Tag: Bowdoin

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.

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.

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.

Monday Musings Part Two: Everyone Else


Things are good in Medford these days. The Jumbos are 3-0. (Photos Courtesy of Alonso Nichols/Tufts University)

AL: Alright, enough about that Amherst-Middlebury game as there was plenty of other football played. The one score that caught my eye was Wesleyan sneaking by Colby 24-21. For the second straight week the Cardinals needed a late touchdown to take the lead, and both weeks it was Devon Carrillo ’16 who was responsible for it.

JM: So a couple of thoughts from me about this result. One, I think Colby played pissed off, especially Jabari Hurdle-Price ’17. Two, either Wesleyan isn’t as good as we thought, or, and sorry to keep dragging it back to Middlebury, the Panthers aren’t as good as we thought. The Cards have now played close game’s with teams we thought would be elite and teams we thought would be mediocre. I think it’s mostly a situation of a young team in Wesleyan with a lot of talent going through growing pains, and they’ll get better as the season goes on. My one other observation, and you just brought this up, Devon Carrillo is a beast. In Weeks 1 and 2 it was rushing the ball. This week he finally caught some passes. One way or another he’s going to hurt you. Like this:

AL: Get this: Wesleyan came in allowing just 13.0 YPG on the ground, and Hurdle-Price went for 19 yards on his first carry on his way to 202 for the day. This is an encouraging effort for Colby. Obviously they are 0-3 against Trinity, Middlebury and Wesleyan, but they did look competitive. That and then you have to look at the standings and see your CBB mates Bowdoin and Bates sitting there at 0-3 too.

JM: And it was another tough one for your Bowdoin Polar Bears, losing a whopping 43-24. What’s going on, Al?

AL: Ugghh, the defense has simply not shown up, especially in the first half of the past two games. The Jumbos had 27 points in the first half, and Chance Brady ’17 was able to do basically whatever he wanted. I thought it was going to be different under new coach JB Wells, but these things take time. Real story is Tufts moving to 3-0 I think.

JM: I’m with you, Al. Could Tufts be the real deal? They barely snuck by Hamilton and Bates, but in a way that’s a good thing. The Jumbos actually believe they can win. And that’s the kind of attitude they’re going to need when they go to play Trinity this weekend. This will either be Tufts’ announcement to the league that they’re a contender, or it will affirm our fears that there are really only four teams competing every year for the title.

AL: I’m going to say the Jumbos are still a year away, but Saturday will tell us, obviously. Bowdoin was playing without Tyler Grant ’17, and the Polar Bears picked off Alex Snyder ’17 twice, so you can’t say it was all roses for Tufts. Elsewhere, on Friday I said that I was high on the Ephs because of Austin Lommen ’16, and they leaned on him heavily throwing the ball 47 times in the Ephs’ win. Still, Bates had a lot of chances to win this game, but they haven’t been able to win the close games.

QB Austin Lommen '16 carried the Ephs' offense on his right shoulder on Saturday. (Courtesy of Williams Athletics)
QB Austin Lommen ’16 carried the Ephs’ offense on his right shoulder on Saturday. (Courtesy of Williams Athletics)

JM: No, and I think part of that is that their offense is one-dimensional. It just doesn’t work in football these days. The athletes on the other side of the ball are too good and too smart. There’s so much film that you aren’t really surprising opposing defenses with that option game.

AL: Patrick Dugan ’16 was 1-14 throwing the ball! Williams has a good secondary, but that is BAD. Bates has always leaned on the run, but they usually are able to get more of a passing game going. Finally, the game we haven’t talked about is Trinity vs. Hamilton. What did you think of that one?

JM: Really just confirmed what we already knew. Trinity’s defense is going to shut down bad teams. While Hamilton had a great showing in Week 1, and nearly upset Wesleyan in Week 2, I think that they’re closer to the offense we’ve seen the last two weeks than the one we saw in Week 1. More than anything, Trinity just has a chip on its shoulder after losing three straight to end 2014. If running back Max Chipouras ’19 is for real, then this team becomes terrifying to face.

