MBB: NESCAC

[nescac1]

Gyimesi is definitely in the convo especially if he leads Tufts to its first Final Four (crazy that they have none to date).  Tufts hasn't had many POTYs in Nescac really. I'd say 1. McMahon, 2. Gyimesi, 3. Rogers?  Special mention to Palleschi who might be 1 but for serious health issues.  I saw the very end of McMahon's career and do recall him being a beast as a scorer. 

[D3BBALL]

It is a shame that the redistricting kind of killed the excitement of the All District/Region teams. Without the LEC and the NEWMAC it is essentially just a re-skin of All-NESCAC. Congrats to Gyemesi however - random thought while we are on the topic, I am not overly familiar with Tufts history but is he is the Tufts GOAT convo? He is 13th in all time points, 1st in rebounds, and 15th in assists.

Yes, very much shame, it is as you pointed out really just the NESCAC.

Gyimesi has to be in the running for GOAT at Tufts or maybe is the GOAT. 4-year record before his arrival 65-38, 1 NCAA appearance. His arrival 4 straight 20 win seasons (never been done at Tufts), record 86-27 (most 4 years wins at Tufts) to date, 4 straight NCAA (never more than 2 in a row) appearances. His class has been good, but he has been leaps above the other 4. 58% shooting, 40% on threes, 70% FT, 9.5 rebounds, not over 10 because he didn't play enough his freshman year, 2.5 assists. If you could compare efficiency ratings not sure anyone else would stack up to him at Tufts. Final 4 probably puts the nail in the coffin, but even without, awesome resume. Trinity has been his kryptonite, like many teams, but Tufts beats them Thursday, that is gone as well.

[jumbomumbo]

It is a shame that the redistricting kind of killed the excitement of the All District/Region teams. Without the LEC and the NEWMAC it is essentially just a re-skin of All-NESCAC. Congrats to Gyemesi however - random thought while we are on the topic, I am not overly familiar with Tufts history but is he is the Tufts GOAT convo? He is 13th in all time points, 1st in rebounds, and 15th in assists.

I would say he is the Tufts GOAT, yes. And a final 4 would solidify this

[SpringSt7]

Mumbo who else would previously be in the conversation?

[jumbomumbo]

Mumbo who else would previously be in the conversation?

TuftsSituation might be better suited to answer this question. I have only followed Tufts since the 2019-2020 season. That being said, Tom Palleschi is certainly in the conversation. I know he was up there in points, rebounds, blocks.

Vincent Pace was a hooper (and annual alumni game GOAT) but not sure how his stats compare. Luke Rogers somewhere in the top 10 as well id imagine in GOAT convo.

You all know how I feel about MVP votes - did the guy win? Scotty is a winner. All time wins leader at tufts along with his senior class. Many tufts teams pre 2019 were .500 record. Scott by default!

[jumbomumbo]

Someone will say it so I'll get the ball rolling. How about that dumb Texas coach running on the court with one second left? Just as marginal as the foul call on Bates. Those arguing for no call have more validity now. I still think you call both. There are rules for a reason. Why did I even bother telling teammates to stay back in case something crazy happens?

[Stickthe3]

The topic of whether Gyimesi is the GOAT at Tufts got me thinking - who are the GOATs at each NESCAC school?  Here's a shot at it.  Would love to hear what everyone thinks, especially those people that are representatives/fans of each school.  Let's not get all offended if someone isn't listed – this isn't meant to be too serious! This is more to discuss each of these great players and hopefully bring out some others who might have been forgotten about!

Amherst – Aaron Toomey
Bates – Herb Taylor (no idea, he's the only All-American that's listed on their website, class of 1984)
Bowdoin – Lucas Hausman (?).  Cuevas is certainly on track if he stays, which seems doubtful. I'll throw my old coach Dick Whitmore into the mix just for fun.
Colby – Matt Hancock
Conn College – Kareem Tatum
Hamilton – Mike Schantz
Middlebury – Alex Sobel
Trinity – Tyler Rhoten, Henry Vetter could be in the mix???
Tufts – Scott Gyimesi
Wesleyan – Leo Jones (?), Shasha Brown (?)
Williams – Mike Nogelo

[nescac1]

Great post, Stickthe3.  I'm just going to go back to the GOAT from 1990 forward, because I think it's really hard to evaluate greats from prior era like Sheehy or Rehnquist (especially since almost none of us have ever seen them!) vs. more modern players, and also NESCAC teams could not participate in the NCAAs until 1994 which makes it even tougher.  I'd say that 1994 is the logical cut-off, but then you lose Matt Hancock, who by all accounts is clearly the Colby GOAT.  I think your list is really good.  I mostly agree, and have just a few suggested changes:

