West Liberty Hilltopper Basketball

[Columbuseer]

Your WL boy Yahel Hill signed a National LOI with Cleveland State.

I wish him well. Avg 19 min, 7 pts, only 31% from three and 36% fg assist to turnover under 2.0. Only started 4 games out of 16.
big declines in stats going to community college.
he had a bright future at wl. Hope he has a successful academic career and is happy at Cleveland state.

funny how things work out. Got a better offensive player in Robinson iii. Both he and Malik are much better defensively. They have much stronger bodies.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Your WL boy Yahel Hill signed a National LOI with Cleveland State.

[Columbuseer]

WV State Novelette VersionAreas for Improvement

• WL has at least 4 gifted scorers, which sometimes leads to them taking matters into their own hands. They need to continue to trust the WL system and let the open shots develop for them. Hopefully, this game showed them that this style provides room at the scoring table for everyone. Even though they can make difficult shots, they need to remember that that they are even more gifted at hitting the open shot.
• Alessandro and Hazelbaker have some great learning moments in watching the replay of this game. A lot of stuff is easily corrected and is often due to inexperience.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Sunahara didn't play in Nova's loss. Not sure if he's injured or what.

[Columbuseer]

Oh absolutely. I don't expect Cedarville to be able to beat (or perhaps even hang with) Nova. However, I am suggesting they're not quite the patsy Trevecca was. In other words, my read on Crutch's scheduling philosophy is that he most often schedules a few OOC patsies to open the season and puts more respectable and/or challenging games during the Christmas break. I don't think you would disagree that Cedarville & Dominican are more respected opponents than Trevecca or Staten Island. Granted, he's not scheduling NW Missouri or anything like that, but I wouldn't qualify Cedarville as a patsy. It's a storied and respected program that typically puts a reasonably good product on the court.

I agree. Definitely not a patsy. They play Findlay and do ok. The relentless style of nova has the potential to slice and dice very solid teams.

[Scrub]

Watched cedarville last couple of years but not this year. I will be very surprised if they can challenge nova. In fact it could get very ugly if they get tired.

Oh absolutely. I don't expect Cedarville to be able to beat (or perhaps even hang with) Nova. However, I am suggesting they're not quite the patsy Trevecca was. In other words, my read on Crutch's scheduling philosophy is that he most often schedules a few OOC patsies to open the season and puts more respectable and/or challenging games during the Christmas break. I don't think you would disagree that Cedarville & Dominican are more respected opponents than Trevecca or Staten Island. Granted, he's not scheduling NW Missouri or anything like that, but I wouldn't qualify Cedarville as a patsy. It's a storied and respected program that typically puts a reasonably good product on the court.

[Columbuseer]

But as I mentioned above, it appears as though Crutch's tougher OOC games are coming during the Christmas break. He has Cedarville (a typically solid program that puts a good product on the floor year after year) and top-25 Dominican coming up. I'm not suggesting that he'll lose those games, but it does seem as though he tends to pick one or two tougher OOC games and bury them during the Christmas break OOC period. He did that with some regularity when at WLU, playing the likes of Bellarmine, Lynn, Northern Kentucky, St. Leo, etc. during Christmas break. I expect his next two games to be a bit tougher than he had it when he faced Staten Island or Trevecca. In fact, like Nova, Cedarville also buried Trevecca. So, it stands to reason that Cedarville could be a bit tougher opponent.

Watched cedarville last couple of years but not this year. I will be very surprised if they can challenge nova. In fact it could get very ugly if they get tired.

[Scrub]

Here's a comparison of Saint Crutch's early-season conference and non-conference slate at Nova Southeastern this year. Make of it what you will...

Non-Conference Games (Record 4-0)
Avg. Points Scored: 135
Avg. Points Allowed: 81

Sunshine Conference Games (Record 2-1)
Avg. Points Scored: 86
Avg. Points Allowed: 80

But as I mentioned above, it appears as though Crutch's tougher OOC games are coming during the Christmas break. He has Cedarville (a typically solid program that puts a good product on the floor year after year) and top-25 Dominican coming up. I'm not suggesting that he'll lose those games, but it does seem as though he tends to pick one or two tougher OOC games and bury them during the Christmas break OOC period. He did that with some regularity when at WLU, playing the likes of Bellarmine, Lynn, Northern Kentucky, St. Leo, etc. during Christmas break. I expect his next two games to be a bit tougher than he had it when he faced Staten Island or Trevecca. In fact, like Nova, Cedarville also buried Trevecca. So, it stands to reason that Cedarville could be a bit tougher opponent.

[timbertopper]

Here's a comparison of Saint Crutch's early-season conference and non-conference slate at Nova Southeastern this year. Make of it what you will...

Non-Conference Games (Record 4-0)
Avg. Points Scored: 135
Avg. Points Allowed: 81

Sunshine Conference Games (Record 2-1)
Avg. Points Scored: 86
Avg. Points Allowed: 80

[Columbuseer]

I would counter that WLUs style depends on close coordination among all players from 1 through 10. It's not something that is developed through pre season practice alone In past seasons, WLU has used their early OOC games as almost an extended preseason. Were they would build team chemistry and identify lineups that maximized the effectiveness of the team. Under the new scheme, WLU seems to be intent on scheduling tough OOC games early which limits their ability to use the early season as they did in the past. This seems to have a domino effect with the team a little less prepared for each game.

I wonder if Martinsburg et.al. would play those tough out of state games if losing them had the potential of keeping them out of the State Playoffs?

LOL. Given that a losing record can probably get u into the AAA playoffs, I agree that Martinsburg had little to worry about in terms of playoffs. That Preston versus Martinsburg was shocking. 84-0 at the half!

