MBB: NESCAC

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

Previous topic - Next topic

0 Members and 5 Guests are viewing this topic.

Dave 'd-mac' McHugh

Quote from: nescac1 on September 16, 2019, 11:01:36 PM
Yeah. Seems like darts on a dartboard after number one.   No Swarthmore or Amherst is pretty nuts.  And Nichols, sans their all-American, sixth???  I do actually like Trinity's team next year ... meaning I like them for top 4-5 in NESCAC, not the country!

I actually haven't seen the list .. but to hear Swarthmore isn't on it tells me all I need to know.

This might warrant me writing them asking why they bother. They only make the division seem like a joke when they can't figure out what many of us could do better blindfolded.
Host of Hoopsville. USBWA Executive Board member. Broadcast Director for D3sports.com. Broadcaster for NCAA.com & several colleges. PA Announcer for Gophers & Brigade. Follow me on Twitter: @davemchugh or @d3hoopsville.

Ryan Scott (Hoops Fan)


I tend to think Nichols we'll be just as good, if not better, than last season.  They lose a big piece, but that's it - and a lot of talented young guys who will get better and can fill the scoring deficit.

I don't endorse the S&S list, but Nichols is still going to be good.
Lead Columnist for D3hoops.com
@ryanalanscott just about anywhere

nescac1

I think Nichols will be good, still, but I'd be pretty stunned if they were an Elite 8 / top-ten caliber team again.  Their starting five was fantastic but they didn't get a ton from the bench (pretty limited minutes and no one over 5 ppg).  Echevarria was SUCH a special player, even beyond his stellar stats, he just brought a certain swagger and belief to that team, never sat in big situations - even after getting clocked pretty hard against Amherst, he was right back in the game.   So much of what they did revolved around having two guards who could shoot and drive at an elite level out there together, that was so difficult to guard. 

There also seem to be a lot of teams from New England that bring back a TON next year.  Amherst and Middlebury in NESCAC, certainly, look loaded, but also Colby, Tufts, Trinity bring basically everyone back and could be dark horses.  Eastern Conn looks loaded.  WPI has everyone back.  Babson has nearly everyone back plus adds the hyped transfer.  Springfield will be really good if Jake Ross is back to 100 percent.  St. Joe's and AMC should both be dramatically improved.  Even in Nichols' own conference, Endicott returns its top guys (including I think a key guy who got injured) and adds Echevarria's little brother to the mix.  I'd put Nichols them behind a number of those teams ... but who knows! 

I would agree, however, that Nichols is far from the strangest inclusion the S&S top 10.  Trinity, Geneseo, and Monmouth (huh??) all stand out. 

Caz Bombers

wow, Geneseo was 8-17 last season. What in the world was Street and Smith's looking at, the 24-5 women's team?

nescac1

#26764
Sorry, meant Oswego!  But they graduate two of their four stars, so still a stretch to put them in the top 10 in my view ...

ephoops

Quote from: Pat Coleman on September 16, 2019, 10:46:46 AM
Key info for the NESCAC board from the Hoopsville and D3hoops team:

https://d3hoops.com/notables/2019/09/hixon-taking-sabbatical-from-amherst

Interesting news about Coach Hixson taking a sabbatical this year -- although it's not unprecedented in the NESCAC.

Curt Tong, the head coach at Williams from 1974-1983 took a sabbatical during the !981-82 season.  Bob Peck, the Williams AD at the time, served as the interim coach that year.  Tong returned for one more season after his sabbatical and then left Williams to become the AD at Claremont McKenna.  Bob Peck then hired Harry Sheehy to be the head coach at Williams.

During his tenure as AD at Claremont, Tong hired Gregg Popovich as head coach of the Claremont McKenna bball team.  Popovich has said that if Claremont had given him a loan to help him buy a house in the area, he would have never left Claremont!

Dave 'd-mac' McHugh

Quote from: nescac1 on September 17, 2019, 10:59:48 AM
Sorry, meant Oswego!  But they graduate two of their four stars, so still a stretch to put them in the top 10 in my view ...

S&S is probably excited about the fact Oswego reportedly got a D1 transfer from Buffalo ... but we all know there is nothing guarunteed about that. I am quite confident even those at Oswego aren't expecting to be a Top 10 team to start.
Host of Hoopsville. USBWA Executive Board member. Broadcast Director for D3sports.com. Broadcaster for NCAA.com & several colleges. PA Announcer for Gophers & Brigade. Follow me on Twitter: @davemchugh or @d3hoopsville.

jayhawk

My understanding while Hixon may spend time visiting with some of his former players, in particular he hopes to spend time sitting in practices with different coaches. and gaining new perspectives. His forme players and assistanst such as Koby Altman may facilitate Hixon attending practices of professional teams. Such as Cavalier practice led by John Bellein. He has already spent some time at the Celtics practice facility

middhoops

Quote from: jayhawk on September 17, 2019, 03:11:33 PM
My understanding while Hixon may spend time visiting with some of his former players, in particular he hopes to spend time sitting in practices with different coaches. and gaining new perspectives. His forme players and assistanst such as Koby Altman may facilitate Hixon attending practices of professional teams. Such as Cavalier practice led by John Bellein. He has already spent some time at the Celtics practice facility
Koby Altman was a reserve guard at Middlebury.

jayhawk

yes definiely know about Koby and his Middlebury connection
very cool about his success

toad22

On the good news front, Nick Giard, Williams' Assistant Coach, has been named the new Head Coach at Kalamazoo College. Nick has been a very good assistant at Williams, and deserves this new job. I expect he will do very well. Nick is a Michigan guy, and this job is a dream for him.

grabtherim

#26771
Quote from: middhoops on September 17, 2019, 03:42:02 PM
Quote from: jayhawk on September 17, 2019, 03:11:33 PM
My understanding while Hixon may spend time visiting with some of his former players, in particular he hopes to spend time sitting in practices with different coaches. and gaining new perspectives. His forme players and assistanst such as Koby Altman may facilitate Hixon attending practices of professional teams. Such as Cavalier practice led by John Bellein. He has already spent some time at the Celtics practice facility
Koby Altman was a reserve guard at Middlebury.

Reserve?  Kind of I guess.  Started 40 games after his freshman season, over half played over his last three years at Midd after not starting any his freshman year.
 

jumpshot

As a matter of information ----head coaches at Williams College are all members of the faculty, and, as such, have the same standing, receive sabbaticals, and attend faculty meetings as their academic colleagues.

JEFFFAN


I guess what surprised me at the outset was the fact that Hixon took this leave at age 65/66 and not earlier in his career, but frankly if he intends to make a run until his mid-70s as a coach then now is an ideal time for a breather.   He is in good health, looks young, frankly still coaches young meaning that he is not behind the times tactically, and I think still recruits up a storm.  Last year's team is a good example of that when what one would consider to be an unheralded team surprised the NESCAC with its strength and depth.  Time will tell whether this is the path that unfolds.

When the time does come for Hixon's retirement, there should be no expectation that they stay in house with an assistant or a former Jeff.   There is no history of doing this at Amherst in other sports so I see no reason why they would act parochially for one of the crown jewel programs.   I also have no fear that they wont pay up when the time comes.   The school, like many of the other NESCAC schools, is far too wealthy from an endowment standpoint to let $ stand in the way of a key hire.

amh63

#26774
I agree with JEFFFAN in the area of compensation.  HC Hixon also had the title of associate AD.  The new format of the athletic department does not provide such info anymore.  This now "hidden" title indicates that admin. duties carried additional compensation.  A point of interest.