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12-06-2024, 01:52 PM
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#101 |
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College Prospect
Join Date: Sep 2022
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April 3, 2023
UNLV, Kentucky, Wisconsin, and Syracuse reach the Final Four. Wisconsin is the only top seed to win its bracket, while UNLV is a 7 seed. Syracuse then defeats Kentucky, 59-46, in a grueling, defensive battle. Code:
William Baker and James Jose complete their distinguished careers with honors. I won't miss coaching against them, but I'll miss seeing them play. Jose is the fourth player in NEC history to score at least 2000 points in his career. You may remember Perry Jordan just missed that milestone. Three Mammoths are deserving recipients of post-season honors. Bradford Williams, a second team pick last season, moves up to the first five this time around. Alan Rasberry makes the second team for the second straight year. Did Alan's injury cost him a spot on the first team? I'm not sure; Hamilton star Ward Thibodeaux was the first team point guard last year, and he had a much better season this time around. Lane Saunders gives us our second consecutive Freshman of the Year. And Toby Whittaker takes home his fourth CoY trophy in four seasons. Code:
Last edited by MoonlightGraham : 12-06-2024 at 01:57 PM. |
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12-06-2024, 02:14 PM
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#102 |
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College Prospect
Join Date: Sep 2022
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April 3, 2023
Code:
Our stat margins are getting better and better. So is our offensive efficiency; at 109.2, we rank 14th in the nation. Much of our success this year was due to a combination of outstanding shooting and much improved defense. Code:
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Is Bradford Williams the most efficient offensive player in the country? It's not a foolish question. His 1.75 points per shot ranks him first in the nation. While his field goal percentage is second in the conference behind Hamilton's Thomas Reeve, BW ranks ninth overall. And, unlike Reeve, who has attempted four three-point shots in two years, Bradford averages two made threes per game while making almost 45 percent of his tries. |
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12-06-2024, 02:23 PM
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#103 |
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College Prospect
Join Date: Sep 2022
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2022/23 Senior Snapshots
Both of these players were recruited by Toby's predecessor, Donny Baker. But Toby was the only coach they ever played for, so they have earned Senior Snapshots. Code:
Alan completes his career as our fourth all-time leading scorer, and ranks second to Perry Jordan in three-point shots made. And, while I never viewed him as a great playmaker, he barely surpassed Jesse Scott to become Amherst's all-time leading assist man. Code:
A hard-working forward, Spencer ranks third on our all-time blocked shot leaderboard, and is our sixth all-time leading rebounder. He slowly improved his offensive repertoire, becoming a legitimate scoring threat by his senior year. Thanks for the memories, Alan and Spencer. |
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12-06-2024, 06:20 PM
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#104 |
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College Prospect
Join Date: Sep 2022
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April 8, 2023
Neither Alan Rasberry nor Spencer Lund are drafted by a pro team. Code:
The top recruiting classes in the NEC are very difficult to distinguish. According to the experts, our headliner, Carter Keegan, is less illustrious than any of the other three-star front men. Brian Johnson, ranked #175 overall, is as highly regarded as any NEC recruit I've seen. However, Keegan arrives on campus as a Yellow/Blue (!!) player, the first Amherst player to be considered a Blue potential talent. In fact, Carter is the only Yellow player on the Amherst roster right now. Our NCAA appearance lifts our Prestige to 31. And it causes Toby Whittaker to level up! Code:
I gave Toby 5 points in each of the four coaching attributes. After four seasons, Graham Sims had a career record of 91-40. In Coach Sims' fourth season at Lafayette, he went 27-6 and won his first NCAA tournament game. Coach Whittaker is, therefore, almost exactly on Coach Sims' legendary pace. However, Graham would then go on to win at least 28 games a year for the next decade-plus. That run established him as a coaching legend. Coaching assistant Forrest Gill asks for and receives a $10,000 raise, and he'll now earn $50,000/year. Coach Gill is now a Level 3 coach; Toby's other assistants, David Getty and David Parham, are at Level 2. |
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12-06-2024, 10:10 PM
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#105 |
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College Prospect
Join Date: Sep 2022
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July 1, 2023
Recruiting Preview With seniors Doyle Cannon and Carson Shears graduating this coming spring, we can give scholarships to two incoming players this recruiting season. Doyle is a guard and Carson is a big man, so we'll look at players who play those positions, but our roster is balanced enough that we can pursue the kind of guys we want, regardless of their role. Our projected starters include the two seniors, along with junior wing Bradford Williams, sophomore center Lane Saunders, and point guard Carter Keegan. Of course, these aren't written in stone; if a player blows up in training camp, we'll make room for him. Our depth chart, expressed in terms of class, looks like this: Centers: SO, JR, SR (W) Power Forwards: SR, JR, FR Small Forwards: JR, JR, JR (W) Shooting Guards: SR, FR, SO Point Guards: FR, SO, JR Looking at the roster this way, it seems like we should try to bring in a young forward or wing who can play the three. I just realized our recent success has paid off in a very real sense. Our team's budget was about $205K last season...and now it's $270K! That means we have just over $14,000 to spend each month on recruiting. Gone are the days when we couldn't afford to recruit players as heavily as we'd like. How does this budget compare to our New England Conference rivals: Code:
Wow, it looks like our increased budget was needed for us to keep pace with our conference rivals. Did a wave of generosity wash over every AD in the conference? I think I see what happened. The NEC is now a Level 2 conference! We invest more in our coaching staff than any other school in the league. Most of our rivals pay their assistant coaches the "minimum wage" of $30,000/year. Our David Getty and Forrest Gill are the highest-paid assistants in the league, each on $50,000 per annum. They're also the highest-rated assistants in the conference. |
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12-06-2024, 11:26 PM
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#106 |
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College Prospect
Join Date: Sep 2022
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August 1, 2023
This is our original call list: Code:
I spotted two players I liked right away, so I went ahead and offered a scholarship to each of them. Let's meet them first, shall we? Code:
Colton Mullins is a unique player. He is an excellent student. He is an extremely good shooter. He is not a good rebounder. He is built like a skeleton, but he is stronger than his frame would suggest. He will play defense, but our staff doesn't think he'll ever get much better at it than he is right now. There is something about Colton I like, however. I envision him coming off the bench and breaking a game open with his shooting. He might become an even better player than that, a 20 PPG scorer and an All-NEC player. Colton will receive the full recruiting treatment this month. Code:
I like the way Charles Rogers plays the game. His high school coaches give him big man jobs to do: score from the low post, rebound at both ends of the floor, and block shots. He's also learned to make foul shots, which makes opponents avoid Hack-a-Charles defenses. We have an excellent sophomore center, Lane Saunders. That won't stop me from recruiting Charles. We'll invite him to campus, too, and send Coaches Whittaker and Getty to his residence. |
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12-06-2024, 11:42 PM
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#107 |
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College Prospect
Join Date: Sep 2022
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September 1, 2023
