Coach Toby Whittaker: Audet Somniare, Parat Laborare (FBCB)
 

Hi again, everyone.

I had so much fun with my Graham Sims dynasty for Fast Break College Basketball that I decided to return to this wonderful game for another story.

The laptop on which I played Coach Sims' save has been retired, and I installed a "clean" copy of FBCB on my new computer. I've spent some time over the past month or so editing the database to create the college basketball world in which my new story will take place. Our main character will be Coach Toby Whittaker, whose career had just begun when my story ended. I've magically turned the clock back three decades or so, giving Coach Whittaker a chance to begin his career in the 2010s.

I've added two conferences to Division I for this story: the New England Conference and the Centennial Conference. Both leagues are closely based on real Division III conferences. Here's a look at their membership:

New England Conference: Amherst, Bates, Bowdoin, Colby, Hamilton, Middlebury, Trinity, Tufts, Wesleyan, Williams.

Centennial Conference: Dickinson, Franklin & Marshall, Gettysburg, Haverford, Johns Hopkins, McDaniel, Muhlenberg, Swarthmore, Ursinus, Washington (MD).

Our story will begin in the spring of 2013.

Coach Whittaker is 25 years old. He grew up in Falls Church, Virginia, and after a successful high school career at St. Stephens & St. Agnes School, Toby walked on at the University of Virginia. In his four years in Charlottesville, he saw just over 100 minutes of court time in 19 appearances. He completed his B.A. in History with the Class of 2010.

Toby knew his talent would take him only so far as a player. He was still in high school when he first expressed his interest in coaching, and his coaches at UVA encouraged and fostered his interest in the profession. Head coach Tom Schumann offered Toby a position as a graduate assistant, and for two seasons, Coach Whittaker worked on the Cavaliers' staff while he completed his M.A. in Higher Education.

Now, Coach Whittaker is teaching and coaching at St. Anne's-Belfield School in Charlottesville. While he loves what he's doing, he dreams of heading a college program of his own one day. As the 2013/14 season begins, we join Coach Whittaker as he waits for an opportunity to enter the Division I coaching ranks.

Game Notes: I added about 250 high schools to my game's database, mostly independent schools from the Northeast and Middle Atlantic states. I let a random number generator choose the school where Coach Whittaker is coaching high school ball; it picked STAB, and I constructed Toby's backstory from there.

The Latin motto of the title roughly translates to "He dares to dream, he prepares to work." My apologies to my high school Latin teacher if my translation is a bit off. ;)

I'll begin the tale of Coach Whittaker's universe by fast-simming through a season or two, or three, or four. At the end of each season, I'll look at the offers Toby has received. If one of them looks like a good fit for him, I'll have him take it.

Coach Whittaker will begin his career as a Level 5 coach. That will make him roughly as talented as the coaches at most smaller programs. For example, all the coaches in the Centennial and New England Conferences are Level 5.

Following...

It'll be great to have you along, Chas! Hopefully Coach Whittaker's story will be as much fun as Coach Sims' was.

Toby has landed his first job, and I'll be back soon to set the stage for the beginning of his coaching journey.

May 1, 2019

Toby Whittaker was announced today as the new head men's basketball coach at Amherst.



The Mammoths have struggled throughout the six-year history of my universe.


A 58-126 mark over those six seasons cost coach Donny Baker his job. The resulting loss of Prestige--from 12 to 9--has dropped Amherst to the tenth-lowest mark in all of Division I. Coach Whittaker has quite a job ahead of him.

May 1, 2019

I couldn't afford to spend more than $30,000/year on assistant coaches' salaries, but I ended up being able to find three coaches I'm fairly happy with.



Our staff is at least as good as most of the other programs in the New England Conference. Forrest Gill is a Level 1 coach, and the Davids are both Level 0.

July 1, 2019

Recruiting season is about to begin. We have $7,819 to spend each month, and we have four scholarships to offer. We will have to concentrate our efforts on players who live close to home.

After projecting our depth chart for the next two years, I've identified our recruiting priorities. We need a big man and a point guard who will be ready to step in right away. We need another big man with whom we could be patient, and we could probably use a wing. Ideally, they'll all be good defenders--we're way too easy to score against--but the PG absolutely must be.

August 1, 2019

Amherst has recruited about as successfully as you'd expect a school with ratings for 9 in Prestige and 10 in Facilities, and a budget of less than $10K/month to do. There are 367 Division I schools in our universe. The Mammoths' recruiting classes have ranked #338, #367, #313, #317, #168, and #356 (the class that placed last had no recruits).

The Mammoths have signed two three-star players, both arriving via the JUCO ranks with the Class of 2018. If Coach Whittaker is going to raise the standard of the Amherst program, he'll need to attract more players of this quality.

One very promising prospect, New York big man Richard Zamudio, expressed Very High interest last month. I liked his stats (23.6 PPG, 9.8 RPG, #196 national ranking) so much that I offered him a scholarship right away. Unfortunately, Richard caught the eye of at least five more prestigious programs, all of whom offered him, too. Richard took us completely out of his top five list, so we'll probably move along.

We're in better shape with another post player, three-star center Carson Shears.

In a perfect world, Carson would be a better defender than he projects to be. He's got some good inside moves, however, and he's comfortable handling the ball. He's worth keeping an eye on, and he likes us a lot.

Josiah Pennington is a 6'4" wing with a lethal jump shot and a willingness to challenge the opposing team's best player on defense.

Nobody has offered Josiah a scholarship yet, but we're about to change that. We'll also recruit him heavily; until I look at the finances more closely, I don't know how heavily.

The most intriguing defensively-talented point guard on our list is Doyle Cannon.
After recruiting so many studs with Graham Sims at Villanova, I have to remind myself that a C rated player can be a star in a small conference. And, if we've scouted him accurately, Doyle has a jumper that can play in any league. We'll offer him a scholarship, too.

I decide to bring Shears, Pennington, and Cannon to campus for a visit, and I also invite another big man, Michael Grigsby. Coach Whittaker will visit Cannon, and his recruiting assistant, David Getty, will visit Shears. We can't afford to do anything else.

September 1, 2019

I'm pleased with how our recruiting efforts went last month.

Carson Shears still has us at the top of his list, and none of his other favorites have made him an offer. The same is true of Josiah Pennington.

We'll be in a battle for the commitment of Doyle Cannon, who holds offers from Yale, Amherst, Trinity, and Colby. That's how Doyle ranks the four programs right now.

The most promising news of all might be coming from very, very close to home. Local boy Michael Grigsby looks like he could be a great fit for us.
The experts give Michael only two stars, but he's an All-State player, a proven scorer and rebounder at the high school level with ratings that support the stats.

I'm sending Coach Whittaker to visit all four of the guys who hold offers from us. I can afford to send Coach Getty to the Cannon residence, taking what might be one last shot to pry Doyle out of the clutches of Yale.

Wish us luck...

October 1, 2019

Oh, dear.

