West Liberty Hilltopper Basketball

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Re: West Liberty Hilltopper Basketball

WL is very systematic. JUCO imports are 'typically' more playground types. WL also loves to redshirt players and let them slowly work in to their roles. There's not always time to do that with transfers. Joe Lombardi is one of the only coaches I know who can convince incoming junior transfers to routinely redshirt. If you tell most they are going to redshirt they will just go somewhere else. Tossing a JUCO scorer in to the WL system is a big ask for most of those guys. JUCO ball is essentially AAU style.

He obviously has some talent, size and speed. Sounds like it just wasn't a good fit from both ends. He won't have trouble finding a home somewhere. The quiting in late FEB part, however, is a big red flag (if that's indeed how it went down).

[boatcapt]

Re: West Liberty Hilltopper Basketball

Well, WLU had an outgoing Watson who wore #1 last year. Maybe Ariel thought WLU put names on the jerseys and he was trying to save the equipment manager some work! ; )

Hahahahaha!! Maybe THAT's it!! Maybe Ben mixed up this years Watson's recruiting tape with Jordan Watson's and thought he could play D??!!

[Scrub]

Re: West Liberty Hilltopper Basketball

JUCO is like roulette! You can get some really good players who were overlooked...and then you can get players who had a real "reason" for playing JUCO!!!

While we are just learning about this cat leaving the program, looks like he's been gone since right after the Glenville game on Feb 22 (last game he played in). His name was removed from the pre game notes after that game and his name has now been removed from the on-line team roster. Guess he wasn't happy getting 3 minutes in WLU's 98-77 blowout of Glenville!!!

I know that almost every team has a player with the #1 jersey, but it just bothered me that he came in and took that number! I mean, you are a JUCO player who apparently few teams wanted and you come in LATE to one of the top DII programs in the nation and wear #1?? Maybe prove yourself a little before you do that??

Well, WLU had an outgoing Watson who wore #1 last year. Maybe Ariel thought WLU put names on the jerseys and he was trying to save the equipment manager some work! ; )

[boatcapt]

Re: West Liberty Hilltopper Basketball

They signed him real late as I recall. Perhaps there was a reason he was still available. The JUCO recruiting game is like roulette.

JUCO is like roulette! You can get some really good players who were overlooked...and then you can get players who had a real "reason" for playing JUCO!!!

While we are just learning about this cat leaving the program, looks like he's been gone since right after the Glenville game on Feb 22 (last game he played in). His name was removed from the pre game notes after that game and his name has now been removed from the on-line team roster. Guess he wasn't happy getting 3 minutes in WLU's 98-77 blowout of Glenville!!!

I know that almost every team has a player with the #1 jersey, but it just bothered me that he came in and took that number! I mean, you are a JUCO player who apparently few teams wanted and you come in LATE to one of the top DII programs in the nation and wear #1?? Maybe prove yourself a little before you do that??

[boatcapt]

Re: West Liberty Hilltopper Basketball

While the 50 win in less than two year plateau is pretty impressive, I was being a little tounge in cheek on the "career winning %" one! There is a lot that can happen over the next three years to nock that down. Heck, if his winning % was .750 at five years, that would still rank him ahead of "Bravado Joe"!!!

Not to belittle Crutch because his accomplishments at WLU are simply amazing! And yes, he did take over a team that won 4 games the year previous, but that year was an outlier. Basically, WLU was a 500'ish team for the 12 seasons leading up Crutch stepping in. That's certainly not good, but far from bad. Basically we were the Shepherd of that era...not good...not bad...just kind of - meh.

[Columbuseer]

Re: West Liberty Hilltopper Basketball

Ben certainly had advantages in taking over after Crutch (primarily program name recognition), but it hasn't been a cake walk! Heading into his first year, with all the transfers, de commits and graduations was quite the challenge...He had Monteroso and two part time starters (Griffin and Meininger) to go with a handful of bench players! This year, while a bit more stable was also a struggle. Had to replace Monteroso (graduation), danger close to losing Bolon (what he has done on one eye is just amazing) and lost your best outside shooter (French). Five of WLU's top six scores from last year either graduated (Monty and Watson), transferred (Griffin) or were injured (Bolon and French) and Ben found a way to finish the regular season 24-3 and win the MEC Title. Not bad for a second year HC!!

