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  • OT
    who wins the finals?
    I am partial to nwmsu because they have a great coach, are unselfish , avoid d1 1v1 hero ball and play great defense. 2nd favorite team after wlu.

    I wonder what their strategy will be?
    - zone against crawford?
    - run them to tire him?
    - if nwmsu shoots well from three and shuts down #13 and their guard, they can let crawford get his two pointers.

    Comment


    • Originally posted by Columbuseer View Post
      OT
      who wins the finals?
      I am partial to nwmsu because they have a great coach, are unselfish , avoid d1 1v1 hero ball and play great defense. 2nd favorite team after wlu.

      I wonder what their strategy will be?
      - zone against crawford?
      - run them to tire him?
      - if nwmsu shoots well from three and shuts down #13 and their guard, they can let crawford get his two pointers.
      IUP just shot bad.

      Whoever doesn't shoot bad will win Saturday.

      Comment


      • Originally posted by IUPbigINDIANS View Post

        IUP just shot bad.

        Whoever doesn't shoot bad will win Saturday.
        Iup won TO and off reb.
        had they shot 40% from three instead of 21% from three they would have won, despite crawford making 12 for 12 FGs.
        Did not watch the game so i missed seeing the vaunted iup defense in action, so i cannot comment on it.

        Similarly, i think nwmsu has to shoot at least 40% from three to offset Crawford's two point goals and lock down arnold and #13 who is a player

        Comment


        • I listened to nwmsu postgame press conference.
          In the latter part, after the players leave, coach talks about his recruting strategy.
          I sensed many similarities with Coach Howlett's philosophy,
          key points:
          • tough guys who late to lose much preferred over d2 5 star guys
          • Will never recruit moody guys
          https://youtu.be/dk21GjXvVP8

          Comment


          • Hope wlu team is watching nwmsu and note:
            • they are not taking contested shots at the rim even though they could finish difficult shots, regardless of whether crawford is in game
            • No out of control charges
            • no bad shots
            • Constant ball movement
            • Team basketball iq is amazing
            • 1v1 defense without fouling disrupting augusta's flow
            if we could add this level of offensive efficiency with the pressure of wlu, we could improve.

            Comment


            • Originally posted by Columbuseer View Post
              Hope wlu team is watching nwmsu and note:
              • they are not taking contested shots at the rim even though they could finish difficult shots, regardless of whether crawford is in game
              • No out of control charges
              • no bad shots
              • Constant ball movement
              • Team basketball iq is amazing
              • 1v1 defense without fouling disrupting augusta's flow
              if we could add this level of offensive efficiency with the pressure of wlu, we could improve.
              I would think playing them last season and seeing it first hand would be a more convincing way of driving those lessons home, but sure, hope they watched the game and finally "get it."

              Comment


              • DOn't know if it has been posted, but found an interview with Dalton Bollon at:

                https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3yL3uhrHNA0

                Unfortunantly, the volume cuts out halfway through when he's starting to talk about his last season at WLU. But he does talk pretty extensively about his WLU journey and about his eye injury. Couple of key takeaways:

                1. Said he had one D1 express interest (Towson). He hurt his leg playing football, told the D1 coaches...and never heard from them again!
                2. He was a walk-on at WLU (along with Luke Dyer).
                3. During his first season, Ben (at the time an assistant) told him that he would probably never play for WLU.
                4. His eye injury was BAD...As in good chance of going blind bad, as in doctors refusing to do surgery bad.
                5. Even now he has double vision in the eye.
                6. Says that they expected to win the NC in the COVID year...Then the audio cuts out for the remaining TWENTY minutes of the interview!!!!

                Comment


                • Originally posted by boatcapt View Post
                  DOn't know if it has been posted, but found an interview with Dalton Bollon at:

                  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3yL3uhrHNA0

                  Unfortunantly, the volume cuts out halfway through when he's starting to talk about his last season at WLU. But he does talk pretty extensively about his WLU journey and about his eye injury. Couple of key takeaways:

                  1. Said he had one D1 express interest (Towson). He hurt his leg playing football, told the D1 coaches...and never heard from them again!
                  2. He was a walk-on at WLU (along with Luke Dyer).
                  3. During his first season, Ben (at the time an assistant) told him that he would probably never play for WLU.
                  4. His eye injury was BAD...As in good chance of going blind bad, as in doctors refusing to do surgery bad.
                  5. Even now he has double vision in the eye.
                  6. Says that they expected to win the NC in the COVID year...Then the audio cuts out for the remaining TWENTY minutes of the interview!!!!
                  Great stuff.
                  re #3
                  At 2021 mec tourney, I had heard from a parent that Dalton and Luke were both told as freshmen that they probably wouldn't play much. Both redshirted. They both spent huge amounts of extra time to improve. Some people rise to a challenge and are consumed by the drive to excel. Others... enter the portal.

                  Dalton was shooting 1000 to 2000 shots a day in high school. getting to school at 4 am. There are no shortcuts to greatness.
                  Last edited by Columbuseer; 03-27-2022, 09:15 PM.

                  Comment


                  • Originally posted by Columbuseer View Post
                    Great stuff.
                    re #3
                    At 2021 mec tourney, I had heard from a parent that Dalton and Luke were both told as freshmen that they probably wouldn't play much. Both redshirted. They both spent huge amounts of extra time to improve. Some people rise to a challenge and are consumed by the drive to excel. Others... enter the portal.