First, the good news. Carson Shears still likes us best. We're the only program who has offered him a scholarship, so that might be the reason why. Still, I'm high on him, and I hope we get good news from him on Decision Day next month.

Two of our other targets had their heads turned by offers from more prestigious programs. Wesleyan (Prestige 20) is courting Josiah Pennington. Bates (Prestige 20) is trying to lure Michael Grigsby away from his hometown school. And Doyle Cannon has cut his list to two, but we still trail Yale (Prestige 26). Pennington and Grigsby have lowered their expressed interest in us to High.

Is it worth pursuing these three guys any longer? There are quite a few players on our call list who don't have any offers in hand, and several of them don't have any program on their list but Amherst. Unfortunately, they look about as good as the guys who would sign up as walk-ons.

What should I do? I have some thinking to do, don't I?

October 1, 2019

After thinking over our position a little more, I took a closer look at the players on our call list. I had been asking myself "Are they good enough to dominate the NEC?, and if my answer was "I don't think so," I was disregarding them. That wasn't a very helpful attitude. Amherst is one of the least significant programs in the country right now.

Now, when I look at a recruit, I'm asking myself "Can he do anything that can make us a better team?" Even if that "thing" is "give us a better option for ten minutes off the bench," that's an improvement.

I acquired that mindset honestly; it was the result of my experience with my last FBCB save. Graham Sims' first recruiting class at Lafayette contained Rhett King, Venceslás Castillo, Hubert Song, and James Sanders. The recruiting rankings gave King one star, Castillo two, and Song and Sanders three each.

That four-man class gave the Leopards 394 starts and 13,078 minutes of basketball. They earned seven spots on the All-Patriot League teams between them, each of them gaining that recognition at least once. Sanders, the Big Colonel, was Patriot League Player of the Year twice and a professional draft pick. Coach Sims' first recruiting class transformed the Lafayette program and propelled him into a Hall of Fame coaching career.

I'm in a very different position now. When Coach Sims started at Lafayette, the Leopards' Prestige was 27, and Coach Sims was 10 points better at Recruiting than Coach Whittaker is now. I can't expect to attract players as highly regarded as those in Coach Sims' first class.

But, on the other hand, Coach Sims and I found a hidden gem in one-star Rhett King, the original rebounding/shot blocking/defending Blue Collar Man. If I can mine more King-like treasures, who do two or three things well, Amherst will start winning more games.

I decided to stick with the four players I had offered for one more month, because I discovered some guys on my list who seem to be able to do a few basketball things fairly well and who don't have any interest in playing for anyone but us. If our first choices turn us down, I'll pursue some of these backup plans.

November 1, 2019
Decision Day

Today, Carson Shears becomes the first recruit of the Toby Whittaker era at Amherst. Carson's potential as a shot blocker, an inside scorer, and a forceful rebounder--especially on the defensive glass--should earn him significant playing time as a freshman. Welcome to the Amherst family, Carson!

Josiah Pennington announces his commitment to Wesleyan, but our other two targets are still making up their minds. Michael Grigsby still prefers Bates and Doyle Cannon still lists Yale first, but we remain in the running for their signatures. Should I give them another month's worth of recruiting effort, or should I move on?

Shears' commitment checks one item off our "to-do list," a big man who should contribute early. We really need a lockdown perimeter defender; is there a likely candidate on our call list?

Bryan Currin is a promising option. He's a rangy, 6'4" guard from New York with a secure handle and the potential to develop into a good shooter and a fairly good defender. We're the only team on Bryan's list.

When I look at the players who have some interest in playing for us whom we haven't contacted, I see a few intriguing players. One of them is an Aussie point guard named Claude Audley, who averages almost four steals per game. He might be worth considering.

There's also Hans Fluegel, a "small" forward from Germany who packs 253 pounds on a 6'6" frame. His stat line suggests a versatile player who, not surprisingly, is comfortable playing close to the basket.

Evaluating Audley and Fluegel would cost us more than half of our recruiting budget. Neither of them have been spotted by any other programs yet.

I've decided to take one more shot at signing Grigsby and Cannon. We'll also offer a scholarship to Currin, and invite him to campus for a visit. I've added Fluegel and Audley to our call list, and we'll evaluate them next month, when we have the funds to do so.

Here's the roster for the 2019/2020 Amherst Mammoths:

How did their first training camp with Coach Whittaker go?

The team's star is senior point guard Jesse Scott. He's a highly skilled ballhandler and a creative passer, and he significantly improved both aspects of his game in camp. Jesse is one of the few Green players in the NEC, and we expect him to be among the league's top guards. He averaged 5.1 APG last season; don't be surprised if he surpasses that mark this year.

He'll be joined in the backcourt by junior Perry Jordan. Perry has started 61 games for the Mammoths, the most of any player on the roster. He's been a potent scorer; he averaged 16.1 PPG and should score his 1000th career point before the New Year. We'll have to keep an eye on Perry's academic standing, because he's a fairly indifferent student.

Senior Matthew Kennedy will start at small forward. Like Scott, he arrived as a JUCO transfer last season, and he made an impact from Day One with his scoring. Matthew is especially deadly from behind the arc (37.9% last season). His 14.2 PPG was second on the team.

Drew Lehr started 19 games last season, and he'll return to the starting five at power forward for his senior year. He's an aggressive rebounder, and he led the team with 7.8 RPG in 2019. Drew has some post moves in his toolbox, but he's a weak defender and a weak student.

Seven-foot sophomore Pierre Chauvin will be the starting center for the second straight season. Despite his Francophone name, he's from just across the border in eastern New York. Pierre's offensive ability and a knack for blocking shots sets him apart from the other bigs on our roster.

We're much deeper in the backcourt than we are up front. Junior David McQuiston and sophomore Alan Rasberry are the most talented reserves, but they'll possibly find playing time scarce with Scott and Jordan ahead of them. McQuiston is the better shooter and defender; Rasberry the better distributor.

The best of the reserve bigs is Dominic Moss. The redshirt junior started 12 games last year. He's a superb rebounder who averaged 7 boards per game last season. First years Spencer Lund and Anseleme Catoire are raw, but at least one of them will have to play. Lèon Hespel can provide an offensive boost off the bench. Catoire and Hespel are French imports.

The fact that last year's 12-win team was almost the best in Amherst history says a lot about the program. The Mammoths return all five players from last year's preferred starting lineup, so there's a chance we might be better this time around. Our AD expects us to avoid last place in the league, and I feel fairly confident of our chances to do that. I'd be delighted with a .500 season and a winning record in the NEC.

November 17, 2019
The Toby Whittaker era begins with an exciting overtime victory that delighted a big crowd at LeFrak Gymnasium. Matthew Kennedy was the star, hitting all five of his three-point tries and finishing with 29 points. Our guards produced 13 assists with only 3 turnovers.

We recovered from the shock of a 7-0 run by the Mules that sent the game into overtime, winning the extra period 14-6.
Record: 1-0.


