West Liberty Hilltopper Basketball

[CelticCoach]

Re: West Liberty Hilltopper Basketball

Columbus - I watched some video of this summer league in Cleveland, basically looked like a rec league to me. I'm not saying that there weren't some decent players there, but basically it was a summer league to play in. No doubt that you have to put your time in and work hard, but basically you try to improve your areas of weakness, not necessarily by working against competition that may or may not be that good to play against. Some players need time in the weight room and others needing improvement in agility and explosiveness. From what I'm hearing WLU is a little banged up in camp, hopefully everyone can get healthy before November rolls around.

[boatcapt]

Re: West Liberty Hilltopper Basketball

Preseason polls, particularly for DII, have little to do with knowledgable people doing an objective comparison between teams and is more about what has happened in the past. WLU has a track record of being the #1 ranked team so the knee-jerk is to put them at #1 again. It's nice to hear, but I put almost zero stock in it...Same with the MEC Coaches preseason poll which are basically just the final standings from the previous year...that is unless something major happens like what has happened at WJU this off season.

I know we all like picking who the starters for WLU will be. But WLU is different than most teams in that the starter isn't always the best player. On a traditional team, your five starters are almost always going to be your top five minute eaters. At WLU, that just isn't the case. It is VERY common for a supposed "bench player" to get more minutes that the starter in a given game or even over a series of games. Also, outside of PG, WLU is a pretty position less team with all players having very similar skill sets with what role a player "plays" in a given play more dependent on where he happens to be on the court when the play starts. They are a team of red lego blocks.

[PSAC76]

Re: West Liberty Hilltopper Basketball

Preseason #1 in the country. Early accolades for your program...

http://mountaineast.org/news/2018/9/...on-honors.aspx

[Columbuseer]

Re: West Liberty Hilltopper Basketball

The roster is posted on WL website..

... And one thing I've noticed with WL program, there is always a surprise player that didn't do much at all last year... Maybe that's Keegan Saben or Marlon Moore this year...

[IUP Extra Mile]

Re: West Liberty Hilltopper Basketball

The roster is posted on WL website..

5 seniors this year...and honestly, not sure how many will even start..

I'm assuming that Boswell has to sit out this year, right? I can't imagine the wing play they will have after this season, with Bolon and Boswell on both wings...That's an enviable D2 combo of guards...

Here's my prediction on starters this year:
PG: Brady Arnold, if healthy. Back up: Yahel Hill or Luke Dyer. (One of these backups may be redshirt candidate)

SG: Dalton Bolon. Pencil him in for the next 3 years. Solid, solid player. Maybe a d2 AA in a few years.

#3: Evan French. Maybe their best shooter. Back up guards: Nate Allen, Ariel Watson and Keegan Saben

PF: Eric Meininger. Has carved out a nice niche for himself, and is a tough match up with other bigs bc of shooting stroke. Back up: Tyler Primmer

Center, but really another Forward at WL: Nick Greely. Will operate like Grossenbacher did...hitting 3's, getting boards, providing muscle inside. Back up: Marlon Moore.


You know, if you look at that lineup, it's pretty good.. And one thing I've noticed with WL program, there is always a surprise player that didn't do much at all last year... Maybe that's Keegan Saben or Marlon Moore this year...

[IUP Extra Mile]

Re: West Liberty Hilltopper Basketball

I saw where Street and Smith has WLU ranked #1 in their preseason rankings. Based on the end of last season, I really cannot understand that ranking. Y'all would know better than I, is that ranking defensible?

I'll confess, I'm a huge Hilltopper fan...but also fairly objective..

And I do think WL has a really good national reputation in D2, for what it's worth... And therefore the "uninformed" national folks figure that they are always a good bet to be land in the Top 5 or so...And they are buoyed by what has never been a murderer's row of non conference opponents... add it all up, and you land in the top 10...

That being said, they lost a d2 all american in Monteroso, lost a good solid, D1 transfer in James Griffin, lost a good PG in Jordan Watson...and lost a Swiss Army knife player in Brandon Smith...

