Originally posted by Columbuseer
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I did notice that. That had to put Assistant Coach Brandon Smith in a bad position. He certainly has no beef with WLU (as far as I can tell)--it's his alma mater. But here was Caldwell coaching his guys not to shake hands. A bad look for sure. And good for WLU's guys for not buying into the head games right out of the gate. -
During pre game introductions, gsc players never left their huddle to shake hands with refs or coach Howlett.Originally posted by Scrub View Post
Never have seen that before. What a bush league, dumb jock-like coaching move. Reflected badly on school. If I were AD or President, my message would be "That will NEVER happen again!"
That action deserved a major thumping, which they got in their 32 point loss! lol!Leave a comment:
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I share your concern. Fairmont barely defeated them recently. When they last beat us, coach May worked all week focusing on keeping us off the offensive glass.Originally posted by Scrub View Post
imho we have to win out, win the tourney and iup has to lose for us to host the regional. So a lot is riding on this game.Leave a comment:
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Today makes me very nervous. WLU has a serous mental block against playing WLU-style basketball in Christie/Cox Court at Athens. They always seem to get away from themselves when they set foot in that building for some reason. They have to come out quickly and take Concord out of the game early.Leave a comment:
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I, too, thought it was strange to see GSC pulling the ball out rather than trying to run and gun. And you're right--it worked . . . for a while.
WLU's rebounding was atrocious in the first half of that game. Adrian Scarbrough picked up 5 offensive boards (for 10 easy point-blank-range points). But you'll notice that Marlon Moore's minutes went up big time in the second half to neutralize Scarbrough on the boards.
All in all it was a weird looking performance for Glenville--a major departure from their norms. (And to be fair, their starting point guard, Edwards, was in a walking boot at the game, so that probably affects what you want to do as well).Leave a comment:
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Observations West Liberty vs Glenville State 2/9/22
Glenville Strategy- Although GSC typically plays the WLU style, for this game they departed from this approach
- When they broke the press, they did not attack the rim, as in previous meetings.
- They also had several deadly three-point shooters and shoot a good 36% from three as a team.
- They also wanted to limit turnovers.
- They also wanted to limit WLU offensive rebounds.
- Only 4 turnovers
- Held WLU to 2 offensive rebounds
- WLU was not rebounding well
- WLU was shooting only 54.5% FT, missing front end of 1-and-1s, which is like a turnover.
- With 4 minutes left in first half, GSC led 33-32
- WLU led 43-36 at the half
So, what happened to GSC for them to lose by 32?
IMHO:- Basically, they just wore GSC out physically and mentally,
- The signs of fatigue started to set in with about 4 minutes to play in the first half and WLU started to build a lead.
- In the second half, WLU increased the pressure tremendously from the start and increased the pace. GSC was losing their legs and were slow in getting back.
- WLU was sharing the ball and moving without the ball extremely well.
- GSC shooting declined and they had 8 turnovers, of which 4 were steals by WLU
- Within 2.5 minutes, the 7-point half time lead had ballooned to 17, with WLU on a 12-2 run.
- With this deficit, GSC cannot hold the ball to slow the pace.
- WLU hit the offensive glass hard, getting 11 offensive rebounds in the second half (compared to a paltry2 in the first half)
- WLU had 7 players shoot 50% or more from three.
- Shooting: 57.7% FG 47.1% 3FG, 63.2% FT (ugh),
- Effective shooting % was 63.4%, 2pt FG shooting % was 61.1%
- Points per possession was amazing 1.38 to 0.99 for GSC.
