I came on here a few weeks ago after Hank scored 36 of his teams 60 points on 13/21 shooting with one turnover, and the rest of the starting lineup combining for 4 points, against the number 1 defense in the country, and had to read some people on this blog use this game as a knock against him for Player of the Year because they lost. At that point I realized yall wanted to push narratives more than you actually cared about ball knowledge, logic, or actually watching these teams play when forming your opinions, so I cooled off on here. There was never one ounce of doubt who player of the year was going to be, and I'm glad the coaches were on the same page as me. As great as Shane Regan is, and he is great, Hank is closer to a National Player of the Year than Regan was to NESCAC player of the year. The numbers are just unreal, and I'm a big eye test guy and watching them, Hank just does so much more and draws so much more attention than Regan does.

You guys really came on here and used language like "Regan is the clear better player", and "every coach in the league picks Regan and Gyimesi over Morgan" to make it sound like yall knew what yall were talking about, and now not only did the NESCAC coaches disagree but d3hoops picked Morgan as the region 1 player of the year. I will give credit where credit is due, Wesleyan has looked great all year, and I am excited to watch Wesleyan vs. Trinity Part III on Thursday, and Regan deserves his flowers for being the biggest part of that.

On a separate note, it is fun to know that a lot of the guys on this thread are former players, I probably played against a lot of you.

Quote from: D3BBALL on January 25, 2025, 10:20:48 PM

Quote from: RollConts25 on January 25, 2025, 05:17:36 PMTough couple of weeks for the "Hank Morgan is not the best player in the conference" crowd...

Are you related or Morgan's agent?
Morgan played against Wesleyan and was a non factor in the second half while Regan was lighting it up.
Then against Trinity when the game was decided, a 5 minute stretch in 2nd half, Morgan was guarded by Trinity Subs and fell behind by 10 points. He shot the ball great, but at home with leads in both 2nd half's you need to win. Couple of bad turnovers as well.
It's Regan's To lose right now, he was very good against Trinity today, played the entire second half and was one of the biggest reason they won.
It's Regan 1, Gyimesi 2, Morgan 3, Vetter no longer in running, he was not good today.
IMO will come down to the Tufts Wesleyan game next weekend. Will most likely decide the regular season title and POY.

Not related or his agent, although agent is hilarious 😂😂, just a fan of great players. I agree with you that those guys are ahead of Morgan right now as it stands in the POTY race, they're both 5-0. That is a different argument than who is the best player in the conference. 28 a game on 62/52/92 splits with 1 TO per game is unheard of in a conference as good overall and defensively as the NESCAC. Against trinity, the #1 defense in all of Division 3, Morgan had 36 on 21 shots.

He had 1 turnover in the Trinity game and it came with 10 minutes to go, so I'm not sure what your "crucial turnovers" are or why you're treating it like it was at this extremely crucial, outcome-altering spot of the game. Hamilton was competitive in a game in which 4 of their 5 starters scored 2 points or less, against a top 15 team in the country. That is crazy.

Shane Regan did outplay Morgan numbers wise in their head to head, and I give a lot of credit to Wesleyan's defense for forcing him into tough shots, they definitely deserved to win. I do like the head-to-head and team success argument when it comes to player of the year award, so I don't disagree with you about the award as it stands right now, but again to me that's a different question than who is the best.

Quote from: jumbomumbo on January 27, 2025, 01:58:44 PM

Quote from: walzy31 on January 27, 2025, 10:11:47 AM

Quote from: jumbomumbo on January 26, 2025, 07:46:00 PMIn an effort to front run names - I will try to take a stab at what will probably be the hardest to predict weekend of the nescac schedule. The only 2 things I am confident in this weekend are a Hamilton sweep of the Maine teams, and conn losing 2 games by a combined 40 or so points.

