MBB: NEWMAC

Started by nehoops4life, March 03, 2005, 10:39:13 AM

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T990

Congratulations to WPI for being the only team to visit Rockwell and leave with a win this year.  They appear to be the best team in the NEWMAC: they are athletic, deep, and very sound fundamentally.  They remind me of Amherst, but not as good as shooters.  MIT played right with WPI every step of the way and did a commendable job playing w/o Bartolotta down the stretch (as well as dealing with an ill head coach for 3 weeks plus).

The intentional foul on Dou non-call and subsequent Technical on Bartolotta also was a big factor in that it ultimately took Bartolotta out of the game.  Dou was clearly on his way to an easy breakaway dunk and was violently collared.  If a simple 2-shot foul was called on a play like that in the Boston City League (HS), for instance, there would be bedlam!  The refs need to do a much better job to keep things in control during the game and protect a vulnerable player from serious injury.  I can't imagine any level of basketball where that would not be an intentional foul call.  Remember Kurt Rambis?

This game has huge implications for the NEWMAC tournament seedings.  If MIT had won, there would be a 3-way tie for first among WPI, Clark, and MIT.  With WPI's victory, they are now in command.  I don't see Clark as good enough to beat WPI in the coming rematch and pull themselves into a tie.  Babson is Jekyll and Hyde good, but so far only at home, and they must still travel to WPI for their rematch, as well as to MIT, to CG, and to Wheaton.  All the games among the "lower 6" are almost toss ups in this league.  The top seed in the NEWMAC tournament not only gets a bye but also the home court.  We have seen the home court is often all that separates teams in this league.

LyonFan

>>This game has huge implications for the NEWMAC tournament seedings.  If MIT had won, there would be a 3-way tie for first among WPI, Clark, and MIT.  With WPI's victory, they are now in command.  I don't see Clark as good enough to beat WPI in the coming rematch and pull themselves into a tie.  Babson is Jekyll and Hyde good, but so far only at home, and they must still travel to WPI for their rematch, as well as to MIT, to CG, and to Wheaton.  All the games among the "lower 6" are almost toss ups in this league.  The top seed in the NEWMAC tournament not only gets a bye but also the home court.  We have seen the home court is often all that separates teams in this league.<<

Absolutely agree that WPI seems to be emerging as top dog yet again this year - they were really committed on defense in the game I saw, and they have been very consistent in league play.  I do not understand how Coast Guard has gone only 2-4 on the first go-around.  They were so good at the end of last year, and added the better Johnson.

I'm wondering how PrideFan enjoyed the Coppola show last night.  Kid can score, eh?  Strawson is a very large presence insifde, and Springfield's starters run a very pretty flex offense, but its tough to win without any bench contribution.  It looked to me like they wore down at the end.

pridefan

What a wild Wheaton vs Springfield game yesterday. Lyons race out to 11 - 0 lead and the Pride go on 22 -6 run to lead by 5.  With 12:40 to go Pride are up by 11 only to have Lyons tie it on 1 of 2 FT's with 6 secs left
( absolutely horrible, bail out call I might add - with 6 secs left it shouldn't be a call where everybody's asking "what did he do" ). OK - got that off my chest - I'd be interested in your take on that call.

Lyons raced to quick 4 pt OT lead and nailed 8 0f 8 FT's when needed to gut out a tought win = tough loss for the Pride.

That said, to answer your question - yep, wow that Coppola kid can sure shoot a LONG range 3!  I was impressed - he shot 6 of 8 from 3 and some were WAY out there.  You simply can't let him have an open look even if he's 5 ft behind the arc....live and learn.

As a team, Wheaton made 25 of 28 FT's = Ballgame! Compare that to Springfield only getting 19 FT's, and having 4 of 5 starters with 4 or more fouls - that hurts.

Answer to your last question about starters looking tired - 3 guys played 41 mins, another 39, and the last 35. YUP, they worked their butts off so I give them credit.

Fun game to watch and can't wait for the rematch.




NEWMACwatcher

The best game of the weekend in the NEWMAC is SC-Wheaton - any thoughts on this one from the board?

d3H00psFan

I would have to go with #1 WPI at CGA. Match-up of last years conference championship game and a stuggling CGA team needs to get back on track. Although CGA's games have all been close, they need to show thy can win some of these game in conference. I think this is the best game of the weekend.

ILive4This

Want to show your love for WPI, MIT or anyone else. Send in your top 10 for the regional poster's poll to me by 8pm tonight.

Hugenerd

So we are a little more than half way through the conference schedule, so I thought it would be interesting to compare the top candidates for player of the year.  I have chosen these to be Jimmy Bartolotta (JB), Antoine Coleman (ACol), Craig Johnson (CJ), and Anthony Coppola (ACop), but there may be other worthy candidates.  Below I list the averages for each player in statistical categories in which they are ranked by the NEWMAC website (Stats through last Sunday), conference rank is in parenthesis:

          JB          ACol         CJ           ACop
PPG: 24.8 (1)   14.7 (6)   16.4 (4)     19.0 (2)
RPG:  5.9 (9)     6.3 (7)     8.4 (2)       NR
FG%: 55.6 (5)  49.3 (9)   59.8 (2)     51.8 (6)
APG:  4.4 (2)      NR           NR            NR
FT%: 78.7 (5)     NR        75.9 (7)    73.3 (10)
SPG:  2.35 (2)  1.85 (5)   1.35 (12)   1.17 (14)
3P%: 44.3 (4)     NR           NR         49.2 (1)
3PM:  2.55 (3)     NR           NR         3.44 (1)
BPG:  0.90 (6)  0.60 (12)     NR            NR
A/T:  1.26 (7)     NR           NR            NR
OReb:1.55 (14) 2.10 (10)  2.35 (8.)      NR
DReb:4.30 (6)   4.10 (9)    6.06 (1)       NR

Bartolotta is ranked in every category (He is top 10 in 11 categories, top 7 in 10 categories top 5 in 7 categories, and top 3 in 4 categories); Coleman is ranked in 7 categories (top 10 in 6 categories, top 7 in 3 categories, top 5 in 1 category and top 3 in no categories); Craig Johnson is ranked in 7 categories (top 10 in 6 categories, top 7 in 5 categories, top 5 in 4 categories, and top 3 in 3 categories); Coppola is ranked in 6 categories (top 10 in 5 categories, top 7 in 4 categories, top 5 in 3 categories, and top 3 in 3 categories). 

