West Liberty Hilltopper Basketball

[Columbuseer]

That's a fair point . . . and a scary thought. Because there were times last night they didn't look like a 13-win team. I did like the fight down the stretch--they never folded the tents. And I trust they'll get SOME stuff figured out.

We do definitely have to give props to Union. That's an extremely well coached team that came in with a very specific plan and executed it.

But I don't think I've ever seen a Hilltopper team turn it over 23 times. And now that's on film. So every WV State, Concord, & Glenville that has half decent athletes on its roster has a blueprint for making this edition of the Hilltoppers look very pedestrian. Really concerning.

Scrub- Excellent, mature, intelligent insights. Thanks for posting.
I really was impressed by the VU press. They channeled the dribbler to the sideline and did not foul, but tried to force a high risk pass. The other defenders were playing off their wlu opponent, inviting the pass and then breaking on the ball. To conserve energy they played zone. Wlu got open looks but they just would not fall. Glad it is Nov. Plenty of time to fix the issues, for nothing I saw cannot be corrected as they get more time playing together.

[boatcapt]

That's a fair point . . . and a scary thought. Because there were times last night they didn't look like a 13-win team. I did like the fight down the stretch--they never folded the tents. And I trust they'll get SOME stuff figured out.

We do definitely have to give props to Union. That's an extremely well coached team that came in with a very specific plan and executed it.

But I don't think I've ever seen a Hilltopper team turn it over 23 times. And now that's on film. So every WV State, Concord, & Glenville that has half decent athletes on its roster has a blueprint for making this edition of the Hilltoppers look very pedestrian. Really concerning.

My major and immediate concern is we are shooting .318 from 3. WLU teams have lived (and died) on their 3 point shooting. We where supposed to have a stable of .400+ 3 point shooters the likes of which we haven't seen in the Hilltop since Crutch's early days (if ever). Yea, we are only 3 games into the season and there is plenty of time to turn around, but the early returns aren't looking as great as we hoped.

I'd say right now we are trending toward a 20 win season. Most schools would be giddy with a 20 win season...but WLU ain't most schools.

[Scrub]

The question is, how much can they grow? They brought in seven players with experience playing the System and with the two holdovers, there doesn't seem to be much room for growing into the System. Sure, there will be a degree of growth, but I don't think it will be a "light bulb turning on" ahaa sort of growth

I think by and large, this team is what it is. Unclear yet weather that is a 30 win one that glides into the NCAA tourney as the #1 seed or a 20 win one that struggles for the 8th seed.

That's a fair point . . . and a scary thought. Because there were times last night they didn't look like a 13-win team. I did like the fight down the stretch--they never folded the tents. And I trust they'll get SOME stuff figured out.

We do definitely have to give props to Union. That's an extremely well coached team that came in with a very specific plan and executed it.

But I don't think I've ever seen a Hilltopper team turn it over 23 times. And now that's on film. So every WV State, Concord, & Glenville that has half decent athletes on its roster has a blueprint for making this edition of the Hilltoppers look very pedestrian. Really concerning.

[boatcapt]

The story of this game was a typical story for a WLU game: tenacious defense, causing lots of turnovers, and an effective press. The problem is all of those attributes were on the Panthers' side of the ledger tonight. Hats off to VUU for playing a strong game. The Hilltoppers gotta grow up from this one.

The question is, how much can they grow? They brought in seven players with experience playing the System and with the two holdovers, there doesn't seem to be much room for growing into the System. Sure, there will be a degree of growth, but I don't think it will be a "light bulb turning on" ahaa sort of growth

I think by and large, this team is what it is. Unclear yet weather that is a 30 win one that glides into the NCAA tourney as the #1 seed or a 20 win one that struggles for the 8th seed.

[Scrub]

The story of this game was a typical story for a WLU game: tenacious defense, causing lots of turnovers, and an effective press. The problem is all of those attributes were on the Panthers' side of the ledger tonight. Hats off to VUU for playing a strong game. The Hilltoppers gotta grow up from this one.

[Scrub]

This is an absolute smackdown. WLU is a turnover machine right now (and not in the good way)

[Scrub]

This doesn't look like a very good basketball team right now. Serious concerns in Richmond right now.