Amherst – Aaron Toomey or Andrew Olson (personally I prefer Olson, just loved his game, but Toomey seems to get the edge with most Amherst fans - I think - and I'll defer to them)
Bates – Zak Ray, he was awesome, sadly overshadowed by overlapping with Crotty and then Olson
Bowdoin – Lucas Hausman (agree that Cuevas would have a shot if he sticks around)
Colby – Matt Hancock
Conn College – Kareem Tatum
Hamilton – Mike Schantz (although Kena Gilmour has a case, but I agree with Schantz)
Middlebury – Alex Sobel (Ryan Sharry would not be a crazy pick, Sobel was I'd say a bit better at his two-year peak but Sharry was more consistent and did lead Midd to its only Final Four)
Trinity – Henry Vetter (I'd go with Keith Wolff second, and Tyler Rhoten third, both more explosive scorers for sure, but I feel like the centerpiece of this Trinity run has to be the guy)
Tufts – Chris McMahon, although Gyimesi I think just barely eclipses him if he leads Tufts to its first final four with a huge game against Trinity
Wesleyan – Leo Jones (I think Shane Regan and Sam Peek would both be leading the conversation had they played their last season at Wesleyan, but playing a primetime year elsewhere hurts a bit for these purposes), then Sha Brown or Nicky Johnson
Williams – Mike Nogelo (as great as Schultz, Crotty, Coffin, and Mayer were, no question)

I think Zak Ray, Leo Jones, and Jamal Wilson (Amherst) are the three guys who were overshadowed for one reason or another during the NESCAC NCAA era who could absolutely play with anyone on this list ...

[Colby Hoops]

https://hoopdirt.com/daily-dirt-3-18-26/

This would be tough -- rumors that Rutigliano is in the mix for an assistant spot at Kansas State.

I think he's done a nice job and looks to be recruiting very well. Not his fault with all the Strahorn departure mess. But tough for the AD to run off Strahorn for a one year guy if that's what it turns out to be...

[nescac1]

Wow, Colby Hoops, that would be crazy.  Can't recall if it was you or another Colby fan who suggested here that Rutligliano was likely a climber who would stay at Colby only short-term, but if whoever that was proved to be prescient, yeah, it would make the Strahorn decision look a lot worse.  And you'd have to wonder if a few of those high-profile committed Colby recruits would try to look elsewhere if Rutligiano does leave ....   

[el_jefe_90]

For Tufts, I was thinking about their past years since Palleschi was mentioned. The 2015-16 team went to the Elite 8 and the next year, they went to the Sweet 16. How great would they have been if Hunter Sabety stayed? Averaged about 15ppg, 7rpg and 2bpg in 40 games for the Jumbos from 2013-2015. Left to go to Hofstra I believe. He certainly could have been listed amongst the best Jumbos ever.

And those teams with Palleschi, Vincent Pace, Tarik Smith and guards like Stephen Haladyna and Ryan Spadaford that first year and a young Eric Savage that second? They would've been amongst the greatest Tufts teams, if not the greatest.

[D3BBALL]

https://hoopdirt.com/daily-dirt-3-18-26/

This would be tough -- rumors that Rutigliano is in the mix for an assistant spot at Kansas State.

I think he's done a nice job and looks to be recruiting very well. Not his fault with all the Strahorn departure mess. But tough for the AD to run off Strahorn for a one year guy if that's what it turns out to be...

I do think someone brought up that point when he was hired last year, as well as would the person and his family be happy living up in that area. If he leaves it is a bad look for the AD, and the president but mostly hurts the players on the team.

[AmherstStudent05]

For me, Aaron Toomey is the Amherst GOAT but Andrew Olson is obviously also a solid choice.

For the related question of the Amherst Mount Rushmore, I think I would currently have it as Toomey, Olson, Willy Workman and John Bedford, with honorable mention to Brian Baskauskas. But I only started following NESCAC basketball in 2001 so I cannot evaluate Wilson or Rehnquist.

[nescac1]

AmherstStudent05, I promise Wilson belongs in the Workman/Bedford group, his game if my memory is accurate improved dramatically over time so it's hard to assess the entire career, but by the time he graduated he was as good as anyone.  He didn't make a Final Four but only because Amherst didn't have the depth of talent back then like they did starting around 2003.  I think I'd put him right after Toomey and Olson but those next three are very close to one another. 

[AmherstStudent05]

Oh, I have no doubt that your assessment of Wilson is correct, nescac1.  I've heard nothing but glowing things about him.  And, if anything, I have heard even more sterling assessments about Rehnquist who seems to have a true legendary status among the Amherst basketball old timers.  I wish I could have seen them both in Purple & White, but I've been treated to more than my fair share of great Amherst players so I cannot complain.