                    Dalton was shooting 1000 to 2000 shots a day in high school. getting to school at 4 am. There are no shortcuts to greatness.
                    I would sarcastically say that there IS a shortcut to "greatness"...Simply enter the portal and transfer to a program that is much less physically demanding. Your minutes will probably go up as will your stats!

                    Wish the last half of the interview had audio. He was really open and honest to that point. Would probably have provided a rare public glimpes into the program and his decision process on transfering.

                    Comment


                    • Originally posted by boatcapt View Post

                      I would sarcastically say that there IS a shortcut to "greatness"...Simply enter the portal and transfer to a program that is much less physically demanding. Your minutes will probably go up as will your stats!

                      Wish the last half of the interview had audio. He was really open and honest to that point. Would probably have provided a rare public glimpes into the program and his decision process on transfering.
                      I like your sarcastic comment. So many players mistake playing time and stats for greatness. Rather than fix the deficient parts of their game, they transfer to be a big fish in a little pond. Then they wonder why they don't get looks from overseas pro leagues. Wlu success demands gym rats, like Dalton. But I understand that some players have other interests and don't want to devote huge amounts of extra time to the game.

                      Comment


                      • in voting by the College Sports Information Directors of America.

                        https://www.timesreporter.com/story/...ar/7062052001/

                        Comment


                        • Remotely related:
                          wvu hired dawn plitzuweit from univ. South Dakota.
                          wvu's choice was lower risk from the perspective of AD job security, if things don't work out.

                          Although Kim stephens was clearly qualified, imho the only concern was whether the style will work in D1.
                          - can u recruit great players who are willing to share minutes and play extremely hard?
                          - can the style be equally disruptive in power 5 D1 as in D2?


                          Glenville and wlu play very similar styles.
                          The same concerns have been raised about wlu and have probably kept St. Crutch from getting d1 opportunities despite his record. Of course, on the positive side, he does not have to put up with d1 nonsense.

                          Comment


                          • Originally posted by Columbuseer View Post
                            Remotely related:
                            wvu hired dawn plitzuweit from univ. South Dakota.
                            wvu's choice was lower risk from the perspective of AD job security, if things don't work out.

                            Although Kim stephens was clearly qualified, imho the only concern was whether the style will work in D1.
                            - can u recruit great players who are willing to share minutes and play extremely hard?
                            - can the style be equally disruptive in power 5 D1 as in D2?



                            Glenville and wlu play very similar styles.
                            The same concerns have been raised about wlu and have probably kept St. Crutch from getting d1 opportunities despite his record. Of course, on the positive side, he does not have to put up with d1 nonsense.
                            The answer to your questions are a qualified No and Yes. Qualified no in that when you bring in a bunch of athletic players who were their HS team stars, they are MUCH more reluctant to share minutes/the ball but if you bring in a team full of gym rat over achievers who were not their HS team stars, yes, they can thrive in a "share minutes" "extremely hard playing" style. these players may not be able to "beat their man off the dribble" and explode down the lane for a spinning one hand reverse lay-up, but typically they are pretty good at identifying where they should be to get an open shot and are willing to give up the ball when their shot isn't available.

                            As to weather it would work at a P5, I think it would. The true challenge would be finding an AD and alumni base willing to accept an entire roster made up of non-stars. ZERO chance of a new coach getting any "grace period." They would need to win from Day 1 or they would stand a pretty good chance of being run out of town before Christmas break!

                            Comment


                            • Originally posted by boatcapt View Post
                              The answer to your questions are a qualified No and Yes. Qualified no in that when you bring in a bunch of athletic players who were their HS team stars, they are MUCH more reluctant to share minutes/the ball but if you bring in a team full of gym rat over achievers who were not their HS team stars, yes, they can thrive in a "share minutes" "extremely hard playing" style. these players may not be able to "beat their man off the dribble" and explode down the lane for a spinning one hand reverse lay-up, but typically they are pretty good at identifying where they should be to get an open shot and are willing to give up the ball when their shot isn't available.

                              As to weather it would work at a P5, I think it would. The true challenge would be finding an AD and alumni base willing to accept an entire roster made up of non-stars. ZERO chance of a new coach getting any "grace period." They would need to win from Day 1 or they would stand a pretty good chance of being run out of town before Christmas break!

                              Going to find out soon if anybody is interested. Ben is the perfect age for somebody to poach. Obviously he's not going from WL to the P5, but I could see a mid-major being intrigued enough to roll the dice.

                              The Catch 22 is would it work against teams with equal depth? Ben's system would also have to be able to incorporate legit big guys. It would get blown up 'up there' without them. You can get away -- typically -- in D2 playing just small forwards. That would get you killed in D1.

                              And, as you said, the time factor. Mastering that system isn't going to happen in a year or two. Coaches don't get 4-5 years to implement a system in D1. They better be winning -- or showing massive gains -- by Year 2. Or, call the U-HAUL reservations line.

                              The hardest part may be dealing with the egos in D1. Those kids all think they are a year away from playing with Kevin Durant. Playing 18 mpg as a 'starter' isn't going to fly.

                              Comment


                              • Originally posted by boatcapt View Post

                                As to weather it would work at a P5, I think it would. The true challenge would be finding an AD and alumni base willing to accept an entire roster made up of non-stars. ZERO chance of a new coach getting any "grace period." They would need to win from Day 1 or they would stand a pretty good chance of being run out of town before Christmas break!
                                We might get an answer about this if College of Charleston continues to model it roster the way it looks like they are. They're obviously not P5, but we may get a look at how it works in D1 if CoC keeps picking up seasoned Hilltoppers!

                                Comment

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