AL: This score would have been more lopsided if Colby Jones ’19 (another impact freshman who also returned a blocked extra point for two points) hadn’t intercepted two Sonny Puzzo ’17 throws inside of the Hamilton 20-yard line. I’m a little more optimistic about the Hamilton offense just because I respect the Trinity defense so much. With that being said, Puzzo is coming back to earth.I have my worries about when Triniy has to face a top-four defense.

Jeff Devanney's defense has yet to allow a point through three games. That's 180 minutes of football. (Courtesy of Robert LeBel)
Jeff Devanney’s defense has yet to allow a point through three games. That’s 180 minutes of football. (Courtesy of Robert LeBel)

JM: I still feel good about Puzzo. He didn’t run much last week, so I don’t know what that’s about. But we saw in person with Foy against Middlebury how the threat of a quarterback taking off and running is a huge weapon. And Puzzo still put up good yardage against Hamilton. Trinity’s calling card is always going to be defense as long as Jeff Devanney is the coach, and that’s how they’re going to win.

AL: I mean the Trinity defense still hasn’t been scored on. Glancing at the standings, clear demarcation with six teams either 3-0 or 2-1 and then four 0-3 teams. With the exception of Wesleyan, I feel like I have a good handle on teams at this point.

JM: Agreed, and things are starting to separate, as you mentioned. Okay, Adam, any last takes on Week 3 in the NESCAC?

AL: Just want to reiterate how much I enjoyed watching the game at Amherst. And that we went 5-0 on picks this week. Definitely want to mention that.

JM: I feel pretty confident in saying that no one else has watched as much NESCAC football as we have this season, Adam. It’s paying off with the picks.

No I Won’t Back Down: Bowdoin’s Trey Brown Returns from Injury

Photo courtesy of Trey Brown
Photo courtesy of Trey Brown

Running back Trey Brown entered Bowdoin as a freshman in the fall of 2012 eager to get onto the football field. He was planning on playing football and baseball, but his first love was always football. Brown was especially eager to play because his last season of high school football at Phillips Andover Academy ended way too abruptly. On his very first carry at Andover as a post-graduate student he tore his right ACL in a preseason scrimmage. The game meant nothing, and the injury knocked him out for the entire season and began an eight month rehabilitation. Despite the injury causing him to miss out on the chance to impress college coaches, Bowdoin recruited Brown to play running back.

Brown only heard about Bowdoin as a post-grad at Andover, a prep school that routinely sends kids to NESCAC schools. Brown went to high school in his hometown of Livingston, California, a small city two hours inland from the Bay Area. Far away from the traditional enclaves of East Coast recruiting, he didn’t register on the radars of NESCAC coaches, and it was a family friend who recommended he try the post-graduate year to boost his exposure. His story up to this point is far from unique. Many students take post-graduate years and end up at NESCAC schools. Brown was hoping to go to a a Division-II  or NAIA school where he could get a scholarship, and he had never even heard of the NESCAC before coming to Andover. Tearing his ACL in the first half of a scrimmage erased those ideas of going to a big time football school. He became focused on finding a school that would be a good fit for both academics and athletics. His academic advisor at Andover was a Bowdoin graduate and was the first one to recommend Bowdoin to Brown.

Even though he barely played at Andover, the year at prep school was huge for Brown. He describes Andover as a small college, a rigorous and somewhat specialized place where he had to work harder than in high school. In Brown’s own words: “I don’t think I would have been able to excel here [Bowdoin] without Andover … the curriculum at Andover is hard so I was prepared for college.”

Without football at Andover, he spent the year concentrating on getting good enough grades to get into Bowdoin and making friends who came from places all over the world.

So that’s how Brown ended up in Brunwick, Maine, far away from the Central Valley of California. He was confident coming into his freshman year that he was healthy again. He went through all of the preseason and was primed for significant carries early on because of injuries to upperclassmen. Then it happened again.

On a first half carry, he tore his right ACL once again, ending his season and causing some soul searching.