November 21, 2019
Big games from all three frontcourt starters result in a victory in a road game at Yale.

Matthew Kennedy once again lights up the scoreboard, but it's the all-around excellence of Pierre Chauvin that makes him the PotG.

We score in the nineties again...without much contribution from Perry Jordan, who is 2-for-16 from behind the arc. Perry entered the season shooting 40 percent from deep for his career, so I'm not concerned yet.
Record: 2-0.


November 24, 2019
Another journey to the Connecticut coast turns out well, as we return with our third straight victory.

Perry Jordan begins to awaken from his offensive slump, and Matthew Kennedy continues to find the basket with regularity.

Meanwhile, Drew Lehr is averaging a double-double; he steps up tonight to cover for a rough night from Pierre Chauvin.
Record: 3-0.


November 29, 2019
A very good Davidson team breaks the spell with a complete performance.

The Wildcats do a much better job defending us, holding us to 21-for-65 shooting and 5-for-21 from three-point range.

We're going to have to tighten up defensively, or we'll find ourselves losing to teams, like tonight's opponent, who can slow our roll.
Record: 3-1.

December 1, 2019

Persistence pays off this time, as Doyle Cannon announces his commitment to play for us today!

If we've scouted Doyle's defensive ability accurately, he would be the second-best perimeter defender on the team right now. Unless we've mis-evaluated him really badly, he'll be good enough to join our backcourt rotation from Day One.

Michael Grigsby is still making up his mind. He continues to prefer Bates, and he rates his interest in our program as High. Bryan Currin is also still waiting to decide, although we're the only program he has on his list.

I'm looking forward to seeing what our scout sees in Claude Audley and Hans Fluegel, both of whom we're paying the money to evaluate this month. Both are given only one star by the recruiting experts, but (1) they could be wrong and (2) even if they're not, Claude and Hans might still be very useful players.

If Michael and Bryan commit next month, it might not matter.

December 1, 2019
A three-point dagger from Matt Kennedy and a big, big defensive stop on the Diplomats' final possession seal an exciting away victory that runs our record to a sweet 4-1.

All five starters make significant contributions, especially Pierre Chauvin, who does a little bit of everything.
Record: 4-1.


December 7, 2019
Back home in the Connecticut Valley, the Mammoths spot the visiting Fords a 33-30 halftime advantage before turning up the tempo in a furious second half.

Matthew Kennedy is electric, the big men play well, and Jesse Scott leads the band like a maestro. More of this, please.
Record: 5-1.


December 9, 2019
This is a big win for us. Ball State enters the game ranked #25 in the Mid-Major poll. Their Prestige is 36, and they play in the Mid-American Conference, a solid Level 3 league.

Matthew Kennedy moves into 9th place on the national scoring leaderboard with another productive game. He's the NEC's leading scorer; we also boast the top rebounder (Drew Lehr) and assist man (Jesse Scott).

Our seniors are playing like men, and that bodes well for our continued success.
Record: 6-1.


December 11, 2019
We allow a fine guard, Tony Waggoner, to score 22 points, but we handle everyone else in Maine colors and pick up another win on the road. Honestly, the game's over by halftime, and quite a few Black Bears fans aren't around for the final whistle.

They miss Lèon Hespel's five points in five minutes and an eye-popping dunk from Dominic Moss, but they probably wouldn't have enjoyed those events anyway.

I wonder if we'll appear in the Mid-Major poll next week?
Record: 7-1.

Looking forward to my annual return to this game in the fall.

I'm back myself, after a hiatus of two summer/early autumn months or so. The return of "real" college basketball inspired me to come back to my hoops world, which is refreshingly unlike what the real version has become.

I'll really be back, with some actual content, very soon! Thanks for stopping by!

December 15, 2019
For twenty minutes or so, the college basketball world prepares for a remarkable upset. Coach Whittaker's boys lead the powerful Wildcats, 41-37, at halftime, threatening to steal a W from the Big East tough guys.

Cinderella misses her ride home from the ball, however. The Mammoths launch a barrage of threes with poor results, and can't stop the more talented Wildcats from scoring. The result is a predictable 13-point victory for the home team.
Record: 7-2.


December 18, 2019
Matthew Kennedy has the chance to end the story of a very engaging contest with a game-winning three, but his effort won't drop. We trail Lafayette by five points with a minute to play, so the fact MK had a chance to win it for us speaks well of our refusal to give up, as well as the value of his own stellar play.

Kudos, too, to Jesse Scott, who barely misses a triple double.
Record: 7-3.


December 22, 2019
The Midshipmen aren't as talented as our previous two opponents, so we celebrate our return home with a return to winning ways.

On a night when Matthew Kennedy can't shake loose his defender or make the shots he gets, we rely on stifling defense and the scoring of Jesse Scott to create the desired outcome in our last non-conference game of the season.
Record: 8-3.

December 26, 2019


I'm pleased with how our non-conference schedule played out. We lost the three games I didn't think we had a chance of winning (and nearly stole one of them), while winning all the games I thought we might win.

None of the New England Conference teams grabbed a signature win. Bates came closest, losing 77-73 to Virginia Tech. Hamilton also scared Michigan, losing 58-52 in Ann Arbor. Wesleyan lost 100-96 to a Delaware team that's currently 9-1 and ranked #10 among mid-majors.

December 28, 2019


I expected Jesse Scott to be a big part of any success our team experiences this year, and so far I've been right. Tonight, he stuffs the scoreboard like a Christmas bird and leads us to victory in Toby Whittaker's NEC coaching debut.

Only three Mammoths turn the ball over, for a total of five times.
Record: 10-3 (1-0).


January 1, 2020
The Twenty-Twenties begin with a piece of negative news. Michael Grigsby will be returning home to Amherst as a visiting player, as he commits today to play at Bates.

These bad tidings are made less so by the reports we receive after we take a close look at Hans Fluegel.
I'd say Hans is miscast as a three if it weren't for his ability to shoot from three-point distance. That talent transforms him into a promising post prospect who can affect a game in several positive ways. Hans is also a very good student.

Coach Whittaker is going to cross the Atlantic for a visit to Dresden with a scholarship offer in hand.

January 2, 2020

The day after Michael Grigsby commits to Bates, he watches his future team lose to us. We have four players who score in double figures, and all four of them reach that standard against the Bobcats tonight.

Jesse Scott adds to his credentials as the best point guard in the league. I love that 8:1 assist-turnover ratio. It's 2.64 for the season, best among qualifying players in the NEC.
Record: 10-3 (2-0).


January 4, 2020
This is a very solid team win at home. We're outrebounded by a Trinity team that has lots of guys who can clean the glass, but otherwise, we execute our plan smoothly.

I want to give some love to a couple of the bench players who have been key contributors to this year's team. Dominic Moss has our team's best rebound rate and is a plus defender. David McQuiston has given Amherst teams valuable minutes as a backcourt reserve for three seasons now; he doesn't do one thing superbly, but he does most things fairly well.
Record: 11-3 (3-0).


