West Liberty Hilltopper Basketball

[Columbuseer]

I would add to Ben's quote that the goal is to get more quality possessions. I wonder what the delta is between WLU quality possessions (possesions were we score or get a quality shot minus turn overs, "forced" shots and offensive fouls) and opponent quality possessions? Given WLUs ability to force turn overs/violations and not turn the ball over ourselves, I would imagine that number would be large.

Good point. Would be interested to hear what other folks think are important factors in getting a quality possession.

IMHO A quality possession is one in which the shot closely mimics a warmup practice shot (on balance, good follow through, layup, jump stop, etc.) AND one that is anticipated by teammates who can get in position for an offensive rebound.

1. Rapid Ball movement seems to play a role by distorting a defense, which results in late close outs of shooters, resulting in an open look or getting a rim run. For example, if Patrick or Will gets an open look, the shot is going up so teammates can crash the boards early and get in rebounding position. If one watches Dalton when his teammates shoot, he anticipates the shot and crashes the boards before the shot is released, thus getting inside position in the most likely location for the rebound (e.g., high % of missed corner shots bounce toward opposite corner).

[boatcapt]

FYI
interesting article on new wlu players by Michael Hughes


https://ledenews.com/hilltoppers-haul-inclu[B]
"

I would add to Ben's quote that the goal is to get more quality possessions. I wonder what the delta is between WLU quality possessions (possesions were we score or get a quality shot minus turn overs, "forced" shots and offensive fouls) and opponent quality possessions? Given WLUs ability to force turn overs/violations and not turn the ball over ourselves, I would imagine that number would be large.

[Columbuseer]

FYI
interesting article on new wlu players by Michael Hughes


https://ledenews.com/hilltoppers-haul-incluone that has talented players across the region and beyond seeking out West Liberty.

[boatcapt]

That is an interesting concept! Not sure of the platoon members. The advantage of that limited minutes approach is that it does not take significant minutes away from Patrick and Will and Viktor (who could be a big surprise). I just can't imagine trying to guard them when my legs are heavy with fatigue. Dante could wear guards out for Patrick, for he is a cross between the Energizer Bunny and Roadrunner! Lol

The particular players were just notional and provided to give an idea of the quality. Also helped UNC that this group operated a completely different style than the "normal" first and second team units...In the words of Monty Python, "Now for somthing completely different!" Since WLU plays pressure the whole game anyway, only option would be to crank up the intensity to Kamakazi levels! In the offensive end, seemed like everyone was driving and kicking. I recall one play against Md when the PG flew up the court and drove, kicked out to the wing who immediately drove and kicked out to the opposite wing, who immediately drove to the basket and kicked to the PG at the top of the circle who immediately drove and kicked to the wing for a wide open jumper entire play took MAYBE 10 seconds and Md ended up with all five defensive players packed within three feet of the basket looking at each other as if saying, what the he11 just happened? Md coach called an IMMEDIATE timeout!!

[Columbuseer]

Fair enough. I just put the bar higher.

3 platoons is REALLY scary for opponents! You weather the first two...then an entire third team of fresh gifted players come out on the court! Imagine a "third platoon" of Sarson, Hiles, Denbow, Kovacevic and Webb. I remember UNC doing similar back in the Dean Smith days. He'd bring in a 3rd team with instructions to amp up the defense to 11 and run, run, run. They would only play for a couple of minutes but by the end of that time, the other team was completely out of gas...Then Dean would bring back his starting 5 and cut their hearts out.

That is an interesting concept! Not sure of the platoon members. The advantage of that limited minutes approach is that it does not take significant minutes away from Patrick and Will and Viktor (who could be a big surprise). I just can't imagine trying to guard them when my legs are heavy with fatigue. Dante could wear guards out for Patrick, for he is a cross between the Energizer Bunny and Roadrunner! Lol

[boatcapt]

I just had a much lower bar - if you don't redshirt that is a big accomplishment for a freshman, for Dalton, Luke, Eric, and Will all redshirted. Of course, need plays a role as much as readiness to play in the redshirt decision.
Don't envy coaches' redshirt decisions this year. The payoff for redshirting is their senior year. But we don't know impact of the transfer portal on redshirting decisions.

Hmm, 15 ready players = 3 platoons? LOL

Fair enough. I just put the bar higher.