“I was shook. Yeah I was ready to hang them up. I was ready to hang them up.”

Still wanting to feel a part of a community at a new school, Brown went to all of the football activities for a few weeks after his injury. “I went to the meetings for the first two or three weeks and then I couldn’t be around it,” Brown says. “I was acting like I was in the games but I was on the sidelines.” Even with the two ACL surgeries on the same knee, Brown decided to go through another rehabilitation process with the blessing of the Bowdoin training staff. He couldn’t picture himself not at least trying to play football if it was at all possible.

Although he was cleared to play at the beginning of his sophomore year, Brown did not feel completely healthy entering the season.

“I didn’t feel too confident to make hard cuts off of my [right knee] … I thought to myself, ‘I’m alright, I’m alright,’ but it was false confidence I think.”

Still, he made it through all of preseason camp again and entered the season as the primary backup. He played in four games and ran for 162 yards, including 73 in the third game against Tufts. It was his first time playing football in three years, but he never felt completely right. “It was forced, I tried to do too much.” He was overcompensating for his injury, and on his first carry against Hamilton in Week 4, a 16-yarder, he he felt his ACL tear again, this time in his left knee instead of his right one where the first two tears occurred.

The injury hit Brown extremely hard.

“I wasn’t depressed, but I was different. I was distraught.”

He once again thought about whether he could come back to play football. After both of his ACL injuries at Bowdoin, Brown leaned on a close group of friends who encouraged him to make the decision that he wanted. His roomates, who include players or former players like Greg Thompson ’16, Jibrail Coy ’16 (a player who himself has had to overcome two ACL injuries while at Bowdoin), and Skyler Lee ’16 encouraged Brown to come back if that’s what he wanted, even if the rehab would be long and difficult. Brown knows that he couldn’t have come back without them. He sees the football team as his family at Bowdoin.

His family at home, meanwhile, was much more ambivalent about him trying to continue playing football, arguing that he risked ending up in a wheelchair. His mom especially wanted him to stop playing, but Brown felt the risks are worth it payoff. He knows that studies have linked ACL injuries to arthritis, but he thinks at the end of the day “it’s all worth it.” This is a sentiment that you hear often from Division-III athletes. That all the time spent practicing and training for games that often go unnoticed is always ‘worth it.’ However, most athletes wouldn’t sing the same tune after three ACL tears. Brown does, and he’s started to formulate a plan for returning for his final year.

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Trey Brown (Photo Courtesy of Bowdoin Athletics)

He worked last season for Bowdoin trainer Dan Davies, somebody with whom Brown has spent a lot of time. Last year he spent his time treating his own injuries, instead of being treated. Meanwhile, being around the football field all the time wasn’t always easy.

“There were times when I wanted to get on the field, but I knew I wasn’t ready. I still was thinking about playing all the time.”

The extra time off was necessary, and Brown was able to take solace in the fact that he would have that offseason to get ready for one last hurrah.

When last winter began, Brown was healthy for the first offseason ever at Bowdoin, and when I asked him what that was like, he just told me that it was “awesome” multiple times. He was in the weight room almost everyday, finally able to do everything with his teammates again. In the offseason, Brown met new coach JB Wells for the first time. The two quickly built a relationship as Wells leaned on the returning juniors who had not gone abroad. Then at the end of the spring semester in a somewhat unusual move, Wells made Brown and Matt Netto ’16 captains. The decision happened in part because all three elected captains were abroad that spring. Wells wanted to recognize Brown and Netto, two players who have been huge parts of the Bowdoin team in different ways. The moment struck Brown.

“I was in shock. I looked around to make sure it was true. It meant a lot to me.”

Despite not having played in 2014, Brown is a Bowdoin football captain.

So far this preseason, Brown has felt good and healthy as ever, but he knows he has to be more careful than ever. He is a physical, down-hill runner who takes a lot of hits, and even with all the advancements in surgery, he is more likely to tear his ACL now than ever before. Already he has been able to take and give some big hits. Wells will have to make sure not to overload the running back, but at the same time Wells is hoping that Brown can help starting running back Tyler Grant ’17 not get as worn down as last season.