A month ago, Colton Mullins told people he'd like to play for Boston College, the team he rooted for as a boy and the school his mom attended. This month, with an Amherst scholarship in his hand and the memories of an excellent campus visit in his mind, he's more interested in playing for us. We like that idea, too, and we'll continue to pursue his commitment. Charles Rogers, however, got an offer from Harvard, and he's leaning toward the Crimson. In my universe, Harvard is a force to be reckoned with, with a Prestige of 50 and a coach who is a persuasive recruiter. Should I concede Charles to Harvard and look elsewhere? We can bring Charles to James Elder might make that decision easier for us. Code:
Charles, you have one more month to show us some real love, or we're pulling your scholarship. |
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12-06-2024, 11:57 PM
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#108 |
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College Prospect
Join Date: Sep 2022
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October 1, 2023
Goodness...Colton Mullins' recruitment blew up last month. Boston College and Boston University both offered him scholarships. BC's recruiting team is quite a pair. Head coach Malcolm Perry doesn't care for recruiting, and he's terrible at it (Recruiting 5). The Eagles pay a salary of over $200,000/year to Joe Fazio, a peerless recruiting expert (Recruiting 100). We still hold the highest place in Colton's affections, but can we close the deal if Fazio turns on his charm? Charles Rogers is still all about Harvard, so we're moving on. I offer the scholarship that was marked for Charles to James Elder instead. We bring center Nate Phillips and wing Chris Carrier to campus for visits. If they become bigger priorities for us, I'll introduce them to you in more detail. Now, on to Decision Day... |
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12-07-2024, 12:14 AM
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#109 |
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College Prospect
Join Date: Sep 2022
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November 1, 2023
Decision Day We pull off a recruiting coup, landing Colton Mullins after a spirited battle with Boston College, the most prestigious program in our state. The all-state wing gives us another young shooter whom opposing defenses have to account for whenever he's on the court. Next year, Colton will be teammates with George Dillon, Bradford Williams, Carter Keegan, and Chris Como. I wouldn't want to have to guard them, would you? The fact that BC's head coach, Malcolm Perry, is a Williams alumnus makes this signing even more fun. Welcome to the Amherst basketball family, Colton! Speaking of Williams, they offer James Elder a schollie this month, too. James still prefers Amherst, and we hope to keep it this way with another strong recruiting effort. |
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12-07-2024, 12:37 PM
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#110 |
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College Prospect
Join Date: Sep 2022
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November 3, 2023
Today marks the official opening of the "new" Hixon Arena. The best parts of the gym's original architecture have been preserved, but it's been dressed up a bit, and the facilities have been upgraded to a more modern standard. Here's the team that will take to the court there this season: Code:
And here's how they improved during fall training: Code:
Coach Toby Whittaker will have at his disposal three starters from last year's team, plus another player who was just as important to the Mammoths' path to the NCAA tournament. Bradford Williams earned postseason honors in each of his first two collegiate seasons. Now a junior, the Big Unicorn earns his nickname with a style of play that fits his 6'11", 250-pound frame like an off-the-rack suit. Bradford takes--and makes--a lot of threes and scores from closer range with a variety of shots, including an old-school skyhook. He is working on becoming a better rebounder, especially on the defensive glass. Last year, Lane Saunders succeeded Williams as the NEC Freshman of the Year. Lane is a traditional anchor big who emerges from camp with better interior skills. We've never had to count on Lane for lots of offense, but he is capable of scoring from the low block and he's a good free throw shooter. Senior Doyle Cannon will start at guard once again. Our staff is delighted with the progress he made as he takes the keys of our team's offense. Doyle will score his 1000th point sometime in November, and his 200th career assist will come soon after, now that he is "officially" our primary playmaker. His classmate, Carson Shears, has paid his dues for three years. After he torpedoed his freshman season with an inability to keep his academics in order, Carson has been a diligent student, and his work on the court has never been questioned. Three years as a key frontcourt reserve have prepared this former two-star recruit to start at the four spot this season. He'll grab some rebounds, play responsible defense, and provide us with scoring support. The fifth starter will be freshman guard Carter Keegan. A three-star recruit from Cape Cod, we thought he'd be good...but he's looking much better than we thought. He's already a Green player, with a polished set of skills that will already play in the New England Conference. Like many freshmen, Carter needed to be stronger and fitter to take this step, but he worked relentlessly in camp to achieve those goals. I'm anxious to see what he can do this season. The sixth key player on this year's team is George Dillon. Our Aussie import is the first man off our bench, and the automatic choice to slot into the starting lineup if someone goes down. George is an entertaining player, too, able to thrill the crowd with a full repertoire of dunks. Our primary frontcourt reserve will be junior Matt McGowan. He appeared in every game last season, averaging seven minutes per contest. He might very well play three times as much this year. Matt has been an especially productive rebounder, and he is an excellent post defender. Tate Mathewson will get some run as Cannon's understudy at point guard. He's another player whom opponents can't let shoot uncontested jumpers. Freshman big Reece Reynolds will compete for a spot in the rotation with Thomas Fernandez. We're able to give Chris Como a redshirt year, because there's simply no room in the rotation for him right now. Our departed seniors from the Class of 2023 will certainly be missed. Alan Rasberry was a star, and he inspired his teammates by coming back from a painful injury and leading them to an NEC tournament championship and a spot in the NCAA field. Spencer Lund was tough and dependable, an invaluable mentor for Lane Saunders and a relentless competitor. Who will play those roles this season? Will the Big Unicorn take the next step and become the team's talisman? Or will it be Doyle Cannon's turn, taking the spotlight in his senior season? Is Carter Keegan ready for prime time? Will Carson Shears provide the "glue and grit" that Spencer brought to the team, with help from fellow veterans George Dillon and Matt McGowan? If the answers to most of these questions is "yes," then we'll enjoy another 20-plus victories and another NEC regular season title. And, with three timely wins in the conference tourney, another trip to the Big Dance. Our AD expects nothing less. |
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12-10-2024, 09:01 AM
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#111 |
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College Prospect
Join Date: Sep 2022
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December 1, 2023
Recruiting Update Just like that, our recruiting season ends today, as James Elder announces his commitment to Amherst. Like I posted above, someone is wrong about this player. I hope it's the national scouts, because if we're right, James has a chance to develop into a remarkably well-rounded big man who can do everything well except defend the rim. Even if we miss with some of our evaluations, James should help us quite a bit. The presence of Lane Saunders means James doesn't need to start at center right away. He could play himself into the starting five at power forward, though. It will be fun to find out. Welcome to Amherst basketball, James! |
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12-10-2024, 10:01 AM
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#112 |
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College Prospect
Join Date: Sep 2022
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December 21, 2023
Code:
With the exception of the loss at Muhlenberg, the pre-conference season goes about as well as I thought it would. The Muhlenberg game is a contest between two good teams, both playing fairly well. The Mules also beat La Salle, who's nearly in the Top 25 and are a fixture in the Mid Major poll. Doyle Cannon has taken a step forward, emerging as our leading offensive threat. As teams key on him more, he takes fewer unchallenged three-pointers, but he's making nearly as many as he ever did and averages just over 17 PPG. Doyle scores the 1000th point of his Amherst career in our win over Bucknell. I'm not sure I'd call it a surprise, but the adjustment of Carter Keegan to college basketball has been another key theme in our season's story. We don't need Carter to be the team's focus--we have Doyle and Bradford Williams to play those roles--so he's been free to grow without extreme amounts of pressure to be "the man." Carter hasn't quite found his shooting stroke, but he's still averaging almost 9 PPG. Code:
Hamilton, still the NEC's most prestigious program, has endured a rough November and December. Wesleyan holds the honor of "biggest non-conference victory," with their 74-64 defeat of Michigan. |
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12-11-2024, 12:19 PM
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#113 |
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College Prospect
Join Date: Sep 2022
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January 21, 2024
Code:
Things couldn't be going much better at the halfway mark of our conference season. We've become much, much better at defending than we were. It's been a recruiting priority for me, and so far, it's paid off. Our opponents are averaging 65.5 points per game. That's five points fewer than we allowed last season and almost TEN points fewer than Toby Whittaker's first Amherst team. So far, we're not shooting particularly well, but I'm inclined to believe that's an anomaly, rather than a trend. For example, we have too many good shooters to be making only 30.4% of our threes. That's where our percentage is now. Hamilton has turned things around since conference play began. They take a 4-0 record into their January 6 date with us, and we win the battle of unbeaten teams to take sole possession of first place in the conference. Connor Keegan enjoys his first really big game as a collegian, going 5-for-7 from distance and scoring 24 points. Connor is the early favorite for NEC Freshman of the Year, leading all the players in his class at 11.3 PPG. He'd be the third Mammoth to win the FOY in three years (Bradford Williams and Lane Saunders are the others). We make our first appearance in the Mid Major poll the next day, coming in at #22. We rise to #20 the next week...before our loss to Bowdoin at Hixon Arena sends us out of the rankings. Code:
We remain in control of the NEC race. Our chances of winning the regular season title are made a bit better by the fact we'll be playing all four of the other teams with winning records in conference play at home, where we're 10-1 this season. The victory at Wesleyan is the 100th of Toby Whittaker's coaching career. He's now 107-44 for his career, with a .709 winning percentage that ranks him 25th all-time. Coach Whittaker has now coached enough games to qualify for this leaderboard. Last edited by MoonlightGraham : 12-11-2024 at 12:30 PM. |
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12-16-2024, 11:02 AM
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#114 |
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College Prospect
Join Date: Sep 2022
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February 25, 2024
Code:
Our second trip through the NEC is almost as successful as our first, and we finish with the best conference record of Toby Whittaker's career. The game at Middlebury is an ugly rock fight. 46-34 looks more like a halftime score (even though it's been a minute since an Amherst team put up 90 points). We rise as high as #20 in the Mid Major Poll, before we crash back to earth with a lackluster performance against Hamilton in which no Mammoth scores in double figures. Fortunately, we awaken from our slump in the second half against Williams; we trail, 23-22 at the break before we break the game apart. Our arch-rivals score a total of 74 points against us in two games, part of a run of resolute efforts that produce the three stingiest defensive performances in Amherst history within a month. The low point of our season comes when we blow an 8-point lead and lose at home to a Tufts team that's 3-12 in conference play. Despite the loss, we're still three points ahead in the NEC race, and we clinch the regular season title two nights later at Bowdoin. Bradford Williams has drawn much more attention from opposing teams this season. He almost never gets the open looks he enjoyed during his first two seasons, the ones he almost invariably knocks down. Bradford enjoys a moment of glory against Colby, when he rises above two defenders to drill a game-winning jumper with four seconds remaining. We barely have time to enjoy our regular season championship before we're off to the conference tournament. For a team in a one-bid conference like ours, the importance of the tournament is magnified. Code:
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12-16-2024, 11:17 AM
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#115 |
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College Prospect
Join Date: Sep 2022
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March 1, 2024
New England Conference Tournament, Second Round Code:
Trinity plays tenacious defense against us, and when we get decent shots, we can't make them. As a result, we'll watch the remainder of the conference tournament and await the decisions of the tournament selection committees. The Bantams' European big men, Nacho Pardo and Emon Bonte, have their way with us all day long. They're both battle-tested seniors, Bonte has started 125 collegiate games, and they've played over 6000 minutes between them. But Carson Shears is a senior, too. Bradford Williams and Doyle Cannon play well, but the Bantams do such a good job against everyone else that it doesn't matter much. Record: 22-8. |
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12-16-2024, 11:32 AM
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#116 |
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College Prospect
Join Date: Sep 2022
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March 10, 2024
Trinity continues their run to destiny, beating Williams and Bates in turn and winning the NEC tournament. They're given the #15 seed in the NCAA East Region, and they'll face the mighty Kentucky Wildcats. The Jumbos have made the NCAA tournament once before; they lost a play-in game in 2016. We're picked by the NIT selection committee to join the Midwest Region as the #6 seed. Bates, who are awarded the #8 seed in the CIT, is the only other New England Conference team to gain a spot in a postseason tournament. March 14, 2024 NIT Midwest Region, First Round Code:
Some wins are ugly. We're actually quite good at winning basketbrawls like this one, playing hard-nosed defense and taking care of the ball like it's a precious jewel. Miami is not usually a poor-shooting team; they're right in the middle of the national rankings for three-point shooting, and they're #73 nationally in points per shot. We simply don't let them do what they want. Meanwhile, Bradford Williams and Lane Saunders reassert themselves, playing like they're nearly seven feet tall. Record: 23-8. Last edited by MoonlightGraham : 12-16-2024 at 11:32 AM. |
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12-16-2024, 01:21 PM
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#117 |
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College Prospect
Join Date: Sep 2022
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March 16, 2024
NIT Round of 16 Code:
If this were a hockey game, the second star would go to reserve big man Matt McGowan, who comes off the bench for 25 productive minutes. Next, we'll face Texas A&M, who eliminated the Gonzaga team who beat us 66-57 back in November. Record: 24-8. |
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12-16-2024, 01:29 PM
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#118 |
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College Prospect
Join Date: Sep 2022
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March 21, 2024
NIT Round of 8 Code:
A good Big XII team is too much for us tonight. The Aggies use our winning formula against us; they force us out of our comfort zone with non-stop defense, avoid turning the ball over, and score five players in double figures. Doyle Cannon leads us in scoring in his 127th and final game in Amherst purple. Record: 24-9. |
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12-16-2024, 01:46 PM
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#119 |
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College Prospect
Join Date: Sep 2022
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April 1, 2024
