Tag: Eric Anderson

A New Face at the Top: Power Rankings 1/16

NESCAC Basketball Power Rankings 1/16

(2) 1. #12 Colby (13-0, 2-0)

Last week: W 83-50 vs. Conn College, W 91-77 vs. Trinity
This week: @ Middlebury, @ Williams

I don’t care what the national polls say – at this point in the season, this is the best basketball team in the NESCAC. As a student at Bates, I’m not the most vehement supporter of the Mules, but it’s hard to ignore their impressive performance over the first thirteen games of the season. They’re the only undefeated team remaining in the conference, averaging a league-best 94.6 PPG. Another marker of dominance is the manner in which most of their contests were won; eleven of their thirteen wins have been by 14+ points. Some will point to their incredible three point percentage (41.9% with over 200 attempts already) as a reason why the Mules won’t keep up their first place standing, but with nearly 24 assists per game compared to just 14 turnovers, Colby is clearly taking care of the ball and finding open guys to knock down shots. They boast four of the top seventeen scorers in the conference, led by Sam Jefferson ‘20 (22.8 PPG). Noah Tyson ‘22 (13.8 PPG, 9 REB/G) opened some eyes as a freshman last season, and his quality of play has picked up against Colby’s first two conference games, tallying 16 points against Conn and 24 against Trinity. Rebounding may be a concern moving forward as the Mules tend to go with a smaller-than-average lineup, but this team is equipped with so many knockdown shooters that they can change a close game to a blowout in a blink of an eye. 

(1) 2. #5 Middlebury (15-1, 1-1)

Last week: L 81-69 @ Amherst, W 77-76 @ Hamilton
This week: vs. Colby, vs. Bowdoin

Panthers’ faithful might be a bit irked to find their squad at number two in this edition of the power rankings, but there is plenty to be excited about going forward. After a disappointing showing in both the NESCAC and NCAA Tournament(s), I am certain Coach Brown and his squad are hungry to bounce back and make a deep postseason run. Thus far, their play has garnered them a top five ranking in the national polls, with their sole blemish coming recently against Amherst in their first conference game of the season. Jack Farrell ‘21 leads a deep group of players in which five average double figures and another three chip in at least 5.5 points per game. Farrell has reached double digits in all sixteen games, including a season-high 31 against Endicott. Tommy Eastman ‘21 had a monster game against Hamilton, going for 23 points and 12 boards. If he continues to play at that level alongside Farrell, Max Bosco ‘21 and company, the Panthers have more than enough offensive firepower to upend the Mules and stake claim as the best team in the conference.

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

Last week: W 92-85 @ Wesleyan
This week: vs. Hamilton, vs. Amherst

It might be a surprise to see the Jumbos listed as high as number three on this list, but after a somewhat deflating 2018 regular season, Tufts has roared out to an impressive start. Few big men can match up with Luke Rogers ‘22, whose 15.7 PPG lead the Jumbos and his 12.7 REB/G lead all of the NESCAC. With Rogers garnering attention down low, it allows for veteran guards like Eric Savage ‘20 (14.8 PPG) and Brennan Morris ‘21 (11.7 PPG) to execute the offense at an efficient level, working inside and out to shuffle defenses around. In their opening win against Wesleyan, Rogers had another double-double (23 points to go along with 10 rebounds), and the Jumbos shot close to 55% from the field and sank 13 triples. If they can continue operating on offense in this manner while cleaning up the free throw percentage (converting only 15-24 against Wesleyan and 68% on the year), then this team will finish in the top four and garner some attention for an at-large bid when it comes time for NCAA Tournament selection. 

(4) 4. #22 Amherst (10-4, 1-1)

Last week: W 81-69 vs. Middlebury, L 72-69 vs. Williams
This week: @ Bates, @ Tufts

Don’t get me wrong – knocking off what was an undefeated Middlebury team is something that should be valued and highlighted when analyzing a team’s overall body of work.  As strong of a win as that is, however, Amherst finds themselves fourth in the power rankings due to their inconsistent play against conference foes. Their game against Wesleyan was considered a non-conference affair; however, I personally don’t consider the Cardinals as a strong opponent this season, and that loss certainly was something Amherst could have avoided heading into their conference slate. The big victory against the Panthers was followed by a loss to rival Williams, who at 7-7 is looking to be more of a bottom-half finisher in the 2019-2020 NESCAC season. Similarly to the University of Virginia, Amherst wins with its prolific defense, holding opponents to under 64 PPG. They’re 7-0 when holding opponents under 65 points, but Williams and Wesleyan were both able to get into the 70’s range. Eric Sellew ‘20 leads the team in scoring thus far in conference play, but the Mammoths need someone or two to step up from long range and bring some variety to an offense that doesn’t score a ton from deep. 