For now, Brown isn’t too worried. He is happy to simply be back on the field, playing the sport that has given and taken so much from him. The journey to this point has been a long one, and he is grateful for where he is right now. The biggest lesson Brown has taken from this journey is simple.

“Perseverance is the big word for me, in every aspect: sports, academics, just life.”

When asked about his hopes and expectations for himself and the team this year, Brown paused and smiled.

“Just wait on it. That’s all I have to say.”

Mike Trout Swimming for the CAC

Despite the noble efforts of the merry band of writers here at Nothing But NESCAC, the league certainly lacks national exposure. However, that is about to change with the news leaking out of the MLB’s offices early this morning. According to one of our (many, many) sources in the MLB, Mike Trout will soon be taking a leave of absence from the Angels to attend an as-of-yet undecided NESCAC school.

Trout, who was taken out of Millville High School in New Jersey in the 2009 MLB draft, has established himself as the best player in the MLB during his first three seasons, winning the American League’s Most Valuable Player award last year at just 23. However, he had recently been feeling unsatisfied with his lack of college education, and the dearth of one on one attention he was receiving from his coaches with the Angels. His teammates had reported walking into the lockerroom to see him poring over a ragged, dog-eared copy of Henry David Thoreau’s Walden, only to have him throw it into his locker and hurriedly pick up Albert Pujol’s issue of Maxim.

“Mike has always had a very inquisitive mind, and he simply isn’t feeling intellectually fulfilled in the Major Leagues anymore,” said a source close to the organization. “He feels that the small college experience will open him to a multitude of new opportunities to grow as a man, and learn more about this crazy ride we call life.”

Mike Trout could transfer to Wesleyan in order to take the class "Museum Chronotopes: Temporality and Exhibition from the Late 18th Century to the Present."
Mike Trout could transfer to Wesleyan in order to take the class “Museum Chronotopes: Temporality and Exhibition from the Late 18th Century to the Present.”

The obvious question that people are now asking is which school Trout will attend. We caught up with the star outfielder in a hotel room in Williamstown, having just finished a tour of Williams. He was sitting on the bed with his father, poring over several ethnically diverse brochures from Amherst, Middlebury and Bowdoin.

“I just don’t know, man,” the natural successor to Mickey Mantle said with a sigh. “Middlebury’s language studies can’t be beat, and it’s crucial to be bilingual in our rapidly globalizing society. But Williams has this incredible science and math department AND a museum with Picasso in it. Picasso! Shouldn’t I be at a place that can combine sciences and humanities like that?”

“But what about the girls at Middlebury, huh Mike,” his father interjected with a wink. The unanimous 2012 Rookie of the Year award winner blushed and returned to his brochures. When asked whether he would play baseball in NESCAC, he expressed some desire to, but that he really would like to try Quidditch at some point, and worried that Quidditch, studying for finals AND baseball would be too much to take on in his freshman year. “They have intramurals though,” he reasoned.

Wherever Trout ends up, his celebrity presence is sure to turn NESCAC on its head. We will have further updates on this exciting story as more details come out, but last we heard, Trout and his father were planning a drive down to Amherst to catch an information session.

Hard to Kill a Polar Bear: Bowdoin Update

Bryan Hurley '15 goes to the hoop during the Bowdoin comeback against Colby. (Courtesy of the Kennebec Journal)
Bryan Hurley ’15 goes to the hoop during the Bowdoin comeback against Colby. (Courtesy of the Kennebec Journal)

Through a combination of injuries and the flu, Bowdoin walked onto the bus last Saturday, the 24th, to head to Colby with only nine healthy players, including Stephen Girolamo ’16 who walked onto the team this fall and has barely played all season. John Swords ’15 was the only starter still standing from last season’s team that went to the NCAA tournament. Colby won the teams’ first matchup of the season 61-48 in Brunswick, at which a promotion helped to bring the biggest and loudest student crowd at Colby in years.