January 6, 2020
We appear in the Mid-Major poll for the first time! :)


January 9, 2020
And then we lose.

Brian Halter, a shooting guard who is, in fact, very good at shooting, hit a triple with time running out to give the Jumbos a victory. Their gym exploded; their student section stormed the court. It was a moment those kids won't ever forget.

We, especially Matt Kennedy, shot horrifically from behind the arc, but otherwise we played good basketball. MK is allowed to have a crappy game sometimes.

These things happen. Next game.
Record: 11-4 (3-1).


January 11, 2020
A Bowdoin team that has struggled this season plays a prideful game against us at home, and we barely escape with a victory. Had we shot free throws well--we were 12-for-28--the game wouldn't have been close.

We're tied with Wesleyan for first place in the New England Conference. Hamilton (4-2) is right behind us.
Record: 12-4 (4-1).


January 16, 2020
For years, Amherst, Williams, and Wesleyan have been known as the Little Three. The name almost certainly arose in reference to the traditional Big Three of the Ivy League: Harvard, Yale, and Princeton. Little Three rivalries are always passionate and nearly always hard-fought. Tonight, the prize is first place in the NEC.

Our veteran backcourt combines for 46 points and 13 rebounds as we hold off a spirited challenge from the Cardinals.
Record: 13-4 (5-1).

January 18, 2020
The second Little Three matchup at LeFrak Gym went even better, as we routed our arch-rival Williams. The Ephs had no answer for any of our three perimeter players, and we held them to 35% shooting for the game.

Our victory establishes a new program record for wins in a season, and it's not yet February.
Record: 14-4 (6-1).


January 23, 2020
Everybody pitches in as we travel to Maine and defeat a floundering Colby team. Their coach, Kenneth Meek, has to be on the hottest of hot seats; his Mules teams have lost at least 21 games in four consecutive seasons and seem well on their way to making it five.

We sink half of our 20 three-point attempts. We've been shooting well lately.
Record: 15-4 (7-1).


January 25, 2020
A trip to Hamilton is one of the toughest challenges an NEC team can face. The Continentals are, by far, the most prestigious team in our league, the result of five consecutive trips to the postseason. They'll probably play well into March this year, too.

The home team earns their victory with an inspired second half comeback. Again, we don't play badly; they simply play a bit better. And Hamilton's victory brings them within a game of the NEC lead, which we now share with Bates.
Record: 15-5 (7-2).


January 30, 2020
I really wish Drew Lehr, Jesse Scott, and Matthew Kennedy weren't seniors. I should like to coach them for more than one season. It seems that at least two of the three of them play well in every single game.

At the same time, I'm glad Perry Jordan and Pierre Chauvin aren't graduating.

I owe Perry an apology; he's scored over 1100 points in his career, and I completely forgot to recognize his entrance into the 1000-point club. There's only one other member: Don Orcutt '18, who is Amherst's all-time leading scorer with 1315 points. Perry should easily surpass that total, possibly even this season.
Record: 16-5 (8-2).

February 1, 2020
Recruiting News

Our pursuit of Bryan Currin pays off today, as he announces his commitment to play for us next season. I just realized I never posted his "hero card." Here it is:

I like the fact that Bryan never considered playing anywhere but Amherst. He projects as a useful combo guard who should, at worst, give us a versatile rotation option. He's arriving in the same class as Doyle Cannon, and we have two other solid underclass guards on the roster already (Alan Rasberry and David McQuiston), we don't need Bryan to be a magic man from the moment he arrives on campus.

Welcome to the Mammoth family, Mr. Currin!

American (prestige 37) has discovered Hans Fluegel, and they've offered him a scholarship. Hans still prefers Amherst, but we can't match the recruiting efforts the Eagles can devote to signing him. If Hans didn't have an offer from American, I wouldn't hesitate to battle for him...but we're up against a program that leads us 37-8 in Prestige and 48-10 in Facilities. Coaches Whittaker and Getty are better recruiters, but not that much better.

Let's find another big man to check out. How about Thomas Fernandez, a seven-footer from Litchfield, CT? He lists Harvard, Williams, and Marist as his top three schools, but nobody has offered him a scholarship. He expresses High interest in playing for Amherst, without us paying any attention to him at all.

Thomas averages 15.4 points and 11.1 rebounds per game, shooting 52%. His grades are good and his test score is high. I'd prefer to wait until we've had a chance to evaluate Thomas before we offer him a scholarship, but it's February. Time is of the essence now. Because we already have a three-star big man, Carson Shears, on board, I can afford to gamble on Fernandez. You had your chance, Hans. I'm pulling your offer and extending it to Thomas instead.

February 1, 2020
Wow. Just wow.

Both teams come out firing, and many of those shots are going in. Bates takes a 56-50 lead into the intermission, but Perry Jordan and, then, Matthew Kennedy sink threes to tie the score.

The lead changes 11 times during the next 17 minutes. Two Kennedy free throws give us a 102-100 lead, but Brandon Buell sends the game into overtime with two foul shots of his own as the clock reads 00:01.

Five minutes of extra play ensue, interrupted frequently by Bates players who foul out of the game. By the time the final buzzer sounds, four of the five Bobcats starters have been disqualified, and the fifth has four fouls of his own. Meanwhile, five of our guys have four personals.

As befits a game when 56 personal fouls are called (29 for them, 27 for us) and 80 free throws are attempted, the game is decided at the charity stripe. The last shooter standing is Perry Jordan, and he coolly sinks two shots with no time remaining.

Bates' Andrew Freese plays majestically in defeat.
Record: 17-5 (9-2).


February 6, 2020
Bowdoin brings a 1-10 conference mark to LeFrak Gym, where the Mammoths haven't lost all season long. The outcome doesn't surprise anyone.

The visitors make only 3 of 21 long shots, and shoot just over 30% overall. Meanwhile, Matt Kennedy does what he does, and Pierre Chauvin completes a nice double-double.
Record: 18-5 (10-2).


February 8, 2020
Gregory Cool lives up to his name, scoring with five seconds left to clinch an upset victory that breaks Toby Whittaker's 10-game home winning streak.

Perry Jordan comes within inches of stealing the game right back, but his long three-ball hits the rim and bounces harmlessly away. If we'd shot better on our other three-point attempts (we went 7-for-23) we wouldn't have needed Perry to try to work some last-second magic.

Now we're tied with Hamilton for the league lead, making our game with them on February 20 even more crucial.
Record: 18-6 (10-3).


February 13, 2020
We take the frustrations from our loss at Tufts out on Williams in the second half, breaking open a game we led 39-37 at the end of 20 minutes. The key to our success is our defense, which limits the Ephs to 34% shooting.

Redshirt freshman Spencer Lund plays very well in relief of Drew Lehr. Spencer and Drew are two of six Amherst players who score in double figures.
Record: 19-6 (11-3).