Team West Liberty Glenville Advantage to: Date 2/9/2022 2/9/2022 Score 102-70 102-70 WLU w/l W FG 41 25 WLU FGA 71 58 WLU FG Pct 58% 43% WLU 3FG 8 8 = 3 FGA 17 22 GSC 3 FG PCT 47% 36% WLU FT 12 12 = FTA 19 27 GSC FT PCT 63% 44% WLU Off Reb 13 11 WLU Def Reb 29 23 WLU Tot Reb 42 34 WLU PF 19 20 = Assist 19 10 WLU TO 8 12 WLU Blk 5 2 WLU Stl 7 4 WLU Pts 102 70 WLU Avg Pts Per Game 99 78 WLU Steals per Forced TO 58% 33% WLU Assist to TO Ratio 2.38 0.83 WLU Assist per FG 46% 40% WLU Points Per FGA 1.44 1.21 WLU Points Per Possession 1.38 0.99 WLU Num Possessions 74 71 = OppDefReb 23 29 WLU Off Reb Effic 36% 28% WLU Forced TO 12 12 = Game num 23 23 = Two Pt FG % 61.1% 47.2% WLU Effective Shooting % 63.38% 50.00% WLU Leave a comment:
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Often overlooked is Ben the recruiter. Every year it seems we have a "prize bull" in our recruiting class AND two bulls that Placed and Showed! WLU's bench is getting VERY crowded with top flight players to the point that true Freshmen have to be almost All-Conference quality to see the floor!!Originally posted by Columbuseer View Post
The down side is these players are used to being the lead dog on their HS team. Also, there is a risk that some of these talented players may seek other opportunities if they don't get the minutes they think they deserve.Leave a comment:
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Great points. Like you, I have thought, " what if bolon and dyer had stayed and yoakum were not injured?" We might be 15 deep with 3 platoons!Originally posted by Scrub View Post
Coach Howlett has a great talent for selecting and developing players who fit the system and can grow over the course of the season to fill in the gaps left by the departed stars.
Like you, it has been great to see great athletes grow their understanding of the team aspects of the game and become more complete players.
Many players are blossoming in terms of their skills and confidence. I see the potential for some of the younger players to become dominant by their junior year.
We just seem to reload, even after losing outstanding players, while still playing unselfishly.
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I buy your argument, Columbus--it's a shame that more young people don't look at it that way.
And while we're musing broadly about all subjects WLU basketball, here were my random musings from yesterday afternoon:
I had a moment when I thought to myself: "Man, how good would this team be if Bolon had chosen to return!" But, then I pretty quickly followed that thought with a second thought: "But then we likely wouldn't be seeing the huge jump in development of the younger guys like Rasile & Sarson." There would be so many fewer minutes to spread to the Rasiles, Sarsons, Denbows, etc. if Bolon were back. And as much as Bolon was the heartbeat of this team when he was here, his absence has allowed Rasile/Sarson to grow, allowed Robinson/Butler to mature and become that heartbeat, allowed Cmont/Viktor a spot to transfer into and contribute mightily, etc. So the "what if" game is fun, but I think I'm actually happy with the reality--a reality in which Coach Howlett takes the guys he has and molds them into a unit.
This is the same thing many of us were thinking when guys like Dave Dennis, Beau Justice, and Yahel Hill transferred out after their respective Freshman years. What if, what if, what if. But if some of those guys had stuck around, we may have been denied the sublime beauty of watching Luke Dyer become Luke Dyer over the course of 4+ years. And I, for one, am happy that we got to see Dyer do what only he could do for the duration of his time here.
So my random musing for the day was to shut down all the "what ifs" and just enjoy the ride. I love that Coach Howlett and his staff always find a way to coach up the guys they have, and it's a lot of fun as a fan to see the Dyers/Sarsons/Rasiles/etc. grow into huge contributors right before our very eyes.Leave a comment:
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Players should take a long-term view:- D1 schools are notorious for channeling players away from their desired major to a more basketball-practice friendly major )NCAA study in 2015 confirmed this). You want a school (whether D1, D2, or D3) that does not subscribe to this philosophy.
- D1 schools will try to channel high school seniors to prep schools, while providing no commitment to recruit them after prep school. Most prep schools play a glorified AAU game and showcase their chosen players for D1, which is not aligned with developing the skills for the style of play overseas.
- D1 coaches are under incredible pressure to win NOW and scholarships are only for 1 year. With the advent of the transfer portal, will coaches really recruit a player out of prep school, when they can get a Jr. D1 guy from the portal?
Attractive Aspects of Playing at WLU, based on 2021-2022 stats- Highest average minutes is 28 mins.
- Eight (8) players average over 15 minutes
- Since WLU averages over 79 possessions per game, which is 20-30% more than traditional half-court offenses, 15 minutes a game at WLU is equivalent to 18 to 19.5 minutes a game in a traditional offense, in terms of experience.