Jumbomumbo NESCAC prediction record to date: 13-2 (unfortunately I didn't post predictions in week 1, only discovered this newfound fun after my guy names posted and I encourage more of you to do the same)

Friday:
50 Conn - Trinity 64
57 Bates - Williams 66 (hooray!)
64 Amherst - Colby 80
77 Hamilton - Bowdoin 65
69 Tufts - wesleyan 68

Saturday:
60 Tufts - Trinity 51
70 Amherst - Bowdoin 67
55 Conn - Wesleyan 82
72 Hamilton - Colby 70
66 Bates - Midd 72

I'm obviously going to have tufts projected to win both games this weekend because I'm a super fan, but would take 1-1 on the weekend and that's probably the "most likely" outcome. Massey thinks we're going 0-2, but Mumbo has already proven that's just a algorithm - it couldn't even name a single player out there.

Tufts has a recent history with both Wesleyan and Trinity. Trinity could very well be our "modern day" rival. We pumped them in the regular season in 2022 only for them to hand it to us at home in the NESCAC Qfinals. The games are very chippy and very defensive oriented.  They beat us 3 times last year, and the boys will be  out for revenge.

Wesleyan, on the other hand, is almost always a very close game decided in the final seconds. Very exciting weekend for Jumbo nation, gotta capitalize!

Had to fire up my account to drop in and give kudos and love to JumboMumbo. His prognosticating ability have impressed the powers that be of the D3 Boards, and I've received multiple pings about his work. Gives me great pride in seeing the torch passed and continue on, even if he supports sweaty carolina blue and brown uniforms.

Keep up the great work!

Thanks Walzy and thank you spring street for highlighting that I have more work to do before I can take any victory laps. With that being said, new jumbomumbo odds have dropped on NESCAC player of the year.

Gyimesi just earned his 3rd NESCAC player of the week honors, while Regan and Morgan each have 2.

Mumbo's NESCAC POTY odds are hot off the press:

Gyimesi: +110
Regan: +135
Morgan: +1000

Before Hank's agent starts throwing shade at me, I think someone previously had explained why his odds are low - NESCAC POTY almost exclusively goes to regular season #1 or #2 team, and that's almost certainly going to be Tufts and Wesleyan. He can come at me, but he also will have to have a better story this time to get these odds below +300

Hahahahaha. Mumbo I gotta say, I like you. Your posts are great. I actually don't have an argument against you right now after the updated odds. Both Gyimesi and Regan are having great, POTY-caliber years and their teams are doing better than Hamilton in league play so far, so I like those odds. Wish I could have smashed those odds when they were at +1000 though lol. We'll have a better outlook after this weekend how Wesleyan and Tufts compare, and where Hamilton stands in comparison to the rest of the conference. To me it will be hard not to give it to Hank if he keeps up this historic offensive season and/or if Hamilton wins 7+ games in league play.

I do have a question for anyone more well-versed than me on Wesleyan basketball this year. I have only caught a few of their games, but from what I watched, it seemed to me that the point guard Johnson was their catalyst on offense, their leader, and their all-around best player. Regan is undoubtedly their best scorer, and one of the best in the whole league, but would you guys say he's their best player? Again, have only caught a few Wesleyan games all year so this is an honest question.

Tough couple of weeks for the "Hank Morgan is not the best player in the conference" crowd...

Quote from: NESCACBBALLFAN on December 13, 2024, 11:24:00 AM

Quote from: RollConts25 on December 12, 2024, 12:20:46 AM

Quote from: jumbomumbo on December 11, 2024, 10:23:13 PM

Quote from: NESCACBBALLFAN on December 11, 2024, 09:05:18 PM

Quote from: RollConts25 on December 10, 2024, 11:58:52 PMJust want to come on here and clarify something because a lot of people on here seem to be confused, misguided, or simply aren't watching enough basketball. The best player in the NESCAC is not Henry Vetter, it is not Scott Gyimesi, or any of these other names I'm seeing. The best player in the NESCAC is Hank Morgan. I don't know if maybe you guys don't want to give him the credit he deserves because he gave your favorite team 20+ last year or what, but the kid is the best in the league. I have watched countless Division 3 games this year, probably around 50-75 full games as well as pieces of others, and there is not anyone in the country I have seen that is as good as him this season. Jair Knight of Emory and Toby Harris of Brandeis are the closest I've seen, but I still like Morgan.

P.S. Someone posted the mock NPI rankings yesterday, and Hamilton's only loss this season is to the number 1-ranked team on that list. They also have a 2-time all-league PG who hasn't shot it the way we know he can yet this season, and they're still 8-1. I don't know why they get so much disrespect on this page.