(5) 5. Hamilton (11-3, 1-1)

Last week: W 79-78 vs. Williams, L 77-76 vs. Middlebury
This week: @ Tufts, @ Bates

It’s basically Kena Gilmour ‘20 vs. everybody when talking about the Continentals. The senior is tied with Jefferson of Colby as the conference’s leading scorer at 22.8 PPG, and no one other than the senior averages double figures (for the season) for Hamilton. It’s clear the offense revolves around him as evidenced by the sheer number of shots he throws up, but thus far the plan is somewhat working. The Continentals have split two conference games (each by a single point) with that one loss coming against Middlebury. Gilmour will most certainly need help around him as his supporting cast looks vastly different than the team that guided Hamilton to the Sweet Sixteen a year ago. Eric Anderson ‘22 seems the most likely candidate to become the Robin to Gilmour’s Batman, as the sophomore is putting in 14.5 PPG in their two conference matchups to date. 

(9) 6. Bates (8-4, 1-0)

Last week: W 81-80 @ Wesleyan
This week: vs. Amherst, vs. Hamilton

It was an absolute rollercoaster of a performance, but the Bobcats managed to escape Middletown with a win over the Cardinals in their preliminary conference tilt.  Kody Greenhalgh ‘20 went from allowing a four-point play with eleven seconds remaining to give the Cardinals the lead, to then scoring a heavily-contested, game-winning layup.  An overall record of 8-4 at this point in the season is pretty solid, and that victory over Wesleyan was imperative if Bates wanted to make some noise in the ‘CAC this season. Greenhalgh joins the veteran Spellman ‘20 (15.5 PPG, 4.2 REB/G) as the two leading scorers, but there are a plethora of guys who can explode on any given night. with some major opportunities to pick up quality wins in the recent future. Stephon Baxter ‘23 is a name to watch for rookie of the year consideration; although his scoring average (8.9 PPG) doesn’t jump off the page, the point guard is a tenacious defender, takes smart shots and is hitting close to 45% of his three point attempts. Thomas Coyne ‘20 is always a threat from behind the arc, and the emergence of Omar Sarr ‘23 as a shotblocker and rebounder has helped a team lacking height tremendously. Given that their next four NESCAC games are Amherst, Hamilton, Tufts and Colby, the Bobcats have plenty of opportunities to snatch up wins against quality opponents. 

(7) 7. Trinity (10-5, 1-1)

Last week: W 84-70 @ Bowdoin, L 91-77 @ Colby
This week: vs. Wesleyan

Aside from the Bobcats, the Bantams are a secondary selection as a dark horse to finish in the top five of the league standings. They boast one of the best rebounding squads in the league and four legit scorers. One name to watch is forward Donald Jorden ‘21 – the junior is shooting over 67% from the field, and given that he only averages 11.7 PPG, I’d advocate for a higher feature role for Jorden if he’s putting the ball in the basket that frequently. The Bantams were beating Colby by seven at intermission before the Mules exploded for 54 points in the second half, so this Trinity team does have what it takes to compete with the upper echelon of this league. Defensively, the Bantams will want to tighten up, and a date with Wesleyan will provide them that test. 

(8) 8. Williams (7-7, 1-1)

Last week: L 79-78 @ Hamilton, W 72-69 @ Amherst
This week: vs. Bowdoin, vs. Colby

This team experienced a ton of roster turnover from last year’s senior-laden team, but even with the emergence of fellow Nothing but NESCAC writer Max Karpowicz ‘20 as the team’s go-to scoring option, the Ephs struggled in their non-conference games heading into league play.  The good news is that the level of play seems to have improved quite rapidly in their games against Hamilton and Amherst. Karpowicz’s (16.0 PPG, 9.1 REB/G) 21 point-performance paced the team in their hard-fought win over Amherst. The Ephs were also missing standout freshman Cole Prowitt-Smith ‘23 (13.3 PPG), validating the win as even more impressive given their offensive woes that plagued them early on. In no way is this ranking meant to indicate that the Ephs should panic, as there are plenty of opportunities in this league to rack up significant victories; moreover, I think this is the floor for Williams, and I expect them to move up given the talent they still possess. 

