MBB: NESCAC

Started by cameltime, April 27, 2005, 02:38:16 PM

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Ryan Scott (Hoops Fan)

Rhoten is the best single player, but we'll have to wait until spring for the old Best Player vs Most Important to His Team debate.
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fpc85

I am partial to bedford.

formerbant10

I love how they're both from the same hometown and have known each other for a long time.  I think that Bedford is a great competitor and a very good player.  But if you had to coach against one of them, who would you rather face?

fpc85

Too close to call. I think each player brings a different set of problems. Bedford has tremendous teammates and has not had to score as much as Rhoten. Therefore, Rhoten looks more impressive to some people. I think Bedford would have similar numbers if he played for Trinity.


formerbant10

I'm not so sure if I agree with you saying Tyler hasn't had good teammates as well.  And I think Amherst's system fits Bedford better than Trinity's would, which gives Bedford more opportunities to post up smaller guards, basket cut from the weak side, etc.  Amherst's lack of a huge post presence offensively gives Bedford more room to work.  Trinity has had some very big bodies recently which may have prohibited Bedford from getting the ball exactly where he wants.  The what if question is always a good one though.

fpc85

Tyler HAS had some very good teammates. They have been very good for the past 2 years I have followed the NESCAC. I just think that Bedford is surrounded with better offensive players. Therefore he will get less shot than if he played at Trinity. Tyler took 18 shot a game last year. John took 10-11 shots a game. The both played approx. 30 min per game. I agree that John scores a lot on post ups but he is still an outstanding outside shooter.
Also I think there are two different offensive philosophies employed by the respective programs.

formerbant10

Good analysis of the shots per game, but you have to remember that last year Schiel was the go-to-guy for Amherst making him the focus of most defensive schemes.  It will be more interesting this year when Bedford is the focus, but also gets his number called more often.  Needless to say, I'm excited to see how both will perform. 
Again, I'm not sure if I agree with you saying Amherst had better offensive players than Trinity, but I do think they ran their offensive sets to near perfection pretty much every time they stepped on the court.  Trinity struggled with consistency.

fpc85

Speaking from an offensive point of view, I think that Amherst had better offensive players at all other positions (with the exception of Rhoten). Sometimes offensive execution is a function of the players on the floor. The defense is unable to take away all of the options.

I am not sure Bedford will be taken more this year. It may go up by 1-2 but I would be surprised if it went up more than that. I also think that Amherst will have plenty of firepower to contend in the NESCAC.  I think the entire con. will be competitive again. Trinity will be tough IF they get a viable second option. Being from Jersey, I know that the younger Rhoten is a good player, but I am not sure how much he will contribute this year.

formerbant10

No way that Casnocha and Lee were better scorers than Taylor and Halas.  I know Trinity will have a few new options in their lineup.  If they can stay healthy, they will be very good.  But if they are hurt, like last year, we all know what can happen.  Clay is a very good player, but he's not the only newcomer that has the ability to make an immediate impact.  Does anyone else ever look at this, or is it just us?

Ryan Scott (Hoops Fan)

I'm not sure why this has degenerated into an argument about the supporting cast from each school.  For me, Rhoten is the best overall player, the one I would pick of any in the NESCAC to build a solid D-III team around.  I don't doubt that Bedford has the ability to improve upon his game and his contributions to the team and maybe earn the POY by the end of the year.  However, if I'm voting in a preseason poll, I have to pick the known quantity and not on potential.  I think Bedford is a great player, but he's got to prove some things this year to top Rhoten in terms of overall talent and production.  I'm not saying he can't do it, but at this point we just don't know if he will.
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formerbant10

I guess the only reason we are discussing these two players is b/c nobody from the other schools are posting yet.  What I always wondered is which graduating class over the past 5 years would have the best all star team?  Would there be any perimeter players that could match up with Tabb, Leo Jones, and Strahorn?  Last year had some beasts down low with Stovell, Kain, and Scheil.  The year before had Crotty, Coffin, Kanem Johnson, Adam Harper.....what would be your top 5 from each of the last few graduating classes, and who would win in that game?

Ryan Scott (Hoops Fan)


I think I'd have to go with the Crotty team.  He was just such a good point guard, controlling the game and making his teammates better.  It wasn't a shabby year for seniors either.  You pick four top guys to play with him and I'd take that team to win.
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formerbant10

Who are the four guys your surrounding Crotty with?  I don't know if they could stop Tabb, Jones and Strahorn....that's a lot of firepower.  Put DPOY Mizan Ayers and Bryan Dion on that team and they look tough.  The following class is tough as well with McGlynn, Zeija, Fitzsimmons, Folan and CJ Neely.....I think I'm leaning towards Tabb's year.

nescac1

It's hard to go against the class of 2004 given that two NESCAC senior-led squads made the final four that year.  I'd take Crotty over any other recent point guard, and Abba and Harper over any other recent twos: in terms of clutch play, shooting, defense, all of those guys are the total package, throw in Coffin (the best big man in recent years), Kanem Johnson and Tim Jones up front, and Keala Mills, Garica and Donovan as guard scorers off the bench, and that team would dominate.  Basically, the 2002 and 2004 backcourts are pretty even, but Coffin, Jones, and Johnson would absolutely dominate the front-court match-up. 

formerbant10

I can't agree that the 02 and 04 backcourts are even.  Crotty was better than Ayers, but no way are Abba and Harper better than Tabb and Jones.  Those two were guards who averaged 24.9 pts 7.4 rbs and 21.0 pts 7.5 rbs.  Tabb was 4th in assists, Jones 3rd in steals.  Two of the best wings in the country that year.  And I always liked the way Harper and Abba played, but they were not on the same level as Tabb and Jones.  Coffin was a great player as well, made even better by Crotty.  But Dion was better than Kanem Johnson and Tim Jones.  Johnson never made it to the playoffs, and Jones was the #4 or #5 option on his team.