3 platoons is REALLY scary for opponents! You weather the first two...then an entire third team of fresh gifted players come out on the court! Imagine a "third platoon" of Sarson, Hiles, Denbow, Kovacevic and Webb. I remember UNC doing similar back in the Dean Smith days. He'd bring in a 3rd team with instructions to amp up the defense to 11 and run, run, run. They would only play for a couple of minutes but by the end of that time, the other team was completely out of gas...Then Dean would bring back his starting 5 and cut their hearts out.

[Columbuseer]

Coach Howlett preaches about not letting the ball stick. The video below is Seger Bonifant's team in the Akron Canton pro am league showing how it is done to break down a defense. All wlu players should watch and aspire to this level of play in order to beat NWMSU.

https://twitter.com/i/status/1405932060993376256

[Columbuseer]

I agree. He showed flashes and has the potential to be a good (very good?) WLU player if he puts in the off season work. Just didn't think you could look at his freshman body of work and call him a "freshman success."

I just had a much lower bar - if you don't redshirt that is a big accomplishment for a freshman, for Dalton, Luke, Eric, and Will all redshirted. Of course, need plays a role as much as readiness to play in the redshirt decision.
Don't envy coaches' redshirt decisions this year. The payoff for redshirting is their senior year. But we don't know impact of the transfer portal on redshirting decisions.

Hmm, 15 ready players = 3 platoons? LOL

[boatcapt]

Elijah is an unselfish, intelligent player. He deferred the scoring to Patrick, Dalton, etc. IMHO It is a huge step up for a big to play as a true freshman compared to a guard, and on occasion it showed. Foul trouble affected his minutes.

His youth showed against the grown men who were juniors and seniors. He had an outstanding offensive rebounding % at over 10%, just behind Marlon Moore Jr. and very good block % of 2.5%. Shooting is a work in progress. Malik went from 29% at Seton Hill to over 40% threes his first year at wlu by correcting his mechanics so dramatic improvement is possible.

I think you will be surprised by his growth in skills and strength this year. We saw a few glimpses last year.
Hopefully Marlon mentors him on his outstanding defensive techniques.

I agree. He showed flashes and has the potential to be a good (very good?) WLU player if he puts in the off season work. Just didn't think you could look at his freshman body of work and call him a "freshman success."

[Columbuseer]

I left Watson out as a freshman success because he seemed to be with the first platoon primarily to take the opening jump ball. 11 games he scored 2 or fewer points and only once did he score in double digits (10 points). For an 11 game stretch mid season his minutes went up into double digits but his stat line didn't improve.

That said, he did show some potential as a rebounder and shot blocker. It's been said that the biggest improvement for a college player comes between their freshman and sophmore season. Watson needs to hit the weights and put on about 15 pounds, shoot a ton of free throws and improve his FT shooting percentage by at least .150 and improve his inside shooting to at least .550.

What I thought of the most when I watched Watson play was "out of control." Probably attribute that to youthful enthusiasm and it will mellow with age. I hope so because he has the tools to be very impactful inside and can run the court with the best of them. Don't think he will ever be a 3 point shooter and that will probably limit his minutes at WLU.

With some obvious differences, I kind of see Watson's potential career arc being like Meininger. His first on-court season you saw a player that was trying to figure it out and were he fit into WLU. His stat line wasn't terribly impressive but you saw some flashes of what he could become. He hit the off season practice court HARD and every season, you say an across the board improvement. Watson has the ability to follow a similar arc if he puts in the off season work.

Elijah is an unselfish, intelligent player. He deferred the scoring to Patrick, Dalton, etc. IMHO It is a huge step up for a big to play as a true freshman compared to a guard, and on occasion it showed. Foul trouble affected his minutes.

His youth showed against the grown men who were juniors and seniors. He had an outstanding offensive rebounding % at over 10%, just behind Marlon Moore Jr. and very good block % of 2.5%. Shooting is a work in progress. Malik went from 29% at Seton Hill to over 40% threes his first year at wlu by correcting his mechanics so dramatic improvement is possible.

I think you will be surprised by his growth in skills and strength this year. We saw a few glimpses last year.
Hopefully Marlon mentors him on his outstanding defensive techniques.