Out of these 4 players Bartolotta is the only player to be ranked in every category (5 more than any other player) and is ranked in the top 7 in 10 categories (twice as many as any other player).

T990

If you look at the NEWMAC website,

http://www.newmacsports.com/sports/mbkb/2007-08/stats/confldrs.htm#conf.wki

it's mind boggling how many times Bartolotta's name comes up, and how high it is in every category.  He might be the best D3 player in New England.  Beyond scoring, look at assists, blocks, steals, rebounding, FT%, FG%, 3P-FG%... he does it all!  He's a complete player and is the focus of opponents' defensive plans.

The other player someone nominated for POY is Kyle McDonald of Babson.

d3H00psFan

Jimmy B is a heck of a player...but if he were on a more well rounded team his numbers would not be that good. MIT has played some good basketball at times this year but once you get past Jimmy B and Soumare they are not very talented. Its going to be hit or miss weather he is going to get any help. I know you might say that this means teams can focus on him more...but that also means he HAS to be the man. Again, i am not saying that he is not a greak player becuase i have seen him play, i just think if he were on a more well rounded team he would not have as great of all around numbers.

Hugenerd

Quote from: d3H00psFan on February 05, 2008, 10:45:38 PM
Jimmy B is a heck of a player...but if he were on a more well rounded team his numbers would not be that good. MIT has played some good basketball at times this year but once you get past Jimmy B and Soumare they are not very talented. Its going to be hit or miss ?weather? he is going to get any help. I know you might say that this means teams can focus on him more...but that also means he HAS to be the man. Again, i am not saying that he is not a ?greak? (Bartolotta sounds Italian to me) player becuase i have seen him play, i just think if he were on a more well rounded team he would not have as great of all around numbers.

I disagree completely, he may have to be the "man," but he gets double and triple teams and still shoots a very high percentage from the field.  It is true that he may not average as many points on another team, but I dont see how his defensive numbers would be effected (steals, blocks, and rebounds-since the leading rebounder on the league is on his team).  Also, if his team werent that great, why are the two top assists players in the league from MIT.  Someone has to finish to get assists.  So really the only category your comment applies to is points, but even if he averaged 5-8 points less per game, that would still be an impressive output with his other stats.  The fact that he is shooting so well from the field regardless of the double teams (and his high assist and assist-to-turnover numbers), makes his stats even more impressive with all the defensive attention he gets.

Also, MIT has a solid starting 5, Johnson and Mroz are two of the top shooters in the league (ranked in the 20s in scoring for the league), Dou is one of the best big men (leads league in rebounds and blocks, and top 10 in scoring), and I think Gampel is arguably the best true point guard in the league (leads the league in assists and steals).  Their main problem is depth (they are realistically only 6 deep), but they can be very dangerous when they dont get in foul trouble.  They have played many teams well (5 of their 8 losses are by 6 points or less and the games they have lost by more have been close down the stretch until late runs).  They were within a posession of beating the current #1 ranked team in the country on the road, they beat 16-4 Conn college, and beat 14-5 Gordon by 22 (their worst loss of the season).

It really bothers me that Bartolotta keeps getting written off because he doesnt have the strongest team in New England around him, although he has arguable  the most well-rounded stats in the country.  He  puts up those kinds of numbers because he is that good of a player, for no other reason.  The fact that they arent as deep as Amherst or Brandeis isnt his fault.  Every player on that team was accepted to MIT and MIT does not give any picks to coaches.  I played for a UAA school and I know for a fact that even highly-ranked, competitive schools like those in the UAA have some pull in admissions, but I know for a fact this is not the case at MIT.  He was the best player in the NEWMAC last year and he is again this year.  I just hope he gets the recognition he deserves this year.

d3H00psFan

Jimmy b not in the box score? Is he injured/sick?

Hugenerd

I read from the Springfield recap that he is injured, although it did not specify why.

pridefan

Jimmy B was in street clothes last night but nobody knows why he didn't play.

Springfield again played good D holding them to 60 pts.  Admittingly, they're a different team without JB but Soumare had to get his pts from FT's and Johnson had to hit 3's. Mroz shot well from 3 but Crean's driving fouled him out.

Springfield's balanced attack caused problems - especially when Daly got hot in the 2nd half.  Daly and Strawson were tough down low. Gibbs and Crean were tough outside.  They deserved to win but Gibbs had to make a tough driving and 1 layup with 2 secs left to win it.

d3H00psFan

Hugenered, any update on Jimmy B? Not good for MIT if he is hurt.

Hugenerd

#614
I just heard he was injured, I dont know the extent and cant say exactly what it is.

He sprained his ankle in the Amherst game and was able to come back really quickly (he scored 30 a couple days later against emerson), so I hope he returns quickly from this as well (the amherst game was an example, im not sure what is injured currently).  It will probably be more clear how bad it is on Saturday when they play CGA.