Things can be a little confusing now that the season is underway. Consider the rest of our previews as season predictions based off of a compilation of conversations with coaches and players and observations from the first couple of games.
All statistics that appear next to players’ names are from the 2014-15 season.

The 2014-2015 season was a historic one for the Bobcats. They finished with the second best record in NESCAC play at 7-3 and the most wins in school history with 21. Their season was put on hold when they lost to Wesleyan, whom Bates had beaten earlier in the year, early in the NESCAC tournament. However, the Bobcats’ impressive record earned them an at-large bid to the NCAA tournament, and the Bobcats sure took advantage. Carried by extraordinary defense and scoring contributions from everyone, Bates beat St.Vincent easily in the first round and Stockton in overtime in the second round. Their season came to an end against NESCAC foe Trinity in the Sweet 16 in a crazy atmosphere at the Webster Center at Babson College. They finished the year #22 in the country according to D3Hoops.com.

Coach Jon Furbush brought some new faces into the program this year including assistant coaches Jim Murphy, formerly the women’s coach for the past 21 years, and Mike Tomaino ’15, who played wide receiver for the Bobcats and served as the team’s manager as a student. The Bobcats lose a lot of key players, including two starters from last year, but you better believe Coach Furbush has taken the tournament experience as a building block for this season. The players are surely not thinking about the past season, and are ready to continue their success.

“We have a lot of young guys who are more than capable of filling in for graduated players and have success. We’ll be ready.”  – Mike Boornazian ’16.

2014-2015 Record:

21-7 overall; 7-3  NESCAC (t-2nd); Lost to Wesleyan in NESCAC Tournament Quarterfinals; Lost to Trinity in NCAA Sweet 16

Head Coach: Jon Furbush, 8th Season, 94-85 (.525), Bates College Class of 2005

Returning Starters: Three

Mike Boornazian ’16 (15.2 ppg, 5.0 rpg, 2.0 apg)
Malcolm Delpeche ’17 (7.1 ppg, 5.7 rpg, 1.5 bpg)
Marcus Delpeche ’17 (9.3 ppg, 6.7 rpg, 58.1% FG)

With three returning starters, the Bobcats are in a good position. Coach Furbush has his newest 1000-point scorer Mike Boornazian back, who will figure to take and make a lot of shots for Bates. Malcolm and Marcus Delpeche can provide a spark at any moment with one of their posterizing dunks.

Projected Starting Lineup

PG Shawn Strickland ’18 (1.2 ppg, 5.5 mpg, 85.7% FT)

Standing at 5’8″ 160 pounds, Shawn Strickland is the new starting point guard for Bates. He has a strong build and knack for getting into the lane and his smaller size contributes to his quickness and allows him to beat defenders off the dribble and create scoring opportunities. Playing in only 5.5 mpg last year, he is a little inexperienced, but this year he is already averaging 24.2 mpg (second on the team) with 11.5 ppg, so expect him to keep helping the Bobcats find ways to win.

SG Josh Britten ’16 (1.2 ppg, 1.1 rpg, 5.5 mpg)

Britten has battled injuries in his first three seasons at Bates and looks to make an impact in a huge way this year. His sample size is small, but this lefty can shoot the three ball very well (44.4 percent so far this year) and play above average defense. His 6’0″ 185-pound frame can be a matchup problem for lighter guards because of his physicality on defense. He is averaging 7.5 ppg this year, scoring a season-high 13 points in a winning effort against Maine-Fort Kent.

SF Mike Boornazian (15.2 ppg, 5.0 rpg, 2.0 apg)

Boornazian is the returner who enjoyed the most success last season. At 6’4″ he causes mismatches all over the floor. Guards have trouble defending his three point shot and forwards usually get beat off the dribble. He needs to use this extra attention to facilitate the ball to open shooters as well as push the ball in transition. Look for him to have the ball late in games this year, which is something everyone should be afraid of.

PF Marcus Delpeche (9.3 ppg, 6.7 rpg, 58.1% FG)

Didn’t I just write about this guy? Oh wait, there are two of them?!?! (NESCAC players let out sigh). Marcus has an athletic 6’7″ frame that leads to him getting a lot of easy buckets. He shot 58.1 percent from the field last year and doesn’t look to be slowing down. He needs to work on staying out of foul trouble as it has limited his minutes so far this season. Expect him to be a part of a lot of big plays for the Bobcats and provide some highlight reel dunks along the way.

