West Liberty Hilltopper Basketball

[boatcapt]

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.nca...-college%3Famp

There are many types of press styles that WLU could incorporate beyond the match up trap we utalize almost all the time just as there are many types 1/2 court defense beyond the man/man we almost exclusively use. Same in the offensive end, there are many types/styles of 1/2 court offense that have proven very succcessful over the years. Many of them are high ball and player movement that would keep the pressure on the defenders almost as well as what we currently run on almost every 1/2 court set. I know with Cedric Harris back a number of years, we ran a good amount of drive and kick...still remember him driving down the lane, pulling the D to him then kicking outside to Segar or another Topper at the 3 line for uncontested shots...then when the D stopped colapsing and defended the 3, him finishing at the rim

Point is that as we play deeper in tourneys, we face teams that are just better than who we might play in-conf and OOC during the regular season. These teams are better able to match what we do offensively and defensively. Because of that, I think we need a practiced alternative "style" that we can use when the opponent is consistenlty beating our tried and true press, has figured out how to defend our regular offensive set (or our 3 shots aren't falling) and they are slowly creaping their lead from 10 to 15 and perhaps 20.

[Columbuseer]

Just my opinion here, but WLU needs to develop a "secondary" style. Seems like almost every season ends when we face a team that can handle what we do. In those games, it seems like our only answer is trying to fight our way through hoping the other team will succumb. Problem is, good teams that have our number rarely crack. Given how we beat teams by often large numbers in the regular season, we would have plenty of opportunities to "practice" this secondary style during games. Sure, we may not score 125 points and win by 40 points, but beating a team by 20 and scoring "only" 95 points while we hone a secondary style is still a W and could benefit us when very good teams figure us out come tourney time.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.nca...-college%3Famp

[boatcapt]

Just my opinion here, but WLU needs to develop a "secondary" style. Seems like almost every season ends when we face a team that can handle what we do. In those games, it seems like our only answer is trying to fight our way through hoping the other team will succumb. Problem is, good teams that have our number rarely crack. Given how we beat teams by often large numbers in the regular season, we would have plenty of opportunities to "practice" this secondary style during games. Sure, we may not score 125 points and win by 40 points, but beating a team by 20 and scoring "only" 95 points while we hone a secondary style is still a W and could benefit us when very good teams figure us out come tourney time.

[Columbuseer]

[NWFanatic]

WLU was definitely seeded too low. They were much better than Flagler and Truman. At 7-0 I already had a good feeling NW would win. Congrats again on a great season

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Conley hit portal

[Columbuseer]

Fyi olsh chargers with dante spadafora defeated philly city league power Constitution 62-49 to win 2a state title

[Columbuseer]

Coach Howlett emphasizes how important it is for players to move without the ball and for the ball not to stick...
When WLU players internalize that philosophy, then they will play like this (and contend for a national championship)
see the video of the offensive possession in the tweet below:
https://twitter.com/i/status/1375271694793850882

[Columbuseer]

Leading 39-37 in 3rd quarter, olsh starts pressing and defeats portage 75-50.
Dante hit 13 fts for a total of 15 points. Next is finals in Hershey on Friday afternoon.

[Columbuseer]

FYI
olsh plays portage at 630 tonight in piaa semis.
Dante Spadafora is PG recruit.

olshathletics.org

[Columbuseer]

Teams with legit post players have given NW some trouble the last couple years since we don't have a true post player. We play more position-less style basketball so Daemen and Sischo could have given us some issues. Losses or really close games in the last couple years include Missouri Southern (Cam Martin- post player who averages 25pts/game), Washburn (Clausing- post player who only averaged 10/game but was hurt in the regular season right after playing us and never was the same player the rest of the year) and Northern St (Fox- D2 player of the year candidate who plays on the post).

I agree with importance of matchups at this level of play.
ideally, one would like to avoid playing the worst matchups while playing the most favorable matchups. But it obviously requires some luck in seeding and upsets.

[NWHoops]

It's clear that this was a year, if any, that the #1 seed really mattered. No offense to Daemen--and the Sischo kid is legit for sure--but their track record suggests they are the far weaker opponent than any of the other 7. In most years, the difference between the 1 & 2 seed is marginal. The fact that NW got the stiffest test of its 2019 title run from #8 Mercyhurst bears that out. But this was a year in which drawing Daemen was a real "prize" for the #1 seed, because there appeared to be a reasonably steep drop-off from #7 (regardless of who got it) to #8 in this Elite 8 field.

Teams with legit post players have given NW some trouble the last couple years since we don't have a true post player. We play more position-less style basketball so Daemen and Sischo could have given us some issues. Losses or really close games in the last couple years include Missouri Southern (Cam Martin- post player who averages 25pts/game), Washburn (Clausing- post player who only averaged 10/game but was hurt in the regular season right after playing us and never was the same player the rest of the year) and Northern St (Fox- D2 player of the year candidate who plays on the post).

[Columbuseer]

[QUOTE=NWFanatic;n570835]Should wlu be fortunate enough to go to the finals, no one can say that we got there by avoiding the best team in the tourney in NWMSU.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

It's clear that this was a year, if any, that the #1 seed really mattered. No offense to Daemen--and the Sischo kid is legit for sure--but their track record suggests they are the far weaker opponent than any of the other 7. In most years, the difference between the 1 & 2 seed is marginal. The fact that NW got the stiffest test of its 2019 title run from #8 Mercyhurst bears that out. But this was a year in which drawing Daemen was a real "prize" for the #1 seed, because there appeared to be a reasonably steep drop-off from #7 (regardless of who got it) to #8 in this Elite 8 field.

I wouldn't sleep on Daemen. Remember they played several games this year with major Covid issues and players out.

Sure, they are a major dog. But, they are certainly better than their record.

[Scrub]

It's clear that this was a year, if any, that the #1 seed really mattered. No offense to Daemen--and the Sischo kid is legit for sure--but their track record suggests they are the far weaker opponent than any of the other 7. In most years, the difference between the 1 & 2 seed is marginal. The fact that NW got the stiffest test of its 2019 title run from #8 Mercyhurst bears that out. But this was a year in which drawing Daemen was a real "prize" for the #1 seed, because there appeared to be a reasonably steep drop-off from #7 (regardless of who got it) to #8 in this Elite 8 field.