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Messages - BaboNation

#1
Region 2 men's basketball / Re: MBB: NEWMAC
February 24, 2024, 06:18:33 PM
So proud of the Babson squad in what has been a truly challenging season.

With back-to-back conference championships they are now tied with MIT at 6 for the most all-time.  And in both championships they had to go on the road to beat the #1 and #2 seeds.  Going to the NCAA  tournament 4 years in a row also ties a program record.

It certainly didn't look promising as recently as 7 days ago with Amado out of action since January 20th and more player games missed due to injury than any in recent memory.  In one stretch they lost a starter per game in 3 straight outings and were forced to use guys like Parker Mason who himself is still working his way back.

So while watching some horrid performances against the bottom of the league, including blowout  losses by 68-38 @ Salve Regina, and 90-54 @ Springfield I struggled to stay confident that the season could be salvaged.  That said, I think when Timmy O'Toole (top rebounder) was lost for 9 games during the holiday Wisconsin trip coach Brennan probably figured at 5-5 Pool C was looking like a long shot, even though their year-end SOS was something like 10th in the country, so get the team healthy and ready for late February.  Brennan, Dorney, et al deserve all the accolades for getting this team in peak form at the right time and the postseason game plans were superb.

The usual stars deserve the lion's share of attention, but I want to single out some lesser known players who really played well down the stretch.

David Cross:  The best defensive guard on the roster had trouble staying on the court because he seemed to lose his offensive game and that in turn affected his overall play.  While never a top scorer, he was missing open looks by wide margins.  But when the calendar flipped to February he was back and his contribution on both ends was outstanding.  The job he did defending Taylor in the final was a key to victory.  30+ mpg in the 3 postseason games, when he hadn't done that once all season speaks for itself.

Tyler Lauder:  He held his own against the best 2 conference bigs in back-to-back games (Adams & McArdle).  Still just a sophomore, his offense needs work, but he denied and frustrated both guys for long stretches when it counted.  That he almost matched McArdle point for point (8 vs. 10) was an unexpected plus.

Timmy O'Toole:  Best rebounder, 2nd in steals, rotates in coverage at every position but the point.  You can overlook all he does until he's gone for 9 games and you wonder why we can't grab a rebound or shut down a forward inside.  And, like Lauder, just a sophomore.

NeJohn Fortes:  The most anticipated FY recruit, he didn't see action til mid-season due to a knee injury, but he's already worked his way into the rotation.  He provides depth for the forwards with wingspan and hops that surprise the opposition.  He looks like he's still adjusting to his dramatic increase in height (listed at 6'6") but he's a 3-level threat that is somewhat rare beyond Baxter and Amado.

Not to criticize the different D3 experts who gave Babson a small chance at the championship (the mathematical models gave them something like a 6-8% chance, and game-by-game losses by double digits) but you'd have to know that the first time they had Baxter-Amado-O'Toole-Lauder-Cross-Fortes all available at the same time was game #1 of the postseason.
#2
Region 2 men's basketball / Re: MBB: NEWMAC
December 15, 2023, 01:11:26 PM
Hey WPI89,

For sure the WPI defense showed up in this one.

Belated congrats to your squad.  I remarked in my last post how similar this year has started for Babson compared to last year.  Then the similarities got even eerier.
Last year Amado missed the first game between the two teams, and he was out again on Saturday.  And the final score (61-49) was the exact score of that first meeting last year.  Amado's absence might not have changed the L to a W, but at present there's no reason to believe Babson can beat top competition like WPI without him.

Again, points in the paint were a huge factor (edge WPI).  And both Callahan and Sevilla were able to penetrate to create opportunities.  Lufkin was back for his first game in limited minutes.  His experience should help.  I think Bledsoe is going to be a terrific player going forward.  His setup and stroke on the 3 is as technically sound as I've seen in recent years, and when you factor in that he's only a FY, that he can create space for his shot, and that he's canning shots in crunch time, he could have a great career.
Adams looks better than ever.  He's great at setting up down low;  he's very good at the pick and roll off the high post;  and he cleans the defensive boards while being a force on the offensive boards as well.  And he clearly loves hitting the weight room.
#3
Region 2 men's basketball / Re: MBB: NEWMAC
December 01, 2023, 09:13:43 AM
Sort of a State of the NEWMAC from one fan's perspective as we end November.  After a pretty awful '22-'23 comparable period collectively, there is unmistakable improvement this year.
Putting aside the OOC opponents each team faced each year, and eliminating games played against D1 or D2 teams, the bump in conference W-L record is encouraging.  I didn't include Salve Regina because they weren't a conference member in 22-23.