- The style of play aligns better with non-USA professional leagues in terms of style of play. High ball screen, dribble drive dominant offenses are much more prevalent in the NBA. Unless one realistically has a shot at the NBA based on physical attributes, playing at a D1 or D2 school that emulates the NBA style is counter-productive.
- The typical depth of WLU allows talented freshmen to redshirt, get acquainted with the unique style of play, while adjusting to the rigors of the college game and college life. Bolon, Yoakum and Dyer all red-shirted. However, injuries to upperclassmen or outstanding play in practice may earn early playing time, so it is not a hard and fast rule.
- Players develop their complete game and basketball IQ, since they are allowed to make decisions in real time and do not rely heavily on set plays. They learn to recognize, quickly analyze, and then react to situations as they arise.
- One player transferred to WLU and was known as a defensive stopper. He shot 29% from three at his former school. The first year at WLU he shot over 40% from three. This year he is averaging over 55% from three
- Six players average over 40% from three.
- Seven players average over 60% effective shooting %! Those are dominant inside post player numbers from players who are not post players.
- Seven players average under 3 turnovers per 40 minutes.
- Eleven players average over 3 assists per 40 minutes
- Eleven players average over 17 points per 40 minutes
- Six players average over 2 steals per 40 minutes
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West Liberty National Ranking as of 2/6/22- West Liberty is in the top 3 nationally in 6 categories!
- West Liberty is in the top 10 nationally in 11 categories!
- 90th percentile in 14 categories!
- WLU shooting is improving - 50.47% FGs and 39.28% from three point range. Season Free throw % has improved nearly 1 % in just one week!
- Assists are over 20 a game
- Assist to turnover ratio is 7th nationally, at an amazing 1.62, considering the rapid pace of play and the increased number of possessions in a game.
Date National Ranking West Liberty rank Value 2/6/2022 Scoring Offense 1 98.90 2/6/2022 Scoring Margin 2 20.00 2/6/2022 Assists Per Game 2 20.40 2/6/2022 Steals Per Game 3 11.30 2/6/2022 Turnover Margin 3 7.30 2/6/2022 Turnovers Forced 3 19.91 2/6/2022 Three-Point Field Goals Per Game 6 11.40 2/6/2022 Assist Turnover Ratio 7 1.62 2/6/2022 Three-Point Attempts 7 639.00 2/6/2022 Field-Goal Percentage 9 50.47 2/6/2022 Offensive Rebounds per game 10 13.73 2/6/2022 Free-Throw Attempts 17 458.00 2/6/2022 Free-Throw Made 17 331.00 2/6/2022 Three-Point Field-Goal Percentage 20 39.28 2/6/2022 Total Rebounds per game 42 38.91 2/6/2022 Rebound Margin 45 4.00 2/6/2022 Blocked Shots Per Game 65 3.60 2/6/2022 Free-Throw Percentage 119 72.27 2/6/2022 Defensive Rebounds per game 180 25.18 2/6/2022 Field-Goal Percentage Defense 215 45.92 Leave a comment:
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A few (potentially less learned) observations from UC game:
1. I can't recall a time when WLU lost the turnover battle (albeit only by one, but still). Hats off to UC's defense for causing some of that, and hats off to WLU for finding a way to win a game convincingly while nonetheless losing the turnover battle.
2. Your point about the wide open 3's is a good one. Cmont doesn't seem to like to shoot unless he's wide open (he seems to recognize that he's most valuable as a facilitator, unlike a Rasile or Denbow who, with their quick releases, don't mind launching with a closeout defender on the way). But UC had to be wondering where Cmont's scoring came from, and I think you accurately assigned it to the attention that Robinson & Butler were getting in the lane. The UC announcers were in awe of Butler the whole game--at one point they seemed to just throw up their hands and say there's just no one on UC's team who can check him right now. And therefore, Cmont couldn't help but launch (and make) when he found himself as wide open as he did. He's a good shooter, but he's obviously most comfortable (a la Luke Dyer) when he's wide open--which he was on Saturday.