[boatcapt]

Re: West Liberty Hilltopper Basketball

Ben certainly had advantages in taking over after Crutch (primarily program name recognition), but it hasn't been a cake walk! Heading into his first year, with all the transfers, de commits and graduations was quite the challenge...He had Monteroso and two part time starters (Griffin and Meininger) to go with a handful of bench players! This year, while a bit more stable was also a struggle. Had to replace Monteroso (graduation), danger close to losing Bolon (what he has done on one eye is just amazing) and lost your best outside shooter (French). Five of WLU's top six scores from last year either graduated (Monty and Watson), transferred (Griffin) or were injured (Bolon and French) and Ben found a way to finish the regular season 24-3 and win the MEC Title. Not bad for a second year HC!!

Hopefully Ben's third year will give us a modicum of stability that the first two years haven't. If all the players return, this team is REALLY set up nicely for next year and a couple years beyond that.

[Columbuseer]

Re: West Liberty Hilltopper Basketball

I'm not surprised. Just can't play like he did in his limited time and expect to see the floor. There is more to WLU than scoring and admiring your follow through. He didn't learn to play D because he didn't want to learn...His loss. Leaves a spot open for a player that can actually contribute.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Re: West Liberty Hilltopper Basketball

They needed a player, he was available and he had some pretty impressive offensive stats. I think they took a chance that he would want to learn to play the WLU way and contribute. Clearly he was not on board and really didn't want to do much other than shoot. Too bad for him because as Columbus stated, him learning to play the WLU style would have only made him a better prospect for pro ball in Europe.

They signed him real late as I recall. Perhaps there was a reason he was still available. The JUCO recruiting game is like roulette.

[boatcapt]

Re: West Liberty Hilltopper Basketball

Why would you quit the week of the conference tournament? Not exactly a ringing endorsement for people recruiting you. He couldn't have stuck it out a couple more weeks?

They needed a player, he was available and he had some pretty impressive offensive stats. I think they took a chance that he would want to learn to play the WLU way and contribute. Clearly he was not on board and really didn't want to do much other than shoot. Too bad for him because as Columbus stated, him learning to play the WLU style would have only made him a better prospect for pro ball in Europe.

[Columbuseer]

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Re: West Liberty Hilltopper Basketball

I'm not surprised. Just can't play like he did in his limited time and expect to see the floor. There is more to WLU than scoring and admiring your follow through. He didn't learn to play D because he didn't want to learn...His loss. Leaves a spot open for a player that can actually contribute.

Why would you quit the week of the conference tournament? Not exactly a ringing endorsement for people recruiting you. He couldn't have stuck it out a couple more weeks?

[boatcapt]

Re: West Liberty Hilltopper Basketball

Saw on verbalcommits that Ariel Watson is transferring from West Liberty.
If he would have developed his defensive and team game skills anywhere close to his prodigious offensive gifts, he would have started and would have had a future in Europe imho. If he could have played defense, he would have been the perfect player to guard concords bolti.

The sad part is that defense can be learned (if the desire is there) but his offensive gifts were a gift that is hard to coach.
Wish him well. Nice young man.

I'm not surprised. Just can't play like he did in his limited time and expect to see the floor. There is more to WLU than scoring and admiring your follow through. He didn't learn to play D because he didn't want to learn...His loss. Leaves a spot open for a player that can actually contribute.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Re: West Liberty Hilltopper Basketball

What's the deal with Watson? Was he just not a good system fit? He was pretty decorated coming in, correct? JUCO All-American last year.

I'd assume he'll get some serious suitors in the coming days.

[boatcapt]

Re: West Liberty Hilltopper Basketball

There's a lot of context missing in that, though, ... very different situations. Ben inherited a well-oiled machine. Crutch/Jesus had to start with nothing prior to parting the sea.

The machine may have been oiled, but it was missing a lot of critical parts. See my post about the players that left the program when Crutch left coupled with the graduates.

And Crutch is not Jesus...He's a mere Saint!!!!