Having played against all three, can assure you that this is not true - though he is a very good player.

I would have to agree. Hank is very talented but also has the pleasure of sharing the court with 2 equally dynamic guards in Singh and Keyhani.  Teams have to choose who defends who when they play Hamilton, and it makes them seem tougher than their record as you can't just take 1 away with out the other 2 having a great night, for many teams. On tufts, scott is the guy in all categories and is the key matchup in that game 100% of times. Also, tufts is better than Hamilton-  another reason I agree with you. Vetter is also the guy on Trin you need to slow down in order to beat them. Hank is still a hell of a player.

Furthermore, "tufts is better than hamilton" yet Hank having great teammates makes it easier for him, but not these other two guys you claim have better teams? How does that make logical sense? Gyimesi is not the leading scorer on his team, and Vetter wasn't last year. This is now the 3rd year in a row that Morgan has led Hamilton in scoring. Including, I say again, on a team that won the league, share of the regular season and the tournament. Not that scoring is everything, I understand that, but if you are talking about diverting the focus of the defense, it seems these other two guys are benefitting even more from diverted defensive efforts than Morgan is. Your argument just seems backwards to me.

I could come on here and say that Gyimesi benefits from having a 6'11 teammate in the starting lineup that diverts attention in the paint on rebounding and scoring, but I won't because I know that it's because he's a great player, and everyone benefits from their teammates in some way, shape, or form.

We will have to see when the new year hits and we get to see all these guys on the same court. I must say, I am excited at the prospect of the NESCAC potentially being a 4-5 bid conference come March, and I get more and more excited the more success I see out of all the teams in the conference. Wish everybody regardless of who you're a fan of the best of luck.

I don't even think that Morgan is definitively better than Singh. Both are great, and probably the best backcourt in the conference (thought I think Trin / Midd are competitive). My opinion of somebody's capabilities as an offensive player are largely dictated by their ability to create a high quality / percentage shot for themselves. Anybody can learn to shoot off a screen / catch and shoot / other off ball action, but when the shot clock is at 6 seconds, are you able to create a quality look for yourself in a 1v1 situation? It is not my intention to create controversy within the Conts. locker room (as I will reiterate, both are great), but Singh is definitely more capable on this front than Morgan.

You are preaching to the choir if you want to talk about Singh. I think when he gets it going he is the best scorer in the entire country. There is no shot he can't hit. I won't ever disagree with Teja Singh love, he is a killer. If I really wanted to say my true belief, Morgan and Singh are 1a and 1b in the conference this year in my eyes. Respect to you and this take.

Quote from: D3BBALL on December 12, 2024, 07:10:47 AMJust because someone is a leading scorer doesn't make that player the best player in the league. Morgan is not close to the best player in the league. Vetter, Regan and Gyimesi are better. 2 Years ago during conference play Morgan was the 4th leading scorer on his team and shot 37% from the field and 21% from 3. That is not great, it is not even good. Last year he shot 41% from the field. Look at Regan last year he shot 47% and 35%. There is no way he is close to the best player in the league. Good player yes.

My updated league ranking
1) Trinity - They just don't lose and they have the best 1-8 in the league.
2) Wesleyan - Now 3 scorers, and they are getting enough from their bigs. Huge win at Williams and Williams has way more talent upfront. And Regan hasn't shot well yet
3) Tufts - Gyimesi is is so good, their depth is good, can their guards shoot and defend consistently will need to find out. If they do, watch out and they have played a tuft schedule.
4) Williams - so disappointing, just soft and they have problems defending at times. Bad pick for preseason #1
5) Middlebury - 2 losses both against top 25 teams, but they are tough and Stevens looks like he is back. Need more help off the bench
4 of of this 5 have a shot at NCAA
6/7) Amherst and Hamilton - Neither has enough to stay with the top 5 consistently, they can pull off some upsets.
8) Colby - still a year away
9) Bates/Bowdoin - Both have played better than last year and keep improving, but not enough talent.
10) Conn - finding out what life is like without Murray on both ends of the floor.

