West Liberty Hilltopper Basketball

[Columbuseer]

Re: West Liberty Hilltopper Basketball

FYI Dalton's Team - Wayne Holmes (WH) won their 2nd consecutive Akron Canton Am Pro Summer League Championship, with great unselfish play and deadly 3 point shooting. Joining him were Tyree Gaiter and Seger Bonifant. They had a couple of older guys who were quite a few pounds above their ideal playing weight, but that did not affect their basketball IQ and 3 point shooting and effort. Deadly! Tallest guys were Seger and Dalton. Most guys under 6-3.
Some observations:
1. Dalton has added maybe 6 inches to his vertical leap - plays above the rim on offensive rebounds - He is playing with goggles but no eye patch. Great news!
2. Seger has greatly improved his defense and did well against the other team's best player.
3. WH played West Lib basketball, but without the press. if the ball was loose, Seger or Dalton was immediately on the floor. 4 or 5 passes until they got a great open shot for their teammate.
4. Their semi-final opponents were more athletic and talented individually, playing above the rim, with great off-balance shooting under pressure and great dribble drive. Impressive... They lost because the rest of their game was weak - team passing, avoiding turnovers, offensive rebounding, unselfish play, team and individual defense. Ah, the curse of AAU ball.
5. WH team play gave them synergy, where the whole is far greater than the sum of the individual parts. They were up 101-89 with about a minute to go, when the play generally shut down to let folks show off their dunks LOL.
6. RJ Sunahara played in the first semi before WH. Very unselfish, high basketball IQ, plays above rim and great offensive rebounding with great effort and motor. Great fit for Nova SE. If his teammates had played unselfishly like RJ, they might have won their semi.

[Columbuseer]

Re: West Liberty Hilltopper Basketball

FYI - Dalton Bolon is playing in the Akron Canton Amateur-Pro League for the team Wayne Holmes. After being 6th man last year, this year, Dalton made All League First Team on offense as well as FIrst Team on defense. This league has a mix of college guys and overseas pros. Some of these guys look the part of pro players too - very strong and physical and play above the rim.
It appears that Dalton has gotten much stronger since last year. Praise that he is wearing glasses, but no longer has to wear the eye patch!

[boatcapt]

Re: West Liberty Hilltopper Basketball

You're right. That's what I get for skimming a couple of articles, going and doing a couple hours of "Real" work and then pulling up an old image of the various 3 PT lines and posting! It didnt "feel" right when I posted it...should have fact checked it again but I didn't!! Poor research technique!

[Columbuseer]

Re: West Liberty Hilltopper Basketball

The move back for NCAA men is one foot to 20 ft 9 in. For marginal 3 point shooters, one foot is a pretty big adjustment and will probably convince many of them not to take the shot. For true 3 pt snipers, I don't think it will ultimately be a huge deal. Does set up a one year aberration were everyone to include upperclassmen and incoming freshmen will be adjusting to the change at the same time...May have situations were a true freshman is able to adjust quicker than an experienced college player and might "steal" minutes from him!

IF WLU's shooters can make the adjustment and shoot at or near their previous % and IF WLU's opponents take fewer 3 pt shots because they can't adjust, that COULD increase WLU's MOV. Lot's of if's and could's there but I think it is more likely tan the opposite happening (WLU shooters being unable to adjust and shooting fewer 3 pointers).

Might have misunderstood your post.
My understanding is that the current NCAA men's 3 pt line is 20.75 ft (20 ft 9 inches). Next year in D2 (this year in D1), the line moves back to 22.15 ft (22 ft 1 3/4 inches) or an increase of 1.4 ft (16 3/4 inches).
Unless I am mistaken, the 22.15 ft wil be the same in the corners as on the rest of the court, just as it was previously.
Only the NBA has a "short corner" Three at 22 ft, which is about a foot shorter than the rest of the arc.