C Malcolm Delpeche (7.1 ppg, 5.7 rpg, 1.5 bpg)

Malcolm is just one of the twin towers for the Bobcats. At 6’8″ 210 pounds, he can jump out of the gym and creates a lot of second chance opportunities. He has improved his midrange game this year, which will cause forwards to press him more, leading to more … you guessed it, dunks. He is second on the team this season with 13.0 ppg and first with 8.5 rpg. And you can’t use the hack-a-Malc method on this Delpeche brother. He is shooting 92.3 percent from the stripe!

Breakout Player: PG Shawn Strickland

Strickland has looked very good so far this season and it looks like he will continue that trend. If he can keep up his play and control the game like a true point guard, the Bobcats won’t miss a beat. He is going to play a lot of minutes for this team so that will give him the opportunity to show everyone that he can ball.

Everything Else

So far Bates is 2-2 on the season, currently on a two-game skid. They look to bounce back this Tuesday, Dec. 8 against Husson at Alumni Gymnasium. One of the problems so far for Bates has been their defense, as they have given up 100 points in two straight games. Scoring has been their strength, scoring a combined 181 points in those loses. Look for Bates to try and push the tempo as the season goes on and start scoring in transition. Strickland can get down the floor quick, and because of Bates’ all-around athleticism this should lead to quick scoring opportunities.

Mike Newton ’16 is the ultimate utility man for Furbush’s team. He can get rebounds in bunches and hit from behind the arc as well. His motor seems to never run out and he will provide solid minutes late in games. Coach Furbush knows how important depth is on a basketball team, and players like G Justin Zukowski ’18, G Quin Leary ’17, F Max Eaton ’17 and PG Jerome Darling ’17 will contribute off the bench. The Bobcats feel and know that they can be a top team in the NESCAC this year. They have a lot of experience returning and some young players showing promise. Bates is poised to stick near the top of the NESCAC standings.

Baby Camels Are Growing up: Conn College Season Preview

Bo McKinley '16 leads a still young Conn College team. (Courtesy of Conn Athletics)
Bo McKinley ’16 leads a still young Conn College team. (Courtesy of Conn Athletics)

Editor’s Note: Things can be a little confusing now that the season is underway. Consider the rest of our previews as season predictions based off of a compilation of conversations with coaches and players and observations from the first couple of games.
All statistics that appear next to players’ names are from the 2014-15 season.

Conn was a very young team in 2014-2015, and it showed on the court as they went 0-10 in the NESCAC. However, they weren’t a pushover, losing four of those games by single digits, and they return the entire rotation from last year’s team. The roster is still very young with point guard Bo McKinley ’16 the only senior on the team. After hitting rock bottom last year, this season has to be one that shows progress. Just staying close is not going to be enough for the Camels. Conn College wants wins, and they have the personnel to do it.

2014-2015 Record:

7-16 overall; 0-10 NESCAC (11th); Did not qualify for NESCAC Tournament.

Head Coach: Tom Satran, 14th season, 124-185 (.401), Conn College Class of 1994

Returning Starters: Five

PG Bo McKinley ’16 (8.4 ppg, 2.4 apg, 30.0% FG)
G Lee Messier ’18 (12.7 ppg, 3.3 rpg, 35.4% 3PT)
F Colin Pascoe ’18 (4.2 ppg, 3.9 rpg, 2.1 apg)
F Isaiah Robinson ’18 (9.1 ppg, 4.8 rpg, 43.5% FG)
C Zuri Pavlin ’17 (13.7 ppg, 11.5 rpg, 50.7% FG)

All five starters return from a year ago, and the hope is that those three sophomores make big jumps in their second season. So far the Camels have mixed up the starting five with Daniel Janel ’18, a reserve for most of last season who came on strong near the end of the season, in the starting lineup. The Camels are not lacking 6’5″ and 6’6″ bodies, but they don’t have anybody taller than that who can really act as a defensive rim protector.

Projected Starting Lineup

PG Bo McKinley ’16 (8.4 ppg, 2.4 apg, 30.0% FG)

McKinley has been a stalwart for this team, staying on the team as others have dropped off. As the point guard and only senior on the roster, McKinley has a clear leadership role for the Camels. He is not exactly a superstar, but he also has to take on a lot of responsibility on both ends of the floor. He is not quite quick enough to drive by his defender, but he still can do a better job of distributing the ball than last year when he had just 2.4 APG.

G Lee Messier ’18 (12.7 ppg, 3.3 rpg, 35.4% 3PT)

Messier can shoot, and so far this year he has been doing a heck of a lot of it. He is shooting a somewhat ridiculous nine three pointers per game so far (that’s the most in the NESCAC), and he is making them at a 40.7 percent clip. That is the biggest reason why he is leading the Camels with 16.7 ppg through three games. His overall field goal percentage is lower than his three point percentage, and he has to be less reliant on jump shots. Messier is a solid two-guard besides just scoring, capable of chipping in a few assists and rebounds per game.

