West Liberty Hilltopper Basketball

[Columbuseer]

Fyi
Here is mec media day story.
https://hilltoppersports.com/news/20...ra-begins.aspx

[Columbuseer]

Fyi
on sat Oct 25 wlu will scrimmage at 11 am prior to homecoming game vs glenville.
hope others can attend and share their observations.

[Columbuseer]

Obviously there are tons of unknowns heading into the first season post-Howlett, but I'd like to think the Hilltoppers will have something to say about Fairmont being voted the unanimous pre-season MEC favorite. Fairmont's roster looks loaded to be sure. But I really hope Coach Lamberti will have his Hilltoppers up to the challenge of defending the crown.

Fairmont has assembled an awesome roster. They purportedly have the most resources of any team in the MEC. They deserve to be the preseason favorite. if they can make it past the 1st round of regional, their coach might get his d1 gig opportunity.

fyi
here is link to media day

https://mountaineast.tv/?B=2729320

[boatcapt]

Clearly the MEC coaches didn't read the preseason assessments of WLUs. This year we will have at least 12 40+% 3-point shooters and have seven bigs that can all drain 3's from 50 ft, can run like the wind, play full court defense for 48 minutes every night and handle the ball like...Spadafora (probably the best ball handler in college basketball). Looking at the schedule and looking at our team, I don't see how any team we play will be within 30 points...We are THAT good!!!

These coaches need to turn in their whistles and depart their campus in shame.

[Scrub]

Obviously there are tons of unknowns heading into the first season post-Howlett, but I'd like to think the Hilltoppers will have something to say about Fairmont being voted the unanimous pre-season MEC favorite. Fairmont's roster looks loaded to be sure. But I really hope Coach Lamberti will have his Hilltoppers up to the challenge of defending the crown.

[Columbuseer]

The 11 am wlu pre wv state fb game scrimmage had a good crowd for a scrimmage.

Some observations:
- top to bottom, this roster has the most very good 3 point shooters in quite a few years
- the tall guys run the floor very well.
- imho they are far ahead of last year because of prior experience in the system
- some of the freshmen are going to surprise with their play
- the intensity is incredible, so much so that regular games are going to seem easier
- I do not envy the coaches' job in determining the platoons. So much competition.

[Columbuseer]

Fyi
wlu basketball scrimmage at 11 am tomorrow sat Oct 4.
Also, former basketball player CJ Hester will be inducted into wlu hall of fame during football game.

[Columbuseer]

Fyi
according to Beaver Local hs East Liverpool oh social media, Owen Hill 6-7 220 lb has committed to wlu.
he was 1st team Ohio all state in D4.
3.7 GPA

Barring injury, he will become the leading scorer in beaver local history.

https://www.hudl.com/profile/17778608/Owen-Hill

[Columbuseer]

FYI
Article that gives insights into the origin and details of "the system" at wlu.
https://www.basketunderreview.com/iu...nd-the-system/

[Columbuseer]

Learned long ago that 6'9" dudes aren't in D2 because they are polished. If they had no flaws, they wouldn't be in the bus leagues.

Now, of course, the flaw is they get polished here ... and then take the first bus out of town in April.

Good observations.

Imho 6-9 players who are slender often get passed over at D1 in favor to physically stronger players, even if they are better fundamentally. The wlu style is more amenable to slender players, regardless of height, due to 5-out nature of their offense and the emphasis on ball movement and assists.
.

[boatcapt]

Those players exist. You just need to go sign them out of the ACC or SEC.

Hahaha...Yuuuppp! By and large, DII's only get players that D1's take a pass on. But that effects both sides of the ball. So the DII offensive player who is a tick or two below D1 caliber is going up against a DII defensive player who is ALSO a tick or two below a D1 defender.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

I think Fin Woodard is a perfect example. For a WLU player, he had a glaring flaw...three point shooting. Not only did he not take them, on the few occasions when he did, he more often than not missed. Buuuttt the rest of his game made him a success.