WCC was a #10 seed and had to play away games in playoffs.
PA had to play several away games in playoffs due to seeding.

Of course I cannot read their minds. All I know is what I have heard coaches say when interviewed. They felt it helped them when (if) they were in tight games in playoffs. I know that WL gets few takers when proposing OOC games with good teams, or even D1 teams that are relatively close. I think you just have a different perspective on OOC than the WL coaches, which is OK of course.

[Scrub]

I would counter that WLUs style depends on close coordination among all players from 1 through 10. It's not something that is developed through pre season practice alone In past seasons, WLU has used their early OOC games as almost an extended preseason. Were they would build team chemistry and identify lineups that maximized the effectiveness of the team. Under the new scheme, WLU seems to be intent on scheduling tough OOC games early which limits their ability to use the early season as they did in the past. This seems to have a domino effect with the team a little less prepared for each game.

I wonder if Martinsburg et.al. would play those tough out of state games if losing them had the potential of keeping them out of the State Playoffs?

Why, then, would Crutch have scheduled a rough Findlay team for the third game of the season when he had arguably his best team yet in 11-12? Boat, the narrative you're building makes plenty of sense in the abstract. And there was likely a time early in his tenure that Crutch thought that way. But it's not how Crutch was doing things in the era of his absolute best teams once his system was already a well-oiled machine (i.e., the Alex Falk era). I'm just not sure your narrative--as much sense as it may make--is entirely borne out by the facts of Crutch's tenure here.

It does seem as though Crutch tended to save his tough OOC games for Christmas break more often than not (11-12 notwithstanding when he opened with ESU, Ship, & Findlay in a row). But even his Christmas break OOC schedules still risked 1-2 losses before the calendar turned and before the guys had gelled in the system.

[boatcapt]

I can see your point from a purely pragmatic point of view.
However Some coaches do not share your view. On the contrary they think it is an advantage.
WL coach past and present. Their problem is finding takers.
wheeling central catholic football coach
Martinsburg Football coach - Travel out of state to play top teams even though they had a 50 game winning streak
legendary Pulaski academy football coach Kevin Kelley - as #4 seed they won Arkansas 5a state title 63-21 over unbeaten #1 seed (PA is the team that never punts). They travel out of state to play very tough teams.

I would counter that WLUs style depends on close coordination among all players from 1 through 10. It's not something that is developed through pre season practice alone In past seasons, WLU has used their early OOC games as almost an extended preseason. Were they would build team chemistry and identify lineups that maximized the effectiveness of the team. Under the new scheme, WLU seems to be intent on scheduling tough OOC games early which limits their ability to use the early season as they did in the past. This seems to have a domino effect with the team a little less prepared for each game.

I wonder if Martinsburg et.al. would play those tough out of state games if losing them had the potential of keeping them out of the State Playoffs?

[Columbuseer]

I would encourage fans to remember that it is the level of play in March that really counts.
There are going to be bumps in the road this year on the way to March. Also, some MEC teams have their best team in years, which appear to have been built to challenge the West Lib style..

Can you image the challenge of having 6 new players who, although very talented, have to unlearn all the bad habits of years of AAU ball? For example, pressing teams rely on every person thnking as one, or the press is easily broken. Moving without the ball on offense and rapid passing rather than dribble drive is a new concept for many.
It will take time.

Players need to continue to improve their skills in all phases and give up good shots for great shots for a teammate.

[Columbuseer]

I disagree. Had we not played Damien, we would have been higher rated when we lost to WVW...probably top 3. That loss would have cost us perhaps 5 places. Loss to UC would probably cost us 10 positions from there which would have resulted in still being in the top 25.

My biggest issue is the number of losses which is being driven by an eronious belief that playing a tough schedule early in a five month season will somehow make the team stronger come playoff time. My belief, and it seems to be born out almost every year, is that the MEC schedule is plenty tough to prepare the Toppers for tourney time so there is no need to seek out tough OOC teams and run the risk of early losses that do nothing but give us lower tourney seeding.

I can see your point from a purely pragmatic point of view.
However Some coaches do not share your view. On the contrary they think it is an advantage.
WL coach past and present. Their problem is finding takers.
wheeling central catholic football coach
Martinsburg Football coach - Travel out of state to play top teams even though they had a 50 game winning streak
legendary Pulaski academy football coach Kevin Kelley - as #4 seed they won Arkansas 5a state title 63-21 over unbeaten #1 seed (PA is the team that never punts). They travel out of state to play very tough teams.

[boatcapt]

i agree with you.One could argue that playing Daemen kept us in the top 25 with two losses, Had we been 6-2 with losses to wcwc and uc I don't believe we would have stayed in top 25.I did not see the game, so my comments are based on watching the earlier games.

We are vulnerable in the post against big men, especially when WLU is also having an off-shooting night. We also have to reduce the reach-in fouls and improve situational awareness on the part of some players. If our big defenders (Will or Marlon) get in foul trouble, we are vulnerable.because our backup big defenders need more experience to be ready to play against top flight big men.
Every team has vulnerabilities and strengths. Ours is playing bigs with good shooting guards when we are having an off-shooting night or getting in foul trouble at key positions.

I disagree. Had we not played Damien, we would have been higher rated when we lost to WVW...probably top 3. That loss would have cost us perhaps 5 places. Loss to UC would probably cost us 10 positions from there which would have resulted in still being in the top 25.

My biggest issue is the number of losses which is being driven by an eronious belief that playing a tough schedule early in a five month season will somehow make the team stronger come playoff time. My belief, and it seems to be born out almost every year, is that the MEC schedule is plenty tough to prepare the Toppers for tourney time so there is no need to seek out tough OOC teams and run the risk of early losses that do nothing but give us lower tourney seeding.