G Alex Tonhazy ’18 (8.4 ppg, 35.1% 3PT, 3.5 rpg)

This is the one position that is really up in the air, and the coaching staff is waiting for everybody to be healthy before really figuring out who exactly will fill this spot. I’m putting Tonhazy here because of the way he finished the season last year. Highlighted by a 28-point game vs. Trinity, he averaged 13.0 ppg in the final six games of the season, the only six games that he started. Tonhazy has had a very slow start to the season playing in just two of the three games so far and not starting either of those.

F Isaiah Robinson ’18 (9.1 ppg, 4.8 rpg, 43.5% FG)

Robinson has not played so far this year because of several nagging injuries, but he should be back in the next few weeks before Christmas. It will take him a little time to get his conditioning back so he might not really be at full strength until New Years. When he is healthy, Robinson is another bruiser inside with Pavlin. He did hit a little bit of a wall in NESCAC play with his scoring dropping to 7.7 PPG with a subpar 35.9 shooting percentage. He is a better player than that, and the early injuries might actually have the benefit of making him fresher for later in the season.

C Zuri Pavlin ’17 (13.7 ppg, 11.5 rpg, 50.7% FG)

The man in the middle, Pavlin is one of the best big men in the NESCAC, which is saying something given the caliber of players like Chris Hudnut ’16 and Tom Palleschi ’17. Pavlin is a grinder who outworks his opposition, and that is how he led the NESCAC in rebounding last year with 11.5 rpg. He also led the Camels in points last year, but he might see those numbers drop a little this season. Because he isn’t great at creating his own shot, he will give up some possessions to players like Messier, but ultimately I think Pavlin will become more efficient and retain pretty much the same scoring numbers. That is of course good for both Pavlin and the team. If the Camels play smaller and shoot more threes, that will also help Pavlin.

Breakout Player: F David Labossiere ’19

Am I choosing Labossiere just to show you that sick video  … maybe a little given that the freshman has not played much so far. The coaching staff is excited about how he will grow over the four years, but this year will be a little more of a process as Labossiere gets more up to speed on the defensive schemes for Conn. He will be somewhat of a situational player with heavy minutes in some games and less in others. The early returns are promising beyond just that one video with Labossiere averaging 4.7 ppg and 3.7 rpg. His minutes might get squeezed as others get healthy, so he has to continue to prove that he is good enough now to get minutes.

Everything Else

The Camels are 1-2 early on, and they got their first win Sunday over Roger Williams. The key for them is on the defensive end, where they were the worst in the NESCAC last season. Nobody on the roster has identified themselves as a defensive stopper, and the lack of any perimeter stopper really hurts them against certain teams. As mentioned above, the Camels are not healthy right now, and that is not helping the team gain a rhythm early, though it is allowing some players to get good minutes. Guys like G Sean McNally ’18 and F Daniel Janel are getting a good amount of minutes, and they are going to be needed as important bench players all season.

One of the reasons why Pavlin gets so many rebounds is because nobody else on the roster is competing for them. After having one of the worst overall rebounding margins last year, Conn is right back near the bottom of the league through three games. Last year it was understandable given the youth on the team, but given that the players are now a year stronger, they should be better at holding their ground underneath.

Last year the Camels started three players (Robinson, Pavlin and Pascoe) who were NOT at all threats to shoot the ball. Many teams have four players who can pop it from downtown, and the simple arithmetic of three being more than two makes it advantageous for Conn to shoot more threes than they did last year when they were tied with Tufts for the second-fewest threes made. If they get a little more production from deep and clamp down on the boards, the Camels will knock some teams off. At the very very least, they are going to put a scare into a lot of teams.

No Hart, No Linsanity; Who Will Guide the Continentals? Hamilton Season Preview

Jack Dwyer has taken over the point guard position for a young Continental team. (Courtesy of Hamilton Athletics)
Jack Dwyer has taken over the point guard position for a young Continental team. (Courtesy of Hamilton Athletics)

Editor’s Note: Things can be a little confusing now that the season is underway. Consider the rest of our previews as season predictions based off of a compilation of conversations with coaches and players and observations from the first couple of games.
All statistics that appear next to players’ names are from the 2014-15 season.

Last season was a year of growth for the Hamilton Continentals, both for players new and old. With the decisions of Matt Hart to transfer to George Washington and incumbent senior Bradley Gifford to hang up the sneaks, Head Coach Adam Stockwell was unexpectedly left with a depleted roster for 2014-15. As a result, freshmen who weren’t expected to play very much earned valuable experience, and PG Joseph Lin ’15 played like one of the league’s elite until an injury towards the end of the season.

