West Liberty Hilltopper Basketball

[Columbuseer]

[IUPbigINDIANS]

I wanted to try out a post on the new board and bump the WL thread...Can't let it get buried.

Also, where does everyone think WL will be ranked in the preseason top 20? I'm saying top 4...They'll be good, but typically the national folks inflate WL in the rankings, just a hair...

And better question- Will IUP or WL be higher in the preseason rankings? (I know, I know, each team would rather be ranked higher at the END of the year...)

Doesn't WL start every year No. 1?

IUP ... depends how in-depth they actually research it. Typically, the preseason rankings are a stooge festival. IUP will be better this year than last year but from afar the roster transition could scare people in such 'researched' preseason lists.

Unless somebody else comes out of nowhere, they are the clear two front-runners in the Atlantic. UPJ is getting a lot of buzz (and will be very good).

My pick is if WL wins up at Daemen ... they go undefeated in the regular season. I see the 'second' team in the MEC being about 5 miles behind WL this year (talent-wise). I still think WL will run in to issues under the basket in March, however.


West Chester and Virginia State both lost a ton. Neither roster is posted yet. I suspect they reload quickly. Same with Slippery Rock.

Kutztown, Shippensburg, UPJ and Millersville will all be very solid. Fairmont State is in transition and lost a ton (graduation and players leaving).

With the very bad news out of East Stroudsburg it's hard to say what course its season will take.

Mercyhurst brought in some real intriguing imports -- especially under the basket. The guards are a different subject, however. They won't be near what they were a year ago.

[boatcapt]

I wanted to try out a post on the new board and bump the WL thread...Can't let it get buried.

Also, where does everyone think WL will be ranked in the preseason top 20? I'm saying top 4...They'll be good, but typically the national folks inflate WL in the rankings, just a hair...

And better question- Will IUP or WL be higher in the preseason rankings? (I know, I know, each team would rather be ranked higher at the END of the year...)

WLU will be ranked #1 by at least two of the pre-season polls.

[IUP Extra Mile]

I wanted to try out a post on the new board and bump the WL thread...Can't let it get buried.

Also, where does everyone think WL will be ranked in the preseason top 20? I'm saying top 4...They'll be good, but typically the national folks inflate WL in the rankings, just a hair...

And better question- Will IUP or WL be higher in the preseason rankings? (I know, I know, each team would rather be ranked higher at the END of the year...)

[Columbuseer]

Re: West Liberty Hilltopper Basketball

I read a news article from Monteroso's football days at Perdue. It was an interview of players on the basketball team. One of the questions asked was who is the best basketball player not on the team. To a man they all said Monteroso. They said he would practice with the team sometimes and just light them up!! Hard to say he would have started (didn't follow the team so I don't know who they had) but it seems like the players thought that if he was on the team, he would have contributed quite a bit.

Scored over 2000 pts in high school.
At wl he once played basketball game on Friday, played football on Saturday afternoon, and then played second basketball game Saturday night. Incredible athlete!

[boatcapt]

Re: West Liberty Hilltopper Basketball

Maybe Monteroso as a d1 hoop player...he played d1 football, not sure his jumper is D1 worthy, his athleticism was easily thpugh.

I read a news article from Monteroso's football days at Perdue. It was an interview of players on the basketball team. One of the questions asked was who is the best basketball player not on the team. To a man they all said Monteroso. They said he would practice with the team sometimes and just light them up!! Hard to say he would have started (didn't follow the team so I don't know who they had) but it seems like the players thought that if he was on the team, he would have contributed quite a bit.

[IUP Extra Mile]

Re: West Liberty Hilltopper Basketball

Hill may be a better shooter when he's wide open but at just 5'10" he would struggle getting shots off at the high D1 level. The 6'8" guys who can launch are a nightmare to defend. By the time he gets to Albany he'll probably put on 20 pounds and maybe grow an inch (it's possible). But, yes, his frame as of now is way to fragile to play at a high level. In the P5 the guards will be more talented and faster in addition to being physically superior. Not a good combination.


In my opinion, I've seen very few players (I'll just use the past decade for reference) in the Atlantic who could have been legitimate contributors at the P5 level. And, this is based on the player they became by their senior season.

Seger Bonifant (although it would likely have been as a guard)
Cobo Diaz
Brandon Norfleet
Thomas Wimbush
Haywood Highsmith
Dustin Sleva
Amir Hinton
Darryl Webb
Patrick Smith

Maybe Monteroso as a d1 hoop player...he played d1 football, not sure his jumper is D1 worthy, his athleticism was easily thpugh.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Re: West Liberty Hilltopper Basketball

Maybe tyree gaiter from notre Dame or chance from iup? No one could handle tyree in the summer league. Big reason they won the championship

Tough question. They'd be both on the short list for sure. Adam Blazek from Gannon was real good.

We get so in to a particular season and as years go by things get foggy.

[Columbuseer]

Re: West Liberty Hilltopper Basketball

Maybe tyree gaiter from notre Dame or chance from iup? No one could handle tyree in the summer league. Big reason they won the championship

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Re: West Liberty Hilltopper Basketball

Add a PG to my list and that could be the All-Atlantic, All-Decade team. Imagine THAT as a D2 team all together. Wow.

[Columbuseer]

Re: West Liberty Hilltopper Basketball

Hill may be a better shooter when he's wide open but at just 5'10" he would struggle getting shots off at the high D1 level. The 6'8" guys who can launch are a nightmare to defend. By the time he gets to Albany he'll probably put on 20 pounds and maybe grow an inch (it's possible). But, yes, his frame as of now is way to fragile to play at a high level. In the P5 the guards will be more talented and faster in addition to being physically superior. Not a good combination.


