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Originally posted by Ship69
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Gannon is good. Much better than I thought they'd be. Ojamafo looks like he could be a star. Their non conference is soft, so I think they'll end up around 20 wins. If they play at the top of their potential, it wouldn't shock me if they contended for an NCAA bid. -
There is a risk, if history of wlu is any indication.Originally posted by Ship69 View Post
Crutchfield became coach in 2004. Wlu had no basketball tradition.
From 2009-10 through 2022-2023, wlu was regular season champion, except for one year in 2015-2016.
it forced MEC to upgrade rosters and the type of players they recruit in order to compete.
On the other hand, PSAC has many more schools and much greater population local recruiting area than the MEC, which could make domination difficult.Comment
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A Dummy’s Observations on WLU at Salem 11/18/23 WLU 111- Salem 82
Salem Game Plan
Salem is an athletic team with a 6-10 agile, coordinated big who is a double-double machine. They are a dangerous team, especially against a half court opponent who only plays 7. They have very good 1-on-1 players and are very strong rebounders.
Their game plan was to spread the floor, use high ball screen, attack the rim off the dribble. and dominate the boards. To counter the press, they used their big to catch a high inbounds pass at the foul line and then dish. When they broke the press, they did not attack the basket, unless they had a run out. Salem typically plays their starting 5 more than 30 minutes, as they have little depth. That is a huge risk against WLU.
First Half
WLU had a good start, with an 8-0 run to lead 15-6 at 17:32. The lead reached 10 at the 11:55 mark, and WLU was threatening to open a large lead. To Salem’s credit, they responded. Aided by a WLU cold spell, Salem erased the deficit and took a 1-point lead with 5 minutes left in the half. Salem was using 7 players, but was playing the starters too long, given that Salem was choosing to run with the Hilltoppers. That usually is a bad omen for the second half. The half ended with WLU leading 49-46.
Second Half
After a very short stint in the locker room, Salem returned, walking like old men. They went to the sideline and sat on the chairs and drank liquids before briefly warming up. But many warmup shots were bricks.
When the Bravo platoon entered the game at 16:39, the lead was 4.
When the Alpha Platoon replaced Bravo at 14:05, the lead was 14, Bravo having forced 7 turnovers and a Salem player getting a technical foul. Salem was gassed, moving a step slow on defense and making mental errors. The off-balance, difficult shots that were falling for Salem in the 1st half were now clanging off the rim.
When Alpha Platoon left at 11:10, they had increased the lead from 14 to 29 in less than 3 minutes.
The game was essentially over. Final score 111-82.
Keys to the game:- Fatigue – WLU scored 36 points off turnovers, with 25 fast break points, 15 steals among 25 forced turnovers. Salem three point % went from 43% in 1st half to 17% in second half. FG% 1st half was 55%, 2nd half 37%.
- The Alpha and Bravo Platoons continue to perform at high levels – Alpha was +12 over 5 shifts, Bravo was +12 over 4 shifts.
- Quality depth – WLU bench points outscored Salem’s bench 49 to 7, which overcame a significant rebounding advantage for Salem.
- WLU only committed 10 turnovers.
- WLU shooting – 52.9% FG, 38.2% Threes, and 74.3% FT.
- WLU shares the ball effectively, compared to Salem’s dribble dominant offense. WLU had an outstanding 2.10 assist to turnover ratio, compared to a bad 0.44 for Salem
- Despite their fast pace, WLU commits turnovers on only 12% of possessions, compared to 31% for Salem.
