West Liberty Hilltopper Basketball

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Re: West Liberty Hilltopper Basketball

For conversation sake ... what league?

[boatcapt]

Re: West Liberty Hilltopper Basketball

West Liberty is only about 2600 students. I think we should be happy where we are and be thankful for the successful basketball program. Other than football, the other teams are just average. The football program sucks, it has for years and I don't understand why that isn't corrected.

I think we know WHY the football program sucks! As you correctly point out, the why it hasn't been corrected is the real head scratcher...

I agree we should be happy with DII. But for the sake of argument, here is what I think would need to happen before we even considered moving up to D1:

1. Enrolment increase to 3500+.
2. Changes in the football program to get it on track to be a consistent winner.
3. Rebuild/replace the ARSC to accommodate a minimum of 6,000 capacity.
4. Increase seating capacity at West Stadium to a minimum of 6,000 permanent seats OR move all home games to Wheeling Island.
5. Minimum average attendance at all home basketball games of 3,000.
6. Minimum average attendance at all home football games of 3,000.

Until those things happen I would be opposed to any move to D1 by WLU.

[Sportsnut]

Re: West Liberty Hilltopper Basketball

West Liberty is only about 2600 students. I think we should be happy where we are and be thankful for the successful basketball program. Other than football, the other teams are just average. The football program sucks, it has for years and I don't understand why that isn't corrected.

[boatcapt]

Re: West Liberty Hilltopper Basketball

It's also not as simple as just saying men's basketball is moving up. The whole athletic department moves up. And football at WL is certainly not ready to move up. The non-revenue sports go, too. The cost of either driving your women's tennis team around on 12-hour bus trips or flying the volleyball team, etc., is enormous.

I think it could be done on the relative cheap provided you focused your resources on one sport (for argument here, let's say basketball...both men's and women's) and go "non-scholarship" in the others (although, I think all athletic schollys are funded by private donations so it would be possible to offer some). Wouldn't be easy and I think WLU would suffer on the basketball court for a few years (while I really like our players, no way we could compete in a D1 league for an entire season!), but it could be done.

[boatcapt]

Re: West Liberty Hilltopper Basketball

Please government...protect us from ourselves!!! Your illustration about Big Tobacco is instructive. Govt and law suits have been trying to kill it off since the 60's but in spite of the law suits, restrictions, constant negative press and graphic warning labels, it still keeps going. Different issue but...One of the things I find amusing is the pervasive opinion that smoking tobacco is bad for you but smoking marijuana is good for you!

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Re: West Liberty Hilltopper Basketball

It's also not as simple as just saying men's basketball is moving up. The whole athletic department moves up. And football at WL is certainly not ready to move up. The non-revenue sports go, too. The cost of either driving your women's tennis team around on 12-hour bus trips or flying the volleyball team, etc., is enormous.

[Columbuseer]

Re: West Liberty Hilltopper Basketball

West Lib should strongly consider going D1. Our team could already compete with the lower level D1 teams. Could you imagine making the big boy tournament and the excitement it would bring to the school?

As for football, honestly, who cares at this point? Either drop the sport or go play in one of the non scholarship FCS conferences. It's time to focus on Men's Basketball and let that program move this school forward.

[boatcapt]

Re: West Liberty Hilltopper Basketball

I hope those big IFs regarding Greely come true.

I saw Alessandro play at Beavercreek once. He was on a talent-challenged team. He played every position during the course of the game including PG (and was the best player at every position).
Great shooter. Glides in the open court, ala Yoakum. But had somewhat more muscle than Will in HS.

Have watched Hazelbaker 3 times this year. He is also unselfish, but has really developed his 3 pt shot. Have seen him hit 3 in a row. Good stroke. Before his sr season he had a 4.3 GPA (due to college courses). One internet scout says he studies film and can instantly identify the other team's plays and go to the spot of his opponent and wait on his opponent to get there! Talk about a high basketball IQ. He is only 17 so he is likely still growing. He is not a skinny guy, but not fat either. Reminds me somewhat of a slender pass-catching tight end build. Very high motor and will dive on floor for loose ball. One area for improvement is playing a little lower in his stance so that he can explode off the floor quickly. But that issue is not uncommon, for a tall guy to play too "tall" on defense. If he winds up redshirting he might be 6'9" by his senior year.

If Yoakum approaches Bolon's dedication to the game and puts on 15 lbs of muscle, he will be a matchup nightmare and could play after college IMHO. With Hill, Boswell, Bolon, Moore and Yoakum, we could see the hilltop's version of "Showtime".

I read a scouting report that said that Hazelbaker was still growing into his SIZE 18 shoes! I know shoe size to height is pretty inexact (many "short" people with big feet and many "tall" people with small feet), but roughly that works out to a 7 footer! Now I don't know if he actually has wears a size 18 shoe or if he'll grow even one more inch...but if he does wear an 18, significant growth is at least in the cards for him.

Big E and Greely (Big G??) are two completely different players, but looking at E's first year stat line and G's shows some similarity. E played 26 games vs 11 for G but the average minutes are close (5-6 range) as are PPG (2 to 3). Looking at E that first year he played gave no hint of what he ultimately became. I remember thinking that he would be a bench player that would be inserted when we needed a little muscle. Certainly worth having, but never a front line performer who could take over a game.