[boatcapt]

In watching the replay, some of the threes were taken off the dribble and a jump stop. That is a much harder 3 pt shot to make. Ideally, the shooter should receive a pass with their feet already set and in shooting position - a catch and shoot. Shooting position.should improve once they get more comfortable with each other. Some players were better in getting in the catch and shoot position last game.
3fgs
Muldowney 4-6. 67%
Lattos 1-2. 50%
Pankey 1-2 50%
Hurray 2-5. 40%
Davis 1-3 33.3% one of his shots counted as 2 so he was close to 2-4 and 50%.

Of course, there is high individual variation in % from game to game.

Also a high variance when you take 2 shots. Only 3 possible pct's - 0%, 50%, or 100%.

[Columbuseer]

In watching the replay, some of the threes were taken off the dribble and a jump stop. That is a much harder 3 pt shot to make. Ideally, the shooter should receive a pass with their feet already set and in shooting position - a catch and shoot. Shooting position.should improve once they get more comfortable with each other. Some players were better in getting in the catch and shoot position last game.
3fgs
Muldowney 4-6. 67%
Lattos 1-2. 50%
Pankey 1-2 50%
Hurray 2-5. 40%
Davis 1-3 33.3% one of his shots counted as 2 so he was close to 2-4 and 50%.

Of course, there is high individual variation in % from game to game.

[Columbuseer]

The ****ty technical was the turning point.

I rewatched the play. Imho it was called because the play was over and Clayton took two steps carrying the ball after the foul was called and pushed montgomery in the back sending him to the floor. It was just too obvious. He needed to be more subtle, like his teammate who sent butler flying to floor on the previous play under the basket. That play might have also alerted the refs to get control.

I think the cumulative effect of fatigue was the turning point in both halves, with cal started getting a step slow and not winning 50-50 balls. The timing just happened to coincide with the techncal. They played 5 guys over 30 minutes. WLU had a true shooting % over 60% and much of it was due to cal's fatigue that resulted in easy looks.

[IUPalum]

Well that was an interesting game. Cal gave WLU all they could handle but their players flat ran out of gas allowing WLU to stretch the lead to the final whistle. Hard to beat a WLU team when you play effectively 5 players!!! Took a bit but eventually WLU ground them into submission!! Kind of like Rocky going to the body!

Again, doesn't matter how you win just as long as you win! .333 3-point shooting again. Worry some.

The ****ty technical was the turning point.

[boatcapt]

Well that was an interesting game. Cal gave WLU all they could handle but their players flat ran out of gas allowing WLU to stretch the lead to the final whistle. Hard to beat a WLU team when you play effectively 5 players!!! Took a bit but eventually WLU ground them into submission!! Kind of like Rocky going to the body!

Again, doesn't matter how you win just as long as you win! .333 3-point shooting again. Worry some.

[Topper_Hopper]

I'm confident they don't bother counting students (who get in free) or pass holders--which, let's be honest, is the grand majority of the crowd. They're only counting the people they collect money from at the door. I hate that because it sells short the actual gate the Hilltoppers draw if anyone is paying attention to box scores and league stats.

Thanks, I suspected there was some weird counting going on. That being said, the box scores from the last three seasons' openers all show attendance close to 1,000.

[Scrub]

Looking at the box score from the win tonight... attendance was only 200?

I'm confident they don't bother counting students (who get in free) or pass holders--which, let's be honest, is the grand majority of the crowd. They're only counting the people they collect money from at the door. I hate that because it sells short the actual gate the Hilltoppers draw if anyone is paying attention to box scores and league stats.

[boatcapt]

Trying not to learn too much from one game but last nights game vs Clarion kind of had me sit up in a somewhat concerned way. Yes we won, so that is a good thing, But it wasn't the dominating W that we should have seen when WLU plays v one of the predicted PSAC back markers. While we are used to winning the first half by 20 points and then "only" winning the second by 5 as we coast to a win, we aren't used to winning the first by 15 and then losing the second half by 4, which is what happened last night. Also concerning was our 3-point shooting. While .333 is certainly what we have become acustomed to over the last couple of years, on a team with 7 .400+ 3-point shooters, we should have seen better production from 3.

Five players did not play last night in Coan, Kent, Butler, Hill and Burton.

But a win is a win no matter how you get it. We got it last night and it's on to a much tougher foe in Cal today. They will be hungry after surrendering a double digit second half lead and falling yesterday to Wheeling by 3.