I love that FBCB despite all the changes in college basketball is still a really fast easy solid number generator for all this. I'd love it to be updated, but I'm just glad it's mostly useful enough for this sort of thing. I always start in the winter playing it again, so this is getting me excited to dive back in, especially the D3 angle.

February 15, 2020
We don't win and we don't deserve to win. I'm amazed we came as close to victory as we do.

Alan Rasberry, in the game for his shooting prowess, has a chance to tie the game with a three, but he misses. His misfire was the 21st of the game for us, in 25 attempts. Overall, we shoot 19-for-68.

Hamilton has played one fewer conference game than we have; their record is 11-3. We really, really need to beat them when they visit us in five days.
Record: 19-7 (11-4).


February 20, 2020
The twentieth victory of our season is the biggest yet, because it allows us to recapture a half-game advantage over Hamilton in the NEC race.

Guards Perry Jordan, Matthew Kennedy, and Alan Rasberry provide the scoring, and everyone takes good care of the basketball. The Continentals' excellent sophomore guard, Sean Averill, plays well, and they get a typically solid performance from senior Daniel Elam. Hamilton is a good team who deserves to play some postseason basketball.
Record: 20-7 (12-4).


February 22, 2020
It's Senior Day at Amherst, and we send our four players from the Class of 2020 out with a victory over Colby that ends up being closer than it needed to be.

I'd have liked to give walk-on Léon Hespel a start, but we're still battling Hamilton for the conference title. (Had Léon not started 12 games last season, I'd have given him the chance to hear his name announced with the starters.)

Drew Lehr, Jesse Scott, and Matthew Kennedy all acquit themselves well in their final home games.
Record: 21-7 (13-4).


February 26, 2020
Compared to us, Cornell is a big team. Beating them at their place would have been a very nice result, but it's not to be.

Richard Hernandez drops 31 on us. He's Cornell's all-time leading scorer and one of the Ivy League's best players. We can't handle their senior big man Chris McLellan, either.

If we win at Middlebury tomorrow, we clinch the New England Conference regular season title and the top seed in the conference tournament. If we lose, Hamilton could win the league by beating Trinity at home.
Record: 21-8 (13-4).


February 29, 2020
Toby Whittaker's Amherst Mammoths win the New England Conference's regular season championship, narrowly defeating Middlebury up in Vermont. Senior Matthew Kennedy is, fittingly, the star. If he's not named the conference Player of the Year, I'll be shocked.

Hamilton is upset by Trinity, which removes the need for a tiebreaker to decide the championship and the #1 seed in next week's tournament.
Record: 22-8 (14-4).

I'm glad you're getting the urge to play some FBCB again. I can relate completely to what you say about the game.

I'm about to turn 41, so I have a feeling I'm younger than many of the forum members, but I remember well the "good old days" of college basketball in the 1990s and 2000s. I have memories of the eight-team ACC and the nine-team Big East, with teams that were located in the conference's natural geographical areas. I still enjoy watching college basketball, but I miss the "old days" when I could tell you which teams were in every major conference. I can't do that now. Neither can my daughter and her friends who like college hoops.

For that reason, I really enjoy being able to create a throwback universe in FBCB. The rosters have continuity (especially since I don't let guys turn pro early). Transfers have to sit out a year. I do this for the story, and I think those rules help me build my narrative.

I realigned the conferences in my universe once before, and I might do it again sometime. For now, I'm enjoying my gently tweaked college hoops world.

Thanks for stopping by!

March 1, 2020
Recruiting News

Let's take a look at Thomas Fernandez, who is still considering the Amherst offer we made him last month.
Our scouting team is far from the best in the business, and I can't help but wonder if they're way off with a few of Thomas's ratings. It's hard for me to believe a seven-footer who blocks three shots a game in high school could actually be Grade F in this ability. It's also tough for me to reconcile a 0/F rating for inside play with Thomas' field goal percentage and shot volume.

I'm gambling that Thomas is better than that. Perhaps that defensive rating is fairly accurate. I need him to provide backup for Pierre Chauvin and Carson Shears, and I think he'll fit that role well enough.

We'll bring Thomas to campus this month, and Coaches Whittaker and Getty will visit him at home.

That's such a good point that at this point FBCB is basically a time portal into the old college basketball landscape. I run enough mods that I can get the scoring into the modern era and have player usage run differently, but I do think it's cool that you can run the old conferences and that it's good with you having hundreds of college teams all running at once, but it still runs pretty swiftly.

I've done some old FBCB dynasties where I create D3 universes and this one is going to make me dust them off, since I actually keep those files saved thankfully. But yeah, keep up the good work. I usually make Johns Hopkins go back to the UAA, hah and I also create new high schools in-game, especially ones in my local areas or back home that I'm familiar with, often to juice the amount of talent coming from a region.

Thanks very much!

I've added about 300 private schools from the Northeast and Middle Atlantic states into my game. It took quite a bit of time, but it's fun to see recruits from them appear in the game.

It might be fun to try a D3 universe sometime. It would take some time to put it together, but it would be a lot of fun. :)

March 6, 2020
New England Conference Tournament, Second Round
Only the bottom four finishers in the ten-team NEC play in the first round of the conference tournament, so our first action takes place on the tourney's second day.

David McQuiston excels in a relief role, spelling the foul-plagued Jesse Scott at point guard as we advance to the semifinals.

Congratulations to Perry Jordan, whose 15 points make him Amherst's all-time leading scorer. He surpasses Don Orcutt '18, and he does so in only three seasons.
Record: 23-8.


March 7, 2020
New England Conference Tournament Semifinal
The Jumbos do a good job of containing Matthew Kennedy, but guards Perry Jordan and Jesse Scott combine for 35 points and 15 rebounds to seal a victory that puts us in the championshp game.

This game probably marks the end of Tufts guard Joshua Lytle's career. He's a two-time NEC Player of the Year, with over 1200 points, 600 assists, and 600 rebounds to his credit; he's the conference's all-time assist leader.

The latest Bubble Watch has us outside the NCAA tournament field, so we'll have to win tomorrow to earn a ticket to the Big Dance. Win or lose, we should find ourselves invited to a postseason tournament...but it would be really nice to make the big one.
Record: 24-8.


March 8, 2020
New England Conference Championship
Perry Jordan coolly sinks two free throws with 13 seconds left in overtime to give us a victory that earns us the NEC tournament championship and a spot in the NCAA tournament field! It will be Amherst's first national tournament invitation.

We open the game with an assertive 11-2 run, but the doughty Continentals rally back and cut the lead to a bucket by the final media timeout of the first half. That's the margin at halftime, too: Amherst 35, Hamilton 33.

Again, Toby Whittaker's team comes out firing at the beginning of the half, opening a five-point gap; again, Hamilton reels us in, and they take a 58-53 lead. We battle back, and with 1:07 to play, we're ahead 75-69.

Hamilton has two outstanding guards: sophomore Sean Averill and senior Daniel Elam. They knock down three triples in the next 67 seconds, the last, from Elam, tying the score at 78 and sending the game to overtime. Elam has a chance to win the game for the Continentals, but he misses a three with a second left.