3. McKinney with another silly T. WLU had Gable off his game for the duration on Saturday. He seemed to be whining, pouting, and chirping most of the game (which means he wasn't spending any time scoring). He was mentally checked out. But the moment you chirp back at him and get T'd up, you justify his whining and give him a reason to check back in mentally. If a guy wants to take himself out of the game, Malik has to shut his mouth and let the guy take himself out.Leave a comment:
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This was a high-level basketball game between two very talented, well-coached teams.
The Charleston strategy was sound:- In a departure from previous meetings, UC chose to attack the rim after breaking the press in transition.
- They spread the floor to try to create space for their strong inside players
- They were effective at drawing fouls inside
- They are one of the best shooting teams in D2 and proved it for the first 10 minutes of the game, averaging over 60%.
- They hit the glass hard with their tall lineup, trying to prevent second shots by WLU.
- Minimize the turnover advantage for WLU
IMHO, the reasons were the WLU style, implemented by talented 1-on-1 players, who chose to share the ball.- Patrick Robinson III has always been nearly impossible to guard. Now Bryce Butler has joined him, as UC had no one who could defend him. So, they naturally drew attention for help defense. However, instead of taking a contested shot, which they could often make, they kicked the ball out to a teammate for a wide-open look.
- The cumulative effect of fatigue that occurs in the last 5 minutes of each half, from:
- the WLU full court traps on missed shots as well as made field goals.
- the effort spent by UC to try to close out on shooters after Patrick and Bryce (and others) have sucked the defense inside.
- The suffocating half-court defense that stifled the offensive continuity of UC.
- Six different players were 50% or better from Three-Point range, led by Montague and Rasile. The team shot 69% from three on 11-16. A huge factor was the kick out pass, which left players with wide-open, relaxed shots.
- When they shot 2-point FGs, they were good, on balance shots at 61% success.
Given their quality depth that allows effective platooning to exhaust the opponent, their suffocating half-court defense, and the fact that everyone can shoot and share the ball, when WLU is on their game, they are a very dangerous team.
Team West Liberty at Charleston (WV) Advantage to: Date 2/5/2022 2/5/2022 Score 96-82 WLU w/l W WLU FG 32 23 WLU FGA 50 50 = FG Pct 64% 46% WLU 3FG 11 5 WLU 3 FGA 16 15 = 3 FG PCT 69% 33% WLU FT 21 31 UC FTA 28 41 UC FT PCT 75% 76% = Off Reb 6 12 UC Def Reb 23 16 WLU Tot Reb 29 28 = PF 27 26 = Assist 13 6 WLU TO 15 14 = Blk 4 2 WLU Stl 6 6 = Pts 96 82 WLU Avg Pts Per Game 98.9 78.3 WLU Steals per Forced TO 43% 43% = Assist to TO Ratio 0.87 0.43 WLU Assist per FG 41% 26% WLU Points Per FGA 1.92 1.64 WLU Points Per Possession 1.35 1.17 WLU Num Possessions 71 70 = OppDefReb 16 23 UC Off Reb Effic 27% 34% UC Forced TO 14 14 = Game num 22 22 = Two Pt FG % 61.8% 51.4% WLU Effective Shooting % 75.00% 51.00% WLU Last edited by Columbuseer; 02-07-2022, 09:47 AM.Leave a comment:
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Bryce Butler is starting to play at an all-conference level in the last few games. Against wvsu and their very athletic bigs, he had 23 points on 10-16 fgs, 13 rebounds, 7 assists and 5 steals, despite being undersized inside. Recently, he has been flirting with double-doubles nearly every game.
He made an incredible post move against Pittman, an all conference player. I had never seen that move done before by anyone. It was a triple reverse pivot that left Pittman grabbing air.
It reminded me of a very difficult dive that divers had thought was impossible. It has only been captured on video once.
In deference to that dive, I have named Bryce's move the "Triple Lindy"!
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Against a streaky, quick release, athletic, 3pt jump shooter (like Abram), a mobile, long-armed, 6-8 forward like Viktor can be an effective deterrent, both physically as well as psychologically, as it can make the shooter think about a possible block, which takes them out of their groove. We might see this matchup scenario again, if an opponent gets hot from downtown.Originally posted by Scrub View PostLeave a comment:
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