We continuously try and find that perfect position less player (40% from three, runs like the wind, can dribble like a Globetrotter, slashes down the lane with reckless abandon finishing high above the rim, snatches ever rebound and plays full court pressure D from tipoff to final whistle). While it's great when you do get them, the reality is almost every player has things they do well (and some things they don't do so well). It is up to the coach to take stock of each players particular skills and weaknesses and adapt the offense and defense to maximize what each player brings to the table.

It's the old lemmon saying...when you have a big (or two ..or five), maybe you should make some lemonade? Not that they can't run the floor, dribble and shoot the three when needed, but the BEST way they can help the team win might not be 30 feet from the basket shooting threes and making them 30% of the time...maybe it's better to use them to grab rebounds on the 60% of the three point shooters miss and put them back in for measully little two point layups. Do that enough and you win...I promise you!

Those players exist. You just need to go sign them out of the ACC or SEC.

[boatcapt]

Learned long ago that 6'9" dudes aren't in D2 because they are polished. If they had no flaws, they wouldn't be in the bus leagues.

Now, of course, the flaw is they get polished here ... and then take the first bus out of town in April.

I think Fin Woodard is a perfect example. For a WLU player, he had a glaring flaw...three point shooting. Not only did he not take them, on the few occasions when he did, he more often than not missed. Buuuttt the rest of his game made him a success.

We continuously try and find that perfect position less player (40% from three, runs like the wind, can dribble like a Globetrotter, slashes down the lane with reckless abandon finishing high above the rim, snatches ever rebound and plays full court pressure D from tipoff to final whistle). While it's great when you do get them, the reality is almost every player has things they do well (and some things they don't do so well). It is up to the coach to take stock of each players particular skills and weaknesses and adapt the offense and defense to maximize what each player brings to the table.

It's the old lemmon saying...when you have a big (or two ..or five), maybe you should make some lemonade? Not that they can't run the floor, dribble and shoot the three when needed, but the BEST way they can help the team win might not be 30 feet from the basket shooting threes and making them 30% of the time...maybe it's better to use them to grab rebounds on the 60% of the three point shooters miss and put them back in for measully little two point layups. Do that enough and you win...I promise you!

[Columbuseer]

All sarcasm aside, I suspect the actual answer is a pretty simple one. It seems as though Howlett (in true Crutch fashion) had no concern for height. That was very low on his checklist of attributes in a recruit. Lamberti, on the other hand, clearly places a higher priority on size in recruiting than Howlett or Crutch ever did.

What remains to be seen is how that plays out in this context. If placing a higher priority on size in a recruit, it might be possible that these recruits will be less well-rounded in other aspects of their game. Will the size offset those other deficiencies and the winning ways stay the same? Or do the other attributes that Howlett & Crutch prized more highly make a significant difference and WLU's tall-but-otherwise-flawed team will get exposed in other ways and win less often? Remains to be seen. Should make for an interesting season.

Good, well-reasoned points. Just to add, Crutchfield has increased emphasis on height at nova.
His last couple of rosters have had at least 4 long and lanky players 6-7 or above. Iraldi is 6-6 and he was national player of year. Sunahara also.
But these tall guys are fundamentally sound.
I suspect that the increased emphasis on height is in response to opponents, who are using bigs as well as athletic tall guards to attack the rim vs wlu to counterbalance the wlu style.

i think Howlett was moving in the same direction.
He had recent commit Maddox Bennett at an elite camp in 2024.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

All sarcasm aside, I suspect the actual answer is a pretty simple one. It seems as though Howlett (in true Crutch fashion) had no concern for height. That was very low on his checklist of attributes in a recruit. Lamberti, on the other hand, clearly places a higher priority on size in recruiting than Howlett or Crutch ever did.

What remains to be seen is how that plays out in this context. If placing a higher priority on size in a recruit, it might be possible that these recruits will be less well-rounded in other aspects of their game. Will the size offset those other deficiencies and the winning ways stay the same? Or do the other attributes that Howlett & Crutch prized more highly make a significant difference and WLU's tall-but-otherwise-flawed team will get exposed in other ways and win less often? Remains to be seen. Should make for an interesting season.

Learned long ago that 6'9" dudes aren't in D2 because they are polished. If they had no flaws, they wouldn't be in the bus leagues.

Now, of course, the flaw is they get polished here ... and then take the first bus out of town in April.