Despite all of that and a nine point half time deficit, the Polar Bears scratched and clawed (apologies for the pun) their way to a huge win over their rival Mules to move to 4-1 in the NESCAC, tied for first with Trinity. Now the hardest games on the Bowdoin schedule still remain and the early gains they have made in conference play will be put to the test. This weekend against Trinity and Amherst will be huge in deciding whether Bowdoin will again host a home NESCAC game.

At this point, before we go any further, I should probably say that I care more about the Bowdoin basketball team than, frankly, any other basketball team, professional included. Heck, I traveled all the way to Pennsylvania last season to watch the Bears lose in the first round of the NCAA tournament. I have a completely irrational affection for this basketball team. With that being said, I think that the following analysis of Bowdoin is fair.

A three game losing streak, all by double digits, in December looked like a signal that Bowdoin simply did not have the same chutzpah that got them through so many close games last season. For the first time, I had actual doubts about whether Bowdoin was going to be able to contend. So, two weekends ago I came back to campus early to watch Bowdoin play Williams, a game that I thought had terrible match ups for Bowdoin nearly across the board. Then the first half happened and Bowdoin raced out to a 17-point halftime lead. Yet even when Bowdoin was up 20 with under 14 minutes to go, I knew Williams was going to come back because the Polar Bears don’t win games easily. More often than not, they win right when you begin to think the possibility that a loss is eminent. Even though the Ephs came storming back and almost won the game, what the win over Williams did was pull me back into believing whole-heartedly that Bowdoin could compete for the NESCAC championship.

More Adversity

Then, later last week the devastating news of the injury to Keegan Pieri ’15 came out. Pieri had just started playing his best basketball of the season according to Coach Tim Gilbride. He averaged 18.0 points per game and 8.0 rebounds per game in the wins over Hamilton and Williams. Even in a league suddenly overflowing with 6’6″ forwards capable of taking over games offensively, Pieri was a mismatch for teams. He could hit open threes and put it on the floor when needed. But where he really shined was when he was isolated one-on-one in the mid-post. Pieri is a lethal shooter from the 10-15 foot area where he uses his length to shoot over defenders. If defenders got up too close he was able to exploit them with a lefty hook shot. He is a really crafty offensive player that has a great feel of the game. More often not, when Bowdoin needed a bucket, their offense was going through Pieri and he was creating either his own shot or the Polar Bears would swing it around the perimeter to a guard.

The loss of Pieri is even worse because Bowdoin already lost another forward, Neil Fuller ’17, to injury back in December. Bowdoin was a team that lacked depth when the season began, but forward was the one position where the Polar Bears could actually say they had plenty of impact players. Without Fuller, Matt Palecki ’16 moved into the starting lineup and saw his minutes increase while bench players Liam Farley ’18 and Jack Hewitt ’17 saw a little uptick in their minutes. Suddenly Farley and Hewitt move from secondary pieces to critical rotation members. Even though Bowdoin is not going to need their bench to produce much, those guys need to do enough to keep Bowdoin in the game and keep Gilbride comfortable with resting his starters.

Farley was a huge part of the second half comeback against Colby. He scored seven of Bowdoin’s 12 points during a huge 12-1 run to take the lead. His confidence was clear when, after shooting 0-4 in the first half, he stepped into an open three that gave Bowdoin a 48-47 lead. That offense and shooting is going to be critical going forward to keep the Bears in close games. From day one, Farley has been serene with the ball, never looking like an overmatched freshman. He does not have the same post game as Pieri, but he should be able to replace most of his outside shooting and slashing. Gilbride says a big reason Farley belongs on the court now is that “he has a better idea of team principles, especially defensively which require a lot of vision and idea of what other guys are doing.” Learning defensive rotations at a new level is often the hardest thing for a freshmen to do, and though he is still capable of freshmen mistakes, the 10 minutes in the second half Farley played against Colby shows that Gilbride thinks he will makes the right play more often than not.

