West Liberty Hilltopper Basketball

[boatcapt]

Unless we've added money for a third full-time assistant, this probably means Bryce Butler is not returning and that Greg Bearer (rumored to be coming) are not staying/coming to WLU as assistant coaches.

[Columbuseer]

According to X, Brady Arnold is now an assistant coach at wlu, following a season at Coker.
He is an inspirational leader, having overcome a year-long battle with cancer to come back and play at wlu. He was a teammate of Lamberti.

He will be a great asset in developing the guards at wlu in all phases of the game, both mentally and physically.

[Columbuseer]

Fyi
Wlu schedule is out.
https://hilltoppersports.com/sports/...hedule/2025-26

Playing Cal pa, clarion, va union, and shepherd.

Playing angelo state and lubbock christian in vegas befor Christmas.

[boatcapt]

Daniel Burton is an intriguing prospect at 6-9. Redshirted at d1 citadel.

In addition to basketball, he finished 4th in 100 meter freestyle swimming at state championship at 59.36 secs.

He high jumped 6'3".

He has the aerobic capacity and athletic ability to be a force in the wlu press and on defense. After spending some time in the weight room, he could make an impact.

But just soooo thin! You'd think that after a year in a "D1 athletic program weight room" he would have put on more weight! From his HS tape, he ticks the blocks...but again, just sooo thin!

Starting to see what I suspected, most of our post coaching change/non-Coker transfers/recruits have holes of some sort in their game. Some might minimize the holes but they are there none the less and those holes are what has made them available this late in the recruiting cycle. Doesn't mean they can't or won't succeed on the Hilltop, just that they need to improve...if they want to be true position less players some need to improve their three point shooting...some need to hit the buffet line as hard as they hit the weights.

[boatcapt]

https://x.com/smcHoops_/status/1907940723569340899

Fyi
Peter lattos practice game video at Northern Michigan.
Runs well, great post moves too.
6-8 220 lbs

Great size (for WLU). Played two years at a very good Northern Michigan (both seasons NM was in the NCAA DII Tourney). Redshirted his first year but played in 17 games last season. Averaged 1.1 PPG, 5.7 min/gm, took 2 3pt shots on the season (missed both), shot .333 (8-24) inside the 3 point line.

We've been burned by the "he's been working on his outside shot and will blossom this season" assessments in the past (Woodard) so color me a bit sceptical. Buuuuttttt, Woodard did show that you don't need to be a 3PT shooter to be very successful in the WLU Style. Even on a "position less" team, there seems to be a place for a player with a glaring hole in his game.

[Columbuseer]

Daniel Burton is an intriguing prospect at 6-9. Redshirted at d1 citadel.

In addition to basketball, he finished 4th in 100 meter freestyle swimming at state championship at 59.36 secs.

He high jumped 6'3".

He has the aerobic capacity and athletic ability to be a force in the wlu press and on defense. After spending some time in the weight room, he could make an impact.

[Columbuseer]

https://x.com/smcHoops_/status/1907940723569340899

Fyi
Peter lattos practice game video at Northern Michigan.
Runs well, great post moves too.
6-8 220 lbs

[Columbuseer]

Wlu roster is out. 16 players.
Both Landon and Max Butler are at wlu, who both were 1000 pt scorers at Latrobe, following Austin and Bryce at Latrobe.

https://hilltoppersports.com/sports/...ketball/roster
One 6-7
Two 6-8
Two 6-9

Interesting bios. Many coker players or former commits to coker.
All of the tall guys run well and have high motors, which is required for this style.
WLU has a plethora of good shooters.

[boatcapt]

Daniel Burton, 6'9", 190...No NOT a typo, one hundred NINETY pounds! Woof...someone buy that kid a ham sandwich. Also, make sure the doors to the gym are closed during practice because a gust of wind might blow him into the bleachers!!

[Columbuseer]

Fyi
Fairmont purportedly has the most $ in MEC.
They have made some strong additions.
ex-marshall/UC player CJ Meredith
ex-concord big Rene Diop
George Mangas is back from injury that had cost him a year.

They could be very strong.

[boatcapt]

In 2022-23 (the year before Coach Lamberti arrived), Coker had 18 on it's basketball roster. 14 of those players returned for the 2023-24 season (Coach Lamberti's first year). Of the 4 that departed, 3 were underclassmen and 1 was a senior. There Coker had 19 players on it's 2023-24 roster. 9 did not return for the 2024-25 season - 4 underclassmen and 5 seniors.

For comparison, WLU had 12 on its 2024-25 roster. 9 have departed - 5 underclassmen and 4 seniors.

While Coach Lamberti can be praised for what he did taking Coker from 12 wins the year before his arrival to 15 wins his first year to 19 his second, he didn't do that by building a roster that had been stripped to the studs like the challenge he faces at WLU.

Another point to ponder, while Coker played well, they were at best the third best team in the SAC. That put's them on par with Charleston or Concord...Neither of whom made the NCAA Tourney field. Or for the PSAC faithful, they were effectively Shepherd (again, not an NCAA Tourney team).

[Columbuseer]

Fyi more info on lamberti's achievements at coker.
source: coker website

"In his first season at Coker, Michael Lamberti guided the Cobras to a berth in the SAC Tournament. He played a pivotal role in the development of Andre Leavell, who was named SAC Newcomer of the Year and earned First Team All-Conference honors after leading the league in both points and assists per game. Leavell also set a school single-game scoring record with 42 points against Emory & Henry.

Lamberti’s up-tempo offensive system quickly made an impact, with Coker averaging a program-record 100.1 points per game — tops in the SAC and third nationally. The Cobras also broke school records for most points in a single game (120 vs. Mars Hill) and most three-pointers made in a game (19 vs. Newberry). Freshman Hayden Abdullah thrived under Lamberti’s leadership as well, earning a spot on the SAC All-Freshman Team and finishing the season as the conference leader in blocked shots."

[ bold type added]

[Columbuseer]

Per X collegehoopsguru@ncaahoopsguru jun 6

"great guru source informs me that greg bearer will be going with mike lamberti from coker to west liberty"

Also coker website coaches tab only lists head coach pasqua.

[boatcapt]

I don't think "recruiting area" applies with transfers, particularly when they follow a coach from one school to another.

Next recruiting season will be a better indication of weather his 2 seasons at Coker really expand WLUs recruiting area to include the Carolinas.

[Columbuseer]

From watching their highlights, the bigs run well, have high motors, can dribble, pass, rebound, and shoot inside and outside. They are good fits for position-less basketball, albeit taller than usual. If his demonstrated recruiting area success at coker is any indication, Coach Lamberti could widen the typical wlu recruiting area. At coker he had players from Ireland, ME, PA, WV, CT, NC, SC, FL AND CO.