Team/22-23/23-24

Babson 4-3 4-3
Clark 6-0 5-1
Coast Guard 1-5  4-2
Emerson 2-3 2-4
MIT 2-5 1-6
Springfield 1-5 2-3
WPI 5-0 6-1
Wheaton 3-3 4-2

Total 24-24 28-22

Team assessments:

Coast Guard has already equaled their entire season win total of last year (4).  Nice 4-guard rotation of Rooney (9.0), Shettles (13.2), Yagey (12.3), and Frazer (11.2).  No signature wins, but they're improving and never a team to be taken for granted when conference play begins.

MIT continues its puzzling, recent history.  They are still missing 3 of their top returning guys from last year and have started 4 freshmen in every game.  Is there another D3 team in the country doing that?  If/when they get everyone back they will surely be more competitive, and could still be a NEWMAC playoff team.  FY's Gogolin 13.1 / 5.6 on .493/.400/.720 and Bland 12.6 / 4 on .508/.385/.719 could be in contention for NEWMAC ROY.

Wheaton is being led by 2 sophomore guards, Henry and Pedevillano.  It's a very young team that lost a lot through graduation and Carlisle's xfer so it's hard to see them finishing above 7th in the NEWMAC.

Emerson has been a pleasant surprise, even at 2-4.  They've beaten Colby in Maine, and took Albertus Magnus to OT in CT.  Their offense is potent when they are draining 3's.  Guards Arico (17.8) and McNamara (16.2) are streaky, but deadly when they're on.  FY Gasset Ruiz from Spain looks like a solid all-around player and is leading the team in rebounding.

Springfield is uber-athletic, but they don't shoot very well, turn the ball over a lot, and sometimes don't play with the necessary focus.  That combination was on display in the last 10 minutes last night when they lost after leading by 14 against Amherst at home.

Clark is off to another fast OOC start and they are doing the right thing again with SOS.  Almost pulled one out against a strong Tufts team.  It will be interesting to see if McArdle (17.3/10.8) can score on Adams (WPI) inside, he being one of the few big men with low post skills in the conference.  Upcoming games against Trinity (TX), Westfield St, and CWRU will help in determining whether they have Pool C credentials if the AQ isn't in play.

WPI lost Lowther to graduation, but their incoming class looks loaded:  Molen is starting, and Bledsoe, Bleier, and Veiking are all playing 10+, meaningful mpg.  Bledsoe is an absolute sniper (11/20 from 3) with a quick release, but all these guys are playing with poise you don't typically find with freshmen.  Then they have Adams playing better than ever, a regional AA candidate in Callahan, a solid off-guard and defender in Sevilla, and senior starter Lufkin hasn't even dressed yet.  A big win over NE regional power Williams and a competitive game with Tufts will help their SOS.  Barring injury or an unexpected stumble they're a likely tournament team, even if they don't get the AQ.

Babson is off to a start that very much looks like last year:  Building a strong SOS, but not able to quite close out winnable one-possession games (WashU, Albertus Magnus, and St. Joseph's CT); best win to date Brandeis (again); and far too reliant on too few scorers (Amado 22.6 and Baxter 20.6).  They desperately need someone else who can score in the paint if they are to reach a higher level.  Still hoping that Mason can be ready by the new year for rotation help, but he plays a stretch forward, so the inside scoring void will still be present.  I can't complain about 3 consecutive tournament appearances, but a recruiting class like WPI just brought in would do wonders for the continuity of the program.

There's still a long way to go, but right now I'd rank WPI a clear #1, Clark and Babson close for #2 and #3, giving the edge to Clark because Babson has problems handling McArdle, and then there's another drop in talent level for a group of teams battling for the #4 and #5 seeds in the NEWMAC tournament.  Having seen each team a few times, I'd submit Coast Guard, Springfield, Emerson, MIT, Salve Regina, and Wheaton for 4-9.
#4
Region 2 men's basketball / Re: MBB: NEWMAC
November 17, 2023, 10:04:48 PM
Stellar game from Baxter, but Babson falls in OT @ WashU.

Babson led virtually the entire game, but was unable to inbound cleanly up 3 with 18 seconds left, and gave up a tying 3.  Still had a chance to win in regulation, but Baxter lost the handle on what appeared to be an open layup with 2 seconds left.