Guard Leadership

Even though Bowdoin graduated their entire starting backcourt from last season, Gilbride knew going into the season that he had a more offensively talented duo this season in Bryan Hurley ’15 and Lucas Hausman ’16. Hurley of course was injured for most of last season but was the starter for his entire sophomore year. At the beginning of the season Gilbride could see that Hurley was pressing somewhat because he wanted to win so badly. He forced things too often as a point guard instead of having things come to him. Since Christmas break, Hurley has turned it around and gotten his swagger back. He is getting into the lane more and had eight assists three games in a row two weeks ago. He uses his body exceptionally well when he is in the paint to shield defenders from swiping at the ball. Hurley says the team is running more pick and rolls, something that the senior guard welcomes.

His partner in crime in the backcourt is Hausman, a junior who has had to bide his time as a scorer off the bench before becoming a starter this season. He is unique to this Bowdoin roster in his ability to finish in traffic because of his athleticism. His skill set is even changing up the way that Bowdoin tries to play. Hurley says that, “now with the loss of Keegan and Neil still out, we have been trying to push more in transition because Lucas is such a great finisher.”  Watching Hausman on the fast break is awesome. Despite being only 170 pounds with a full stomach, he has no fear in barreling into multiple defenders. You can see the defenders think they have him stopped before Hausman twists and contorts until he finds some sliver where he pushes through and gets off a quality shot. He is admittedly more comfortable shooting off of the bounce than in catch and shoot situations which explains why he is only hitting on 25.9 percent of his threes. Though he is not always the most efficient player, when he gets hot, teams are in deep trouble.

Challenges Ahead

Now Gilbride has to figure how to stretch this thin roster out over two tough road games on back-to-back days. With the short bench Gilbride says the coaching staff has a plan for how to manage everyone’s minutes, but once Bowdoin is in a game situation, things are always capable of changing. Guys that I’ve barely mentioned here like Palecki, Jake Donnelly ’16 and Hewitt will all have to make huge contributions for Bowdoin to win at least one of their games.

The game tonight against Trinity is a rematch of last year’s NESCAC quarterfinal triple overtime thriller that saw the Bantams prevail in Brunswick.  The Polar Bears know all about Trinity’s strengths on the defensive end. “Trinity is good in one-on-one matchups,” says Gilbride. “They have good length, strength, and athleticism to make it tough that way. Then they are very well coached as a team so they are good at rotating down and getting an extra guy in the paint.” The game tonight will not be an aesthetically pleasing one, and whoever can make just enough shots will pull it out.

Remember also that Bowdoin is doing all this even though Swords is scoring less this season. Though his scoring is down, Swords remains a huge presence in the paint that teams fear. Teams are shooting 28 threes per game against Bowdoin in conference play. Williams, who would shoot a three before they took an open layup, is averaging 27 threes per game for the season. Guards are loathe to try to challenge Swords at the rim, and he is so big that he clogs up a lot of lanes by simply being in the paint.

The hardest games on Bowdoin’s schedule are still in front of them. The Polar Bears wore down last season losing five of their last seven games, albeit in very close games against good competition. It will be a challenge for Bowdoin to bring it every game, but they have shown their reslience thus far. Yes, losing Pieri hurts a lot. But Palecki says, “[Pieri’s] injury is just another large bump on what has been a pretty bumpy road so far.”

Stock Report April 14

Stock Up

Robby Harbison ’17 Designated Hitter (Wesleyan) – The DH with the slick locks must have noticed we didn’t talk about him in our First Year Spotlight. In the first game of the weekend his two-run double in the seventh inning broke a 1-1 tie. He followed that up with two 3-4 games in the Saturday doubleheader. On the weekend he totaled three runs and five RBIs. His .410 batting average is the best on Wesleyan, and he has reached base in 13 of Wesleyan’s last 14 games. His hot bat helped Wesleyan to a weekend sweep of Williams. The Cardinals are 6-0 in the NESCAC and look like they could enter the series against Amherst at 9-0.

