“Ready for the Maine Event…”

 “Ready for the Maine Event…”

              The Boys handled the five-games-in–nine-days season re-start very well, by crushing RPI, then  disposing of Plattsburgh on the road, and pulling away from Skidmore late in a rough-and tumble game @ Pepin. Standing at 11 and zero, as one of seven ‘tall trees’ left untouched on the national board, The Panther Express is ranked #5, and for the first time in our B-ball history, above both Williams and TheLordJeffNation, who are collectively calling for a recount on this week’s voting. While this is only good for banter in the pubs right now, if you run into either (coach), Maker or Hixon, let them know you’re celebrating this fact and buy them a cold one. Collectively we’ve run a few million suicides to get the program to this point, and now it’s up to ‘The Boys’, because they are ready to rock and roll in ‘the Maine Event’, my term for the NESCAC season.

               The Maine Event takes on a special flavor this year because the Panther Express is making stops at Bates, Bowdoin and Colby. To paraphrase that old political slogan, ’as Maine goes so goes the nation’ has more than a kernel of truth in it. If we can make two trips out there and come away unscathed, it will justify the national spotlight that The Boys are currently basking in, particularly when the committee starts assaying teams for the ‘second season’. It starts Friday night with The Jumbos at Tufts. Based on comparative opponents, The Boys will face tougher tests, but remembering that they’re good at focusing on the game at hand they should pull into Lewiston with one game in hand. Bates is always a tough game for us, but I like our chances to avoid the axe, for two reasons. First is that Midd will be their 3^rd ranked opponent in five days (they went down to Brandeis last night, and get Williams on Friday), and they might be a tad worn out, and secondly they haven’t demonstrated the consistency of play on a night to night basis that The Boys have shown. Further out, it’s my take that Colby hasn’t recovered from the loss of Price, and a quick review of Bowdoin’s schedule shows their record is flavored with a variety of ‘down east’ cupcakes. But ‘the road’ is a great equalizer, so it’ll take solid efforts on both ends to fend off their home cooking.

               The rest of the NESCAC has us at Williams, never easy. Despite the road, that game will ride on controlling Whittington and Wang. Last year we were without Ryan Sharry, and they still had Schultz and Geohegan. My take is that their attack can be channeled if Whittington isn’t allowed to catch it on the left low block where he can use that lethal first step of his, and our ‘D’ just makes Wang work harder for his points. We have better depth inside by a bunch. Wesleyan has improved but their ‘D’ is still suspect at crunch time. Amherst has lots of firepower and wants to get everybody in a game that’s in the high 80’s. Makes me wonder if that’s camouflage for shortcomings on ‘D’ or just the right personnel for an up-tempo game (haven’t figured that out yet). Conn College is rebuilding, has a terrific new frosh (Vadas) but aren’t big enough or seasoned enough to handle our power inside, or our depth. Have seen Trinity twice now. They play harder, but need Fels to run the show, and whether he’s injured (a lot) or able to go is key to any success they’re going to have in this league.

               Might see some of you at Tufts on Friday, but if not, looking forward to a good gathering at Midd next weekend for the Alumni Game. Let me know, either here or on my regular e-mail, if you’re planning on getting back to Midd, because we’re trying to get a head count. May the zebras not be looking for you. Be well. Clubbo.