First weekend of conference play Williams/Middlebury against Wesleyan/Trinity, 2nd weekend Tufts at Williams/Middlebury, Wesleyan/Trinity at Hamilton/Amherst.

Will know a lot after just 2 weeks,

You are correct when looking at conference only numbers which I agree should be weighted heavier. That being said, I watched Morgan against all three of those guys last year, and he was the best player on the floor in two of the games, Tufts and Wesleyan. I think that anyone who watched those games would agree. He was player of the week the time they played Tufts. Hamilton vs. Trinity I will admit was never a game and if I had to guess both Vetter and Morgan played around 20-25 mins in the blowout and probably had pretty similar individual performances. I guess we will have to wait and see, but of all the guys you named, I'd rather have Morgan every day of the week.

Quote from: jumbomumbo on December 11, 2024, 10:23:13 PM

Quote from: NESCACBBALLFAN on December 11, 2024, 09:05:18 PM

Quote from: RollConts25 on December 10, 2024, 11:58:52 PMJust want to come on here and clarify something because a lot of people on here seem to be confused, misguided, or simply aren't watching enough basketball. The best player in the NESCAC is not Henry Vetter, it is not Scott Gyimesi, or any of these other names I'm seeing. The best player in the NESCAC is Hank Morgan. I don't know if maybe you guys don't want to give him the credit he deserves because he gave your favorite team 20+ last year or what, but the kid is the best in the league. I have watched countless Division 3 games this year, probably around 50-75 full games as well as pieces of others, and there is not anyone in the country I have seen that is as good as him this season. Jair Knight of Emory and Toby Harris of Brandeis are the closest I've seen, but I still like Morgan.

P.S. Someone posted the mock NPI rankings yesterday, and Hamilton's only loss this season is to the number 1-ranked team on that list. They also have a 2-time all-league PG who hasn't shot it the way we know he can yet this season, and they're still 8-1. I don't know why they get so much disrespect on this page.

Having played against all three, can assure you that this is not true - though he is a very good player.

I would have to agree. Hank is very talented but also has the pleasure of sharing the court with 2 equally dynamic guards in Singh and Keyhani.  Teams have to choose who defends who when they play Hamilton, and it makes them seem tougher than their record as you can't just take 1 away with out the other 2 having a great night, for many teams. On tufts, scott is the guy in all categories and is the key matchup in that game 100% of times. Also, tufts is better than Hamilton-  another reason I agree with you. Vetter is also the guy on Trin you need to slow down in order to beat them. Hank is still a hell of a player.

Furthermore, "tufts is better than hamilton" yet Hank having great teammates makes it easier for him, but not these other two guys you claim have better teams? How does that make logical sense? Gyimesi is not the leading scorer on his team, and Vetter wasn't last year. This is now the 3rd year in a row that Morgan has led Hamilton in scoring. Including, I say again, on a team that won the league, share of the regular season and the tournament. Not that scoring is everything, I understand that, but if you are talking about diverting the focus of the defense, it seems these other two guys are benefitting even more from diverted defensive efforts than Morgan is. Your argument just seems backwards to me.

I could come on here and say that Gyimesi benefits from having a 6'11 teammate in the starting lineup that diverts attention in the paint on rebounding and scoring, but I won't because I know that it's because he's a great player, and everyone benefits from their teammates in some way, shape, or form.

We will have to see when the new year hits and we get to see all these guys on the same court. I must say, I am excited at the prospect of the NESCAC potentially being a 4-5 bid conference come March, and I get more and more excited the more success I see out of all the teams in the conference. Wish everybody regardless of who you're a fan of the best of luck.

Quote from: jumbomumbo on December 11, 2024, 10:23:13 PM

Quote from: NESCACBBALLFAN on December 11, 2024, 09:05:18 PM

Quote from: RollConts25 on December 10, 2024, 11:58:52 PMJust want to come on here and clarify something because a lot of people on here seem to be confused, misguided, or simply aren't watching enough basketball. The best player in the NESCAC is not Henry Vetter, it is not Scott Gyimesi, or any of these other names I'm seeing. The best player in the NESCAC is Hank Morgan. I don't know if maybe you guys don't want to give him the credit he deserves because he gave your favorite team 20+ last year or what, but the kid is the best in the league. I have watched countless Division 3 games this year, probably around 50-75 full games as well as pieces of others, and there is not anyone in the country I have seen that is as good as him this season. Jair Knight of Emory and Toby Harris of Brandeis are the closest I've seen, but I still like Morgan.