Scott Goldberg ’15 Starting Pitcher (Colby) – Last season the right hander sported a 5.50 ERA and a .318 opponents’ batting average. This season has been a completely different story for Goldberg. Posting a 1.40 ERA and miniscule .154 opponents’ batting average, he has turned into a bona fide ace for the Mules. On Saturday, he turned in a masterful eight inning performance. Bowdoin only threatened once, in the sixth inning, when they scored two runs, but besides that, Goldberg was all over the Polar Bears. Improvement by returning players has been the key to Colby sitting comfortably in second place in the East right now.

Nick Cooney ’15 Starting Pitcher (Wesleyan) – Wesleyan is getting so much love because their sweep this weekend was the most impressive team performance this season. Cooney was the one who set the tone with his dominance on the mound Friday. He shut down a very good Williams lineup going all nine innings and only allowing one run. Along with Gavin Pittore ’16 and Jeff Blout ’14, Cooney attacked Williams’ hitters early in counts, allowing him to go so deep in the game. Improved pitching has been the key to Wesleyan’s 10-game winning streak since a 24-0 drubbing on March 21 in the Cardinals’ last game in Arizona.

Kyle Slinger ’15 Starting Pitcher (Tufts) – The southpaw was scary good in the opening game of the Tufts-Trinity series. The Bantams could not figure him out all game managing only two hits and three walks as he went all nine innings. His seven strikeouts give him 41 on the season. Opponents are hitting a silly .136 against him meaning his 0.66 ERA through 41 innings is no fluke. To top it off, Slinger already has six wins with plenty of games still to play. A 10-win season is not out of question for the junior. Trinity played the Jumbos really tough, taking the middle game of the series, but the Jumbos showed their mettle holding on to win the final game 3-2. If Slinger continues to pitch this way, you can write in a Tufts victory for the first game of every series.

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Bowdoin Defense – The Saturday doubleheader between Bowdoin and Colby featured two well-played close games between two teams clearly very similar in talent level. The difference in the weekend series was on Friday when Bowdoin had uncharacteristically poor defense. The four errors came at critical times as only one of Colby’s eight runs was earned. The costliest error came in the third when a routine groundball with two outs could not be corralled at second base. With the bases loaded Nate Ellis ’14 delivered a clutch single scoring two runs. Tyler Starks ’16 chased Bowdoin’s starter Harry Ridge ’16 with another two-run single as Colby scored five in the third. The poor defense was a reason for the insertion of Sean Mullaney ’17 at shortstop combined with Aaron Rosen ’15 moving to second base. Mullaney is struggling at the plate, but he plays a great shortstop making Bowdoin strong up the middle.

Jjay Lane ’15 Starting Pitcher (Hamilton) – The Continentals needed a big start by their junior ace to avoid tripping up against Middlebury, but the Panthers jumped all over the Connecticut native. Lane only went three innings before leaving with Middlebury leading 8-1. In fairness to him, the Hamilton defense was terrible behind him leading to only one of his runs being earned, but still the righty was hit hard. Lane isn’t striking out many batters this season, and he just hasn’t had any luck with run support. Despite a 2.37 ERA, Lane is 0-2. Consider this more of an opportunity to buy low on Lane than a signal that Lane has regressed from his 2013 form.

Tom Stephens ’14 Right Fielder (Williams) – This spot could go to any number of Williams’ hitters who struggled over the weekend, but the spotlight falls on Stephens because he went hitless in all three games. Overall, a vaunted lineup scored a combined five runs over three games. Stephens couldn’t get anything going at the plate, striking out four times. The amazing thing is that he still sports a nifty .385/.450/.654 slashline. Stephens was one of the few players last week to hit Amherst’s pitching, so expect him to bounce back soon. Williams’ once-promising season will now almost certainly end without them reaching the playoffs.

Stock Report 4/7

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Third Baseman Kevin Davis ’14 (Bates) – Davis hit clean up all weekend against Bowdoin, and rarely does anyone fit the bill as perfectly as the 6’3” slugger did in the first game of Sunday’s doubleheader. Davis smacked two doubles and a home run en route to seven RBIs in a 13-7 win. On the weekend, Davis went 8-14 with 10 RBI and three doubles. Davis raised his average by 51 points and more than doubled his RBI total to 19, second in the NESCAC.