The effective shooting % of many WLU players was excellent. This stat weighs the value of the 3-point shot 50% more than a 2-pt shot, which allows more effective comparison with post players, etc. A perfect score for a 2-pt shooter who does not miss is 100%. However, if the shooter only shoots threes and never misses, the maximum possible value is 150%. Here were the top effective shooters for WLU:
Effective Shooting %number Player GS Minutes FGMA 3PTMA FTMA PTS Effective FG% 5 Korte, John * 20 5-6 1-1 5-7 16 91.7% 22 Hinds, Chaz 11 4-7 3-6 3-4 14 78.6% 10 Spadafora, Dante 18 2-4 2-4 9-9 15 75.0% 2 Fergus, Darren 10 3-4 0-0 1-5 7 75.0% 13 Daugustino, Kyler * 21 6-10 1-3 0-0 13 65.0% 25 Rasile, Zach * 24 4-8 2-5 4-4 14 62.5% 23 West, Alek 15 2-4 1-2 0-0 5 62.5% 3 Woodward, Finley 16 3-5 0-1 0-0 6 60.0% 1 Montague, Christian * 26 3-7 2-6 1-2 9 57.1%
Six players scored in double figures for WLU, with Darren Fergus scoring nine. Eleven players saw at least 14 minutes of action, with 5 players at 20 or more minutes (max of 26 minutes).
Salem has good athletes, with quick guards and a 6-10 mobile big who can score in a 1-on-1 style. However, waves of WLU pressure and Salem using only 7 players while choosing to run with the Hilltoppers, resulted in extreme fatigue for Salem in the second half.
WLU offensive rating was 135, which is outstanding, above their typical, excellent 125. In addition, they held Salem to 102.
The effective shooting % as a team was 63%, and they held Salem to 49%.
Advanced StatsStatistic Salem 11/18/23 West Liberty 11/18/23 FGM 29 36 FGA 63 68 FTM 20 26 FTA 29 35 Three Point FGM 4 13 three Point FGA 27 34 OFF REB 20 11 Assists 11 21 Turnovers 25 10 Steals 5 15 Turnovers Forced 10 25 Points 82 111 Games Played 1 1 Number of Possessions 81 82 Avg. Possessions per Game 81 82 Pts per Possession 1.02 1.35 Offensive Rating - pts/100 possessions 102 135 Shooting Efficiency (FGM +0.5*3ptFGM)/FGA 49.2% 62.5% FT % 69.0% 74.3% 3PT% 14.8% 38.2% 2PT% 69.4% 67.6% Turnovers Per Game 25.0 10.0 Turnover % 31.0% 12.1% Forced Turnovers per Game 10.0 25.0 Percent Forced Live Ball Turnovers 50.0% 60.0% Assists % of FG Made 37.9% 58.3% Assist to Turnover Ratio 0.44 2.10
WLU National Stats as of 11/16/23
Assists #1 26.4
Turnovers margin #1 16.0 Nova se #2. 15 Gannon #4 13.3
Turnovers forced # 2 26.67. Nova se #1 30.67
3pt attempts #2 38.3
Steals #2 16 nova se #1 22 Gannon #2 tie 16
Bench points #3 54.0
Scoring margin #3 41
Scoring #5 102.7, Gannon #1 and Nova se #3
Assist turnover ratio #6 2.47
3pts made #10 12.3
Scoring defense #23 61.3
3 pt defense #25. 25.1%
Fast break pts #29 17.0
FG % defense #33 38.462%Last edited by Columbuseer; 11-20-2023, 11:25 AM.Comment
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[QUOTE=Columbuseer;n797824]A Dummy’s Observations on WLU at Salem 11/18/23 WLU 111- Salem 82
Salem Game Plan
Salem is an athletic team with a 6-10 agile, coordinated big who is a double-double machine. They are a dangerous team, especially against a half court opponent who only plays 7. They have very good 1-on-1 players and are very strong rebounders.
Their game plan was to spread the floor, use high ball screen, attack the rim off the dribble. and dominate the boards. To counter the press, they used their big to catch a high inbounds pass at the foul line and then dish. When they broke the press, they did not attack the basket, unless they had a run out. Salem typically plays their starting 5 more than 30 minutes, as they have little depth. That is a huge risk against WLU.
First Half
WLU had a good start, with an 8-0 run to lead 15-6 at 17:32. The lead reached 10 at the 11:55 mark, and WLU was threatening to open a large lead. To Salem’s credit, they responded. Aided by a WLU cold spell, Salem erased the deficit and took a 1-point lead with 5 minutes left in the half. Salem was using 7 players, but was playing the starters too long, given that Salem was choosing to run with the Hilltoppers. That usually is a bad omen for the second half. The half ended with WLU leading 49-46.