At least we can say we were eliminated from the NIT by the team who won it all. Texas A&M goes on to defeat Arizona and Virginia Tech to claim the tournament title. It's a good month for basketball in the Lone Star State. Texas defeats Alabama, 93-78, to win the NCAA championship. The Crimson Tide, a 10 seed, couldn't quite fit their elephantine foot into the glass slipper. Code:
Carter Keegan continues the tradition of Amherst players winning the NEC Freshman of the Year Award, earning that honor on top of a spot on the All-Freshman Team. Bradford Williams earns postseason honors for the third year, but he drops down to the second team after a first-team berth last season. Bradford is unseated by the conference POY, Tyson Overcash of Williams. I've never seen an all-conference point guard who averages only two assists per game, but that's who Doyle Cannon is. If I'm McKinley Marine (15.7 PPG, 2.9 RPG for Wesleyan), I'm feeling a bit hard done by here. And Toby Whittaker is named the conference's top coach for the fifth consecutive season. Code:
Our conference needs another 20-win team or two. |
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12-16-2024, 02:00 PM
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#120 |
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College Prospect
Join Date: Sep 2022
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Code:
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We were remarkably fortunate this season when it came to injuries. We could field the same starting five for every game this season, with the exception of Anselme Catoire getting the start on his Senior Night. Tate Mathewson enjoyed a quietly productive season this year. He's earned a real shot at the starting point guard position next fall. |
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12-16-2024, 02:18 PM
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#121 |
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College Prospect
Join Date: Sep 2022
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2023/24 Senior Snapshots
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Thanks for the memories, Anselme, Carson, and Doyle. Last edited by MoonlightGraham : 12-16-2024 at 02:19 PM. |
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12-16-2024, 02:43 PM
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#122 |
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College Prospect
Join Date: Sep 2022
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April 6, 2024
None of our three graduating seniors are selected in the professional draft. Code:
Our recruiting class isn't bad by NEC standards. Colby's SF Jack Stetson and PG Andre Seiber look like the league's two best incoming freshmen. Colton Mullins is, like Stetson, a Red/Green player. We scouted him fairly well. Unfortunately, the national experts' evaluation of James Elder looks like the more accurate one. Our Prestige goes up six more points to 37. We're now the highest-ranked team in our conference; Bates and Hamilton are each at 32. I have some hard decisions to make considering Coach Whittaker's staff. Recruiting assistant David Getty wants a $70,000/year salary. He's a Level 3 coach with a 63 score for Recruiting. Can I find someone nearly as good for less money? Lead scout David Parham, a Level 3 coach with a 46 rating for Scouting, wants a $10,000 raise to $40,000/year. Both coaches are threatening to leave if their salary demands are not met. I decide to give Coach Parham his raise and turn Coach Getty down. I might pay for this decision, but I'm also concerned about paying an assistant that much money. I wish I knew if we were getting a budget increase this season, but I won't find that out for another month or two. |
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12-16-2024, 03:21 PM
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#123 |
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College Prospect
Join Date: Sep 2022
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May 1, 2024
I had wondered if Toby Whittaker would ever get a job offer from another program. This year, he finally does...14 of them in the first head coach round. Among them was an offer from Villanova. I had to smile at that one, since it was the site of so many happy memories with my Graham Sims dynasty. Coach Chas Gehring is retiring after a 14-18 season, but the Wildcats roster looks better than that. It's a very tempting offer; Villanova's 81 Prestige and $650,000 budget are extremely attractive. I think I'd like to tell a different story this time, however. Then I read this email...  Toby is an alumnus of the University of Virginia, class of 2010. The Cavaliers have just fired coach Tom Schumann after three consecutive seasons without any postseason tournament bids. Coach Schumann gave Toby a job as a graduate assistant, and recommended him highly for the Amherst job. At first, I say to myself, "It's too soon. Coach Whittaker isn't ready yet." Then I take a look at the other ACC head coaches. How accomplished are they? Not surprisingly, North Carolina has a Level 13 man at the helm. Maryland's coach is Level 12. Then, there's a drop down to the five teams that employ a Level 9 coach, including Duke. Miami and Clemson have Level 8 coaches, Wake Forest's coach is Level 7, and Virginia Tech's is Level 6. So Toby, a Level 7 coach with five consecutive winning seasons and five consecutive conference championships, wouldn't be too far out of his league at all. Virginia's roster is a hodge-podge of guys from all over, including two Europeans and a Canadian. There is a single player from Virginia, one from Maryland, and one from Washington, DC. There are four walk-ons on the roster, and two transfers. As a whole, they are indifferent students; one of them literally has a score of 1 for Academics. The potential for a very good story exists in Charlottesville. Besides improving the Cavaliers' record and prestige, I'd want to:
This looks like it will be a fun challenge. I notify the Virginia AD that I'll take the job. |
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12-16-2024, 05:17 PM
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#124 |
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College Prospect
Join Date: Sep 2022
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May 1, 2024
Two of Toby's assistants, scout David Parham and coaching assistant Forrest Gill, are willing to come with him to Charlottesville. David Getty is not, because he's hired as the new head coach at Amherst! I like Coaches Parham and Gill, but are they up to the standards of the Atlantic Coast Conference? The answer is, unfortunately, no. Most of our ACC opponents will have lead scouts with scores in the 70s or better, and coaching assistants with ratings of 60 or better for coaching both offense and defense. Neither of Coach Whittaker's assistants from Amherst days approach those standards. It's been a great run, but it's time to part ways with them. Perhaps they'll return to Amherst and join Coach Getty's staff. The Virginia AD suggests we spend about $400K on coaching salaries. I end up spending almost exactly that amount on Coach Whittaker's staff. Two of them--head recruiter Alec Mazur and coaching assistant Gerry Johnson. Head scout Jonathan Summers is stepping up from a very successful high school coaching career.  |
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12-16-2024, 07:04 PM
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#125 |
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College Prospect
Join Date: Sep 2022
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July 1, 2024
Recruiting Preview We have two senior scholarship players on this year's roster: center Jan Billups and small forward Dee Jarmon. I can gain up to three more scholarships by cutting some of the walk-ons. Here's how our depth chart looks, by class: CENTERS: SR, FR, FR (W) POWER FORWARDS: FR (W), FR (W), FR (W) SMALL FORWARDS: SR, SO, SO, FR SHOOTING GUARDS: SO, JR, FR POINT GUARDS: JR, FR (W) What a mess. One of the sophomore SFs will probably start at PF. We're also ridiculously weak at PG. We desperately need to recruit a big man and a playmaking guard. After I take a look at the recruits who are interested in playing at Virginia, I'll decide if I want to free up additional scholarships this time around. Our recruiting budget is just over $20,000/month, which seems like a fortune after five years at Amherst. In fact, our budget ranks in the bottom half of the ACC. Fortunately, I want to give our roster a more local flavor, and players who live nearby cost less to recruit. |
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12-16-2024, 07:17 PM
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#126 |
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College Prospect
Join Date: Sep 2022
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August 1, 2024
Coach Whittaker and his staff place these players on their call list this month: Code:
I'm disappointed to see only two players with Very High interest in playing for us. Head recruiter Alec Mazur will earn every dollar of his salary this year. We made an offer to one of these players already. Which one was it? You'll see next month...if anything promising comes of it. |
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12-16-2024, 09:56 PM
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#127 |
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College Prospect
Join Date: Sep 2022
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August 1, 2024
The player to whom we offered a scholarship will forever remain nameless. He has three other offers, and he doesn't list UVA among his top five. Needless to say, I'm going to look elsewhere. Chris Burke, a big man from the Detroit suburbs, is one of the few players who expresses more than a casual interest in playing for us. Code:
Our need for a point guard is equally acute. Again, the player who likes us best is a midwesterner, Anthony Carreno. Code:
John Steinberg, a lean, sweet-shooting wing from Richmond, is the most promising in-state recruit on our list. Code:
I decide to offer scholarships to Burke and Steinberg, and we'll make an all-out effort to recruit both of them. I'll cut a walk-on to free up a third scholarship offer. We have enough money to bring Carreno to campus, but I'm holding off on his scholarship offer for now. There are two or three promising guards from the DMV, and I can't resist seeing if we can pique their interest. |
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12-16-2024, 10:18 PM
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#128 |
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College Prospect
Join Date: Sep 2022
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September 1, 2024
Chris Burke picks up an offer from Akron, but he's still more interested in playing at UVA than anywhere else. Coaches Whittaker and Mazur will make their way out to Michigan again this month. When we offer John Steinberg a scholarship, he responds by moving us to the top of his list. Again, we'll invest as much as we can in signing him. Cutting another walk-on makes it possible for us to offer two point guards. One of them is Anthony Carreno, whom we met last month. We're tops on Anthony's list, and we'll send both coaches to Wisconsin to make sure we stay there. The other guard we're offering a scholarship is highly-rated Virginia product Tyler Parrish. Code:
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12-16-2024, 10:33 PM
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#129 |
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College Prospect
Join Date: Sep 2022
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October 1, 2024
Tyler Parrish upgrades his interest in UVA to Very High, but he still lists Georgetown and George Mason ahead of us, in that order. We've played our campus visit card; it's time to look elsewhere. Meanwhile, we remain the only school to have made an offer to Chris Burke, John Steinberg, and Anthony Carreno. Chris has taken every other program off his list. I feel good about our chances of landing at least one of them on Decision Day next month. I'll check the lists of under-recruited players to see if anyone we might be able to use has slipped through the cracks. If not, I'll hold onto the scholarship for next season. |
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12-16-2024, 11:11 PM
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#130 |
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College Prospect
Join Date: Sep 2022
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November 1, 2024
Decision Day Today, Chris Burke and John Steinberg become the first recruits of the Toby Whittaker era at the University of Virginia. Chris is a Blue Collar Man, a rugged defender and rebounder whom our staff believes possesses Blue-chip potential. He has a real chance to move directly into our starting lineup next fall. John, too, could make an impact from his first day on Grounds next year. While he hasn't displayed tremendous shooting range in high school, we think he could develop into a dangerous marksman from behind the arc. If he does, he'll become a classic "three-and-D" wing. Welcome to Virginia basketball, Chris and John! Anthony Carreno is still making up his mind, but we're the only school on his list. It's probably a matter of time before he signs with us. We found a three-star guard from Richmond with no scholarship offers. Meet Jay Slone. Code:
And who needs a bunch of nondescript walk-ons? Wouldn't you rather have this player on your team? Code:
Charles Jones is a shooter. His high school coaches haven't asked him to handle the ball or play defense; his job is to put points on the scoreboard in a variety of ways. I'll offer Charles a scholarship. He's most certainly a better player than any member of the walk-on army. Charles has received scholarships from two small programs with Prestige in the teens. He'd be a big star at either school. He might prefer to attend and play for UVA, even if his role on the court were different. We'll find out. Last edited by MoonlightGraham : 12-17-2024 at 08:00 AM. |
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12-17-2024, 09:00 AM
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#131 |
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College Prospect
Join Date: Sep 2022
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November 10, 2024
Let's meet Toby Whittaker's first University of Virginia basketball team: Code:
How did training camp go? Code:
Two starters return from the team that Tom Schumann guided to a 15-16 record in his last season at UVA. One of them is senior Jan Billups, a former high school All-American who transferred from Rider before the 2021/22 season. Jan has been a solid collegian, albeit one who has never lived up to the hype he generated as a recruit. He is an elite rim protector who is UVA's all-time leader in blocked shots, despite only playing here for two seasons. He averaged 4.2 blocks per contest last year. Jan worked hard in camp on developing a more dangerous set of inside moves. Another former high school All-American, wing Trevor Bocanegra, has been touted as a future first-round draft pick. A freshman All-ACC selection last year, Trevor averaged 11.4 PPG, largely because he shot so much. Trevor has improved his shooting this fall, and he'll be counted on to provide a more consistent scoring threat this year. Canadian point guard Keith Tyus started 11 games as a sophomore last season. Coach Whittaker will depend on him to be The Man this year; he's the only true point on the roster now that walk-on Ben Vargas is serving an academic suspension. Keith is a solid player who has been good at avoiding turnovers and keeping the offense ticking. He'll need to do more this season. Dee Jarmon, a senior who has patiently waited for his chance, will receive it this year. A 6'5" wing, Jarmon is a very good shooter with three-point range. Despite his name, he doesn't play D very well, although his length and athleticism get him quite a few steals. Sophomore Scott Chambliss is undersized for a power forward at 6'6", but he's a good athlete who can guard big men effectively. Scott didn't demonstrate much offensive ability as a rotation player last year, and he didn't display much improvement this fall. Coach Whittaker will be looking for Scott to assert himself early in the season; if he doesn't, the Hoos might turn to a lineup that features four perimeter guys and Billups. The first men off the bench will be two of those perimeter guys: redshirt junior Charlie Shaughnessy and sophomore Joe Cavallini. Shaughnessy, who received 20 scholarship offers to play football coming out of high school, is athletic and tough, and he worked on becoming a more disruptive force on defense. Cavallini, nicknamed Buffalo Joe in honor of his home town, was unhappy after playing only three minutes or so a game as a freshman. He's worked hard in camp, however, significantly improving his defense. He'll play a lot more this year, and so will Shaughnessy. Jonathan Mooney, a freshman from Washington, DC, will be the team's top frontcourt reserve. He has potential to contribute as a rebounder and defensive stopper. It's difficult to predict how well this season will go. Maryland, Duke, and North Carolina have rosters loaded with Blue and Green players. Meanwhile, our best players--Billups, Bocanegra, and Jarmon--are all Green. Talentwise, we're in the bottom half of the ACC right now. We lack a proven point guard and it looks like we'll struggle against teams with more than one good big. Our AD expects us to make the NCAA field. I hope we have a patient AD. |
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12-17-2024, 09:05 AM
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#132 |
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College Prospect
Join Date: Sep 2022
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Let's take a look at Coach Whittaker as he prepares for his UVA debut.