(6) 9. Wesleyan (9-5, 0-2)

Last week: L 92-85 vs. Tufts, L 81-80 vs. Bates
This week: @ Trinity, vs. Conn College

The loss of Austin Hutcherson ‘21 to the University of Illinois was undoubtedly a huge blow to a Wesleyan squad that had high hopes for the 2019-2020 season. A 9-5 record is nothing to be ashamed about, but the Bates game presented an opportunity to bounce back from a close loss to Tufts. Instead, the loss at home was especially deflating given the manner in which it happened, and a non-conference loss to Johnson & Wales pushed their losing streak to three. They’ve struggled to score for the most part, averaging under 74 ppg and shooting just 41% from the field. Jordan James ‘21 and Antone Walker ‘21 form a nice scoring duo, but the Cardinals lack depth to continuously push the pace and put the ball in the basket for 60 minutes. Additionally, they’ve allowed 80+ points in each of their two conference games, something that needs to be corrected quickly. A matchup against Trinity might not allow them the chance to fix their flaws on the defensive side, but it could allow them the chance to fine tune their offense. 

(10) 10. Bowdoin (5-8, 1-1)

Last week: L 84-70 vs. Trinity, W 87-70 vs. Conn College
This week: @ Williams, @ Middlebury

Apart from its past two games, the Bowdoin offense has been a disaster. They slot in ahead of only Conn in terms of points per game, and aside from David Reynolds ‘20, no one on this team is really playing up to the standard this team needs in order for them to be a serious contender for a top-eight finish. They lost to Trin by fourteen, right after getting absolutely pounded by rival Colby 108-62 (yikes). They did end their losing streak with a much-needed 17-point victory over Conn, scoring 87 points in the process. Reynolds carried the team with 29 points, and both Sam Grad ‘21 and Manav Randhawa ‘23 chipped in with fourteen points apiece. Maybe the offense has found some sort of groove these past two games, but it seems unlikely that they can compete with the likes of Middlebury or Williams this weekend. 

(11) 11. Conn College (3-11, 0-2)

Last week: L 83-50 @ Colby, L 87-70 @ Bowdoin
This week: @ Wesleyan

This team wasn’t very good last year, and with the departure of David Labossiere ‘19, many around the league would agree that not much was expected from Conn this season.  At this point, it seems likely that they will go winless in conference play for a third consecutive year. Everything seems to be a problem: the Camels are averaging 62.8 PPG while allowing close to 75 PPG while committing close to 18 turnovers per contest.  That recipe will certainly not win you many basketball games, and in this case, the Camels have just three wins on their schedule to date. Dan Draffan ‘21 (12.4 PPG, 7.5 REB/G) and newcomer Ben McPherron ‘23 (11.6 PPG) lead the way, but both are inconsistent and McPherron only shoots an abysmal 34% from the floor. Maybe they can pull a miracle win in their remaining league games, but every league game forthcoming will be quite the challenge for these bottom-dwellers. 

Kena Returns: Hamilton Men’s Basketball Preview 2019-2020

Hamilton College Continentals

2018-2019 Record: 25-5 (7-3 NESCAC), runner-up in NESCAC Tournament; lost in Sweet 16 of NCAA tournament

2019-2020 Projected Record: 23-6 (7-3 NESCAC)

Key Losses: PG Tim Doyle, F Michael Grassey, F Peter Hoffman, C Andrew Groll

Projected Starting Lineup:

F: Kena Gilmour ’20 (19.0 PPG, 5.8 REB/G, 3.1 AST/G)

Where do you start with Kena? The 6’4” senior is the reigning NESCAC Player of the Year who led the Continentals in minutes, points and assists as a junior. He was an efficient player, shooting 47% from the floor, 34% from three and 88% from the free throw line. Gilmour stuffed the stat sheet, leading the Hamilton offense with 19 points per game, grabbing close to 6 rebounds per game and dishing out 92 assists. On defense, he recorded 37 steals and 20 blocked shots over 30 games. He has been a scorer throughout his time at Hamilton and should graduate with close to 2,000 career points. Not surprisingly, Kena received pre-season second team all-American Division III honors after earning fourth team recognition as a junior. Amherst’s Grant Robinson was the only other NESCAC player to receive pre-season honors, earning a fourth team selection. The lefty Gilmour has a very impressive resume, and he should repeat as league POY. As the only returning starter for Hamilton, look for Kena to continue to be a dominant player for the Continentals. 

G: Mark Lutz ’20 (6.4. PPG, 1.9 REB/G, 49.2% FG)

Last season, Lutz came off the bench for Hamilton and provided deadly three point shooting. Despite playing a shade under 16 minutes per game as a junior, he took the third most threes per game for the team or about one every 5 minutes on the floor. That approach was a good strategy for Coach Adam Stockwell, as Lutz nailed 48.4% of his three point attempts. Lutz’s height (6’3’’) helps him get good looks at the three point line, and his accuracy adds offensive punch for the Continentals. Entering his senior campaign, Hamilton will again look for his three point prowess to provide valuable spacing for their offense. It will be interesting to see in his final season on the Hill whether Lutz will remain in a specialist role or expand his repertoire.

