West Liberty Hilltopper Basketball

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Re: West Liberty Hilltopper Basketball

Smith is going to get suckered in to one of these Bush League, low-ball D1 schools. That's my guess.

[boatcapt]

Re: West Liberty Hilltopper Basketball

Still can't understand why we haven't picked up at least one big man, Gross and Kirkbride will be gone and our tallest guy will be 6'5, I don't think we can win like we usually do with a team that small we'll get killed inside and rebounds, surely he has something up his sleeve and won't go without a big man next year

I said after pulling Griffin out of his a@@ (THAT's a horrible visual!!) that I wasn't going to question Crutch's recruting decisions again, but yes, I wish they would bring in a big...even if it is a WLU version of a big (6-8...shoots threes). I would note that while we will lack that one big player, as a team this coming recruiting class will bump the overall size of the team up a bit with three recruits listed at 6-5, one at 6-3 and one at 6-1.

Concerning the two newly reported recruits, I note that these appear to be offers only. Smith is showing five other offers beside the one from WLU and Keller is showing with three other offers. Fact that we are apparently still looking means something but I wouldn't be surprised if neither of these guys ever show up on the Hilltop.

[DownLow55]

Re: West Liberty Hilltopper Basketball

While it's not typical for WLU, there are DII programs with 16 players listed their rosters. WLU has three graduating seniors on their 14 man roster...Three confirmed incoming freshmen (Yoakum, Moore and Saben) plus the two reported on Verbal Commits would give is 16 players next year baring any transfers.

I also note that Griffin is listed as a SO this year but he has had a "tangled" basketball career that includes club ball in Australia, AAU in the US and a stop at a now defunct "prep" school before lading at Marist for two years (on the team for two years but only played in one). NCAA has been a little inconsistent on reaching a final eligibility determination on things like this. Maybe Crutch is hedging his bet by bring in two additional players incase Griffin is ruled a senior next year and there is an unantisipated transfer OR last minute defection (like Humphries this year)???

D2 basketball is not a head count sport like D1 basketball (same goes for foootball). Although you are limited to 10 athletic scholarships, D2 is an equivalency system not head count. In other words you could give 15 players 2/3 of a scholarship and still be at the 10 scholarship limit.

[Layton]

Re: West Liberty Hilltopper Basketball

Still can't understand why we haven't picked up at least one big man, Gross and Kirkbride will be gone and our tallest guy will be 6'5, I don't think we can win like we usually do with a team that small we'll get killed inside and rebounds, surely he has something up his sleeve and won't go without a big man next year

[boatcapt]

Re: West Liberty Hilltopper Basketball

Let's turn our heads to recruiting for a second...

Someone help me here...I swear WL had three verbal commits for their incoming class in 2017-18...And a couple of them may even have been early signing period...Marlon Moore from Cleveland, Will Yoakum, and Keegan Saben. The class looks good...Addresses some needs...But in the past week, I've seen on verbal commits (great website!), that they offered two more guards....Nick Smith from North Hills (Pittsburgh)...Probably 2nd or 3rd best player in the area and they just offered a taller guard from North Carolina....

Am I reading into things here? Is someone else going to leave / transfer??...They have 3 seniors graduating...Hoehn, Grossenbacher, and Kirkbride... They have 3 Redshirts sitting out this year, and they have 3 commits for this class.. and now they offered two more...I sense that someone else is leaving..Maybe one of the redshirts? It's not uncommon bc they have bally-hooed HS players at every position, so some want 30 mins / game early on...

Any Hilltopper insiders know anything or want to speculate?

If it's any consolation, I wouldn't mind getting Nick Smith...Pretty good player...not as tall a guard as WL likes them, but good athlete and scorer...

While it's not typical for WLU, there are DII programs with 16 players listed their rosters. WLU has three graduating seniors on their 14 man roster...Three confirmed incoming freshmen (Yoakum, Moore and Saben) plus the two reported on Verbal Commits would give is 16 players next year baring any transfers.

I also note that Griffin is listed as a SO this year but he has had a "tangled" basketball career that includes club ball in Australia, AAU in the US and a stop at a now defunct "prep" school before lading at Marist for two years (on the team for two years but only played in one). NCAA has been a little inconsistent on reaching a final eligibility determination on things like this. Maybe Crutch is hedging his bet by bring in two additional players incase Griffin is ruled a senior next year and there is an unantisipated transfer OR last minute defection (like Humphries this year)???

[boatcapt]

Re: West Liberty Hilltopper Basketball

What about future WL HOF player Chuckie Humphries? Has that ship finally sailed (officially)?

Ship sailed on him the day he decomitted. At Polk College in FL he is averaging 9.8 PPG while shooting 43% (25% from 3). Those ain't very good numbers. Yea, he's a freshman and one would think they would improve but you need to counter that with his JUCO level of competition. It's one thing scoring 22 vs Victory Prep and 16 against Red Devil Prep...Quite different doing that against Fairmont, WJU, IUP, etc.