They hung with a very good team for 40 minutes.
#5
Region 2 men's basketball / Re: MBB: NEWMAC
November 16, 2023, 11:44:59 AM
I caught a half of MIT's loss @ Endicott, and a half of Coast Guard's win at home over Roger Williams.

MIT can't seem to catch a break.  The last couple of years it was short rosters and starters playing 38+ minutes.  This season they seem to have fallen to the injury/health bug.  Their #1 (Delgado-Gonzalez), #2 (Killeen), and #5 (Spann) scorers from last year have yet to play a single minute.  Those guys were also 1-2-3 in rebounding, and, oh yeah, Delgado-Gonzalez was NEWMAC ROY.  That's a loss of 40.2 ppg in scoring average, and the loss is felt just as badly on the front line defense.

On the flip side of the health ledger, Coast Guard has started out well.  While they haven't beaten anyone of consequence, last year's 4-21 (2-12 in conference) team is now 2-0 and could conceivably enter the new year at 9-2 or 8-3.  Notably, Cameron Brown, who wasn't roster listed earlier is back, they have a nice 4-guard rotation led by junior Declan Rooney, who I project as 2nd team NEWMAC, Shettles, Yagey, and FY Frazer.  Luke Farrell 9.0/6.5 looks more polished as a soph.  A nice combination of skill sets, but let's see if their early success is sustainable against better competition.
#6
Pick-ems, fantasy leagues, etc. / Re: Top 25 Pool
November 13, 2023, 09:39:59 AM
Wesleyan (CT)
#7
Region 2 men's basketball / Re: MBB: NEWMAC
November 11, 2023, 06:31:28 PM
Babson had it to a one possession game with under a minute left, but Albertus Magnus held them off for the 75-72 final.

For AM, Justice Washington's big body was too much to handle on both ends 16/14 on 8/9 shooting in 24 foul-plagued minutes.  And he's quick too, as evidenced by a strip of Baxter and coast-to-coast layup.  And Bonilla (14) was coming up big when they needed a bucket.
AM is the type of team that always presents trouble for Babson:  quick, pressing, slashing, beating you off the dribble, getting you in foul trouble, and a big guy down low.  St. Joe's (CT) is similarly constructed and is a future opponent.  AM looked very good for its first game and should be a legit GNAC title contender.  There is no other team in the NEWMAC that can prepare you for a team like AM (Clark is the closest, but AM, and St. Joe's are at another level).

For Babson, the absence of a true PG really hurt.  Baxter (9) carried some of the early PG load, but had back-to-back strips for coast-to-coast layups.  I said when he transferred he's much better suited as a SG.  But no one gets excused for all the soft cross-court passes, weak side strips, and dribbling into pressure in this game.  Cross is a better option as a PG, but I understand him coming off the bench because Babson needs Baxter's scoring ability.

How many ways can you quantify the speed/quickness differential:  23-2 in fast break points; 15-8 in steals; 38-24 points in the paint (for AM this is mostly slashing to the basket).

And whereas the answer is unknowable, I wonder what the final score would have been if Amado (32) hadn't been available to almost pull this one out.  His ball-handling wasn't what it should be, but with Baxter fouling out with over 13 minutes left, down 3, he scored 14 of their last 23 points, fighting through double-teams.
#8
Men's soccer / Re: 2023 NCAA Tournament
November 11, 2023, 05:39:08 PM
Congrats to Johns Hopkins on a well earned victory. 
#9
Region 2 men's basketball / Re: MBB: NEWMAC
November 09, 2023, 03:07:41 PM
Great to be back on campus for the home opening win over Lasell.

Random observations:

Rule #1: Don't get carried away one way or the other after one game.

Lasell doesn't look like a team that will be strong this year, so if nothing else, with so few OOC home games, this was a must-win.  There is no EJ Day (former All-American) caliber talent on this Lasell team, and they are somewhat small, which caused problems on both backboards.  It looked like every potential rebound was a 50/50 proposition, and in fact LU only out-rebounded Babson on their own glass 13-11 in the first half.

Bummer to see Parker Mason in street clothes.  Can this guy catch a break after missing huge chunks of 2 seasons?   I was (hopefully still am) expecting big contributions from him this year.

Bummer #2:  FY Fortes sporting a knee brace,  He was the FY I was most anxious to see in action.

I had 4 out of 5 correct on my predicted starting 5, and I think Mason (just a guess) would have started in place of O'Toole had he been available.

This Babson team will be solid up front defensively and better on D generally than on O.