Code:
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12-17-2024, 09:26 AM
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#133 |
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College Prospect
Join Date: Sep 2022
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November 30, 2024
Code:
We begin our season with a trip to the U.S. Virgin Islands for the Paradise Shootout. We're seeded fifth, and advance to the championship game before falling to a talented Alabama team. Along the way, Toby Whittaker gets a bit of revenge against Texas A&M, who defeated him in what turned out to be his last game at Amherst. We have to play the last two games of the tourney without much help from Dee Jarmon, who is limited by a sprained wrist. Joe Cavallini and Charlie Shaughnessy pick up the slack effectively.  Jarmon is back for the Notre Dame game, but it doesn't matter much. Coach Whittaker receives a very warm "welcome home" from the crowd at the John Paul Jones Arena for his home debut, where the Cavs rout a former NEC foe. Record: 3-2. Last edited by MoonlightGraham : 12-17-2024 at 09:26 AM. |
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12-17-2024, 09:46 AM
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#134 |
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College Prospect
Join Date: Sep 2022
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December 1, 2024
Recruiting Update Today, we add the point guard we'd been seeking, when Anthony Carreno announces his commitment. He is an assist dispenser at the high school level, and if he can bring that vision and creativity with him to the next level, we'll have the playmaker we need. Welcome to UVA basketball, Anthony! Our efforts to lure Jay Slone and Charles Jones don't work out. Jay decides to stay local and play for Virginia Commonwealth, and Charles elects to be the big dog at Winston-Salem. It's a long shot, but I decide to offer a scholarship to the one remaining player from our original call list who remains unsigned. Code:
I'd be delighted if we can add this stud to our roster. Jaydon has visited campus already and he seems pleased with his offer from West Virginia, but it's worth taking a shot at landing a player of this caliber. The list of players who haven't received a scholarship offer and who express at least Average interest in playing for us features many international players. We're going to send Coaches Whittaker and Mazur to China to look at point guard Shao Shen, who's rated at three stars and has posted solid all-around numbers. |
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12-17-2024, 12:49 PM
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#135 |
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College Prospect
Join Date: Sep 2022
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January 1, 2025
Recruiting Update We weren't able to convince Jaydon Johnson to stay on our side of the Virginia-West Virginia border. He'll be a Mountaineer for the next four years. Code:
There are some things to like about Shao. He's an active defender and a solid distributor. At the same time, I don't like his ballhandling, and his shooting is suspect. He doesn't project as the Alpha dog I want to have at point guard. Shao doesn't represent an upgrade over Anthony Carreno, whom we've already signed this winter. I think I'd rather save the scholarship and see if (1) a star emerges late in the recruiting cycle, (2) a player in the transfer portal dazzles me, or (3) we can bring in a better player next year. I do have my eye on a big man from Canada who fits (1) above. I'll introduce you to him if something comes of our interest. |
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12-17-2024, 01:16 PM
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#136 |
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College Prospect
Join Date: Sep 2022
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January 15, 2025
Code:
The remainder of our pre-conference schedule features two thrilling away games against top-tier opponents. At Creighton, Trevor Bocanegra has a chance to win it with a corner jumper, but he can't get it to fall. Jan Billups is named PotG anyway; he scores 18 points, grabs 17 rebounds, and blocks 7 shots. That performance is the first of a string of dominant performances by our senior center. Jan collects 28 points, 13 rebounds, and 5 blocks against Emory, and 17 points and 8 blocks against Vanderbilt. No Cavalier has ever turned back more than 8 shots in game. Jan Billups has performed this feat four times now. Charlie Shaughnessy is a double hero in our victory at Villanova. First, he outduels three Wildcats to tip in Dee Jarmon's miss to send the game into overtime. Then, with three seconds left, he drills a three from the right corner to win the game for us. Jarmon leads all scorers with 26 points. The loss to Brown at home is a bit of a surprise, but the Ivy Leaguers can play. They have a sophomore guard, Huey Hernandez, who is the real deal. Code:
It would have been very possible for all 12 ACC teams to have won at least 10 games during the pre-conference season. All the teams below us in this table have some frightful losses. Miami lost to Wofford, NJIT, and North Dakota. FSU fell to Florida International and Savannah State, and beat SIU-Edwardsville by a single point. Georgia Tech couldn't beat Winthrop, Jacksonville State, or Gardner Webb. And Boston College were beaten by Amherst  , Williams, and Harvard.Our loss to Brown doesn't look so bad in comparison, does it? Last edited by MoonlightGraham : 12-17-2024 at 01:29 PM. |
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12-17-2024, 03:41 PM
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#137 |
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College Prospect
Join Date: Sep 2022
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February 8, 2025
Code:
Halfway through our first ACC schedule, we are squarely in the middle of the league standings. Three of our four conference victories have been thrilling, down-to-the wire contests, two of them bringing joy to big crowds at the John Paul Jones Center. The Cavs come back from nine points down to defeat Florida State, opening up a six-point lead with two minutes left before the Seminoles make it frighteningly close. Three nights later, Buffalo Joe Cavallini hits a three with 34 seconds left, and we make a crucial defensive stop to beat Wake Forest. Cavallini is now a starter; he's taken advantage of a finger injury to Scott Chambliss to carve out a new role for himself as Toby Whittaker has decided to play small ball. Buffalo Joe, 6'6" and barely 200 pounds, is the biggest of the four men who start alongside the imperious Jan Billups. Big Jan shatters the hopes of Florida State fans when he rebounds Tony Waites' miss and denies the Seminoles a last shot, cementing our 63-61 victory in Tallahassee. The Clemson game features the two best rim protectors in college basketball. The Tigers' Mark Hollingshead, a 6'10" senior, leads the nation in blocked shots (5.0 BPG). He's barely ahead of our Jan Billups (4.7 BPG). Big Holly wins the blocks battle, 5-1, and his team wins the game. The second half of the ACC campaign will be tough, with trips to Wake Forest, UNC, and Duke. According to the Bubble Watch, we're a Lock for the tournament; our tough non-conference schedule has helped us rise to #9 in the RPI standings. Code:
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12-17-2024, 04:16 PM
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#138 |
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College Prospect
Join Date: Sep 2022
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March 8, 2025
Code:
We play more than our share of close games, don't we? At Virginia Tech, we leave a 6'10" center who's taken three shots all night unguarded in the corner. Benjamin Knight makes us pay with a three-point dagger as time expires. We yield another buzzer-beater in Raleigh a week later, allowing the Wolfpack to send the game into overtime. Keith Tyus and Trevor Bocanegra combine to go 5-for-6 from the line during the extra period, and we get to take a victory back home with us to Charlottesville. Dee Jarmon plays the hero role in his Senior Night game, hitting a three-ball that gives us the victory. He probably did this a thousand times in his driveway. Now he gets to do it before over 14,000 fans at the John Paul Jones Arena. We win at home and lose on the road, and that makes us the very definition of a .500 team. Code:
I'm not going to take the time to figure out how we ended up ahead of the other teams with 8-8 records. I'll simply enjoy it. Code:
If you'd told me we would have an 18-12 record going into the ACC tournament, I would have figured we'd be playing in the NIT. We're reaping the benefits of that tough schedule I put together. Last edited by MoonlightGraham : 12-17-2024 at 04:19 PM. |
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12-17-2024, 04:39 PM
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#139 |
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College Prospect
