MBB: NESCAC

[P'bearfan]

This afternoon my son and I went to the "The Basketball Tournament" at Clayton State University and watched Bryan Hurley's HBC team advance in the second round of the tournament's South bracket.  Great to catch up with Bryan and his brother Chris.  We also got to re-connect with former Polar Bear assistant Abe Woldeslassie who is doing well at Davidson.

Good luck to team HBC as the face off against team Prime Time tomorrow afternoon.

http://www.thetournament.com/teams/hbc

[P'bearfan]

Congrats to former Polar Bear Nick Browning ('95) will be inducted into the NE Basketball HOF along with several members of the women's program.

http://athletics.bowdoin.edu/sports/general/nebhof15

[P'bearfan]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mN8bHyT_F_w

Hope everyone is having a great summer.  Came across this video on youtube...think it's a recruiting video for John Swords as he enters the next phase of his basketball career.

I'm not sure everyone else in the NESCAC will miss him as much as the Polar Bear faithful.....in fact next season will be the first one in more than 6 years that Bowdoin doesn't have a player 6' 10" or taller.  It will be a challenge but no coach in the NESCAC is as flexible as HBC Gilbride in adapting his scheme to fit the talent he has.

[P'bearfan]

More Polar Bear news....former Bowdoin player Mike Harding ('03) has been named Assistant Coach at Assumption College.  Congrat's and best luck to Coach Harding.

http://assumptiongreyhounds.com/sports/mbkb/2014-15/releases/20150329tlebfi

[Old Guy]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mN8bHyT_F_w

Hope everyone is having a great summer.  Came across this video on youtube...think it's a recruiting video for John Swords as he enters the next phase of his basketball career.

I'm not sure everyone else in the NESCAC will miss him as much as the Polar Bear faithful.....in fact next season will be the first one in more than 6 years that Bowdoin doesn't have a player 6' 10" or taller.  It will be a challenge but no coach in the NESCAC is as flexible as HBC Gilbride in adapting his scheme to fit the talent he has.

What is the "next phase of his basketball career"?

[amh63]

P'bearfan...Thanks for the basketball news as Summer drags on wrt CAC news.  I am reduced to watching a few Summer NBA league games and last night I saw an UNC vs Duke game from last season.
Sad...I know...but... I'm visiting my old BB watching companion at the end of the month down in the Chapel Hill-Durham area.  He moved there this Spring from CT.  Expect to see some UConn vs ACC games LIVE this Winter with him vice previous Nescac games.
Your comment wrt to Swords and  posts earlier on former CAC players by other posters....coupled with my watching an old college game...brings on a sad thought.  It was always enjoyable for me to watch CAC games where I could see players like Swords, Workman, Williamson, Locke, etc grow as players over their college years.  It seems that in top Div 1 teams, top players stay for no more than two years.  Div3 in general and the CAC in particular proves the chance to watch favorite players longer.
Times they are Changing...

[P'bearfan]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mN8bHyT_F_w

Hope everyone is having a great summer.  Came across this video on youtube...think it's a recruiting video for John Swords as he enters the next phase of his basketball career.

I'm not sure everyone else in the NESCAC will miss him as much as the Polar Bear faithful.....in fact next season will be the first one in more than 6 years that Bowdoin doesn't have a player 6' 10" or taller.  It will be a challenge but no coach in the NESCAC is as flexible as HBC Gilbride in adapting his scheme to fit the talent he has.




What is the "next phase of his basketball career"?

Swords signed with the Leuven Bears of the Basketball League of Belgium the highest tier of professional basketball in Belgium.

[GoWesYoungMan]

P'Bear...I will definitely miss watching Swords against Amherst, Bates, Colby etc...will definitely not miss him against Wes. He was a favorite for me-- for the way he played but also for how he developed and for his manner in the court. Good luck to Swords. In many ways NESCAC players are well suited for these opportunities in Europe--not just for the high level of basketball but also in terms of adapting to the lifestyle and taking something from the experience. Swords will be a success down the road much like Locke.

[P'bearfan]

P'Bear...I will definitely miss watching Swords against Amherst, Bates, Colby etc...will definitely not miss him against Wes. He was a favorite for me-- for the way he played but also for how he developed and for his manner in the court. Good luck to Swords. In many ways NESCAC players are well suited for these opportunities in Europe--not just for the high level of basketball but also in terms of adapting to the lifestyle and taking something from the experience. Swords will be a success down the road much like Locke.

Thanks for the kind thoughts about Swords.  He is a special player and young man.  Agree with you regarding NESCAC players being a good fit for opportunities in Europe....for instance Swords speaks French and he is as interested in the experience of living abroad as he is in continuing to play.

[Old Guy]

P'Bear...I will definitely miss watching Swords against Amherst, Bates, Colby etc...will definitely not miss him against Wes. He was a favorite for me-- for the way he played but also for how he developed and for his manner in the court. Good luck to Swords. In many ways NESCAC players are well suited for these opportunities in Europe--not just for the high level of basketball but also in terms of adapting to the lifestyle and taking something from the experience. Swords will be a success down the road much like Locke.

Best of luck to John Swords! A class act. He will be a lot better at 25 than he is now. He has only hinted at his full potential.

[nescac1]

Congrats to Daniel Wohl, who will be playing pro ball in Israel:

http://ephsports.williams.edu/sports/mbkb/Dan_Wohl_Signs_in_Israel

[Bucket]

Speaking of The Basketball Tournament, a team with Ryan Sharry, Joey Kizel, Jack Roberts, and Bert Naciamento (Team Pup N Suds) is about to tip off against a team with some familiar names to hoops fans: Michael Sweetney (Georgetown), Demarr Johnson (Cincy), and Pops Mensa-Bonsu (GW).

If you happen to see this post this Friday afternoon, watch here! http://portal.stretchinternet.com/tbt/

[Bucket]

It was fun seeing some of these former Panthers in uniform again—the familiar #35 of Sharry and #15 of Kizel, especially. Ryan looked especially adept on the floor, though foul trouble limited his minutes. Team Pup and Suds fell to the squad with four former NBA players, none more mammoth than former Georgetown Hoya Michael Sweetney. The announcer said he was 6'8" 300 pounds, but he looked more like 350. Not exactly in game shape. But he still had flashes of supreme talent that had led to him being a lottery pick by the Knicks.

[amh63]

Bucket.....agreed with your comment on Sweetney.  My first thought when I saw him during a timeout. 
Sherry seemed to be playing outside more....don't blame him with Sweetney on the floor.  Sharry's first three was sweet.  His second outside shot was altered by a foul that was noted by the announcer but not called.
What's with the color of the uniform....looked pink!  anyway, thanks for the link....only watched briefly when I realized it was a repeat broadcast...knew the final score...and the refs were letting them play rough...along with a starting guard play that did not seem to want to pass the ball.
Oh yes....saw that Vandy's school lost to the underdog UVA baseball team...for the NCAA title.  Hope he is OK.

[P'bearfan]

Yesterday I met Memphis HBC Josh Pastner at my gym.  Had seen him before but didn't recognize him.  He was very down to earth and friendly.  I mentioned that in high school my son played against one of his players, Shaq Goodwin.

Not surprisingly he wasn't familiar with the NESCAC but he did recognize Duncan Robinson.  I explained that Robinson's range is "the county line".