P.S. Someone posted the mock NPI rankings yesterday, and Hamilton's only loss this season is to the number 1-ranked team on that list. They also have a 2-time all-league PG who hasn't shot it the way we know he can yet this season, and they're still 8-1. I don't know why they get so much disrespect on this page.

Having played against all three, can assure you that this is not true - though he is a very good player.

I would have to agree. Hank is very talented but also has the pleasure of sharing the court with 2 equally dynamic guards in Singh and Keyhani.  Teams have to choose who defends who when they play Hamilton, and it makes them seem tougher than their record as you can't just take 1 away with out the other 2 having a great night, for many teams. On tufts, scott is the guy in all categories and is the key matchup in that game 100% of times. Also, tufts is better than Hamilton-  another reason I agree with you. Vetter is also the guy on Trin you need to slow down in order to beat them. Hank is still a hell of a player.

I urge the people on this page to watch a Hamilton game before they come on here commenting. Keyhani is great, great player, a star, and when Singh and Morgan are gone, I think a 1st team all-league player at least. That being said, Keyhani is averaging 9 points this season, Singh hasn't shot it great yet, and still Hamilton is 8-1. This is not at all a criticism of those guys, we know how great they are, but it is a credit to Morgan and a testament to how good the Continentals really can be when everyone gets it going.

Quote from: NESCACBBALLFAN on December 11, 2024, 09:05:18 PM

Quote from: RollConts25 on December 10, 2024, 11:58:52 PMJust want to come on here and clarify something because a lot of people on here seem to be confused, misguided, or simply aren't watching enough basketball. The best player in the NESCAC is not Henry Vetter, it is not Scott Gyimesi, or any of these other names I'm seeing. The best player in the NESCAC is Hank Morgan. I don't know if maybe you guys don't want to give him the credit he deserves because he gave your favorite team 20+ last year or what, but the kid is the best in the league. I have watched countless Division 3 games this year, probably around 50-75 full games as well as pieces of others, and there is not anyone in the country I have seen that is as good as him this season. Jair Knight of Emory and Toby Harris of Brandeis are the closest I've seen, but I still like Morgan.

P.S. Someone posted the mock NPI rankings yesterday, and Hamilton's only loss this season is to the number 1-ranked team on that list. They also have a 2-time all-league PG who hasn't shot it the way we know he can yet this season, and they're still 8-1. I don't know why they get so much disrespect on this page.

Having played against all three, can assure you that this is not true - though he is a very good player.

Really, really glad to hear you say this, because I played against all three also, and probably you as well if this is true. Nothing against Vetter or Gyimesi, but Morgan is just better. You know what Hank has done that neither of them have? Been the leading scorer on a NESCAC champion team. And he did it as a sophomore. Gyimesi and Vetter are great players, deserving of being 1st team all-league and even in POTY considerations, but they are not Hank Morgan.

Just want to come on here and clarify something because a lot of people on here seem to be confused, misguided, or simply aren't watching enough basketball. The best player in the NESCAC is not Henry Vetter, it is not Scott Gyimesi, or any of these other names I'm seeing. The best player in the NESCAC is Hank Morgan. I don't know if maybe you guys don't want to give him the credit he deserves because he gave your favorite team 20+ last year or what, but the kid is the best in the league. I have watched countless Division 3 games this year, probably around 50-75 full games as well as pieces of others, and there is not anyone in the country I have seen that is as good as him this season. Jair Knight of Emory and Toby Harris of Brandeis are the closest I've seen, but I still like Morgan.

P.S. Someone posted the mock NPI rankings yesterday, and Hamilton's only loss this season is to the number 1-ranked team on that list. They also have a 2-time all-league PG who hasn't shot it the way we know he can yet this season, and they're still 8-1. I don't know why they get so much disrespect on this page.