Join Date: Sep 2022
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March 13, 2025
ACC Tournament, First Round Code:
After the game, he dismisses the injury. "I'm playing tomorrow," Dee declares. "I played through a lot worse in high school football. I'm a senior and a captain. I'm going to be on the floor with my teammates." Dee's 22 points, paired with a determined defensive effort against BC's high-scoring William Hedgepeth, are big keys to the victory that lets us advance to the next round. We'll need more of the same against a tough Clemson team. Record: 19-12. March 14, 2025 ACC Tournament, Second Round Code:
Big Holly manages to block 7 of our shots anyway. He doesn't make a single shot himself. He only takes two. This isn't terribly unusual. He's attempted 171 shots this year and blocked 148 of his opponents'. How far-fetched is it to imagine two of those seven shots going in, if Holly doesn't get his big paw on them? Dee Jarmon writes his name in the annals of UVA basketball with his courageous performance tonight. He plays 32 minutes, scores 16 points, and reminds his teammates why he's a boss. This one hurts. Record: 19-13. Last edited by MoonlightGraham : 12-17-2024 at 04:40 PM. |
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12-17-2024, 04:40 PM
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#140 | |
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Dark Cloud
Join Date: Apr 2001
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Quote:
I dig the senior snapshots that you do for graduating players, if I ever get into the weeds running a program, I'm for sure gonna borrow that. Congrats on the promotion to UVA, a pretty nice upgrade in budget, given how well you've been recruiting on a shoestring, this ought to be a lot of fun. Also good the cupboard wasn't empty and that your first year will at least be somewhat successful, sometimes I'd prefer a deep NIT run over a 1-and-done in the NCAAs anyway. Last edited by Young Drachma : 12-17-2024 at 04:41 PM. |
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12-17-2024, 05:28 PM
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#141 | |||
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College Prospect
Join Date: Sep 2022
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Quote:
Thanks, YD. I'd consider that an honor. I used to write even longer Senior Tributes. They were a lot of fun, but if I had a big senior class, I might spend much of a day's gaming time writing them. The Snapshots are shorter, but they still give me a chance to recognize and remember a player as he leaves. So now, all I write nothing but Senior Snapshots. Partly as a response to the Wild West that college sports have become, players can't declare for the pro draft early in my college basketball universe. We get four years to enjoy the players we love. Quote:
Thanks! UVA was one of the programs I envisioned Toby coaching. I made it his alma mater for a reason. I wasn't expecting him to have the chance at age 36, while he's still building his attributes; I hope the challenge of coaching in the ACC doesn't prove his undoing. He can be fired in my universe, by the way. I can definitely afford to shop in a pricier part of town now. I was a bit disheartened by the fact that the players who were interested in playing for Virginia (prestige 70) this season weren't much more highly regarded than the guys I had on my lists at Amherst (prestige 31). In fact, there were FEWER three-star players with Very High interest in UVA this time around. All three of the players I signed for UVA this year were guys I could have recruited at Amherst. They range from #307 to #480 nationally, and from #68 to #109 at their position. I like them, but it will be very, very difficult to win in the ACC with a roster full of three-star players. Quote:
Speaking of an NIT run...stay tuned...  |
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12-17-2024, 09:14 PM
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#142 |
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College Prospect
Join Date: Sep 2022
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March 16, 2025
Toby Whittaker and his players watch the NCAA tournament selection show at the UVA basketball facility. The bracketologists have them listed high in the "OUT" category, and they are right. The field is filled with 68 teams, and the Cavaliers don't hear their name called. Soon after, Coach Whittaker and his team learn they've been invited to the NIT. They receive the #1 seed in the South Region. Miami-Ohio, Fordham, and Evansville are the other top seeds; it appears that we're seeded third overall. Toby's old Amherst team is playing in the NIT, too. They're the #7 seed in the East Region. |
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12-17-2024, 10:16 PM
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#143 |
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College Prospect
Join Date: Sep 2022
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March 20, 2025
NIT South Region, First Round Code:
Jan Billups has now blocked twice as many shots in a single season as any player in Virginia history not named Jan Billups. Jan has turned back 157 shots this season. He broke his own single-season mark of 130 some time ago. The previous record holder, Robert Gross, rejected 77 back in 2014/15. Meanwhile, Amherst upsets Creighton, 81-78, behind 21 points from Carter Keegan. You may remember we suffered a one-point loss to the Blue Jays back in December. NIT contests are played at the home of the better seed, so we have the advantage of playing before a capacity JPJ Center crowd. Record: 20-13. March 23, 2025 NIT Round of 16 Code:
His classmate, Jan Billups, also imposes his will upon the game once again. Dayton's bigs score 11 points between them, and Jan's fearsome presence is a major reason why. Fun fact: Dee Jarmon has scored 886 points in his Amherst career. Jan Billups has scored 885. Amherst's season ends when Carter Keegan's three-point try falls short, allowing Nevada to slip away with a 71-69 victory. George Dillon scores 27 points for the Mammoths (19-15) in his final collegiate game. Record: 21-13. March 26, 2025 NIT Round of 8 Code:
This time, it's Trevor Bocanegra's turn to take the starring role, with especially strong support from our seniors and Charlie Shaughnessy. Champions of the South Region, the Cavaliers advance to the NIT Final Four. Record: 23-13. April 1, 2025 NIT Semifinal Code:
Buffalo Joe Cavallini sinks all four of the triples he attempts. He's now 31-for-58 from behind the arc for the year; that's a .538 percentage. We will face Nevada in the NIT championship game. They're the team that ended Amherst's season a week ago. After he sees the UVA score, David Getty sends his former boss at Amherst a quick text. They can't beat both of us. You got this. Record: 24-13. |
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12-17-2024, 10:44 PM
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#144 |
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College Prospect
Join Date: Sep 2022
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April 3, 2025
NIT Championship Game Code:
Joe Cavallini inbounds it to Jarmon, who tosses it to Keith Tyus, who usually brings the ball upcourt for the Hoos. Keith starts to do so again, as the clock winds down. It's a reflexive action for a lifelong point guard. Then, Keith thinks of something, smiles, and crisply passes the ball across to Dee. Jarmon dribbles into the front court and spots Jan Billups. The big man has played another wonderful game, and he'll soon be named the tournament MVP. Dee wants him to have the ball as the clock runs out, so he passes it to him. Jan immediately sends it back to Dee. "I've played here for three great years," Billups explains after the game. "Dee's played here for four. I want him to have the ball at the end." The buzzer sounds, and Dee Jarmon simply holds the ball in his hands and looks up. A moment later, his teammates surround him. Later, they'll all take part in cutting down the net, and each will keep a strand for a souvenir. Before he joins his players, Toby Whittaker turns to spot his wife Madeleine, seated in her usual spot two rows behind the Virginia bench. She holds up their eighteen-month-old daughter Caroline. Little Caroline won't remember this night. Neither will her younger sibling who's growing inside her mom. "I'm humbled and privileged to be a part of this moment," Coach Whittaker says in his post-game presser. "We've written the story of this season together, but most of these players were here before I arrived. They built so much of this foundation with Coach [Tom] Schumann. I'm honored to have had the chance to coach this team." |
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12-18-2024, 12:21 AM
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#145 |
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Dark Cloud
Join Date: Apr 2001
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Wow, NIT run in Year 1 that's crazyyyyyy.