The core engine of this team is Amado, Baxter, and Lauder.

Amado was filling the stat sheet in limited minutes.  Baxter was able to create space for his shots almost whenever he wanted.

I love Lauder's game and upside.  I think he'll be 1st team NEWMAC in a year or two.  He works so well with Amado, cleans the glass, runs the floor well, and is far better at finishing down low this year.

The biggest surprise was JJ Paul.  He logged more minutes in this one game than all of his freshman year.  In fact, he was the last off the bench last year, and when he did see action he frankly looked lost and unsure of himself.  Last night he looked comfortable all the way around.  That said, I'm not convinced his shot is yet where it needs to be.  But, a huge, unexpected step up to his game.

Great to see Gorgol back on the court after missing huge chunks the last 2 years.  His senior leadership and steady all-around game is extremely beneficial.

O'Toole is a strong defender, with relentless energy and quick hands.  He still needs to work on the O side, but he's still just a soph and a key starter or 6th man.

The team can go 9/10 deep against most of the teams they'll face this year, but the rotation will necessarily get tightened against the elite competition.

Everyone in uniform saw action and scored.  If only every game could be like this.
#10
Region 2 men's basketball / Re: MBB: NEWMAC
November 07, 2023, 09:19:48 AM
Just one man's stab at the conference records for the 23-24 season

I see 4 teams as pretty clear favorites to make the 5-team conference playoffs:

WPI, Babson, Clark, and Springfield.

And I see 4 teams likely to miss the playoffs:

Salve Regina, Coast Guard, Emerson, and Wheaton.

The wild card for me is MIT.  I expect a huge rebound off last year's 2-12, and 4-19 overall record.  The slide that began after the graduation of Jurko, Jomard, et al is likely over.  I see a strong recruiting class and roster depth that will keep players fresh and permit them to stay in games for 40 minutes.  I can see them finishing as high as 3rd, or as low as 5th, which gives them a playoff berth.

The biggest discrepancy I have with the NEWMAC preseason poll is Emerson.  Maybe the coaches didn't have awareness of competitors' rosters at the time of voting.

I think you can flip a coin between WPI and Babson for the #1 seed.  If everything breaks perfectly, Clark is a dark horse.

Conference prediction on the expanded (9-team, 16 game) schedule:

WPI 13-3
Babson 13-3
Clark 11-5
MIT 9-7
Springfield 8-8
Coast Guard 6-10
Salve Regina 4-12
Emerson 4-12
Wheaton 4-12
#11
Pick-ems, fantasy leagues, etc. / Re: Top 25 Pool
November 06, 2023, 09:37:54 AM
Carnegie Mellon
#12
Men's soccer / Re: Pool A and Pool C Status
November 04, 2023, 03:44:02 PM
WPI takes the NEWMAC on PKs (3-2) after a 1-1 draw through 2OTs.

For Babson, 2/5 on PKs, after going 2/5 in the regular season.  It's becoming a tradition of sorts.
#13
Region 2 men's basketball / Re: MBB: NEWMAC
November 04, 2023, 12:06:34 PM
Quote from: WPI89 on November 04, 2023, 09:38:14 AM
Babo - I do not have much yet.  I know coach is pumped about the incoming Freshman - I am excited to see some reach out of the state of Mass!  Will be back to you when I know anything substantive.

One thing about the early schedule is that we "chose" Willimas for first round game of our Coughlin Tourney - The other game is now Dickinson v St Joe's (Maine) - No offense to St Joe's - but I would have expected The Red Devils vs Williams in one game with us hopefully getting the winner.

I am sure is has tot do with the SOS issue we had last year and being left out of tourney.

Yes, the number of FYs outside of New England caught my eye;  then again, some played prep ball in NE or were at camps.
Given the number of returning upperclassmen who played regular rotation minutes I expect one or 2 FYs will see significant minutes like Newman did last year.
For sure the guarantee of a match against Williams will be critical to SOS.
#14
Region 2 men's basketball / Re: MBB: NEWMAC
November 02, 2023, 09:12:59 PM
And Wheaton's roster completes the conference

https://wheatoncollegelyons.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster

15 players; Just 1 senior with no career starts.

#15
Region 2 men's basketball / Re: MBB: NEWMAC
November 02, 2023, 09:12:50 AM
WPI's roster is (finally) out

Maybe WPI89 can provide some insight

https://athletics.wpi.edu/sports/mens-basketball/roster

Wheaton is the only NEWMAC team that has yet to post