Based on watching video, folks who often shot beyond the new arc this past year and should not be affected significantly are: Bolon, Yoakum, Shifflett, Butler, Conley, Boswell, Hile, and Dyer ( when he does shoot, it is often from greater distance).
Don't know about the others.

[boatcapt]

Re: West Liberty Hilltopper Basketball

The move back for NCAA men is one foot to 20 ft 9 in. For marginal 3 point shooters, one foot is a pretty big adjustment and will probably convince many of them not to take the shot. For true 3 pt snipers, I don't think it will ultimately be a huge deal. Does set up a one year aberration were everyone to include upperclassmen and incoming freshmen will be adjusting to the change at the same time...May have situations were a true freshman is able to adjust quicker than an experienced college player and might "steal" minutes from him!

IF WLU's shooters can make the adjustment and shoot at or near their previous % and IF WLU's opponents take fewer 3 pt shots because they can't adjust, that COULD increase WLU's MOV. Lot's of if's and could's there but I think it is more likely tan the opposite happening (WLU shooters being unable to adjust and shooting fewer 3 pointers).

[Columbuseer]

Re: West Liberty Hilltopper Basketball

I think the 3 PT line move will have a bigger impact than people realize...particularly in DII. Heck, even for a good 3 PT shooting team like WLU it will probably impact their overall shooting % a bit...Can't imagine what it will do to marginal shooting teams. I would think the effect for these teams will be 1. Fewer 3 PT tries per game and 2. Perhaps a 10% point drop in the make/miss rate. Combined this could result in double digit reductions in PPG which will have a negative effect on W/L.

When i watch the videos of last year's games, many of WL 3 pt shots were behind the new 3 point line. So I am more optimistic that our opponent's 3 point shooting will decline more than WL.
Question: Are they still leaving room for the corner 3, which I think was closer than than the top of the key three point distance?

Also, if it does decline, it may be due to normal statistical variation due to player turnover. Last year's team was the best 3 point shooting WL team in at least 8 years! However, we lost several elite shooters in Meininger, French and Hill with Meininger and French often shooting from NBA 3 range.

Here are some stats comparing past WL teams in FG % 3PT % and FT %


Year ending Team FG % Team 3 pt % Free Throw %
2019 49.9% 42.5% 77.7%
2018 45.3% 37.8% 76.8%
2017 48.7% 35.9% 72.1%
2016 49.8% 40.9% 73.4%
2015 52.0% 41.3% 70.9%
2014 49.2% 39.7% 75.1%
2013 51.8% 41.2% 76.4%
2012 50.7% 41.1% 79.9%
Median 49.9% 41.00% 75.75%

[boatcapt]

Re: West Liberty Hilltopper Basketball

WLU is loading up on complete players, who are great shooters. That is not surprising. What is surprising is that some of these recruits are elite level shooters who can also drive to the basket; they average at 40% from three and they are shooting from NBA range and beyond. Shiflett hit 46% from three against elite competition. Other examples: Hazelbaker - 38%, Conley and Butler deadly from 3.

Some of WLU's opponents shoot in the high 30% from three, but often their tiptoes are right on the line and flaws in their shot mechanics will not maintain this percentage from greater distance.

With the 3 pt line moving back to 22+ft next year, this will make WLU even more dangerous as it will spread the floor even more, opening up the middle of the court.

For those long time WLU fans, think of some of these recruits as super-sized versions of Tim Hausfeld, with more athletic ability.

I think the 3 PT line move will have a bigger impact than people realize...particularly in DII. Heck, even for a good 3 PT shooting team like WLU it will probably impact their overall shooting % a bit...Can't imagine what it will do to marginal shooting teams. I would think the effect for these teams will be 1. Fewer 3 PT tries per game and 2. Perhaps a 10% point drop in the make/miss rate. Combined this could result in double digit reductions in PPG which will have a negative effect on W/L.