The Continentals must once again overcome the loss of their two most important players from a season before – this time to graduation – with Lin and sharpshooting forward Peter Kazickas ’15 on to greener pastures. Coach Stockwell is waiting for a veteran to emerge at the center of this unit, like Lin last season or his predecessors Hart, Greg Newton ’14 and Pat Sullivan ’12. The Hamilton basketball team is entering its fifth season competing in the NESCAC, with its best finish being a 5-5 conference mark in 2013-14. With a lack of experience on the roster, Hamilton will be hard-pressed to match that 5-5 record, but the program is moving in the right direction with a bevy of talented youngsters now on board.

2014-2015 Record:

14-10 overall; 2-8 NESCAC (10th); Did not qualify for NESCAC Tournament

Head Coach: Adam Stockwell, 5th season, 55-43 (.561)

Returning Starters: Four

PG Jack Dwyer ’18 (3.8 ppg, 3.6 apg, 32.0% FG)
G Jack Donnelly ’16 (8.5 ppg, 2.8 rpg, 43.2% 3PT)
G/F Joe Pucci ’18 (5.7 ppg, 3.5 rpg, 41.8% FG)
F Ajani Santos ’16 (10.5 ppg, 5.6 rpg, 1.7 bpg)

Coaches always say that the past is the past and players have to earn their stripes each new season, but they don’t always choose lineups with that philosophy in mind. This year, it’s very apparent that Coach Stockwell is giving nothing freely to his veterans. Santos and Donnelly, who started 23 and 22 games last year, respectively, are out of the starting lineup, while Dwyer and Pucci, who each started 12 contests a year ago, have apparently locked down starting spots. Donnelly is still racking up minutes and has seemingly embraced the sixth-man role, but Santos looks to be in the dog house right now with just 10.3 mpg through three games so far. Coach Stockwell hasn’t let on what’s behind the severe drop in Santos’ playing time, instead reiterating his confidence that the big man can get back on track, and citing some outstanding efforts from some younger big men. If I had to ponder a guess, I’d say that Santos’ constant foul trouble and temper have hindered him. That’s only a guess though – there is plenty of season left to see how things work out.

Projected Starting Lineup:

PG Jack Dwyer ’18

The Hamilton lineup is extremely fluid right now, with 11 (eleven!) guys seeing double digit minutes per game, but Dwyer looks the the closest thing to a lock for me the rest of the season. He’s a true point with great quickness and good strength, given his size (5’11” 175 lbs). His scoring binge over the weekend was impressive, but not surprising to those around the Hamilton team. Don’t expect quite that level of production (16.0 ppg through three games), because he doesn’t shoot the three ball at all, but he can hang in the low teens range in points. There are some great, if unproven, shooters on this team, and Dwyer is the man to get them the basketball.

SG Peter Hoffman ’19

Hoffman is obviously green as a freshman, but he’s immediately become a scoring threat and is second on the team with 11.7 ppg. Unlike Dwyer, Hoffman can light it up from deep, and at 6’5″ he complements the smaller Dwyer well. Classmate Tim Doyle ’19 started the first two games in this spot, but Hoffman started the last, and it’s going to be a constant battle to see which youngster can solidify his position, but both will continue to see minutes.

G/F Joe Pucci ’18

Pucci is tall – 6’7″ – but has guard-like athleticism. Just a sophomore, he has the ability to become a leader for this young squad. He should be able to do a little bit of everything for the Conts – score some points, rebound and defend those tough wing players. With Pucci at the 3, Hamilton will be going against the NESCAC grain which seems to be trending towards three-guard sets. It’s a risky strategy, but one that could pay dividends if Pucci can defend his smaller match ups.

F Andrew Groll ’19

Another freshman expected to play big minutes, Groll is going to be counted on to be a physical presence at 6’6″ 240 lbs. Coach Stockwell has high hopes for the way Groll will develop, and he applauded the way Groll gets after rebounds on both ends of the floor. He might not be the most refined offensive player just yet, but with so many shooters around him and coming off the bench, Groll could stick in the starting rotation.

F Ajani Santos ’16

This is a gut call, because the early signs are that Santos is being passed over by the young forwards – Groll, Pucci, Kelan McConnell ’18 and Karl Koster ’18. Obviously, his league-worst 88 personal fouls and eight ejections for fouls last year were a big problem, but there has to be something else going on here. Unless a player gets in trouble or comes into camp completely out of shape – and I’m not saying either of these things are true, nor is there any evidence that either is the case –  you usually don’t see a team’s most used player ride pine early on the next season. I don’t know what’s wrong, but I think it has to be made right for Hamilton to be competitive. As talented as the Hamilton youngsters are, Santos will be needed to provide some senior leadership if this team is going to go far.