Second Half
After a very short stint in the locker room, Salem returned, walking like old men. They went to the sideline and sat on the chairs and drank liquids before briefly warming up. But many warmup shots were bricks.
When the Bravo platoon entered the game at 16:39, the lead was 4.
When the Alpha Platoon replaced Bravo at 14:05, the lead was 14, Bravo having forced 7 turnovers and a Salem player getting a technical foul. Salem was gassed, moving a step slow on defense and making mental errors. The off-balance, difficult shots that were falling for Salem in the 1st half were now clanging off the rim.
When Alpha Platoon left at 11:10, they had increased the lead from 14 to 29 in less than 3 minutes.
The game was essentially over. Final score 111-82.
Keys to the game:- Fatigue – WLU scored 36 points off turnovers, with 25 fast break points, 15 steals among 25 forced turnovers. Salem three point % went from 43% in 1st half to 17% in second half. FG% 1st half was 55%, 2nd half 37%.
- The Alpha and Bravo Platoons continue to perform at high levels – Alpha was +12 over 5 shifts, Bravo was +12 over 4 shifts.
- Quality depth – WLU bench points outscored Salem’s bench 49 to 7, which overcame a significant rebounding advantage for Salem.
- WLU only committed 10 turnovers.
- WLU shooting – 52.9% FG, 38.2% Threes, and 74.3% FT.
- WLU shares the ball effectively, compared to Salem’s dribble dominant offense. WLU had an outstanding 2.10 assist to turnover ratio, compared to a bad 0.44 for Salem
- Despite their fast pace, WLU commits turnovers on only 12% of possessions, compared to 31% for Salem.
The effective shooting % of many WLU players was excellent. This stat weighs the value of the 3-point shot 50% more than a 2-pt shot, which allows more effective comparison with post players, etc. A perfect score for a 2-pt shooter who does not miss is 100%. However, if the shooter only shoots threes and never misses, the maximum possible value is 150%. Here were the top effective shooters for WLU:
Effective Shooting %number Player GS Minutes FGMA 3PTMA FTMA PTS Effective FG% 5 Korte, John * 20 5-6 1-1 5-7 16 91.7% 22 Hinds, Chaz 11 4-7 3-6 3-4 14 78.6% 10 Spadafora, Dante 18 2-4 2-4 9-9 15 75.0% 2 Fergus, Darren 10 3-4 0-0 1-5 7 75.0% 13 Daugustino, Kyler * 21 6-10 1-3 0-0 13 65.0% 25 Rasile, Zach * 24 4-8 2-5 4-4 14 62.5% 23 West, Alek 15 2-4 1-2 0-0 5 62.5% 3 Woodward, Finley 16 3-5 0-1 0-0 6 60.0% 1 Montague, Christian * 26 3-7 2-6 1-2 9 57.1%
Six players scored in double figures for WLU, with Darren Fergus scoring nine. Eleven players saw at least 14 minutes of action, with 5 players at 20 or more minutes (max of 26 minutes).
Salem has good athletes, with quick guards and a 6-10 mobile big who can score in a 1-on-1 style. However, waves of WLU pressure and Salem using only 7 players while choosing to run with the Hilltoppers, resulted in extreme fatigue for Salem in the second half.
WLU offensive rating was 135, which is outstanding, above their typical, excellent 125. In addition, they held Salem to 102.
The effective shooting % as a team was 63%, and they held Salem to 49%.