In my opinion, I've seen very few players (I'll just use the past decade for reference) in the Atlantic who could have been legitimate contributors at the P5 level. And, this is based on the player they became by their senior season.

Seger Bonifant (although it would likely have been as a guard)
Cobo Diaz
Brandon Norfleet
Thomas Wimbush
Haywood Highsmith
Dustin Sleva
Amir Hinton
Darryl Webb
Patrick Smith

There are others who could have made the team and been deep bench guys, but I think those guys were all legit D1 players (and all had the coveted size, etc.). Many of them were 'late bloomers' per say and got overlooked coming out of high school.


And, I'm sure I missed a few so hold off on the attacks !!!! LOL

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Re: West Liberty Hilltopper Basketball

I would not be surprised if Hill shot better than Robinson of Michigan from 3.

Unfortunately,mid to high major D1 (and NBA) puts a significant value on size and strength. NBA players are first determined by DNA, then they are made through hard work. A 5-10, 150 lb guard just does not fit the DNA profile.

Robinson was 6-8 with very high basketball IQ, which is required (and further developed in Beilein's system). Despite playing at Michigan, he was not drafted, but was a free agent. What helped him was his size and the recent emphasis on 3 pt shooting in the NBA. Robinson is only making 1.3M and was guaranteed that just late in the summer. What also helped him is that his team needs bodies and they have no cap money.

IMHO, Hill's pro feature is overseas (and perhaps Robinson too). WL would have given him experience in the non-dribble drive, team based game of Europe. I hope it works out for him to play overseas.

Hill may be a better shooter when he's wide open but at just 5'10" he would struggle getting shots off at the high D1 level. The 6'8" guys who can launch are a nightmare to defend. By the time he gets to Albany he'll probably put on 20 pounds and maybe grow an inch (it's possible). But, yes, his frame as of now is way to fragile to play at a high level. In the P5 the guards will be more talented and faster in addition to being physically superior. Not a good combination.


In my opinion, I've seen very few players (I'll just use the past decade for reference) in the Atlantic who could have been legitimate contributors at the P5 level. And, this is based on the player they became by their senior season.

Seger Bonifant (although it would likely have been as a guard)
Cobo Diaz
Brandon Norfleet
Thomas Wimbush
Haywood Highsmith
Dustin Sleva
Amir Hinton
Darryl Webb
Patrick Smith

There are others who could have made the team and been deep bench guys, but I think those guys were all legit D1 players (and all had the coveted size, etc.). Many of them were 'late bloomers' per say and got overlooked coming out of high school.


And, I'm sure I missed a few so hold off on the attacks !!!! LOL

[Columbuseer]

Re: West Liberty Hilltopper Basketball

This is the opposite side of the Yahel Hill discussion. Had that kid stayed down in the bush leagues of D3 (or even D2) he very likely would not be on the Miami Heat right now. He'd have been stereotyped as just a star player in a low-talent level (NBA-wise). Once he proved he could do it at Michigan that changed the whole outlook and caught the attention of the big leagues.

Obviously Hill isn't going anywhere near a Michigan level school, but you see the theory that moving up can work for some of these guys.

Amir Hinton would have benefited greatly from moving up and playing one year at the D1 level (not bush leagues D1).

I would not be surprised if Hill shot better than Robinson of Michigan from 3.

Unfortunately,mid to high major D1 (and NBA) puts a significant value on size and strength. NBA players are first determined by DNA, then they are made through hard work. A 5-10, 150 lb guard just does not fit the DNA profile.

Robinson was 6-8 with very high basketball IQ, which is required (and further developed in Beilein's system). Despite playing at Michigan, he was not drafted, but was a free agent. What helped him was his size and the recent emphasis on 3 pt shooting in the NBA. Robinson is only making 1.3M and was guaranteed that just late in the summer. What also helped him is that his team needs bodies and they have no cap money.

IMHO, Hill's pro feature is overseas (and perhaps Robinson too). WL would have given him experience in the non-dribble drive, team based game of Europe. I hope it works out for him to play overseas.

[boatcapt]

Re: West Liberty Hilltopper Basketball

This is the opposite side of the Yahel Hill discussion. Had that kid stayed down in the bush leagues of D3 (or even D2) he very likely would not be on the Miami Heat right now. He'd have been stereotyped as just a star player in a low-talent level (NBA-wise). Once he proved he could do it at Michigan that changed the whole outlook and caught the attention of the big leagues.

Obviously Hill isn't going anywhere near a Michigan level school, but you see the theory that moving up can work for some of these guys.

Amir Hinton would have benefited greatly from moving up and playing one year at the D1 level (not bush leagues D1).

Yes...true for so many players! Of course, that is assuming he performed at the big time D1 level. Quite a few players that play D1 that never get a sniff from the NBA OR the G-League.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Re: West Liberty Hilltopper Basketball

Great story. 6-8 who played for former beilein assistant at Williams college. Deadly 3 point shooter (but not as good as bonifant). Beilein originally offered walk on role but gave him scholarship after seeing him play during recruiting visit. Other power 5 schools were very interested too so Robinson had leverage.

I could be wrong but since there are no athletic scholarships in d3 there are no transfer restrictions. Robinson did redshirt his first year at Michigan.

This is the opposite side of the Yahel Hill discussion. Had that kid stayed down in the bush leagues of D3 (or even D2) he very likely would not be on the Miami Heat right now. He'd have been stereotyped as just a star player in a low-talent level (NBA-wise). Once he proved he could do it at Michigan that changed the whole outlook and caught the attention of the big leagues.

Obviously Hill isn't going anywhere near a Michigan level school, but you see the theory that moving up can work for some of these guys.

Amir Hinton would have benefited greatly from moving up and playing one year at the D1 level (not bush leagues D1).