West Liberty Hilltopper Basketball

[Layton]

Bryce Butler’s brother Landon is heading to Coker. They look identical

[boatcapt]

He graduated from her school (she works at a high school).

And the same question could be said about Boswell--why didn't he follow Danny right away?

So the HS administrator he had two years ago has enough pull on him to get him to transfer to the school her husband coaches at but that he has never played for? Wow, that's some Svengali like pull!!

Boswell played for two seasons under Sancomb (the coach...not the administrator) so THAT was probably the connection that brought him to Cal after quiting (getting kicked off the team??) 21 games into the 2019-20 season at WLU. I always found his departure a little odd. I mean he had played 21 games and started all of them...was the 3rd leading scorer...averaging 24 MPG...not taking a ton of threes but not zero either and was making them at a .421 clip. Then POOF...gone with no reason why asked or given.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

He graduated from her school (she works at a high school).

And the same question could be said about Boswell--why didn't he follow Danny right away?

Likely one of three things:

In no order

* He doesn't want to play half a game

* After a year practicing there he didn't fit

* J.J. Harper isn't coming there to come off the bench


Remember, too, Cal was without Cam Polak all season (one of the best SGs in the league). So, Cal may not be the best fit, either (if he really wants to start).

[Scrub]

Don't know if he goes to Cal or not but Danny and he didn't cross paths at WJU. Don't think an administrator would have much pull over a basketball player. If that was the case, why didn't he go to Cal last year when he first left Wheeling? Or if she does have this pull, why didn't she use it to keep him at HER school??

He graduated from her school (she works at a high school).

And the same question could be said about Boswell--why didn't he follow Danny right away?

[boatcapt]

I'd say there's a pretty good chance of that. (He also attended the school where Danny's wife is an administrator, so Danny is likely very familiar with the kid.)

Don't know if he goes to Cal or not but Danny and he didn't cross paths at WJU. Don't think an administrator would have much pull over a basketball player. If that was the case, why didn't he go to Cal last year when he first left Wheeling? Or if she does have this pull, why didn't she use it to keep him at HER school??

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Right now he's on the "Boswell Plan": Start at Wheeling. Make an aborted stop at WLU. Head to Cal?

But the "Boswell Plan" can quickly escalate to the "Traveling Whippen Brothers Show" if you let it!

LOL you're right. I forgot about the Boswell Plan.

That dude was a little whacky on the court, but he's a pretty good young man off it. I think he's going to have a bright future in the coaching arena.

[Scrub]

He may want to give the Whippen Brother a run for most schools in a career.

Right now he's on the "Boswell Plan": Start at Wheeling. Make an aborted stop at WLU. Head to Cal?

But the "Boswell Plan" can quickly escalate to the "Traveling Whippen Brothers Show" if you let it!

[IUPbigINDIANS]

I'd say there's a pretty good chance of that. (He also attended the school where Danny's wife is an administrator, so Danny is likely very familiar with the kid.)

He may want to give the Whippen Brother a run for most schools in a career.

[Scrub]

He's from right near Cal. Danny will probably pick him up.

I'd say there's a pretty good chance of that. (He also attended the school where Danny's wife is an administrator, so Danny is likely very familiar with the kid.)

[boatcapt]

Must not have enjoyed the scenery from his redshirted seat on the bench.

Sad part is, he projected as a starter this coming season. He was also one of our few guards over 6-1. We are going to be small next.year.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Must not have enjoyed the scenery from his redshirted seat on the bench.

He's from right near Cal. Danny will probably pick him up.

[Scrub]

Reasbeck to the portal

Must not have enjoyed the scenery from his redshirted seat on the bench.

[Layton]

Reasbeck to the portal

[boatcapt]

I thought the same thing. Harper is a good addition for sure. WLU needs that kind of athleticism out of its forwards (especially if it's true that Sarson is moving on after his graduation this semester). But he doesn't have the shooting profile we're used to seeing from a WLU "big."

And we saw this year that in the WLU system having "designated shooters" as opposed to everyone-has-the-green-light makes the system much easier to defend. Teams keyed on Rasile/Hinds/Mont this year when they stepped behind the arc, and when those "designated shooters" kicked to the other guys who were open (due to over pursuing the three-ball from the shooters), those other guys tended to either miss the open 3 or, as they're more comfortable doing, drive to the lane. The problem is help D is waiting in the lane. The beauty of the system--in the past--was that all 5 guys on the floor had a green light from 3 at any time and could hurt you out there. So if teams chose to over pursue certain shooters they would get punished. That was less the case this year.

We had five players take 100+ 3pt shots which is pretty typical for WLU. Seems like our problem this season was making them! We also didn't have much of an answer when teams sold out defending the 3 tries.

It will be up to Ben to develop an answer when next years opponents believe that the way to beat WLU is to contest every 3. If the answer is to take more 3's and they don't fall, we may see a repeat of this season. While most teams would be over the moon happy with a 5 loss regular season, WLU shouldn't be one of them.

As they say...Adapt or die.

[Scrub]

Good side but poor shooting numbers

I thought the same thing. Harper is a good addition for sure. WLU needs that kind of athleticism out of its forwards (especially if it's true that Sarson is moving on after his graduation this semester). But he doesn't have the shooting profile we're used to seeing from a WLU "big."

And we saw this year that in the WLU system having "designated shooters" as opposed to everyone-has-the-green-light makes the system much easier to defend. Teams keyed on Rasile/Hinds/Mont this year when they stepped behind the arc, and when those "designated shooters" kicked to the other guys who were open (due to over pursuing the three-ball from the shooters), those other guys tended to either miss the open 3 or, as they're more comfortable doing, drive to the lane. The problem is help D is waiting in the lane. The beauty of the system--in the past--was that all 5 guys on the floor had a green light from 3 at any time and could hurt you out there. So if teams chose to over pursue certain shooters they would get punished. That was less the case this year.