Advanced StatsI appreciate the breakdown of Salem. It wasn't a popular opinion when the deal was announced, but Salem can compete with the majority of Mountain East programs.Statistic Salem 11/18/23 West Liberty 11/18/23 FGM 29 36 FGA 63 68 FTM 20 26 FTA 29 35 Three Point FGM 4 13 three Point FGA 27 34 OFF REB 20 11 Assists 11 21 Turnovers 25 10 Steals 5 15 Turnovers Forced 10 25 Points 82 111 Games Played 1 1 Number of Possessions 81 82 Avg. Possessions per Game 81 82 Pts per Possession 1.02 1.35 Offensive Rating - pts/100 possessions 102 135 Shooting Efficiency (FGM +0.5*3ptFGM)/FGA 49.2% 62.5% FT % 69.0% 74.3% 3PT% 14.8% 38.2% 2PT% 69.4% 67.6% Turnovers Per Game 25.0 10.0 Turnover % 31.0% 12.1% Forced Turnovers per Game 10.0 25.0 Percent Forced Live Ball Turnovers 50.0% 60.0% Assists % of FG Made 37.9% 58.3% Assist to Turnover Ratio 0.44 2.10 Comment
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The boys are putting on a clinic right now. Executing this system perfectlyComment
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Has there been any talks about getting a new floor anytime soon? We could really use a refreshComment
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Blame it on the men's basketball team who are constantly diving on the floor for loose balls. :-)Originally posted by Layton View Post
Btw for those missed the game, it is worth seeing the on demand replay on mountaineast.tv.
Wreaking total havoc, 23 steals in forcing 31 turnovers.
But a can't miss highlight is between 10:00 and 9:00 in first half. Might need to slow it to 0.25 speed to catch the blur that is Darren Fergus.
As a teaser, for wvu fans it will evoke memories of Sagaba Kanate.Comment
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FYI
West Liberty national stats thru Nov 21
#1 Assists 26.4
#1 Turnovers margin 16.2 #2 Nova se 15
#2 Turnovers forced 27.2. #1 Nova se 30.67
#2 Steals 17.2 #1 nova se 22
#2 Bench points 52.2
#3 Scoring margin 35
#3 Scoring 105.6
#3 3pt attempts 37
#3 Assist to turnover ratio 2.36
#4 3pts made 13
#10. 3 pt defense 25 %
#10. Fast break pts 20.2
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Layton you are much closer than I am. Is there a problem with the surface or is it an ascetic thing? It doesn't come across on line as a bad surface. But it is pretty standard. Doesn't make it bad persay...just not eye grabbing.Originally posted by Layton View PostComment
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Just really outdated from a looks standpoint. Can’t speak to how good it is to play on but I’m sure it’s fine for that aspect. Although I’m a stickler for aestheticsOriginally posted by boatcapt View PostComment
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From that standpoint, I agree. One of the top DII teams in the nation should have a more visually appealing floors. The only avenue to WLU for many (most) potential players and fans is what their eyes see on broadcasts. There is certainly much more to WLU basketball, but the first hook is what they see. Kind of like Boise State and their blue field. Probably not many can tell you how they did back in the day, but they always remembered the carpet and maybe tuned in a couple of extra times because of it.Originally posted by Layton View PostComment
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West Liberty has assembled a Swiss army knife roster.
The scoring balance of this team is amazing!
Opponents cannot focus on just one or two players.
After 5 games:
- 5 different high point scorers (counting ties) in first 5 games.
- Only one repeat high point scorer.
- No player has scored more than 17 pts
- Avg of 6 double figure scorers per game.
- 7 players avg between 9.8 and 13.0 ppg
- 11 of 12 players have scored in double figures at least once.Comment
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Thought I had the other day, would you rather have an alpha that’s head and shoulders better than everyone around him but defenses can key on him or just a roster of really good players but no alphas that defenses can’t key on?Comment
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[QUOTE=Layton;n799997]Thought I had the other day, would you rather have an alpha that’s head and shoulders better than everyone around him but defenses can key on him or just a roster of really good players but no alphas that defenses can’t key on?[/QUOTE
I think it would depend on which option results in greatest amount of team synergy.
In most cases, I would prefer 12 payers who are alpha minus or beta plus players who can shoot, play D, force turnovers, and who get 30 assists a game.
Quality depth lowers the probability of losing due to the alpha having an off night. In a tight game, opponents must defend everyone in the final minute, as everyone has the green light.
However, if the alpha is unselfish and shares the ball, that would be tempting.Comment
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