West Liberty Hilltopper Basketball

[boatcapt]

Re: West Liberty Hilltopper Basketball

I'd still favor Indiana Faithfull as Hilltopper Name MVP

That's a good one but I still got to go with Johnny Bonar. Bonar...snicker, snicker...I guess deep down I'm still a 5th grader!!!!!

[Columbuseer]

Re: West Liberty Hilltopper Basketball

They also picked up the #31 rated senior in Ohio, PG Sincere Carry, if you check his twitter feed. 5'11" PG...Certainly a position of need...Played for OBC AAU, esteemed program...

They are losing 3 seniors this year, so have room for one more...

This guy had visits from Penn State and wvu but no offers. Interest from Youngstown state, Akron, etc. Had 2 knee injuries in high school which caused d1 to back off. Another pg who is also a slasher. Alessandro is great shooter and slasher. Hit 36% of 3s as a junior. Beaver Creek plays tough teams. Im impressed by both!

[boatcapt]

Re: West Liberty Hilltopper Basketball

Game Notes for tomorrows tilt against Cheyney lists the projected WLU starters as:

Monteroso
Bolon
Dyer
Griffin
Meinenger

I'm a little surprised Bolon earned the start. Must have had an exceptional camp!

[IUP Extra Mile]

Re: West Liberty Hilltopper Basketball

Giving Indiana Faithfull a run for his money on the all time great name

I'd still favor Indiana Faithfull as Hilltopper Name MVP

[Layton]

Re: West Liberty Hilltopper Basketball

a point guard, named SINCERE CARRY! Come on! Did I stumble across The Onion?

Giving Indiana Faithfull a run for his money on the all time great name

[quannis]

Re: West Liberty Hilltopper Basketball

They also picked up the #31 rated senior in Ohio, PG Sincere Carry, if you check his twitter feed. 5'11" PG...Certainly a position of need...Played for OBC AAU, esteemed program...

They are losing 3 seniors this year, so have room for one more...

a point guard, named SINCERE CARRY! Come on! Did I stumble across The Onion?

[IUP Extra Mile]

Re: West Liberty Hilltopper Basketball

Jon Alessandro from Beavercreek Ohio signed today, listed at 6'7 190

https://twitter.com/alessandrojon11/...93058269499393

They also picked up the #31 rated senior in Ohio, PG Sincere Carry, if you check his twitter feed. 5'11" PG...Certainly a position of need...Played for OBC AAU, esteemed program...

They are losing 3 seniors this year, so have room for one more...

[Layton]

Re: West Liberty Hilltopper Basketball

Jon Alessandro from Beavercreek Ohio signed today, listed at 6'7 190

https://twitter.com/alessandrojon11/...93058269499393

[JesuitHoops]

Re: West Liberty Hilltopper Basketball

I think the proverbial glue guy, Kyle Ritz, will be missed more than what's thought...he did a lot of different things..30 mpg, 2nd leading rebounder, 4th leading scorer, 3rd in blocks... but WJ will be good...just saying that's a decent loss..

No doubt about that! The expectations are high for this season, as they should be. I just think when you have so many new faces to the program, it is natural to question who will replace the production of a guy like Ritz. If it were Tham, I would feel much more confident as to where that production would come from. I assume Wilson (Juco transfer) will be this guy.

[IUP Extra Mile]

Re: West Liberty Hilltopper Basketball

The team actually has a few less ??? than your prognosis. This team should be deeper overall than last year and better in a few key areas. Hilson did not transfer out as he left school after the regional final and would not be able to play anywhere this year, but yes, Tham would have started here and transfered to a program that won only 9 games last year. It should be a fun first weekend next weekend in a MEC/CIAA weekend and then WJU opens at home with Va. Union the next week.

Shepherd, ND and even UVa-Wise (which did not lose any starters from an improving team) can be very dangerous this year.

I think the proverbial glue guy, Kyle Ritz, will be missed more than what's thought...he did a lot of different things..30 mpg, 2nd leading rebounder, 4th leading scorer, 3rd in blocks... but WJ will be good...just saying that's a decent loss..

[pennbraz]

Re: West Liberty Hilltopper Basketball

I actually think Jesuit has a few ???? going into the season. Obviously having Moseh, Highsmith and Boswell are an outstanding trio to start with. I would put these 3 up against any other trio in the country. What I am interested to see is how the new faces will progress. My concern is this team may not be as deep as in years past. Having Hilson and Tham transferring out could hurt in regards to the depth. There are a lot of new faces, however these new faces have a lot of talent. I agree with the interesting match ups for the opening weekend. The Gannon game is always intriguing due to the contrast of styles. They battled Jesuit in Wheeling last year. Jesuit also plays Bowie that weekend.