Breakout Player: G Peter Hoffman

It’s not often that a freshman comes into any college league with the talent and opportunity to be an immediate star. In this case, Hoffman has both. He’s got great size for a two-guard, can shoot from anywhere (including the free throw stripe), and is a great perimeter defender, according to his head coach. There is a lot of competition at the guard spot for Hoffman, and he probably won’t see much more than 20.0 mpg with Donnelly coming off the bench and playing an important role, but he can be an efficient scorer and make an impact on both ends of the floor.

Everything Else:

Backing up the shifty Dwyer at point guard is the more strategic Wes Wilbur ’17. They won’t both be on the court very often, but when they are Wilbur will shift to the two-guard spot. The disadvantage of having them both on the floor is that it takes away the three-pointer from the Continentals game, and even though they didn’t shoot the three much last year, they were the most efficient three-point shooting team in the NESCAC. Donnelly and Hoffman are excellent outside shooters, and I would expect most of the minutes to feature the threesome of Dwyer-Donnelly-Hoffman on the court. Kyle Pitman ’17 is the last guard in the mix, and he brings great range to the floor, too.

The frontcourt minutes are totally in flux with the expected return to relevance of Santos. Right now, Groll, Pucci, Koster and McConnell are taking up most of the time, but something will have to give if Santos is going to reemerge. Groll and Koster are Stockwell’s workhorses down low, banging bodies and getting rebounds. McConnell is undersized at 6’5″ but is another sharpshooter, while Pucci does a bit of everything, too, but as noted above, with him at the 3-guard, Hamilton might get run off the court by some quick and skilled back courts. The x-factor for the Hamilton frontcourt, once again, is 6’11” Zander Wear ’18. Wear came to Hamilton with a lower level of basketball experience than most freshman in the league, but has taken a big leap from a season ago. Still, with so much youth and talent amongst the Hamilton big men, it will be an uphill battle for Wear to break in.

Coach Stockwell is running with a deep rotation right now and allowing the cream to rise to the top. It’s a good strategy early on, and one that many NESCAC coaches employ, especially with a younger roster like Hamilton’s. The only worry is whether the Conts can build up enough chemistry with the guys who are going to be on the court come NESCAC time in January. Can they rely on freshmen and sophomores to lead them to the NESCAC playoffs? Or will Donnelly and Santos go out with a flourish in their final college season? Hamilton may be the toughest team to predict at this point this season. The good news for Hamiltonians is that youth and talent are aplenty in Clinton.

Not Rebuild, Not Reload, But Reiterate: Wesleyan Season Preview

PG BJ Davis '16 has blow-by speed ... just ask Jayde Dawson. (Courtesy of Rob Matson, Amherst College Office of Communications)
PG BJ Davis ’16 has blow-by speed … just ask Jayde Dawson. (Courtesy of Rob Matson, Amherst College Office of Communications)

Editor’s Note: Things can be a little confusing now that the season is underway. Consider the rest of our previews as season predictions based off of a compilation of conversations with coaches and players and observations from the first couple of games.
All statistics that appear next to players’ names are from the 2014-15 season.

After a whirlwind offseason spent hosting SNL, flirting with starlets and just generally enjoying the incredible international recognition that stems from winning the NESCAC championship, Wesleyan has come back down to earth and is ready to compete for the top prize again. The Cardinals used a balanced attack to overcome a rough start to league play last year (Middlebury made them look like my JV middle school squad last season in Week 2 of the NESCAC schedule) to beat top teams Trinity and Amherst on their way to the championship. Four Cardinals averaged more than 10 points per game last season; guards BJ Davis ’16, Harry Rafferty ’15 and Jack Mackey ’16, as well as forward Joseph Kuo ’15.

And therein lies the strength of Wesleyan’s 2015-2016 unit; every single one of those players is back. This “core four” gives Wesleyan a surplus of experience, something that is rare in the youth-driven NESCAC. However, many of the teams that Wesleyan beat last season have retooled significantly in the offseason. Williams is 3-0 this season, with the best freshman class in the league already paying dividends. Wesleyan’s finals opponent, Amherst, is loaded, with players like Johnny McCarthy ’18 (the hype train keeps on rolling) who were a little raw last year stepping up in a big way. Wesleyan returns most of their talent from last year, but they are in danger of the league growing up around them while they stay rooted in one spot.