And I agree with IUP BIG INdIANS, it's usually more newsworthy when they aren't preseason #1.... They'll be good, but no way should they be preseason #1!

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Re: West Liberty Hilltopper Basketball

The actual reality is nobody gives a whiz about D2 basketball. The assistant to the intern likely makes this poll at S&S.

[Columbuseer]

Re: West Liberty Hilltopper Basketball

Don't they start every year at No. 1?

It will be interesting if the coaches vote them No. 1 in the MEC poll ahead of Fairmont State?

WLU number 1 is frankly a surprise to me - given that All American Monteroso is gone. But they seem to surprise me every year after they lose an All American player - Falk, Harris, Bonefant, Monteroso. I am curious as to their rationale for the ranking. I could see top 10 pre-season, perhaps just based on reputation.
But pre-season #1 and $3 will get you a starbucks so it does not mean much, other than to generate conversation.



There are so many teams one could argue could be Number 1, to name a few:
Lincoln Memorial
Queens
Bellarmine
Valdosta State (thanks to 2 ex hilltoppers)?
And looming in the shadows.... Nova Southeastern.

Fairmont state always has great talent - I really like Jolly's game. But for many years, one could depend on Fairmont having 5-7 bonehead offensive possession every game, like "heat check" shots. They don't value every possession, which has hurt them against less athletic teams like WLU and WJU who have more disciplined players who actually listen to their coaches.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Re: West Liberty Hilltopper Basketball

I saw where Street and Smith has WLU ranked #1 in their preseason rankings. Based on the end of last season, I really cannot understand that ranking. Y'all would know better than I, is that ranking defensible?

Don't they start every year at No. 1?

It will be interesting if the coaches vote them No. 1 in the MEC poll ahead of Fairmont State?

[Knightmoves]

Re: West Liberty Hilltopper Basketball

I saw where Street and Smith has WLU ranked #1 in their preseason rankings. Based on the end of last season, I really cannot understand that ranking. Y'all would know better than I, is that ranking defensible?

[PSAC76]

Re: West Liberty Hilltopper Basketball

Seems like he will fit well into your system

[Columbuseer]

Re: West Liberty Hilltopper Basketball

New commit http://verbalcommits.com/players/owen-hazelbaker

Saw him play in all star game in late march featuring best central ohio underclassmen.
Thought he was the best big man on the floor.
High motor, unselfish, great stroke on the 3, good ball skills and foot movement, aggressive rebounder.
Actually tried to play team ball, which is rare in an all star game.
Has body type of a tight end, so in a weight program he could really become a dominant physical inside force.
Could be still growing.
Has 4.3 GPA as a Junior so that definitely does not hurt.
He is one of those guys who was under the radar but is improving rapidly with a very high upside.

[Sportsnut]

Re: West Liberty Hilltopper Basketball

Losing 5 seniors after this year. Starting the replenishment! Nice to start off with a 6" 7" guy.

[Layton]

Re: West Liberty Hilltopper Basketball

New commit http://verbalcommits.com/players/owen-hazelbaker

[boatcapt]

Re: West Liberty Hilltopper Basketball

Realistically, I don't think this will happen, but wouldn't it be amazing if WLU sent 3 waves of lineups at opponents, each playing intense pressure defense for 2-4 minutes? It would require tremendous parity among the players and of course would depend on the match ups. It would make it difficult for opponents to get comfortable with the skills and tendencies of the player guarding them. The physical and mental stress on opponents would be something to see, especially if they are not disciplined and their coach is not top-notch.

I am looking forward to next year when Boswell can play with Bolon. His game seems to be perfectly suited for the WLU style.

As I recall, UNC did somthing like this "back in the day." They would play their "end of the bench" 5 as a unit for a 2 minute stretch with instructions to press, harass, try and jump every pass and play HARD D (including giving HARD fouls to the opposing team stars). Players gave maximum effort knowing that they didnt need to "save" anything because they weren't going back in!