The MEC is going to be a lot of fun as usual this year. I feel like Shepherd and Notre Dame made strides to catch up with West Lib, Jesuit and Fairmont. For as top heavy the league has been the last couple years, I believe there will be more parody this year.

The team actually has a few less ??? than your prognosis. This team should be deeper overall than last year and better in a few key areas. Hilson did not transfer out as he left school after the regional final and would not be able to play anywhere this year, but yes, Tham would have started here and transfered to a program that won only 9 games last year. It should be a fun first weekend next weekend in a MEC/CIAA weekend and then WJU opens at home with Va. Union the next week.

Shepherd, ND and even UVa-Wise (which did not lose any starters from an improving team) can be very dangerous this year.

[JesuitHoops]

Re: West Liberty Hilltopper Basketball

What's the buzz out of Fairmont and other top MEC schools? The two WJ guys got snubbed on all those preseason AA teams. Moseh is one of the best players in the country. Jolle, too, IMO, got snubbed.

Could ND make a legit run? Vorhees is a monster. Enough around him?

I recall Shepherd made some big strides last year and returns most of the team.

Very curious to see Gannon open with WJ. I was shocked Gannon got picked second in the West. Always interesting to see a fast team play Gannon and its 45 ppg pace. GU lost by 1 point down there two years ago. Gannon has a couple studs but not nearly enough to hang with WJ.

The Slippery Rock vs Shepherd rematch will also be a good one. Rock kind of beat them up last year.

WL vs Cheyney, however, won't be real interesting to watch ... probably 130-60. Seton Hill will be a better test. They have Trevor Blondin back after missing last year. He's a very good player. They also have a monster inside but if they can't slow the game down he'll be tapped by the half.

I actually think Jesuit has a few ???? going into the season. Obviously having Moseh, Highsmith and Boswell are an outstanding trio to start with. I would put these 3 up against any other trio in the country. What I am interested to see is how the new faces will progress. My concern is this team may not be as deep as in years past. Having Hilson and Tham transferring out could hurt in regards to the depth. There are a lot of new faces, however these new faces have a lot of talent. I agree with the interesting match ups for the opening weekend. The Gannon game is always intriguing due to the contrast of styles. They battled Jesuit in Wheeling last year. Jesuit also plays Bowie that weekend.

The MEC is going to be a lot of fun as usual this year. I feel like Shepherd and Notre Dame made strides to catch up with West Lib, Jesuit and Fairmont. For as top heavy the league has been the last couple years, I believe there will be more parody this year.

[boatcapt]

Re: West Liberty Hilltopper Basketball

I've been trying to tell Boat the same thing...They didn't bring in a senior transfer with one year, to sit the bench...

There is a LOT of ground between "sitting on the bench" and being your starting PG! As I noted previously, he's never been a PG either in HS or at Cheyney. Hard to fathom that he is suddenly going to be able to trigger a top tier DII program when he hasn't done it in HS or on a BAD DII team. Also going off the tape I've seen on him which shows him as mostly a spot jump shooter. Sure, he can handle the ball (he is a guard after all) but he doesn't seem very explosive or quick with the ball in his hand. Three years at Lincoln say him have more turnovers than assists in each of his seasons and was never better than the #4 assist per game getter (about 1.2 assists per game average). Just nothing I see, either by past performance or on tape, that says "Point Guard" to me. Now Shooting Guard who can run the floor on breaks and space it on set plays and drain the three, sure, plenty to see and like there.

Doesn't surprise me they brought in a Sr with no intention of him starting. He was a late transfer so I doubt they committed much if any scholly $'s to him so little impact there. He's another bullet in WLU's shooting "gun." Good to have an experienced Sr shooter on the bench for late in a game when a freshman or sophomore shooter might feel the pressure a little too much. From Watson's point of view, would you rather stay on a bad Lincoln team were you were a starter or roll the dice on one year on a really good WLU team? Lincoln he has zero chance of playing in the NCAA tourney and just about zero chance of getting any overseas pro interest...at WLU he at least will be on a good team that probably goes to the NCAA and if he does become a starter, maybe he get's some international interest.

[IUP Extra Mile]

Re: West Liberty Hilltopper Basketball

I'd give Watson a shot. He can play. He was just on an awful team last year. You may be pleasantly surprised with him at PG.

I've been trying to tell Boat the same thing...They didn't bring in a senior transfer with one year, to sit the bench...

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Re: West Liberty Hilltopper Basketball

I'd give Watson a shot. He can play. He was just on an awful team last year. You may be pleasantly surprised with him at PG.