[boatcapt]

Good points. And Elijah Watson was alpha platoon as a true freshman. When I look at this roster, everyone seems capable of contributing on day 1. Redshirts may occur, but the primary reason may be insuffient minutes for everyone, more than adjusting to level of competition.

I left Watson out as a freshman success because he seemed to be with the first platoon primarily to take the opening jump ball. 11 games he scored 2 or fewer points and only once did he score in double digits (10 points). For an 11 game stretch mid season his minutes went up into double digits but his stat line didn't improve.

That said, he did show some potential as a rebounder and shot blocker. It's been said that the biggest improvement for a college player comes between their freshman and sophmore season. Watson needs to hit the weights and put on about 15 pounds, shoot a ton of free throws and improve his FT shooting percentage by at least .150 and improve his inside shooting to at least .550.

What I thought of the most when I watched Watson play was "out of control." Probably attribute that to youthful enthusiasm and it will mellow with age. I hope so because he has the tools to be very impactful inside and can run the court with the best of them. Don't think he will ever be a 3 point shooter and that will probably limit his minutes at WLU.

With some obvious differences, I kind of see Watson's potential career arc being like Meininger. His first on-court season you saw a player that was trying to figure it out and were he fit into WLU. His stat line wasn't terribly impressive but you saw some flashes of what he could become. He hit the off season practice court HARD and every season, you say an across the board improvement. Watson has the ability to follow a similar arc if he puts in the off season work.

[Columbuseer]

One of the things that I find unique about WLU is how quickly and effectively they are at getting new players up to speed and playing at a very high level. Seems like every year we have a true freshman and/or transfer that comes in and contributes almost immediately. Last season Rasile came in as a TF and got quality, productive minutes. Year before TF Butler and transfer Mckinney come in and contributed serious minutes. And before them Yoakum, Watson, Monterosso, Griffin, Guillozet, Dennis and Justice, etc. produced their first year on the ARSC court. Unlike many/most DII schools, if you can produce as a TF/transfer, you are going to play.

Interesting to see which members of this incoming class, both Freshmen and transfers, produce immediately.

Good points. And Elijah Watson was alpha platoon as a true freshman. When I look at this roster, everyone seems capable of contributing on day 1. Redshirts may occur, but the primary reason may be insuffient minutes for everyone, more than adjusting to level of competition.

[boatcapt]

One of the things that I find unique about WLU is how quickly and effectively they are at getting new players up to speed and playing at a very high level. Seems like every year we have a true freshman and/or transfer that comes in and contributes almost immediately. Last season Rasile came in as a TF and got quality, productive minutes. Year before TF Butler and transfer Mckinney come in and contributed serious minutes. And before them Yoakum, Watson, Monterosso, Griffin, Guillozet, Dennis and Justice, etc. produced their first year on the ARSC court. Unlike many/most DII schools, if you can produce as a TF/transfer, you are going to play.

Interesting to see which members of this incoming class, both Freshmen and transfers, produce immediately.

[Columbuseer]

FYI
from hilltoppersports.com on new players with comments from Coach Howlett.


West Liberty University head men's basketball coach Ben Howlett has reloaded his 2021-22 roster with an impressive mix of high school talent and collegiate transfers as the Black and Gold set their sights on another deep post-season run.
Fresh off its sixth Atlantic Region title and NCAA Division II Elite Eight berth in the past decade, the Hilltoppers' current streak of 12 consecutive NCAA Division II Tournament bids is the longest in the nation and Howlett can't wait to see his six newcomers join the party.
"With three impressive freshmen and three more guys transferring in from other schools, this is a really deep and talented group," Howlett said. "There's always a transition period as guys adjust to playing our brand of basketball but when we get them up to speed and add them to the players we have coming back, we should be able to put a pretty talented team on the floor this season."
The Hilltopper transfers are
Quincy (Ill.) transfer Viktor Kovacevic, a 6-8 wing from Belgrade, Serbia;

Walsh (Ohio) transfer Christian Montague, a 6-1 point guard from Dayton, Ohio

and Charleston transfer Garrett Denbow, a 6-5 guard from Ashland, Ohio.

All three are taking advantage of the NCAA's 2020-21 COVID eligibility waiver. Kovacevic will be playing his final year of college ball while Montague and Denbow have three years left to play.