As for wooing higher starred players, my trick is use the early signing periods to throw schollies at no-offer having higher targets who don't have us on their radar, because bringing the house -- coach visit, schollie -- can sometimes woo some of them to put us in their Top 5. Obviously if I try that in Round 1 and get nowhere, I immediately delist them. Those 3-stars aren't going anywhere, but it's been a nice way over the years to snag kids that might not immediately be considering us, but can be swayed. The fact that Jarmon turned out to be such a baller for you guys is also a really neat thing. Enjoy the NIT title, I know the bar will be higher next year, but this is a nice feeling in Year 1 for sure. |
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12-18-2024, 09:29 AM
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#146 | |||
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College Prospect
Join Date: Sep 2022
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Quote:
Quote:
I looked back at my Graham Sims dynasty to see what kinds of players I was able to recruit there as he and his Lafayette team improved. By the time Coach Sims moved on to Villanova, Lafayette's Prestige was 88. He was a Level 12 coach with a Recruiting score of 97. Coach Sims signed only two or three four-star players at Lafayette, all of whom arrived very late in his tenure there. Most of the memorable players from those 30-win seasons at Lafayette were three-star recruits, and there were a handful of one- and two-star players sprinkled in. UVA's Prestige will increase to 74 this coming season. Toby Whittaker is a Level 7 coach with a Recruiting score of 68. The recruiting conditions at UVA right now are less favorable than they were until the last two or three years Graham was at Lafayette. No wonder I can't lure four-star players to Charlottesville yet. Quote:
I wish I'd had the chance to coach Dee for more than one season. The same is true for Jan Billups. One of the things I enjoy most about my dynasties is the ability to see the characters--coaches and players--come to life. I suppose this comes from playing RPGs where character creation is a huge part of the game. I can often conjure up an image of a player in my mind; if I had artistic ability, I could draw a picture of him. Normally, this happens with players I coach for four seasons. I have very clear images of Dee Jarmon and Jan Billups in my mind, and Toby Whittaker only coached them for a year. Our run to the NIT championship made them iconic characters. The bar will definitely be higher next year, and there are some teams in our conference with lots to prove. Both Duke and North Carolina have lost in the first round of the NCAA tournament for two straight seasons. The Blue Devils went 27-7 last year, and the Tar Heels finished at 28-5. Meanwhile, Clemson (25-8) made it to the Sweet Sixteen, and Maryland (26-10)'s season ended in the Elite Eight. Seeing "NIT Champion" in the bios of our players and coaches makes me smile. Thanks for stopping by! |
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12-18-2024, 09:45 AM
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#147 |
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College Prospect
Join Date: Sep 2022
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April 7, 2025
Syracuse defeats Louisville, 81-77, in an exciting NCAA championship game. Florida and Washington are the other teams in the Final Four. Code:
Sébastien Petit was a Freshman All-American in 2016/17. He was a first-team All-ACC performer in 2018/19, and then he took his game to a new level. As a senior, he was a first team All-ACC and All-American player, and he was crowned the 2019/2020 NCAA Player of the Year. A center, Séb is UVA's all-time leading scorer and rebounder. Petit wasn't chosen in the 2020 pro draft! How does that happen to the NCAA Player of the Year? Code:
Last edited by MoonlightGraham : 12-18-2024 at 09:46 AM. |
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12-18-2024, 09:58 AM
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#148 |
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College Prospect
Join Date: Sep 2022
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April 7, 2025
I ended the season before I captured the team snapshot. Sorry about that. Code:
Code:
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12-18-2024, 10:24 AM
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#149 |
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College Prospect
Join Date: Sep 2022
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2024/25 Senior Snapshots
Code:
I'm amazed that (1) Rider, with its 45 Prestige, signed a high school All-American and (2) they didn't let him on the court for a single minute. I'm glad they didn't see what they had. Jan started for UVA from the moment he became eligible, and got better and better each season. He's played his way into a possible professional career as a powerful rim protector. Jan departs as UVA's fourth all-time rebounder. His career total of 383 blocks is nine fewer than the combined total of the next three players on our leaderboard. He's second in ACC history and 11th in NCAA history in this category, and he did this in three seasons, not four. Code:
The graduation of All-ACC wing Scott Morrison opened up a starting spot for Dee, just as Coach Whittaker arrived in town. Dee was almost exactly as productive as Scott had been, with the added bonus of being as tough and relentless a player as his coach had ever seen. Dee's legend was written when he played through a painful knee injury during the ACC and NIT tournaments. Starting and playing at least 30 minutes each game--each of which was an elimination game--Dee was even more productive than he had been all season long. Inspirational leadership wasn't the only thing he brought to his team during those weeks in March and April. I'm not officially retiring Jan's #15 and Dee's #0, but I won't be handing them out anytime soon. Thanks for the memories, Jan and Dee. |
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12-18-2024, 10:46 AM
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#150 |
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College Prospect
Join Date: Sep 2022
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April 12, 2025
There's a place in professional basketball for strong, athletic seven-footers who can intimidate opposing shooters. Jan Billups is just this type of player, and today he's selected with the #46 pick in the draft. Code:
I keep repeating to myself: You can win with three-star players. You can win with three-star players. You can win with three-star players. But can you win in the Atlantic Coast Conference with three-star players? All three of our signees are Red/Green guys. If they develop into full Green players, we should be OK. If they languish at Orange or (gasp) Yellow, we're in trouble. Clemson landed two of the top 20 players in the nation: PG Harold Hostetter and SG Edwin Gilliam. Our Prestige goes up four points after our NIT championship, and now stands at 74. There are a bunch of ACC teams clustered between 76 and 72. Maryland, Duke, and UNC are the conference blue bloods, all with scores in the 90s. Georgia Tech, Boston College, and Florida State lag behind the rest. |
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