Honestly, Hamilton probably wins this game if they hadn't fouled us so often. We shoot 54 free throws and make 39 of them, both school records by a wide margin. Meanwhile, the Continentals attempt only nine and make 6.

However it happens, it's a win, and we're off to the Big Dance!
Record: 25-8.

March 15, 2020
There's a big watch party for the NCAA tournament selection show at LeFrak Gym. A large crowd of purple-clad fans, including a large segment of the student body, joins Coach Whittaker and his players as they learn about their tournament seeding.

A huge cheer erupts as "AMHERST" appears on the line for the #12 seed in the East Region. The Mammoths' opponent will be the formidable Connecticut Huskies.

Two other NEC teams have been selected for the CBI tourney. Hamilton (22-10) is the #2 seed, while Bates (19-11) is seeded #8.


March 19, 2020
NCAA East Region, First Round
We're a fairly popular "hipster pick" in bracket pools; as one analyst remarks, "First-year coach Toby Whittaker has Amherst playing solid, fundamental basketball. They don't turn the ball over and, while they prefer to push the pace, they can adapt to a more rugged style when it's called for."

We certainly don't embarrass ourselves in our first NCAA tournament game. UConn has four starters between 6'5" and 6'8" who can guard all five spots, and they prevent us from finding our rhythm offensively. At the same time, however, we annoy the Huskies enough to limit them to 37% shooting, and we turn the ball over only eight times.

Matthew Kennedy approaches his scoring average in his final Amherst game. Drew Lehr's 8 points and 9 rebounds are close to his season marks, too. Jesse Scott's 6 assists give him 201 for the season; that's 60 more than any other Amherst player has ever had.

It's been a great ride, and it ends with a performance we can be proud of.
Record: 25-9.

April 1, 2020
Recruiting Update

Was Thomas Fernandez impressed by Amherst's run to the NCAA tournament? Perhaps he was, because he didn't wait much longer to accept our offer.

The experts think Thomas is a Red/Red player; in other words, they view him as being roughly as good as a walk-on. I can't help thinking he's better than that. He completes a recruiting class that features two bigs and two guards. Welcome to the Amherst family, Thomas!

April 5, 2020
Tennessee defeats Maryland, 92-84, to win the NCAA championship. The Vols, champions of the South Region, defeated Florida, 77-71, to earn a spot in the championship game. The Terrapins got there by defeating Wake Forest, 78-63.

Bates went all the way to the CBI championship, where they lost to Ohio, 90-80. Hamilton was upset by Stony Brook, 60-44, in the first round.



To nobody's surprise, Matthew Kennedy was chosen the NEC Player of the Year. He's joined on the first All-League Team by classmate Drew Lehr and junior Perry Jordan. Matt and Perry finished 1-2 among NEC scorers, and Drew was the conference's #2 rebounder. Perry was also, far and away, the best rebounder among NEC guards.

Sophomore center Pierre Chauvin and senior guard Jesse Scott earn spots on the second team. Jesse was second in the league in assists.

All five Amherst starters, plus their coach, were NEC honorees this season.

April 6, 2020
I'm very pleased with our first season at Amherst. We beat every team we faced who was roughly as good as we are, and held our own against teams who were a bit better. And we were very, very tough to beat at home.

No team in college basketball committed fewer turnovers than we did, and we were also among the top ten teams in scoring and rebounding. Those rebounding stats are skewed a bit by the fact that New England Conference teams tend to shoot very poorly. There are a lot of rebounds available, and that's why our rebounding margin is only decent.




I didn't realize until just now that the same five players started every game for Amherst this season. I am pretty sure I've never had that happen before. One reason why: the five starters were clearly much better than their backups, and they all stayed healthy all year long.

I'll start writing Senior Tributes once players I've recruited come through the program. I'll tip my hat to each of the three scholarship seniors, each of whom are among Amherst's best players to date.

April 11, 2020

I'm not surprised when no Amherst player is drafted by a professional team.


I'm delighted, however, to see our recruiting class is rated the best in our league. Wesleyan's Mark Johnson is the highest-ranked newcomer, with our Carson Shears and Colby's Elijah McDonald right behind him.

We give coaching assistant Forrest Gill a $10,000 raise to keep him on our staff. His new salary will be $40,000/year.

Our success last year raises our Prestige to 17. That's a new all-time high for our program! And the AD announces an upcoming facilities upgrade that will take effect by next season.

July 1, 2020
Recruiting Preview

We will be even busier with recruiting this season than we were last time, with five offers to give. A year from now, Toby Whittaker could have nine of his own recruits on his roster.

Our five scholarship seniors include big men Joseph Wells and Dominic Moss and wings Sam Riley, Perry Jordan, and David McQuiston. Jordan, of course, has been a huge contributor, a starter for three seasons. Moss, who transferred from Army, started 12 games as a redshirt sophomore, played almost 500 minutes last year, and might start this season. McQuiston has been a valuable rotation player throughout his career and will probably reprise that role again this year; the same is true for Wells. Riley has barely played.

As I look at our roster, I notice we don't really need to bring a big man in this season. Eight of our players are listed as centers or power forwards, and only two will graduate. On the other hand, Riley is the only player listed at SF, and we have two true point guards, both freshmen. Versatile wing players might be a good focus for our recruiting efforts this year.

August 1, 2020

Our first call list includes a number of intriguing players. We actually have a player or two we're interested in who can't fit on our 20-player call list yet.

Let's take a closer look at a few of them.
Chris Allison is a rare athlete: a three-star recruit in two different sports. In football, he's an edge rusher, and in basketball, a "small" forward. We like Chris's potential as a three-level scorer who won't neglect his duties at the other end of the floor. The #208 player in the nation, he would be the highest-ranked recruit Amherst has ever signed.

I know I said we wouldn't really be looking to sign a big this year. Then I saw Matt McGowan, who looks like he would be a great fit for our program. He's not a big scorer, but he rebounds and blocks shots, and he projects as an imposing interior defender.


Ross Hare is a quick, athletic point guard with a smooth handle. He shows potential as a playmaker, and if we're scouting him accurately, he would be the best perimeter defender on our roster. We have two freshman point guards on our roster already, but we're taking a long look at Hare, too.

Despite the fact he stands a hair under seven feet tall, Bradford Williams does most of his damage on the perimeter. He has a smooth jumper with three-point range, and his length makes him a disruptive force on defense. He's a unicorn, and I like him.

Owen Elliott isn't regarded very highly by recruiting experts, who seem to focus on the things he's not. Owen isn't a twitchy, elite athlete. He struggles a bit to create shots, and he doesn't project as a great defensive player. I'm choosing to focus on what Owen is: an exceptionally good shooter.

I'm going ahead and offering scholarships to each of these five players. Each of them will visit Amherst this month, and the remaining funds in our budget will pay for Coach Whittaker's visit to the Allison home.