Joining the Black and Gold from the high school ranks are
Aiden Satterfield, a 6-7 wing from Charleston, W.Va. and Charleston Catholic High School;

Dante Spadafora, a 6-0 point guard from Coraopolis, Pa. and Our Lady of Sacred Heart High School;

and Austin Webb, a 6-3 shooting guard from South Point, Ohio and South Point High School.

Following are brief capsules on each of the WLU additions along with insights from Coach Howlett:
VIKTOR KOVACEVIC was a two-year starter at Quincy after an impressive two seasons at Manhattan (N.Y.) CC. Kovacevic averaged 15.3 ppg. and 5.7 rpg. last season while shooting 56 percent from the floor and 49 percent from the 3-point arc. He poured in a career-high 34 points in an overtime loss at eventual regional champion and NCAA Division II Elite Eight qualifier Truman State (Mo.).
Howlett says: "Viktor has the ability to play on the perimeter and in the paint plus he has a great understanding of the game. He's an excellent passer who can also put the ball on the floor and get to the rim, all of which makes him a great fit for our system."
CHRISTIAN MONTAGUE was a two-year starter who earned All-G-MAC honors on the point for the Cavaliers. He scored more than 600 points with 83 3-pointers at Walsh while ranking among the G-MAC's Top 10 in assists and steals per game. Montague averaged 12.9 ppg. over his last two years and had four games with 20 or more points during the abbreviated 2020-21 campaign.
Howlett says: "As an All-Conference player in the G-MAC, Christian has been successful at our level. He's a calm, mature point guard who can score but also get others involved. In addition, he is an elite defender who will be a force in our pressure defense. Extremely happy to bring Christian on board."
GARRETT DENBOW battled through injuries for much of his time at Charleston but showed plenty of promise as a true freshman when he shot 44 percent from the 3-point line with multiple double-figure scoring games, highlighted by a career-high 13 points in a win against Wheeling.
Howlett says: "We recruited Garrett out of high school. He's a high-level perimeter shooter but he has the length and skills to put the ball on the floor and score inside. He has college experience and has played in big games. We can't wait to get a chance to work with Garrett."
AIDEN SATTERFIELD was a two-time All-Stater and 1,000-point scorer who averaged 21.4 points and 8.3 rebounds a night as a senior, setting school single-game records with 46 points and 10 3-point field goals. He led the Irish to the semifinals of the West Virginia Class AA state tournament and was MVP and Slam Dunk champion at the West Virginia North-South All-Star Game.
Howlett says: "We have been recruiting Aiden for several years so we're thrilled to have him on the hilltop. He's an extremely versatile player who competes at a high level on both ends of the floor. Aiden has a very high ceiling and we think he could be a standout player in our system."
DANTE SPADAFORA was an electrifying four-time All-State point guard who helped lead Our Lady of Sacred Heart High School to an unbeaten WPIAL and Pennsylvania state championship season as a senior. A 1,700-point career scorer, Spadafora averaged nearly 20 points a game while stuffing the stat sheets with 5.7 assists, 4.8 rebounds and 4.7 steals a night.
Howlett says: "Dante is a winner who comes to us off a spectacular high school career. He has a great ability to play in the open court and get others involved in the offense plus he's an ULTRA competitor. We're really looking forward to seeing him on the floor with our guys."
AUSTIN WEBB was a two-time All-Ohio Division III All-District and All-Conference shooting guard who battled through injuries during his senior year at South Point (Ohio). A 1,000-point scorer who led the Ohio Valley Conference in scoring (21.1 ppg.) as a junior, he also led the team in rebounding with 7.5 boards per game.

[Columbuseer]

At first glance, it would appear that Cmont has some big shoes to fill at the pg position, if one just looks at the stats below. However, the difference in the style between Walsh and WLU plays a huge role. From looking at his games, I think Cmont could thrive at wlu, with greatly improved stats as a result. It illustrates how stat comparisons can be misleading.

stat	ranking	value	ranking	value
	luke	luke	cmont	cmont
steals per game	19	2.22	216	1.31
assist turnover ratio	4	3.39	150	1.41
assists per gane	82	4.1	195	3
effective fg %		53.20%		49.20%
true shot %		52.50%		52.30%
block %		0.72%		0.20%
offensive rebounding %		3.36%		1.20%