Pretty clear that Chuckie would not have lived up to his hype had he lived up to his initial commitment.

[Chevydude89]

Re: West Liberty Hilltopper Basketball

Chuckie Humphries has another year of juco im hearing after this season....the kid from North Carolina looked good and as far as red shirts/commits im not sure but to me the future of west lib power success looks good i think...

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Re: West Liberty Hilltopper Basketball

What about future WL HOF player Chuckie Humphries? Has that ship finally sailed (officially)?

[IUP Extra Mile]

Re: West Liberty Hilltopper Basketball

Let's turn our heads to recruiting for a second...

Someone help me here...I swear WL had three verbal commits for their incoming class in 2017-18...And a couple of them may even have been early signing period...Marlon Moore from Cleveland, Will Yoakum, and Keegan Saben. The class looks good...Addresses some needs...But in the past week, I've seen on verbal commits (great website!), that they offered two more guards....Nick Smith from North Hills (Pittsburgh)...Probably 2nd or 3rd best player in the area and they just offered a taller guard from North Carolina....

Am I reading into things here? Is someone else going to leave / transfer??...They have 3 seniors graduating...Hoehn, Grossenbacher, and Kirkbride... They have 3 Redshirts sitting out this year, and they have 3 commits for this class.. and now they offered two more...I sense that someone else is leaving..Maybe one of the redshirts? It's not uncommon bc they have bally-hooed HS players at every position, so some want 30 mins / game early on...

Any Hilltopper insiders know anything or want to speculate?

If it's any consolation, I wouldn't mind getting Nick Smith...Pretty good player...not as tall a guard as WL likes them, but good athlete and scorer...

[IUP Extra Mile]

Re: West Liberty Hilltopper Basketball

Monteroso sprained his ankle in practice, in a boot might be out till the conference tourney

Yeah, I heard that on the stream last night...If you're a glass half full, you say it gives a chance for Clay, Smith and others to step up and get valuable minutes...You also can say that it will keep Monteroso well-rested for stretch run (like brady for the Super Bowl missing first 4 games)...Ok, maybe that's a stretch. But you can also say that this is not a one man band, and they can overcome an injury...

On the Glass half empty side, you could say that Monteroso is their MVP...you could say that Monteroso willed them to victories in Fairmont, WJ, Charleston, and others I'm forgetting... It could cost them a chance, small chance, at hosting...but I guess if he's back by conf tourney that's good...but this team is capable of putting a dud up there vs GLenville tomorrow...

On another note, WJ loses another....They are approacing bubble status...

[Layton]

Re: West Liberty Hilltopper Basketball

Monteroso sprained his ankle in practice, in a boot might be out till the conference tourney

[boatcapt]

Re: West Liberty Hilltopper Basketball

Hahaha u make a good point but i still think your off your rocker!!!!!

You're in good company!

WLU is a good team that knows how to win. But even though they are winning, that doesn't mean they are playing well. Yes, they beat Wise by 20+ but that doesn't really tell the story. No way that Wise should take a lead into half time particularly when WLU was coming off of a L. We played great in the second half scoring 57 points but that masked a first half were we scored 32! Game before we lost to a pretty bad Concord team by three. But the score again masks the fact that we were behind by 20 points much of the second half until a FURIOUS run over the last nine minutes allowed us to tie the game before losing. Even in the Fairmont game we had to overcome a bad first half (32 points) before gaining the W.

[Sportsnut]

Re: West Liberty Hilltopper Basketball

You could start any four off the team and the office secretary and you should beat WVWC at home. As you noted Boat they are just not playing typical Hilltopper basketball as we have become to know lately. To win the tourney they are going to have to step up their game.

[Chevydude89]

Re: West Liberty Hilltopper Basketball

Hahaha u make a good point but i still think your off your rocker!!!!!

[boatcapt]

Re: West Liberty Hilltopper Basketball

WLU is a little shakey right now and it seems like the starters need a wake-up call. Tonight might be the best opportunity for Crutch to send a message. How about benching our starting five and starting the game with:

Meinenger
Guillozet
Smith
Primmer
Arnold

Sounds crazy, right? Not so fast. I note that this five collectively is averaging 2.6 points per minute while the starting five of Monte, Gross, Dennis, Hoehn and Griffin is averaging 2.49 PPM. I also note that the regular starting five are off their season high (probably not enough to call it a slump for any one player, but collectively, its taking a toll).

Crutch has upset the starter apple cart at some point in most recent seasons. It's much later than typical but I think it's time for the starters to be humbled a little by putting their warm-ups back on and grabbing a seat for tip off.


And if that starting five played well and lead the way to a W...I'd start them against Glenville too! It would be nice to have a pissed off AND somewhat rested starting five heading into the last two games of the regular season and on into the tourneys!