You make a lot of good points, but I do think that scheduling plays a huge role in a league where every team only plays each other once. Looking at Ham's road games in the league last year, they had 6/10 on the road, and the 6 were all top 7 in the league. Double OT loss @ Wesleyan, OT loss @ Amherst, 1-point loss when leading by 5 in the final two minutes @ 1st place Williams. Not to say that they deserved to win those games, but to say that three losses against contending teams were a possession away from a win. This year, 4 of their 5 home games are against teams in your top 6. Not to take anything away from those teams, but scheduling undoubtedly impacts the outcome. Also, there are a bunch of guys they had that showed flashes of greatness, with multiple double digit scoring games or dominant defensive performances, they just couldn't seem to put it all together. I'm thinking a year of experience can help them with the putting it all together, Stockwell is potentially the best coach in a league full of great coaches and I am optimistic about them. Honestly, this is shaping up to be a great NESCAC year and I'm excited more than anything.

Quote from: nescac1 on October 28, 2024, 01:15:44 PMLove the enthusiasm RollConts but I just don't see Hamilton leaping from 4-6 in league play and ending the year with a 20 point loss in the NESCAC quarterfinals to first in the conference, leapfrogging some really good returning teams (including three who made the Sweet 16).  I love the top three, one of the best trios anywhere, but no one managed over six points per game on the rest of the roster and it's just SO much pressure on those three guys to all be playing at their highest level game in and game out.  Also, Hamilton had good injury luck last year with the whole roster playing all ten league games, unlikely that recurs. 

My picks, with the caveat that I could see virtually anyone listed 1st through 6th in any position in that group:

1. Trinity - hard to go against a Final Four team with 7 of its top 9 back plus a big incoming class that is loaded with highly-regarded players.  Yeah, they lose two  very key players, but Dorion/Vetter/Okorougo is as tough a two-way perimeter trio as you will see anywhere and there is elite depth behind them, some guards who would start almost anywhere else.  Plus, there are 4-5 big men in the mix to replace Callahan-Gold's minutes, and Trinity should be OK there even though surely will have less scoring from that spot.

2. Wesleyan - this is the team more than Hamilton I see making the big jump.  Johnson and Vetter might be the best backcourt in the country and their group of young, long wings who are already high-level defenders have a ton of potential to grow as complementary scorers.  They have a lot of experienced size as well and Edelman should help with depth at center. A lot of pressure on them to do well with such a stellar senior class.

3. Tufts - Gyemisi, Medley, Bernstein and Morakis are an elite quartet, but the depth outside of the back-up big guys is untested and Tufts doesn't seem to have a lot of shooting. Still, they will physically just wear teams down with so much size and strength at every position and they've proven they can win big games. Another team with some impressive FYs who could help on the perimeter in particular. 

4. Williams - the Ephs are very difficult to predict this year.  Williams has good depth and team speed and should be elite defensively especially on the perimeter - more lock-down defenders than I've seen on maybe any Eph team.  But the Ephs have big question marks in terms of rebounding and especially outside shooting.  I expect this team to have some rocky moments in the first semester but will like last year look very different during league play, as some absent/injured players potentially return to help and the talented FY class begins to make a bigger impact. 

5. Hamilton - this feels about right for Hamilton, again, elite top-level talent but very questionable depth.

6. Amherst - another team that I could see anywhere from 2 through 7.  With basically everyone back this absolutely massive team will continue to punish smaller teams on the interior, but needs much better play from its guards to compete for the NESCAC title.  Garraud had some good moments as a FY and incoming frosh Elias Chen could help at lead guard as well.  The talent is absolutely there to make the NCAA tourney, but we've yet to see a Sears team live up to its talent. 

7. Conn College - no team suffered bigger losses in the off-season.  The program is in a solid enough place that it's no longer at risk of being a bottom-feeder in the league, but Murray did EVERYTHING on both ends of the court for Conn and Ben Rice's length and athleticism was also key to the zone defense. It's unclear who replaces all that Conn lost on the inside. 

8. Colby - these guys will both win and lose some games in surprising fashion this year, as they are always a high-variance team due to the reliance on threes.  Poulton could be an all-American before he's done but they need to find a consistent second option. Finally brought in real size in the FY class, but will any of those guys be ready to help?