Middlebury’s Pitching – The Panthers can take away some positives from this weekend’s series at Wesleyan despite the sweep. After looking lost against Williams, it took a shutout from Jeff Blout ’14 in the first game of the Saturday doubleheader and a suicide squeeze in the bottom of the ninth in the second match up from Nick Miceli’17 for the Cardinals to finish off Middlebury. The pitching and defense improved drastically for the Panthers. While ace Eric Truss ’15 still hasn’t found his 2013 form (7 IP, 10 H, 6 R, 4 ER, 0 BB, 0 K on Friday), Middlebury held Wesleyan to five runs (four earned) in the last two games of the series and a .273 average while the Cardinals have hit .323 overall on the season. Cooper Byrne ’15 was great in the seven-inning game (CG, 6 IP, 4 H, 1 ER, 4 BB, 2 K) and Logan Mobley ’15 (6IP, 4 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 5 BB, 0 K) worked his way out of some jams to throw a strong start in the second game. If the Panthers can get the bats going they might just have an effect on the race for the West crown.

Cooper Byrne '15 tossed his second consecutive complete game on Saturday.
Cooper Byrne ’15 tossed his second consecutive complete game on Saturday.

Startin Pitcher John Cook ’15 (Amherst) – Because the third game of the Amherst-Hamilton series was postponed last weekend, Amherst’s number three got his first chance in a league game against rival Williams and was dominant. Cook has huge shoes to fill with older brother and current assistant coach Bob Cook ’13 having departed, and after an up-and-down first couple games the 6’4” hurler put it together and earned his first win on the season. Cook’s line was 7 IP, 5 H, 2 ER, 1 BB, 8 K.

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Second Baseman Jack Roberts ’17 (Williams) – The lefty took the league by storm with his early performance, especially a 6-16 series against Middlebury, but flailed to an 0-12 weekend against the Lord Jeffs, including three strikeouts in the series finale, dropping his average to a still-respectable .290. Roberts is still a dependable hitter with a bright future and the ability to use all fields, but these growing pains are to be expected for any first-year, and we ought to be willing to give him a pass against a vaunted Amherst rotation.

Bowdoin – The Polar Bears get singled out here partially because we talked about Trinity in this column last week and their disastrous fall continued with a 1-2 weekend against Colby in Hartford (although the Bantams were playing as the road team). Bowdoin, meanwhile, now appears to be part of a three-team race for who will join Tufts in the NESCAC playoffs. Perhaps it’s too early to anoint the Jumbos with the divisional crown because they’ve only managed to play one league game, but they’ve looked great out-of-conference. So the second spot will fall to either Bates, Bowdoin or Colby, barring a storming comeback from Trinity, and the Polar Bears set themselves back by losing the series to their in-state rivals. Bowdoin (3-3) and Colby (2-1) still have three games with Tufts ahead, Bates (2-2) has two with the Jumbos and a series on the road against a desperate Trinity team this weekend, while the Mules still need to play both Bowdoin and Bates. CBB action now takes on a lot of meaning this season.

Williams Pitching – Sorry, Ephs fans, if it feels like I’m picking on you guys. Williams should be happy with taking a victory from Amherst, the class of 2014’s first against the Lord Jeffs, but the fact that the team’s league-worst 8.33 ERA was lowered in a weekend where Williams lost one game 16-6 is a testament to the under-performance of the staff so far. While Middlebury’s staff seems to have, at least for now, turned a corner, the Ephs regressed from last weekend to this one. Of course, opponent matters, and Williams faced potentially the most potent offensive in New England this weekend, but the Ephs won’t be able to compete for a division crown until they can hold teams to four or five runs a game. One bright spot is the performance of righty Thomas Murphy ’15. In two league starts, Murphy has tossed 14 innings and given up just one earned run. A key for Murphy is his 2.57 BB/9 rate. He relies on his defense to get outs for him, and his teammates were good enough to help Murphy get his third win of the year on Saturday.