West Liberty Hilltopper Basketball

[Layton]

[Sportsnut]

Re: West Liberty Hilltopper Basketball

I think Fairmont is going to pick up Travion Horton, the Fairmont Sr. all-state guard that walked on WV last year and saw some action there. I believe he was the player of the year in WV in 2017. Good pickup for them and he will probably replace Jolly.

[Dirtybird]

Re: West Liberty Hilltopper Basketball

I agree with this. I could see all 3 around 20 a game.

[Columbuseer]

Re: West Liberty Hilltopper Basketball

Very interesting and valid point. Need to think about how to estimate it. Fast breaks occur frequently after steals. Maybe look at games where wl got relatively few steals and the turnover margin was low. Then look at offensive rebounding margin?

Just a thought.

Past wl teams had much higher turnover margins but were not nearly as good at offensive rebounding. So that makes an argument for this team being much improved. From watching games I thought Bolon, Yoakum were very aggressive in crashing the board on a shot.

[Dirtybird]

[Columbuseer]

Re: West Liberty Hilltopper Basketball

We are losing 52.3 points from last seasons team. For comparison, last years team lost 52 points from the previous team and that team lost 56.2 points from the year before.

WLU seems to be pretty good with players on the roster stepping up and with finding players to come in and produce. I envision Bolon and Yoakum stepping up production by 5 points per game (25 and 20 respectively), Moore stepping up the same 5 per game to about 14 a game, Boswell will come in at 15 per game, Alessandro at 10 PPG, and Robinson plus which ever of the True Freshmen plays combining for 12-14 PPG.

[Dirtybird]

[boatcapt]

Re: West Liberty Hilltopper Basketball

Last year was one of the best shooting and best offensive rebounding teams in recent years at Wlu. Hit just under 43% of threes as a team and averaged 1.25 points per possession, both of which are better than any D1 team.

Even though we lost some great shooters, I think Boswell will help fill the gap. If we improve on turnover margin, it could be a very high scoring team.

We are losing 52.3 points from last seasons team. For comparison, last years team lost 52 points from the previous team and that team lost 56.2 points from the year before.

WLU seems to be pretty good with players on the roster stepping up and with finding players to come in and produce. I envision Bolon and Yoakum stepping up production by 5 points per game (25 and 20 respectively), Moore stepping up the same 5 per game to about 14 a game, Boswell will come in at 15 per game, Alessandro at 10 PPG, and Robinson plus which ever of the True Freshmen plays combining for 12-14 PPG.

[boatcapt]

Re: West Liberty Hilltopper Basketball

I don't know ... seems odd this kid isn't signed somewhere yet. Wonder if there's more to the story. D1's ... and particularly lower-level D1's ... salivate over 6'8" shooting guards -- even ones they deem a project of sorts.

I don't know why but he's rail thin right now. Guess that could scare some away. And he apparently is still growing! 6'8" shooting guard a coach can handle...but a rail thin 6'11" shooting guard might be a bridge to far for them. That's a LONG way for the ball to travel between dribbles!!!

Clearly something is scaring all the D1's and even most DII's off this guy.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Re: West Liberty Hilltopper Basketball

Collins from Chapmanville would have been the perfect fit for this system. Tall at 6'8" but can shoot the three's. Probably playing time as a true freshman and the right system for a future of playing in Europe.

I don't know ... seems odd this kid isn't signed somewhere yet. Wonder if there's more to the story. D1's ... and particularly lower-level D1's ... salivate over 6'8" shooting guards -- even ones they deem a project of sorts.

[Sportsnut]

Re: West Liberty Hilltopper Basketball

Collins from Chapmanville would have been the perfect fit for this system. Tall at 6'8" but can shoot the three's. Probably playing time as a true freshman and the right system for a future of playing in Europe.

[Columbuseer]

Re: West Liberty Hilltopper Basketball

WLU always has a lot of guards and everyone can shoot. Next year is shaping up to be no different.

This past year among the players that played, we had four listed as Forwards (Meinie, Moore, French and Primmer). As it stands right now, we will have four players on the 19-20 roster that will be listed as Forwards (Moore, Alessandro, Butler and Hazelbaker). Last year we had 15 players on our extended roster with roughly 10 being regular players (30+ games and 10+ MPG). As it stands right now we have 11 players so conceivably, we don't need another. But realistically I see us bring in at least two additional players for a 13 player roster to start the season. At that number, I see a roster breakdown of 5 forwards and 8 guards (3 PG and 5 SG).


But as we discussed earlier, WLU really plays a position less game. Ben seems to be comfortable playing with five guys on the court with a G next to their name...or with a guy with an F next to his name bring the ball up and triggering the offense.

