5 Bold Predictions: Midwest Athletic Conference
The MAC has a rich tradition in football and typically sees at least one team winning or competing for a state title every year in football. I like to think the basketball in the MAC is also quite good and…
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Continue ReadingThe MAC has a rich tradition in football and typically sees at least one team winning or competing for a state title every year in football. I like to think the basketball in the MAC is also quite good and we see some teams that find ways to win when it matters most. Take a look as I continue to look at predictions for the upcoming season with the MAC.
1- Versailles is the favorite early on
Travis Swank’s squad didn’t have a great regular season last year, but his team played it’s best basketball at the right time. Now the Tigers have 3 of their top 4 back from a Regional Semifinalist team a year ago and frankly they come in as the favorites in the MAC as a result. Jaydon Litten (2022) has been one of the harder working players you’ll find in this conference and has some help from fellow senior Eli McEldowney and junior Connor Stonebraker. They have more upperclassmen returning than some of the other contenders as you’ll see below.
2- New Bremen isn’t far off though
Versailles wasn’t the only team that had postseason success and similar to the Tigers, New Bremen also has 3 of their top 4 back from a team that fell by 2 to Columbus Grove in the Regional Finals. The Cardinals are straight up winners and they bring success from their football team onto the basketball court. Reece Busse is back for his senior year and could contend for the POY honors but it’s clear New Bremen still can compete with the rest of the MAC. Don’t count them out.
3- Bennett Gels MVP?
When I watched Bennett Gels a year ago from St. Henry, I was astonished by how he played. He was athletic for a D4 player, and showed he could score the ball in a variety of ways. He was a leader on the basketball court for the Redskins a year ago and now as a senior will have his role increase even more. The 6-foot-1 Wing is my favorite to win Player of the Year as I believe we are going to see his numbers increase this season.
4- At least one District champion from the MAC
Many of the MAC schools play in D4 and head up to the Wapakoneta District. Obviously New Bremen and St. Henry on paper look to be easy teams to take and should win a District Final. Versailles is a D3 program and comes down to Dayton for District play. Their toughness in the MAC prepares them for the faster paced play they see come tournament time and allow them to continue to be favorites. Can never rule out another team like a Parkway or Fort Recovery this year to surprise some people.
5- Conference will be top heavy
The top 3 teams in the MAC in my opinion are Versailles, New Bremen, and St. Henry. After that, the rest of the conference appears to be quite far behind. Marion Local has a promising prospect in sophomore Jack Knapke, but losing PG Alex Eyink is going to be hard to replace. Fort Recovery always has a good group of guys and could challenge some of the top tier teams, but is there enough back that they can beat all 3? Parkway had some success a year ago, but now Dylan Hughes is gone after being their top player. It’s apparent there is a gap this year.