September 1, 2020

Chris Allison changed out almost every school on his top five list last month. We're still there, but we're now his fourth choice. He holds offers from Amherst, Yale, and Holy Cross, and he prefers Wesleyan, who hasn't offered him yet.

With five scholarships to offer and not quite $9000 to spend each month on recruiting, I'm not sure how much longer we can afford to keep pursuing Chris. It's a shame, because he's a talented player.

Fortunately, we're in a better position with the other talented players we're recruiting.

Matt McGowan picked up offers from Hartford and Colgate, but we remain his top choice. Ross Hare was offered by Maine, and they're in the pole position now, with us running right behind. We're tops on the lists of Bradford Williams and Owen Elliott, neither of whom have received another offer.

This month, we'll send Coaches Whittaker and Getty to visit McGowan and Hare. Toby will call on Elliott and Williams by himself; he's a more persuasive recruiter than the coaches he's competing against for these players. I can't afford to spend any money wooing Allison, so I'm almost resigned to losing him.

October 1, 2020

Colgate has dropped out of the running for Matt McGowan. His choice appears to be down to us or Hartford, and he lists us as his favorite.

Bradford Williams still holds only his Amherst offer. He's also expressing interest in Long Island and Sacred Heart.

It appears Owen Elliott has made up his mind; he's back to listing only one school among his favorites, and it's Amherst.

Ross Hare's situation remains unchanged; he's likely to pick Maine over Amherst. And Chris Allison has us listed third on a three-team list, behind Yale and Holy Cross.

Decision Day approaches rapidly. McGowan, Williams, and Elliott might very well commit to us on November 1. Hare and Allison will probably commit to other schools.

I take a look at players who have at least an Average degree of interest in playing for Amherst, and who haven't received any offers. Two players catch my eye: Andrew Angell, a point guard from New York, and George Dillon, a wing from Australia.

Angell is a three-star player, the #86 player in the East. He does a bit of everything on the court: 9.4 PPG, 8.7 RPG, 6.2 APG, 1.3 SPG, 1.1 APG. Dillon, a two-star player, gets buckets: 27.7 PPG.

I'm going to do something wild (at least for me). I pull our offers from Hare and Allison and give them to Angell and Dillon. I can't even afford to evaluate Dillon right now, but YOLO, right?

November 1, 2020
Decision Day

First, the really good news. Owen Elliott makes it official: he's bringing his gorgeous jump shot to Amherst. Will he be a lethal weapon off the bench, able to change the course of a game with a flurry of baskets? Or will he be a Matthew Kennedy, a player every opponent makes the focus of their defensive game plan? I'm looking forward to finding out. Welcome aboard, Owen.

Matt McGowan is still contemplating offers from Amherst and Hartford. Bradford Williams is also waiting, but he has no other offers to consider.

Andrew Angell's ratings turn out to be as good as I hoped they'd be. He'd like to play for Seton Hall or Hofstra--they're more prestigious programs, and they're closer to his Brooklyn home--but neither school has made him an offer. We're going to bring him to campus this month, and perhaps he'll decide an offer in the hand is worth two...somewhere else.

George Dillon has now mentioned the possibility of playing for Penn State, but his Amherst offer has raised his interest level to High.

If we send Coach Whittaker to Australia, we can't afford to do much else. I decide to concentrate on recruiting McGowan and Williams as hard as we can this month. Hopefully that will mean we can sign them, and then we can spend all our capital on Dillon.

As expected, Chris Allison commits to Yale, and Ross Hare says yes to Maine. At least they won't be competing against us in the NEC.

November 8, 2020

Here are your 2020/21 Amherst Mammoths...
Let's see how their fall training went:

Two starters from last year's NEC champions return, and they're both very good: wing Perry Jordan and center Pierre Chauvin.

Jordan has started 95 games in his Amherst career. He's averaged in double figures each year, pouring in 16 PPG for the last two. I wouldn't be surprised if he exceeds this figure, as he'll be the team's primary offensive focus.

Chauvin, too, has been a starter since he arrived on campus. The big man took big strides forward last year, improving in every facet of his game. He spent time working on his inside moves this fall, and should be an even more dangerous scorer this season.

Dominic Moss, who started 12 games in 2018/19, will have another opportunity to see how he fares as a member of the starting five. He's a top-flight rebounder and a decent shot blocker. I'm concerned about his relative lack of improvement during camp, however. Promising freshman Carson Shears, who worked hard to prepare himself for college ball, might challenge Moss for his starting spot.

Senior David McQuiston has waited patiently for his chance to start, and he'll get it this year. He's made himself into a well-rounded guard who does a bit of everything.

Alan Rasberry will be the starting point guard. He served as Jesse Scott's freshman understudy last season, and now it's his team to run. First year player Doyle Cannon will also see some playing time here.

Spencer Lund, who appeared in all 34 contests last season, will again be counted on as a valuable frontcourt reserve. Senior Sam Riley and freshman Bryan Currin are also available. Freshman recruit Thomas Fernandez will redshirt this season.

Last season, first year coach Toby Whittaker led the Mammoths back to a 25-win season and a trip to the Big Dance. Without New England Conference Player of the Year Matthew Kennedy, first team All-NEC forward Drew Lehr, and the aforementioned orchestrator Scott, it will be difficult for Coach Whittaker to reprise that performance.

Still, I think this team is good enough to approach 20 wins, and if at least one of the new starters can play like a star, the ceiling is a bit higher still. Perry Jordan might be the best player in the league. Pierre Chauvin is the real deal, too. I wouldn't sleep on these guys.

November 14, 2020
Paul Stokes' three-pointer gives the home team an overtime victory over the Mammoths in our season opener.

We forget to guard Gary Wells, whose superb effort undoes an almost-as-impressive showing from Perry Jordan.

The worst part of this? We committed 20 turnovers. Bleh.
Record: 0-1.


November 18, 2020
We secure our first victory of the young season at Muhlenberg, where Carson Shears demonstrates his potential in relief of Dominic Moss. It's definitely a night to forget for David McQuiston.
Record: 1-1.


November 21, 2020
It's our home opener, and we raise our NEC championship banner before we win a shootout with the visiting Fords.

Alan Rasberry twisted his knee painfully and will miss about a week, but Doyle Cannon played superbly in his absence. Especially notable: Doyle's six assists and zero turnovers.

Pierre Chauvin and Perry Jordan played like All-Conference stars, too.
Record: 2-1.


November 25, 2020
We tighten up our defense considerably in the second half, pulling away from the Tigers to win our third straight game.

Perry Jordan scores 19 points, but he needs 16 shots to do so. Props to Spencer Lund for another good game off the bench.
Record: 3-1.


November 28, 2020
Fans of defense should not look at this box score, because there wasn't much of that on display in this fast-paced, high-scoring game down in North Carolina.

We're tending to let one dude burn it up. This time it's Carl Smith. To be fair, Carl averaged 20 a game last season, so Carl does this to quite a few teams.

Alan Rasberry returns to action, so Doyle Cannon contributes as an almost unstoppable bench scorer.
Record: 4-1.