Last year was one of the best shooting and best offensive rebounding teams in recent years at Wlu. Hit just under 43% of threes as a team and averaged 1.25 points per possession, both of which are better than any D1 team.

Even though we lost some great shooters, I think Boswell will help fill the gap. If we improve on turnover margin, it could be a very high scoring team.

[boatcapt]

Re: West Liberty Hilltopper Basketball

Not that I'm a fan, but, since we read about each others' teams on here year-round, ... what's the current roster breakdown at WL?

From following along on here it seems like a lot of guards. Will there be enough food in the bowl to keep all the dogs happy? I still think he's going to try and land a legit big this summer. I don't think you'll need him next winter as you guys will have too much talent and scoring for anybody else down there to compete, but the time will come.

It does appear to me that Ben is making some minor tweaks to the normal blueprint. The transfers aren't typical 'WL' types in their styles of play.


Looking ahead, I see WL just running rampant next season through the MEC. Concord and Notre Dame lost a ton. Wheeling Jesuit appeared to be making strides but now that process is basically starting over. The KGB team at Wesleyan is always just average at best. Fairmont will have a new identity in the post Jolly and Montgomery era.

WLU always has a lot of guards and everyone can shoot. Next year is shaping up to be no different.

This past year among the players that played, we had four listed as Forwards (Meinie, Moore, French and Primmer). As it stands right now, we will have four players on the 19-20 roster that will be listed as Forwards (Moore, Alessandro, Butler and Hazelbaker). Last year we had 15 players on our extended roster with roughly 10 being regular players (30+ games and 10+ MPG). As it stands right now we have 11 players so conceivably, we don't need another. But realistically I see us bring in at least two additional players for a 13 player roster to start the season. At that number, I see a roster breakdown of 5 forwards and 8 guards (3 PG and 5 SG).

But as we discussed earlier, WLU really plays a position less game. Ben seems to be comfortable playing with five guys on the court with a G next to their name...or with a guy with an F next to his name bring the ball up and triggering the offense.

[Columbuseer]

Re: West Liberty Hilltopper Basketball

Not that I'm a fan, but, since we read about each others' teams on here year-round, ... what's the current roster breakdown at WL?

From following along on here it seems like a lot of guards. Will there be enough food in the bowl to keep all the dogs happy? I still think he's going to try and land a legit big this summer. I don't think you'll need him next winter as you guys will have too much talent and scoring for anybody else down there to compete, but the time will come.

It does appear to me that Ben is making some minor tweaks to the normal blueprint. The transfers aren't typical 'WL' types in their styles of play.


Looking ahead, I see WL just running rampant next season through the MEC. Concord and Notre Dame lost a ton. Wheeling Jesuit appeared to be making strides but now that process is basically starting over. The KGB team at Wesleyan is always just average at best. Fairmont will have a new identity in the post Jolly and Montgomery era.

[boatcapt]

Re: West Liberty Hilltopper Basketball

Holy Family University is having rapidly deteriorating financial stability, so they changed the duties of men's and women's coaches and asked them to reapply for a major cut in pay.

Higher Ed has mentioned them as a school to watch even though the last financial responsibility composite score gave them a perfect 3.0. Guess it shows how quickly financial landscape is changing as a great score does not guarantee that all is OK, especailly if you are a smaller school in terms of enrollment.

The composite score goes from -1 to 3. If you are under 1.0 then higher ed considers the school not financially responsible (risk of closing).
Wheeling Jesuit was 1.5 which was on verge of being monitored by Dept of Ed, even though their debt had recently been paid.


Of the 269 schools under 1.0, 21 are in PA.
here is article. If you click on the green Go button it will download Excel file with 3100 colleges and schools in it.

https://studentaid.ed.gov/sa/about/d...mposite-scores

Interestingly enough Harvard is not in perfect shape, as their renowned economist who was leading their endowment (and was being considered for Federal Reserve LOL ) lost $11B!
And we want these guys running our country behind the scenes?

Their annual budget is $3B.

Interesting report but it appears to be limited to private schools. Is there a companion report somewhere that shows public schools?

Some interesting numbers from this list for WV/OH/PA schools:

Schools at 3.0

D&E
Seton Hill
Cedarville
Tiffin
Findlay

2.7 to 2.5:

Univ of Charleston
Gannon
Ashland
Walsh
WV Wesleyan

2.4 to 2.0:

Franklin
Urbana
Salem

1.9 to 1.5:

Mercyhurst
WJU
Malone

1.4 to 0.0 (Schools requiring additional monitoring):

NDC
Lake Erie College
Alderson Broadus

0.0 to -1.0 (School considered financial irresponsible):

Ohio Valley University