PG: Sayo Denloye ’20 (5.4 PPG,  2.5 AST/G, 46.3% FG)  

Denloye replaces Tim Doyle at the point for Hamilton, and as a junior the California native displayed the consistent ability to breakdown defenses with his quickness. Sano had 24 steals, and he was effective from the three point line hitting just under 43% for the season. As a starting point guard, he will need to improve his free throw shooting, as he shot just 52% from the stripe as a junior. Hamilton will ask Denloye to run the show, which likely means getting the ball to Gilmour in his favorite offensive spots, driving and kicking to Lutz for three, and tossing lobs to Spencer Kendall and Nick Osarenren. If he can do those things, keep up his strong defense, improve at the charity stripe and sprinkle in efficient three point shooting, the Hamilton offense should be in very good shape.

F: Spencer Kendall ’21 (4.6PPG, 3.3 REB/G, 64.1% FG)

If you watch a Hamilton basketball game, there will invariably be a “wow” play during the game in which the 6’5” Kendall elevates and executes an impressive dunk. Spencer has a serious vertical leap, which the Continentals put to good use on the offensive end with lobs to him off backscreens and back cuts. In a reserve role as a sophomore, finishing lobs was his primary offensive role, and Spencer did it well, evidenced by shooting an impressive 64% from the floor. Entering his junior year, Hamilton will look for Kendall to expand his offensive role, to provide strong rebounding (especially with the loss of three of its top four rebounders), as well as to improve at the free throw line, where he shot only 45%.

C: Mike McEneney ’21 (1.7 PPG, 40% FG)

McEneney is one of only two Continentals on the roster over 6’8” and should replace some of the minutes of departing center Andrew Groll at center. Last season, Groll provided stable, consistent play down low: strong defense, physical play in the post, complimentary offensive skills and stout rebounding against taller NESCAC foes. Hamilton will be very happy if Mike fills a similar role in his junior campaign. McEneney, who is listed at 6’9” and 245 lbs., played less last year than other projected starters Lutz, Denloye and Kendall, only logging a shade under 7 minutes per game as a sophomore, so he has less of a track record in league play. Over the course of a game, Coach Stockwell could fill the center role with traditional big men McEneney and 6’8” freshman Patrick Mogan, or sprinkle in a small ball line-up with Kendall and 6’4” Nick Osarenren upfront.

Everything Else

Hamilton has been very successful over the past 2 years, going 49-10 and 14-6 in the NESCAC, but four of last year’s starters graduated last spring, taking with them 319 career starts on the Hill, roughly half of last year’s scoring and 46% of their rebounding. Scanning the New England landscape, it doesn’t appear that any of the other top NESCAC teams are absorbing such significant losses to their starting line-up. Hamilton will need to replace the production of that impressive ’19 class, but Coach Stockwell has built a strong program in Clinton which employed a deep rotation last season. Projected starters Lutz (16 min/G), Denloye (14 min/G) and Kendall (14 min/G) all played meaningful minutes, as did sophomore Nick Osarenren (13 min/G), who flashed terrific defensive skills with impressive length and athleticism. Sophomores Eric Anderson and Elliott Tirabso return, and the incoming freshman class appears strong, highlighted by point guard Nkosi Cooper and center Patrick Mogan. And of course, one of the top players in all of Division III returns to the Hill.  

A couple things to watch for the Continentals. As great as Kena Gilmour has been, he has struggled in two spots. Last season Tufts appeared to be his kryptonite – holding him to a combined 13 points on 4-19 shooting in two games (regular season and NESCAC tourney). In two high-stakes losses, the NESCAC tournament final and the NCAA tournament third round game, Gilmour shot a combined 8-37 from the floor. All those games were played at Hamilton’s home, Margaret Bundy Scott Field House. As scary as it is to think Gilmour will continue to elevate his game as a senior, those are areas that I am sure he is looking to improve.  

The schedule leans somewhat favorably to Hamilton, as they get league home games against Middlebury, Trinity, Wesleyan and Williams. One key to the season appears to be finding complimentary scoring to Gilmour, as Hoffman and Grassey, who scored close to 1,500 and 1,200 points, respectively over their careers in Clinton, have departed. Two other keys include getting strong post play and finding the right mix on the floor from a deep roster. If Hamilton answers those questions, and odds are they will with an impressive coach Andrew Stockwell at the helm, the Continentals should continue their NESCAC success.