So much of being a WLU player boils down to heart and commitment. If G has it, he will find a way to become a productive member of the WLU team in the years ahead...If he has much heart and commitment as E, we may be talking about him in the same vane two years from now.

[Topper912]

Re: West Liberty Hilltopper Basketball

West Lib should strongly consider going D1. Our team could already compete with the lower level D1 teams. Could you imagine making the big boy tournament and the excitement it would bring to the school?

As for football, honestly, who cares at this point? Either drop the sport or go play in one of the non scholarship FCS conferences. It's time to focus on Men's Basketball and let that program move this school forward.

[Columbuseer]

Re: West Liberty Hilltopper Basketball

FYI - Sincere Carry made all Rookie team in A10 for Duquesne
Came back and played 10 days after yet another knee surgery to try to get a tournament win as his team tanked after he got hurt.

[Columbuseer]

Re: West Liberty Hilltopper Basketball

FYI - some statistics on the high level of basketball that is played by West Liberty. Locals don't realize the level of basketball in their backyard.

West Liberty averages 1.28 points per possession. The best in D1 last year was Villanova at 1.24 points per possession.

Comparing the young 2018-2019 hilltoppers to the best of the 350 schools in D1 in 2017-2018:

WL also be #1 in points per possession, scoring, 3 pt % and effective FG %.
WL would be #2 in FG % and Assists per Game.
WL would be #4 in Free Throw %
WL would be #7 in Scoring Margin.

Please don't misunderstand. I am NOT saying or implying that West Lib could play with D1 teams at this level.
I am just illustrating some of the efficiency measures of their system compared to other systems. Even though the D1 teams have much better players, it does not mean they understand and execute the game in a superior fashion.

From a basketball purist perspective, WL is very high level basketball indeed. Its just that the players are not as quick, as strong, or as tall as D1 players.
If local fans only knew and appreciated the level of play, the ASRC would require a season ticket for a seat!

Although WL traveled well to IUP, I was very impressed by the support of the local community for IUP basketball.

[Columbuseer]

Re: West Liberty Hilltopper Basketball

I'm interested in seeing how Greely develops over the off season. If he comes into camp at 215 or 220 and gets quicker for it, he could be a significant contributor. Hes not going to be a Meininger, but if he can keep up with WLUs speed on offense and defense, he could be very helpful.

Other end of the weight spectrum is Alesandro. As I recall he was reed thin coming in. If he is truly 220 as listed on his profile, thats a step in the right direction. He had a really good HS resume so a bigger stronger version of him would go a long way to aleviating our size disparity.

Hozelbeck is coming in as a PF. When was the last time we even recruited someone even listed as a PF?

Not going to happen but we could field a team with 3 players at 6"7"! WLUs version of "going big!" Haha haha!!

I hope those big IFs regarding Greely come true.

I saw Alessandro play at Beavercreek once. He was on a talent-challenged team. He played every position during the course of the game including PG (and was the best player at every position).
Great shooter. Glides in the open court, ala Yoakum. But had somewhat more muscle than Will in HS.

Have watched Hazelbaker 3 times this year. He is also unselfish, but has really developed his 3 pt shot. Have seen him hit 3 in a row. Good stroke. Before his sr season he had a 4.3 GPA (due to college courses). One internet scout says he studies film and can instantly identify the other team's plays and go to the spot of his opponent and wait on his opponent to get there! Talk about a high basketball IQ. He is only 17 so he is likely still growing. He is not a skinny guy, but not fat either. Reminds me somewhat of a slender pass-catching tight end build. Very high motor and will dive on floor for loose ball. One area for improvement is playing a little lower in his stance so that he can explode off the floor quickly. But that issue is not uncommon, for a tall guy to play too "tall" on defense. If he winds up redshirting he might be 6'9" by his senior year.

If Yoakum approaches Bolon's dedication to the game and puts on 15 lbs of muscle, he will be a matchup nightmare and could play after college IMHO. With Hill, Boswell, Bolon, Moore and Yoakum, we could see the hilltop's version of "Showtime".

[boatcapt]

Re: West Liberty Hilltopper Basketball

I'm interested in seeing how Greely develops over the off season. If he comes into camp at 215 or 220 and gets quicker for it, he could be a significant contributor. Hes not going to be a Meininger, but if he can keep up with WLUs speed on offense and defense, he could be very helpful.

Other end of the weight spectrum is Alesandro. As I recall he was reed thin coming in. If he is truly 220 as listed on his profile, thats a step in the right direction. He had a really good HS resume so a bigger stronger version of him would go a long way to aleviating our size disparity.

Hozelbeck is coming in as a PF. When was the last time we even recruited someone even listed as a PF?

Not going to happen but we could field a team with 3 players at 6"7"! WLUs version of "going big!" Haha haha!!

[Sportsnut]

Re: West Liberty Hilltopper Basketball

What's the word on Alessandro? How is he doing in practices? Is he going to be a part time player next year or can he step in for Big E? Looks like he has gotten a little bigger this year so hopefully he can be a rebound force.

[Columbuseer]

Re: West Liberty Hilltopper Basketball

After Watson left there are 12 that dress and 2 red shirts, one that sits on the bench and one that is not allowed. 14 total, minus 5 seniors, plus 3 signed recruits equals 12 so far for next year. Is that correct?