West Liberty Hilltopper Basketball

[Columbuseer]

https://www.silverwavesmedia.com/new...e/show/1107786

Mike Lamberti- receives thirty under thirty honor award from NABC

The NABC founded the 30-Under-30 Awards to honor 30 of the most outstanding men's college basketball coaches in the game today who have yet to celebrate their 30th birthday.

https://mountaineast.org/news/2019/4...-30-honor.aspx

Dr. Aaron Huffman -

West Liberty's Dr. Aaron Huffman tabbed as one of the Top 50 Impactful Assistant Coaches in NCAA D2 hoops!
https://www.silverwavesmedia.com/new...e/show/1112178

[IUPbigINDIANS]

https://www.silverwavesmedia.com/new...e/show/1107786

Mike Lamberti- receives thirty under thirty honor award from NABC

The NABC founded the 30-Under-30 Awards to honor 30 of the most outstanding men's college basketball coaches in the game today who have yet to celebrate their 30th birthday.

https://mountaineast.org/news/2019/4...-30-honor.aspx

Dr. Aaron Huffman -

West Liberty's Dr. Aaron Huffman tabbed as one of the Top 50 Impactful Assistant Coaches in NCAA D2 hoops!
https://www.silverwavesmedia.com/new...e/show/1112178

Better not get Ben too much publicity. At his age ... he'd be prime to come pluck out of there.

[boatcapt]

Better not get Ben too much publicity. At his age ... he'd be prime to come pluck out of there.

I imagine a D1 offer could be made that would entice him but it would be difficult. Not because of the $'s...probably most D1 schools would be able to do that! But from the freedom to recruit players that fit into his system. Most D1's that are half way decent (and most of those that AREN'T halfway decent) come with a MUCH bigger alumni base that is vocal to school administration about their expectations when it comes to recruits. In short, the recruits need STARS after their names!! If Ben brings in a typical WLU class were no recruits have any stars, the alumni will SCREAM bloody murder and threaten all types of reprocussions (starting with cutting off their donation to the school)! Only way been would have to survive would be to win big his first season! Not talking going a game or two above 500, i'm talking conference championship winning! If he isn't able to do that, he would run a very real risk of being a "one year experiment."

Kind of the same thing at another DII but a little different. Probably not going to get a salary offer that just wow's him. But is he going to have the freedom to recruit his type of players? MAYBE at a truly bad one but would Ben really want to go to a bad program when he is sitting at one of the best in the nation even if that comes with a modest bump in pay? I see his situation much like Kellers at Cal. He was in a good spot and putting together winning football teams. He left for more dollars at LR which was a winner (although not enough of a winner according to the alumni). Kellar came in and changed the offense, DRASTICALLY, and predictably, lost his first year. The alumni howled and demanded a change BACK. Kellar refused. Second season, they lost again but by all accounts at the time, they played well and were starting to show what the new LR offense could become. Two years of constant alumni bashing was all the President of LR could stomach and Kellar was fired.

More likely that Lamberti receives a DII HC call and takes it. THAT could happen relatively quickly (two years??).

[IUPbigINDIANS]

I imagine a D1 offer could be made that would entice him but it would be difficult. Not because of the $'s...probably most D1 schools would be able to do that! But from the freedom to recruit players that fit into his system. Most D1's that are half way decent (and most of those that AREN'T halfway decent) come with a MUCH bigger alumni base that is vocal to school administration about their expectations when it comes to recruits. In short, the recruits need STARS after their names!! If Ben brings in a typical WLU class were no recruits have any stars, the alumni will SCREAM bloody murder and threaten all types of reprocussions (starting with cutting off their donation to the school)! Only way been would have to survive would be to win big his first season! Not talking going a game or two above 500, i'm talking conference championship winning! If he isn't able to do that, he would run a very real risk of being a "one year experiment."

Kind of the same thing at another DII but a little different. Probably not going to get a salary offer that just wow's him. But is he going to have the freedom to recruit his type of players? MAYBE at a truly bad one but would Ben really want to go to a bad program when he is sitting at one of the best in the nation even if that comes with a modest bump in pay? I see his situation much like Kellers at Cal. He was in a good spot and putting together winning football teams. He left for more dollars at LR which was a winner (although not enough of a winner according to the alumni). Kellar came in and changed the offense, DRASTICALLY, and predictably, lost his first year. The alumni howled and demanded a change BACK. Kellar refused. Second season, they lost again but by all accounts at the time, they played well and were starting to show what the new LR offense could become. Two years of constant alumni bashing was all the President of LR could stomach and Kellar was fired.

More likely that Lamberti receives a DII HC call and takes it. THAT could happen relatively quickly (two years??).