December 1, 2020
Recruiting Update

Matt McGowan makes his choice, and he chooses Amherst.

Matt can play. He's a top 100 player at his position nationally and a top 100 player regionally. A fairly low-volume shooter, he makes a lot of the shots he does take. Consider him a Blue Collar Man with a bit more offensive talent. He's also an excellent student, which will allow him to devote more time to developing his basketball skills. (We have several guys on the team who are seriously challenged by Amherst's demanding classes.)

Welcome to Amherst, Matt!

Bradford Williams is still making up his mind. Perhaps he's asking himself if he wants to play college basketball at all, since nobody but Amherst has offered him a scholarship. Andrew Angell continues to hope for an offer from Hofstra. As far as I know, we're the only program who has made Andrew an offer.

The same is true for Aussie George Dillon. We can afford to evaluate him this time, and Coach Whittaker is heading Down Under to visit him and his family this month.

We'll spend the rest of our recruiting funds on visits to Andrew and Bradford. We can't afford to send Coach Whittaker to the Williams residence this time, however. Maybe Coach Getty can seal the deal.

December 1, 2020
A winless Bucknell team comes to visit us, and they nearly leave with their first victory of the season. We shoot better than 50 percent on two-point shots, and that saves us, because we fling bricks from behind the arc.

Perry Jordan is a very good basketball player. His scoring exploits are already well-known...but he has a very good chance to end his career ranked second all-time in rebounds and assists, too. I wish I'd had the chance to coach him all four years.
Record: 5-1.


December 4, 2020
Creighton tops the Mid-Major poll for a reason. They play defense as well as anyone in the nation, and they demonstrate their ability against us tonight. We can't get the looks at the basket that are there against our more typical opponents. And, when the Blue Jays have the ball, they take advantage of their superior skill and athleticism.
Record: 5-2.


December 7, 2020
Pierre Chauvin scores a career-high 22 points, just misses a double-double, and leads us to victory against Sacred Heart in front of our home crowd.

We don't shoot well from long range again, which makes it even more important that we defend well. We do just enough to win.
Record: 6-2.


December 11, 2020
This time the hero is sophomore Alan Rasberry, whose career-best 23 points spark us to victory against the Red Raiders of Colgate.

Colgate's reserves nearly steal the game from us in the second half. They spark a 10-1 run that gives their team a four-point lead, before we regain control of the situation. Dominic Moss's excellent work on the offensive glass makes a big difference.
Record: 7-2.

December 15, 2020
We play a much more competitive game against a ranked opponent in South Bend tonight. It's a four-point game at the 8:00 media timeout of the second half.

Perry Jordan, in particular, demonstrates he belongs on the court with high major players; several times, the Notre Dame broadcast team compliments him for the all-around quality of his game. He also demonstrates his leaping ability with a rim-shaking two-handed dunk.
Record: 7-3.


December 18, 2020
Is this the biggest win of Toby Whittaker's coaching career?

Coach Whittaker returns to Charlottesville, where he played for four years, and receives a warm welcome from the crowd at the John Paul Jones Center. The same fans grumble and boo as the teams leave the floor at the end of the first half, as the visitors from Amherst hold a 40-26 lead. And they aren't congenial at the final buzzer, either; the coach from UVA's Class of 2010 has punished his alma mater with a decisive victory.

We're not good from three-point range again tonight, but the Cavaliers are even worse. And we take care of the basketball while forcing them into 17 turnovers.

Pierre Chauvin outplays UVA's senior pivotman Olen Guth, who was a high school All American. David McQuiston achieves a career high with 17 points, and Perry Jordan is Perry Jordan.
Record: 8-3.


December 23, 2020
The teams of the New England Conference typically struggle against the non-conference opponents they face in November and December. Most of the NEC teams' victories come against similar programs: Ivy League and Centennial Conference teams, and an assortment of "directional schools" from across the country.

Our victory at Virginia is the most impressive result for NEC teams so far this season. We also held our own against a ranked Notre Dame team.

Bowdoin nearly pulled off an even bigger upset, losing 62-61 at #18 West Virginia. Middlebury gave #20 Central Michigan (!!) a tough fight, too, before losing 68-59.

It seems strange to begin conference play in December, but here we go...

December 24, 2020
Hamilton's season hasn't started out well, but they give us all we can handle in our NEC opener, played while Santa Claus is setting off on his iconic journey.

Pierre Chauvin again plays like a boss, and we hold the Continentals' excellent guard Sean Averill to eight points below his average. We also do a better job of finding good shots from distance, now that we're not being challenged by power conference athletes.
Record: 9-3 (1-0).


December 26, 2020
We deliver lumps of coal to the Tufts Jumbos on the day after Christmas.

Gregory Cool is just that; a very cool player. He's the conference's leading rebounder, and the choice at center on the All-League first team will probably come down to him or Pierre Chauvin.

Dominic Moss plays the most Dominic Moss game possible, snaring 11 rebounds and attempting only one field goal. It's not uncommon for Blue Collar Men like Dom to end their careers with more rebounds than field goal attempts, but an 11:1 ratio like he just compiled is as Blue Collar as it gets.
Record: 10-3 (2-0).


December 31, 2020
Pierre Chauvin takes our last shot of 2020, taking a feed from David McQuiston and finishing with authority from the dunker's spot. And then we make a crucial defensive stop to secure a victory over an upset-minded Middlebury team.

"Do not try a three-point shot," Toby Whittaker tells his team in the huddle before his team's last possession. Every Mammoth nods his head. While they don't know exactly how poorly they've shot threes tonight, they know it's been bad.

James Jose, who has been mis-named as Jose James by at least one play-by-play announcer, scores 22 points in a barely-losing effort.
Record: 11-3 (3-0).

LOL i was like "James Jose or Jose James" myself tbh.

January 1, 2021
Recruiting Update, plus

Good news: Bradford Williams gives us his commitment today. Listed as a small forward despite his 6'11", 240-plus pound frame, Bradford is agile enough to play outside and strong enough to get physical in the paint.

Decent news: We're still in the running for George Dillon.
It looks like George's big numbers are backed by solid skills. Coach Whittaker will make another quick trip to New South Wales this month to (hopefully) seal the deal.

Not good news: Andrew Angell finally receives the offer he wanted, so he commits to Hofstra.

Really bad news: Carson Shears receives his first semester grades, and he will be academically ineligible for the remainder of the season. Carson, my dude, this is one hundred percent on you. You finished high school with a 2.79 GPA, and scored 1080 on your test. Your Intelligence score is 75. You shouldn't be failing classes.

I'm wondering if I should remove Thomas Fernandez's redshirt. For now, I'm leaving things the way they are, but I won't hesitate to make a change if it's needed.

Now it's time to look at a few of the players who haven't received any offers yet. Perhaps there's a hidden gem yet to be discovered. I'll evaluate some of the players who are putting up good numbers in high school and see if any of them might be good fits for us.