2014-2015 Record:

19-9 overall; 5-5 NESCAC (t-4th); won NESCAC Championship over Amherst 74-70 in OT; lost to Skidmore 81-66 in the first round of the NCCA Tournament

Head Coach: Joe Reilly, 8th season, 90-84 (.517) 

 

Returning Starters: Six

G BJ Davis (11.5 ppg, 3.5 apg, .385% 3PT)
G Harry Rafferty (10.5 ppg, 2.8 rpg .379% 3PT)
G Jack Mackey (11.6 ppg, 4.2 rpg, .381% 3PT)
F Joseph Kuo (11.9 ppg, 7.4 rpg, 1.5 bpg)
F Rashid Epps (7.9 ppg, 6.7 rpg, .593% FG)
F Joe Edmonds (9.0 ppg, 3.5 rpg, .441% 3PT)

All of the above players started at least 17 games last season. As you can see from these numbers, Wesleyan’s hallmark in 2014-2015 was a balanced scoring attack with a healthy dose of three-point shooting from dangerous three guard lineups. However, their most deadly three-point shooter from last season, Joe Edmonds ’16 at 41 percent, has been out for most of the preseason with a foot injury and has yet to get back on the court. Additionally, the consistently dangerous Jack Mackey has been struggling to overcome a variety of injuries. He’s played good minutes so far, but come off the bench in two of the Cards’ three games and is struggling shooting the ball at just 5-23 overall and 3-17 from three. This has led to a shakeup in the experience-laden Cardinals’ starting five.

Projected Starting Lineup: 

PG BJ Davis (11.5 ppg, 3.5 apg, .385% 3PT)

With Edmonds and his scoring touch gone for greener pastures and Mackey struggling mightily, BJ Davis becomes even more crucial to the Cardinals’ success. Davis is playing a ridiculous 35.3 mpg early on. One of the most talented and athletic guards in the league (if you get the chance, try to find his tip slam against Middlebury on YouTube. Oofta), he was excellent last season at playing within the system. However, this season he will have a longer leash, and it could be very exciting watch him explore his new freedom.

SG Harry Rafferty (10.5 ppg, 2.8 rpg .379% 3PT)

Rafferty was a breakout star last year for the Cardinals, emerging in his sophomore season as a consistent scoring threat and excellent perimeter defender. He stays within himself beautifully, as the entire Wesleyan team does, and will be a crucial cog in Wesleyan’s machine this year. In their first three games he has upped his scoring to 12.7 points per game, and has six steals already on the season.

SF PJ Reed ’16 (2.9 ppg, 2.0 rpg, .311% FG)

A junior who played very sparingly last season, Reed has stepped into the starting lineup due to the struggles and health of Jack Mackey. However, Mackey has continued to play heavy minutes off the bench while Reed is simply a placeholder. This is a spot in Wesleyan’s starting lineup that will need to be resolved for them to compete in the top tier of NESCAC this season. I would expect Mackey to figure it out once he is fully healthy and return to the starting lineup, with Edmonds rotating with him once he recovers from his own injury, but if he doesn’t, Reed has good size at 6’5” and could see heavier playing time as the year goes on. Additionally, Wesleyan has one of the top freshman guard recruits in the league in Salim Greene ’19, who will press both of those players for playing time once he recovers from a concussion suffered in the preseason (it seems like Wesleyan should be a little more subdued in their preseason intensity.)

PF Joseph Kuo (11.9 ppg, 7.4 rpg, 1.5 bpg)

Kuo and Epps combine to give Wesleyan one of the staunchest defenses in the league, particularly around the rim. However, Kuo is no specialist. He led the team in scoring last season, and has good touch around the rim as well as on mid-range jump shots. He and Epps both benefit greatly from drives and dishes from Wesleyan’s killer rotation of smart guards, something that shouldn’t change this season with the emergence of Davis and Rafferty. He has struggled somewhat finishing this year, shooting only 40 percent so far, but that should level out as Wesleyan’s rotations get more consistent.

 C Rashid Epps (7.9 ppg, 6.7 rpg, .593% FG)

Epps is the centerpiece of Wesleyan’s defense. A cagey defender with strong instincts and athleticism, any scoring Wesleyan got from Epps last season was a bonus. However, his impressive shooting percentage from last season shows his good touch around the rim, and this season so far he has upped his scoring to 10.3 points per game, while still rebounding well and shooting at a 61 percent clip. Epps is the kind of solid, consistent center that teams like Middlebury and Williams, who often get killed inside despite solid perimeter talent, would love to have.

Breakout Player: BJ Davis 

It’s an overstatement to say that Davis was held back by Wesleyan’s balance last year. He still averaged nearly 12 points per game, and was able to put the team on his back (a la Greg Jennings) several times. Also, he got a NESCAC championship ring out of the deal, so I doubt he’s complaining. However, he always seemed to have First Team talent that would never be backed up by his numbers. This season thus far has seen a change in that. Davis has stepped out from the crowd to the tune of 23.3 points per game on 57.6 percent shooting from the field and 56.3 percent from three. Obviously those shooting percentages are not sustainable, but his quickness and athleticism have combined with leadership and experience to create a very dangerous weapon. And with Mackey starting slow, the floor is Davis’ to carry the team more than he ever needed to last season. He looks to be very ready.