Lamberti is a matter of time. Ben is obviously going to get interest. He's in a good spot. The D1 money is awfully alluring. And, who is to say that system couldn't work? I agree it would have its challenges. He doesn't seem to like to recruit post players much which would get him killed at the upper levels.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Don't get me wrong ... not pushing it. But, at his age and track record ... he could have a lot of zero's in his future salaries.

Who knows. Perhaps the outside world (D1) doesn't think that may not work up there. But, if I was betting, somebody is going to come calling.

Marshall (my post-grad alma mater) would be a perfect candidate here in a year or two. D'Antoni is 73.

[boatcapt]

Lamberti is a matter of time. Ben is obviously going to get interest. He's in a good spot. The D1 money is awfully alluring. And, who is to say that system couldn't work? I agree it would have its challenges. He doesn't seem to like to recruit post players much which would get him killed at the upper levels.

Don't get me wrong ... not pushing it. But, at his age and track record ... he could have a lot of zero's in his future salaries.

Who knows. Perhaps the outside world (D1) doesn't think that may not work up there. But, if I was betting, somebody is going to come calling.

Marshall (my post-grad alma mater) would be a perfect candidate here in a year or two. D'Antoni is 73.

Yea...Zero's can turn a no to yes pretty quickly! As can physical location (ref Crutchfeld). And if he does leave at some point for a D1 job, I'd be the first one to say well done and good luck.

As for the WLU system working at a D1, I'm torn. I think it could work at any level but you have to be permitted to recruit the right kind of players. I'll be the first to admit that the field of available WLU'style players "thins out" at the D1 level (HS players don't get those stars after their name by playing unselfishly!!), but they are out there. Probably looking at the "end of the bench" type players who are brought in to a P5 to plump up the teams GPA...coaches son type who was the #3 or 4 option behind Mister 5-star HS recruit at a 6A school. Hard to find, but I think they are there at the D1 level.

Big man. Read an interview with Ben about a year ago and he was asked about WLU's lack of bigs. He said that he didn't dislike bigs at all, but as with any player on WLU, he has to be able to play the WLU style. That is a hard thing to find coming out of HS as almost all are grabbed up by D1's OR come out of Europe. I think Ben would have better access to such bigs at a D1 so, he'd probably bring them in...provided they could play his style!!

I think there is an elitist sort of thing about calling it the WLU'style and applying it to a D1. D1's, alumni, coaches and AD's, are very full of themselves and would not like the idea of even implying that a lowly DII style would ever work "up there." I have started hearing D1's refer to their style as "positionless basketball" which is the basis for WLU's style. They are more likely to come up with some other name and a D1 or pro coach who developed it than stoop so low as to call it the WLU Style.

Ben to Marshal? Hope not but it could happen...with enough zeros!!! Lamberti is just a matter of time. Think it will come down to a DII HC gig or a D1 Assistant. Probably a two year time frame until that happens.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Yea...Zero's can turn a no to yes pretty quickly! As can physical location (ref Crutchfeld). And if he does leave at some point for a D1 job, I'd be the first one to say well done and good luck.

As for the WLU system working at a D1, I'm torn. I think it could work at any level but you have to be permitted to recruit the right kind of players. I'll be the first to admit that the field of available WLU'style players "thins out" at the D1 level (HS players don't get those stars after their name by playing unselfishly!!), but they are out. Probably looking at the "end of the bench" type players who are brought in to a P5 to plump up the teams GPA...coaches son type who was the #3 or 4 option behind Mister 5-star HS recruit at a 6A school. Hard to find, but I think they are there at the D1 level.

Big man. Read an interview with Ben about a year ago and he was asked about WLU's lack of bigs. He said that he didn't dislike bigs at all, but as with any player on WLU, he has to be able to play the WLU style. That is a hard thing to find coming out of HS as almost all are grabbed up by D1's OR come out of Europe. I think Ben would have better access to such bigs at a D1 so, he'd probably bring them in...provided they could play his style!!

Ben to Marshal? Hope not but it could happen...with enough zeros!!!

The trick would be convincing a star (like Dalton Bolon) to play 23 mpg. That's not easy at the D1 level.

It would be fun to watch.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

But ... what if you avoid 'stars' and hand-pick 3-star types. Interesting concept.

Run a team of 12-13 'almost P5' types who buy in. Interesting.

I know in theory we are 'rivals' (who never actually play) but I do enjoy watching the chaos of a WL game.

[boatcapt]

But ... what if you avoid 'stars' and hand-pick 3-star types. Interesting concept.

Run a team of 12-13 'almost P5' types who buy in. Interesting.

I know in theory we are 'rivals' (who never actually play) but I do enjoy watching the chaos of a WL game.