9. Bowdoin - I could see Bowdoin rising to as high as seventh but want to see if McGowan is truly back to the guy he was pre-injury.  If so, he and Reeves are a nice one-two punch and there are enough solid role players around them. Always a well-coached team. 

10. Middlebury - feels blasphemous to put a Jeff Brown team 10th but man, who puts the ball in the basket for these guys?  Tristan Joseph is solid, albeit ideally a number two option, but after that it could be a real struggle unless Sam Stevens returns to his all-league form.  If Stevens is the guy he was as a FY, then I'd put Middlebury up a spot or two.  But two straight years of being severely limited by injuries is not a great sign. Not sure what happened to Midd's recruiting but it seems like Midd hasn't brought in a very hyped recruit in awhile. 

11. Bates - they will at least double their win total and be a lot more competitive, but these guys are a year away from even being in the league tourney picture.  Still, there should be some signs of hope this year, at least, with a nice sophomore class ...

Gotta say I like Hamilton to win the league this year. No matter who they play this year, they can feel good with their chances as long as they have Morgan and Singh in the backcourt. A team who was better than their 4-6 league record last year, showed they could compete with the teams ahead of them, lost @ Williams by a single point, OT loss @ Amherst, 2OT loss @ Wesleyan, to me it seemed as though they were right there and just couldn't put it together. I also like Kane, Keyhani and Reese in the frontcourt. Keyhani could potentially be as good as anyone in the league with his combination of athleticism, size, and shooting, Kane is really a do-it-all big with the way he can score in the post, distribute, and step out and hit a three, and Reese is a sleeper pick for DPOY. Ceiling is really high for this team, have seen great things from the guys mentioned above as well as Robinson, Nelson, Holmes, and Jenkins. They never struck me last year as a team that just didn't have the talent, just a team that couldn't put it together consistently.

As far as the rest of the conference, really excited to see another year of Johnson and Regan in the backcourt @ Wesleyan. The rest of the team around them is continuing to develop and they return a lot of guys from last years team so I definitely expect them to make some noise. Trinity looks very talented even without Callahan-Gold and I expect them to be competitive again. Amherst brings a lot back as well and they showed lots of improvement from the beginning to the end of the season, will be interested in that potential early season matchup with WPI. I am interested to see how Tufts spaces the floor without Dieterle, Champion, and McLaren, their three best shooters from last year. Loved what I saw out of Medley,and with Bernstein, Gettings, and Gyimesi, Tufts will definitely be competitive, just need some shooting. I think all of these teams are potential NCAA tournament teams and would love to see them all make it.

I know a lot of people on here love Williams, and Kevin App's teams are always competitive, but I am interested to see how they do this year. They lost their best player in Karren, but I think just as important was the loss of Prowitt-Smith who was really running the show and the catalyst for their offense. Looking at Lee, Roughley, and Dinkins to embrae bigger roles, but it's hard for me to place Williams. Wouldn't be surprised to find them towards the top or behind all the teams I mentioned above.

Flaks, Brennan, and Stevens make Middlebury competitive and the best of the rest, but I don't know if they have enough without Osher and Bobbitt. Conn loses a lot, but they still have Schainfeld and Espinosa, giving them one of the better backcourts in the league. That intense zone they play has also smelled trouble for teams in the past. Heard through the grapevine that Primer is back at Bates, pairing him with Begin I think could make Bates competitive in more games this year than they were last year. Hoping McGowan can stay healthy for Bowdoin, and him and Achufusi could make Bowdoin solid this year. They finished their season last year on a two-game win streak which is more than a lot of teams can say. Lastly, Colby loses even more from the team that is two seasons removed from a NESCAC finals appearance and finishing as a "bubble-out" team for the tournament. Poulton can shoot the lights out, Montiel can orchestrate an offense, and Lawson is back but I don't know if they have enough.

Picks
1- Hamilton
2- Trinity
3- Wesleyan
4- Williams
5- Tufts
6- Amherst
7- Middlebury
8- Conn
9- Bowdoin
10- Bates
11- Colby