Everything: 

For all to TL;DR people out there, here’s the summary of Wesleyan’s chances in 2015-2016. They return most of their scoring from last year, and added a potential game changer in Salim Greene. However, Greene is a freshman and is struggling with a concussion. For them to succeed this season and possibly repeat as NESCAC champions, they will need the players from last year to both stay consistent and improve to keep up with a young and talented league. In the first three games of the season, this has been a mixed bag. A bad opening loss to Lyndon State showed the worst-case scenario for the Cardinals; they didn’t have any players explosive enough to get them a hoop when they needed it. However, the next two games featured BJ Davis shoving that idea somewhere dark and out of the way to the tune of 23 and 31 points in two wins. If Davis is truly making a First Team leap in his senior season, Wesleyan will get their experienced leaders Mackey and Edmonds back from injury and reserve a spot in the top tier with Amherst and Trinity. If he’s going to come back to earth, then the Cardinals’ brand of stolid balance and consistency might not be enough in the ever-shifting NESCAC basketball universe.

Cliché alert: sports is a copycat business, and the NESCAC has taken note of the Cards’ championship recipe. Wesleyan won by relying on a three-guard set and a short, six-man rotation. Expect other teams to start copying that strategy. Middlebury will roll out Jack Daly ’18, Jake Brown ’17 and Matt St. Amour ’17 all at once. Williams is basically playing with four guards and C Edward Flynn ’16 for stretches with a couple of freshmen forwards coming off of the bench. Wesleyan also won because their best players played the whole game. No other team relied so heavily on so few players. Mackey, Davis, Rafferty, Kuo, Edmonds and Epps all played at least 22.1 mpg last year – Chris Tugman ’15 was next with 11.2 mpg. Coach Reilly is staying with that strategy this season. Davis, Mackey, Rafferty, Kuo and Epps are all over 26.0 mpg. F Nathan Krill ’18 is at 13.7 mpg. Once Edmonds comes back, he will jump back into the six-man rotation, and Greene could stretch that to a seven-man, but that’s still a shorter bench than most teams. It’s a risky strategy, and the Cardinals will need to get healthy and stay healthy in order to be successful.

Polar Bears Need a Supporting Cast: Bowdoin Season Preview

The middle three seniors lead an in flux Bowdoin team. (Courtesy of Bowdoin Athletics)
Seniors Matt Palecki (44), Lucas Hausman (21) and Jake Donnelly (11) lead an in-flux Bowdoin team. (Courtesy of Bowdoin Athletics)

Editor’s Note: Things can be a little confusing now that the season is underway. Consider the rest of our previews as season predictions based off of a compilation of conversations with coaches and players and observations from the first couple of games.
All statistics that appear next to players’ names are from the 2014-15 season.

The first person that anybody who watched a Bowdoin game in the past few years noticed was legitimately seven foot tall center John Swords ’15. The big man was a unique player in the NESCAC, and he blossomed into a two-way force his final two seasons. He would disappear on offense at times, but he was indisputably a terror on defense as a rim-protector. Swords is gone as well as point guard Bryan Hurley ’15 and forward Keegan Pieri ’15.

Bowdoin made the NCAA tournament just two season ago, but almost every contributor from that team has graduated, a huge amount of turnover especially for a non-elite NESCAC team that is not able to land quite the recruits some schools can. The good news is that the one contributor still remaining from the NCAA team is Lucas Hausman ’16, who became a scoring monster in the second half of last season and was a D3Hoops.com preseason First Team All-American. Behind him are a bunch of players that need to step into bigger roles, but offer an intriguing mix of potential.

2014-2015 Record:

18-8 overall, 7-3 NESCAC (t-2nd); lost in NESCAC Semifinals to Amherst 76-56; did not qualify for NCAAs

Head Coach: Tim Gilbride, 31st season, 432-304 (.587)

Returning Starters: Three

G Jake Donnelly ’16 (3.0 ppg, 1.4 apg, 2.3 rpg)
G Lucas Hausman ’16 (20.7 ppg, 87.8% FT, 1.6 apg)
F Matt Palecki ’16 (9.2 ppg, 34.6% 3PT, 5.7 rpg)

All three seniors on the roster are returning starters which tells you a lot about how Gilbride relies on improvement year to year from his players. Donnelly started the second half of last season after  Pieri  got hurt and the Polar Bears went to a three-guard starting lineup. Palecki more than tripled his scoring output from his sophomore year as a junior, and he is a grizzled vet that Bowdoin can rely on.