It could work but I think you run a foul of the alumni. Even a poor D1 has a group of alumni that make even the most rabid DII fan seem tame!!!!!!! I think Ben would have a VERY short leash. Of course, the WLU style does seem to be capable of turning a program quickly (Both times under Crutch...WLU and Nova). So who knows. Secret would be getting enough of his type players, sprinkled with a couple of the holdover's that give 100% buy in the first year to give him a chance of reaching 20 wins. If he improves the team but doesn't get to the 18-20 win mark, the alumni will eat him alive for "bring in a bunch of walk-ons and ball boys."

[Columbuseer]

But ... what if you avoid 'stars' and hand-pick 3-star types. Interesting concept.

Run a team of 12-13 'almost P5' types who buy in. Interesting.

I know in theory we are 'rivals' (who never actually play) but I do enjoy watching the chaos of a WL game.

I always thought a deadly combination at D1 for playing WLU ball would be John Belein coaching offense with his back door cuts and three point shooters and sharing the ball, and Bob Huggins coaching defense with Press Virginia. WVU used to destroy the other team's continuity with Press Virginia, just like WLU.

Both coaches recruited unselfish overachievers who were not superstars (although recently Huggs has been landing some top 100 recruits, but they have to want to play smart and hard, which eliminate many top 100 players)..

Interesting hearsay: I was talking to a person in high school athletics, who told me that Huggs brought the entire WLU team down to Morgantown for several days to observe the style. It might have been at one of the camps, but not sure. The source believed that WLU played a unsung role in the development of Press Virginia. From the source's references, i guess the time frame was sometime between 2009 and 2013. Has anyone heard this before?

I know, it is a slow day.

[boatcapt]

I always thought a deadly combination at D1 for playing WLU ball would be John Belein coaching offense with his back door cuts and three point shooters and sharing the ball, and Bob Huggins coaching defense with Press Virginia. WVU used to destroy the other team's continuity with Press Virginia, just like WLU.

Both coaches recruited unselfish overachievers who were not superstars (although recently Huggs has been landing some top 100 recruits, but they have to want to play smart and hard, which eliminate many top 100 players)..

Interesting hearsay: I was talking to a person in high school athletics, who told me that Huggs brought the entire WLU team down to Morgantown for several days to observe the style. It might have been at one of the camps, but not sure. The source believed that WLU played a unsung role in the development of Press Virginia. From the source's references, i guess the time frame was sometime between 2009 and 2013. Has anyone heard this before?

I know, it is a slow day.

Bringing WLU in on the sligh is what I would expect from a D1. Their ego's won't let them admit that they "copied" even part of a lower division offense or defense scheme.

[Columbuseer]

Been watching some of last year's games. Here are some idle thoughts...

1. The last few games Marlon Moore Jr. blossomed into a disruptive, dominating force on defense. His 3 pt shots were well chosen and he was shooting threes at 50%. He also started blocking shots while keeping the ball in play, which led to WLU run-outs. If he reduces turnovers and becomes more judicious in choosing when to foul, he could have a break-out year and could be a major factor in a deep NCAA run. His mobility and skills can be a match up problem for typical big men.

2. Malik Mckinney was much more than a shutdown defender. He shot over 41% from three and made some incredible attacks to the rim for scores. The platoon system allows him to play at full throttle on both defense and offense, which is a sight to behold. In the WV State MEC tournament game, he held Abram, an elite 1-on-1 player (maybe the best in the MEC not at WLU), who was killing us, to just 5 points. IMHO his pressure caused Abram to quit playing team ball. Abram became fixated on beating Malik in a 1-on-1 game (with little success), resulting in very poor shots at critical junctures of the game. Sometimes the ball sticks a little too long in his hands, but this greatly decreased in recent games.

3. Patrick Robinson III hovered around 50% from three, before tailing off to the mid 40% range toward the end of the season. He was a nightmare to guard as he loved to slash to the rim and has an apparently unlimited repertoire of ways to make layups after contact. What a scorer! IMHO, if he plays just a little bit lower in his defensive stance to lower his center of gravity, he has great potential as a defensive player.

4. Will Yoakum greatly improved his presence on the boards, especially offensive rebounding. He is avoiding charges and finishing at the rim. Similar to Patrick, he is also deadly from three at nearly 50%. He showed great timing on blocking shots at the rim on breakaways. He could benefit from choosing his fouls carefully, especially in the backcourt.

5 Dalton Bolon developed a strong back to the basket game, and can finish with either hand. Young players could learn a lot about offensive rebounding by studying Dalton. He is a second ahead of everyone in anticipation of the shot and gets in optimal position for a rebound. He has gotten much stronger. His game is very complete and his effort is amazing, which is why he is an All-American. He could benefit from improving his assist to turnover ratio.