[Columbuseer]

Re: West Liberty Hilltopper Basketball

Quinn Hiles and Mason Shifflet. While we've known about Shifflet for about a month, this is the first mention I can recall about Hiles signing with the Toppers.

WLU is loading up on complete players, who are great shooters. That is not surprising. What is surprising is that some of these recruits are elite level shooters who can also drive to the basket; they average at 40% from three and they are shooting from NBA range and beyond. Shiflett hit 46% from three against elite competition. Other examples: Hazelbaker - 38%, Conley and Butler deadly from 3.

Some of WLU's opponents shoot in the high 30% from three, but often their tiptoes are right on the line and flaws in their shot mechanics will not maintain this percentage from greater distance.

With the 3 pt line moving back to 22+ft next year, this will make WLU even more dangerous as it will spread the floor even more, opening up the middle of the court.

For those long time WLU fans, think of some of these recruits as super-sized versions of Tim Hausfeld, with more athletic ability.

[boatcapt]

Re: West Liberty Hilltopper Basketball

Huh? They announced the Butler signing last October. He's been signed at WL for almost a year.

Quinn Hiles and Mason Shifflet. While we've known about Shifflet for about a month, this is the first mention I can recall about Hiles signing with the Toppers.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Re: West Liberty Hilltopper Basketball

Maybe he went thru a growth spurt since u saw him. Spoke with him on jul 22 and he is clearly taller than I. I am 6-3. He did not look skinny. Maybe 180-185. Great shooter. His post footwork is incredible.

Latrobe has become a stellar high school basketball program. That is where Shippensburg signed Jake Biss.

Biss, my opinion, may be the PSAC EAST POY this year as a junior.

I know WL signed Butler early. I wonder what other offers he had. Fite has been dominating the WPIAL lately.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Re: West Liberty Hilltopper Basketball

The two transfers had been previously reported but I was not expecting any additional HS recruits! AND they seem to be the typical high quality guys that Ben is becoming known for. These are great late recruiting season additions!

Huh? They announced the Butler signing last October. He's been signed at WL for almost a year.

[Columbuseer]

Re: West Liberty Hilltopper Basketball

IUP allegedly blew off Dustin Sleva coming out of high school. He was 6'4" ...

Three years later he was 6'10". He wanted to come here and Joe had no interest. True story.

I can only imagine him and Cobo as teammates on the floor together. Wow.

IMHO, that would have brought a national championship to IUP!

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Re: West Liberty Hilltopper Basketball

Maybe he went thru a growth spurt since u saw him. Spoke with him on jul 22 and he is clearly taller than I. I am 6-3. He did not look skinny. Maybe 180-185. Great shooter. His post footwork is incredible.

IUP allegedly blew off Dustin Sleva coming out of high school. He was 6'4" ...

Three years later he was 6'10". He wanted to come here and Joe had no interest. True story.

I can only imagine him and Cobo as teammates on the floor together. Wow.

[Columbuseer]

Re: West Liberty Hilltopper Basketball

I like Butler ... saw him many times at Latrobe games. He's a WL type. His grandfather attends a lot of IUP games.

He's nowhere near 6'5" but ... none of them are. He needs a solid year in the weightroom. I'd guess he is about 165 lbs. Max.

Get that year done and he'll be a big player down there.

Maybe he went thru a growth spurt since u saw him. Spoke with him on jul 22 and he is clearly taller than I. I am 6-3. He did not look skinny. Maybe 180-185. Great shooter. His post footwork is incredible.

[boatcapt]

Re: West Liberty Hilltopper Basketball

I like Butler ... saw him many times at Latrobe games. He's a WL type. His grandfather attends a lot of IUP games.

He's nowhere near 6'5" but ... none of them are. He needs a solid year in the weightroom. I'd guess he is about 165 lbs. Max.

Get that year done and he'll be a big player down there.

The two transfers had been previously reported but I was not expecting any additional HS recruits! AND they seem to be the typical high quality guys that Ben is becoming known for. These are great late recruiting season additions!