Projected Starting Five

PG Jake Donnelly (3.0 ppg, 1.4 apg, 2.3 rpg)

A steady player, Donnelly is never going to be the point guard who is the key player on offense, and he will not come close to the numbers that Hurley put up. However, he doesn’t need to be the primary ball-handler so long as he is able to bring the ball up the floor and consistently hit three pointers. His strength is more on defense where he will guard the top perimeter threat whenever Bowdoin plays man-to-man defense. It is also a possibility that Donnelly gives up minutes as the season goes along to some of the younger guards on the team.

SG Lucas Hausman (20.7 ppg, 87.8% FT, 1.6 apg)

The senior can score, and we know that. In his three games so far, he’s averaged 31.3 ppg, and it’s been pretty much as expected. Bowdoin will need him to diversify his game for them to take a step forward, though. Because teams are going to be so focused on him, Hausman has to be able to be better at getting his teammates involved: 1.6 apg is not going to cut it. He also has to get better defensively. Swords served as a safety net for Bowdoin’s guards that just doesn’t exist anymore. The expectations for Hausman are high, but he still has to stay within himself offensively and not try to do everything on his own.

F Matt Palecki (9.2 ppg, 34.6% 3PT, 5.7 rpg)

After having such a breakout junior year, one might think Palecki could will a similar jump as a senior, but that isn’t the type of player he is. The forward is a low-usage player who is able to stretch the floor by hitting the three but also gets a good amount of points off of offensive rebounds. What he is not is somebody that you give the ball in the post to and expect to get points from. He will be a key offensive player but not an initiator of his own offense. Defensively, Palecki is nominally the center, but nobody will mistake him for the same type of player as Swords. Not a great leaper, he is more apt to draw charges than get blocks.

F Neil Fuller ’17 (3.6 ppg, 4.0 rpg, 1.7 apg)

Last year was basically a lost season for Fuller because of injuries, and he needs to put that behind him. Another 6’6″ body, Fuller has more lateral quickness than Palecki so he will match up with most power forwards. He is not much of a threat from three, but he does like to work out of the high post where he has enough athleticism to attack slow-footed defenders. However, he isn’t likely to have the ball in his hands very often in order to make those kinds of plays.

F Jack Simonds ’19

The most intriguing player on the Bowdoin roster, Simonds was the talk of the team in the preseason, and he backed that up when he had 21 points in the second game of the season. The big lefty represents the best choice for a second-scorer emerging besides Hausman. He will remind Bowdoin fans of Keegan Pieri in his ability to hit contested mid-range jumpers, and he might also already be a better shooter from deep than Pieri was. How much of an adjustment playing against college players is remains to be seen, but it can often take big men a year or two to catch up.

Breakout Player: F Liam Farley ’18 (3.5 ppg, 2.5 rpg, 90.9% FT)

This pick is a not-so-educated guess that Farley is going to be an important perimeter scorer whenever Hausman sits. Farley is one of the few Bowdoin players who is best with the ball in his hands, but he too often settles for jump shots. The presence of Simonds tempers expectations for Farley, but he should still have a much better sophomore season in order to give Bowdoin more depth.

Everything Else:

This is a weird roster because there is no clear center or real point guard right now. Instead, Gilbride is going to have to figure out how to create offense in an unusual way. And though there is not a true point guard who can break down a defense right now, Tim Ahn ’19 has the skill to develop into that player. He will need to get better understanding the schemes Bowdoin runs in order to get a good amount of playing time. PG Bryan Hurley was a hugely important player, and his loss should not be discounted. Jack Hewitt ’17 is the lead big man off of the bench, and there is not a big drop off to him from Fuller or Palecki.

The biggest worries for Bowdoin are on that defensive end and in the half-court offense. They don’t have the personnel to stay in front of players out on the perimeter, and Gilbride will not go to zone as much as last year when Swords was able to play in the middle. Bowdoin didn’t have to worry about any rebounding problems in their zone because of Swords, but they now have to rebound as a team, and playing in the zone makes them more susceptible to offensive rebounds. After having one of the best defenses in the league with Swords, the Polar Bears might find themselves having to score 80 points in order to win games.

The worst case scenario for Bowdoin is that the pieces never really fit together. In that situation, the focus would be on how many points Hausman can score. And while that would be fun at times, it would be a disappointment for a team that finished second in the NESCAC last year. The ceiling for this team is still pretty high given that they have the best player in the NESCAC, but it might take this unit a while to figure out how exactly they will work best playing together.