6. Luke Dyer shot over 40% from three this year and hit pressure shots. He is a scorer, who chooses not to shoot in order to distribute the ball. He had the second highest assist to turnover ratio in D1 and D2 history at 5.90 (5.96 is the record, and 3.0 is considered outstanding for a PG). During one 5-game stretch, he had 38 assists and only 2 turnovers. His hands are so quick. He excels at stripping the ball, especially from big men who try to post him up. He always seemed to know where the ball is going, before everyone else on defense. He was playing chess, while others were playing checkers. Aspiring point guards could learn much from watching him.

7. Bryce Butler did not play like a freshman, as his game is very mature. Shot selection, passing, rebounding, the whole package. As he got more comfortable with the college game, he started to attack the basket more. He was deadly from three point range, and willingly shares the ball. He could benefit from getting in defensive position for a charge call a little earlier to reduce number of blocking calls and avoid charges on offense.

8. Owen Haselbaker was the rare big man to play at WLU as a freshman. He was willing to bang inside with much older players. He may not know his own strength, for when he fouled someone, they often were shaken up, even though it clearly was not a hard foul (maybe they were just trying to rest) LOL. He has a good three point shot, The ball does not stick in his hands, as he is able to quickly decide the correct passing option. He had the quickest and most aggressive outlet pass after a rebound of anyone on the team - no time-wasting dribble after the rebound for him. He also ran the court well. IMHO, he just needs to work on his foot speed, maybe get a lower center of gravity in his defensive stance and work on his defensive guarding angles, which is not unusual for a freshman. He has a bright future.

[boatcapt]

I know that's not 1-8 assessment, but that is a pretty stout top 8! Most DII's would kill to go into a season with just those as their starting 5 and 3 bench players. But WLU just doesn't play that way! WLU rolls at least 10 deep. So who among the following make a move into the "Second Wave??"

Quine Hiles - Played ok as a true freshman in limited minutes. Fits the mold of a WLU player but needs to step up his shooting % and defense.
Evan Conley - Redshirted last season. RAIL thin at 6' 155 but typical WLU recruit. Back-up for Dyer? Hope he took advantage of the quarantine to EAT and workout! Needs to pack on 20 pounds!!
Zach Rasile - TF
Luke Powell - TF
Elijah Watson - TF
Ben Sarson - TF

Only thing really stopping WLU from having a "Third Wave" is numbers!! That and only 48 minutes in a game. But imagine the havoc WLU could cause by throwing an entire third wave at a team who is just ready to black out for three minutes of defensive he11...Take WLU's pressure D, pump it up to 100 and rip their jugulars out!!

[Columbuseer]

I know that's not 1-8 assessment, but that is a pretty stout top 8! Most DII's would kill to go into a season with just those as their starting 5 and 3 bench players. But WLU just doesn't play that way! WLU rolls at least 10 deep. So who among the following make a move into the "Second Wave??"

Quine Hiles - Played ok as a true freshman in limited minutes. Fits the mold of a WLU player but needs to step up his shooting % and defense.
Evan Conley - Redshirted last season. RAIL thin at 6' 155 but typical WLU recruit. Back-up for Dyer? Hope he took advantage of the quarantine to EAT and workout! Needs to pack on 20 pounds!!
Zach Rasile - TF
Luke Powell - TF
Elijah Watson - TF
Ben Sarson - TF

Only thing really stopping WLU from having a "Third Wave" is numbers!! That and only 48 minutes in a game. But imagine the havoc WLU could cause by throwing an entire third wave at a team who is just ready to black out for three minutes of defensive he11...Take WLU's pressure D, pump it up to 100 and rip their jugulars out!!

Good points to consider.
Sometimes last year, I thought that after getting a big lead in the first half, the players reverted to playground ball and too much one on one play in the second half. A third wave waiting to replace them would serve as a good attitude adjustment tactic.

I think Quinn made substantial improvement, compared with the beginning of the season. It took time for him to adjust to the speed of the game. His three-point shot is deadly.

I am looking forward to seeing Evan play. I saw him play in high school. Great scorer, but unselfish. Did not turn the ball much and seemed to often make the right decision with the ball.
Good 3 point shooter and high motor (probably a redundant statement for a player at wlu - LOL)

Pure speculation: Of the true freshmen, my guess is Zach Rasile will get minutes.Coach's son, played in a similar system, great understanding of the game, 40 feet in is within his range.
Kind of like Bryce Butler in that he has an understanding of the game beyond his years. Watched him once in person in high school.

I also would not be surprised to see Elijah Watson get minutes. He has surprising good handles for a big man, strong rebounder/shot blocker and can shoot the three as well as slash to the rim, based on his highlights. Also played in Chicago's toughest league last year. In no way am I counting out Sarson and Powell, as their future is bright. I just see Rasile and Watson as slightly better fits for getting some of the minutes consumed by Boswell and Alessandro, respectively last year.

If I were a guard, I would be picking Luke Dyer's brain every practice and watching tapes of his play.. He will be a big loss. I wonder who will step up to take his role of distributor and great defender?

[Columbuseer]