West Liberty Hilltopper Basketball

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Re: West Liberty Hilltopper Basketball

18-19 Hilltopper Schedule is released...

Looks a bit more robust than past iterations...The 5 significant non conference games are Kutztown (Solid), West Chester (Solid), Tiffin (Not sure?), Salem (Weak), and King TN (Solid)

Thoughts?

Had you played that schedule last year ... you'd have hosted the Regional. Much better. Tiffin is on par with Salem but the other three are very solid programs.

[IUP Extra Mile]

Re: West Liberty Hilltopper Basketball

18-19 Hilltopper Schedule is released...

Looks a bit more robust than past iterations...The 5 significant non conference games are Kutztown (Solid), West Chester (Solid), Tiffin (Not sure?), Salem (Weak), and King TN (Solid)

Thoughts?

[boatcapt]

Re: West Liberty Hilltopper Basketball

https://hilltoppersports.com/news/20...-contract.aspx

Monteroso to Germany!

Playing for the same team Bonifant played for last year (Ehingen)! That would be an interesting combination of Monty and Seger this coming year but I note that most Euro contracts are for one year so Seger may go elsewhere. Speaking of Seger, he averaged 12.6 PPG shooting 48.7% from outside. Seems he's as deadly accurate as ever!!

[Sportsnut]

Re: West Liberty Hilltopper Basketball

https://hilltoppersports.com/news/20...-contract.aspx

Monteroso to Germany!

[boatcapt]

Re: West Liberty Hilltopper Basketball

I've often wondered about overseas recruiting -- especially at D2 schools with very small budgets.

IUP signed Jacobo Diaz out the Canary Islands. How does that happen?

I'd assume in many cases there are 'handlers' of sorts who approach U.S. contacts and tout their players. The players wanting to come over can also initiate the contact.

Then again, in today's technology age, you can do a lot from your desk.

Personally, I love to watch European games, etc. It's not all dunks and 45' treys.

I would think that unless the overseas player played HS ball in the US and caught a DII coaches eye, the contacts are primarily player initiated. Player sending out an email or completing the on-line "player interest" forms that a lot of the schools have on their web page. Limited recruiting travel budget means that the coaches have a lot more time in the office to sift through these things...Remember, were not talking about Duke here were Coach K is receiving 5000 emails per day from guys that want to play for him!! I actually emailed Crutch one April with a link to a highlight tape on a local player I thought was pretty good but didn't have an offer. Within 5 minutes (OK...maybe it was 10 minutes!!) I got an email reply from Coach Howlett asking if I had this players phone number because they were interested in talking to him (no, he didn't end up going to WLU). That type of response is not going to happen at a D1...but apparently it does at least at some DII's.

[Columbuseer]

Re: West Liberty Hilltopper Basketball

I've often wondered about overseas recruiting -- especially at D2 schools with very small budgets.

IUP signed Jacobo Diaz out the Canary Islands. How does that happen?

I'd assume in many cases there are 'handlers' of sorts who approach U.S. contacts and tout their players. The players wanting to come over can also initiate the contact.

Then again, in today's technology age, you can do a lot from your desk.

Personally, I love to watch European games, etc. It's not all dunks and 45' treys.

I like the European players. So many USA guys have terrible form on their shots even when wide open - leaning, flaying legs, not to mention lack of team offense and defense concepts.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Re: West Liberty Hilltopper Basketball

I've often wondered about overseas recruiting -- especially at D2 schools with very small budgets.

IUP signed Jacobo Diaz out the Canary Islands. How does that happen?

I'd assume in many cases there are 'handlers' of sorts who approach U.S. contacts and tout their players. The players wanting to come over can also initiate the contact.

Then again, in today's technology age, you can do a lot from your desk.

Personally, I love to watch European games, etc. It's not all dunks and 45' treys.

[Columbuseer]

Re: West Liberty Hilltopper Basketball

It looks like Crutchfield at Nova Southeastern has the resources to explore the European market - Signed guys from Norway and Denmark. Also signed a guy from Sweden, but he had played at D1 in the USA.
I believe that Europe provides much better opportunities to find mobile big men who have the fundamentals and outside shooting skill to play the NSE /WL style.
I remember reading where Kobe said that European players have better skills in general than US players (curse of AAU ball). WLU needs to develop creative ways to tap into that market without breaking the bank.


https://bleacherreport.com/articles/...nes-blames-aau

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Re: West Liberty Hilltopper Basketball

Typically PSAC in-conference transfers have to sit out a season. There is a loophole that if he was only getting like $1k a year at Lock Haven but he could get a full ride somewhere else, the sit out can be reduced (Brandon Norfleet came to IUP from Cheyney and got a full ride). Norfleet only had to sit the first semester.

Often times they just use it as their red shirt season.

I'm not a fan of conference transfers let alone division.

[Columbuseer]

Re: West Liberty Hilltopper Basketball

Interesting choice being he'll have to sit out this season.

I was not aware of him sitting out. Makes me wonder (with absolutely no data) if the LeMoyne and West Liberty bus had left the station.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Re: West Liberty Hilltopper Basketball

Fyi tarojae brake transferred from lock haven to kutztown. A while back there was speculation that wlu or lemoyne was interested. They play at wlu on Nov 9.

Interesting choice being he'll have to sit out this season.

[Columbuseer]

Re: West Liberty Hilltopper Basketball

Fyi tarojae brake transferred from lock haven to kutztown. A while back there was speculation that wlu or lemoyne was interested. They play at wlu on Nov 9.

[Layton]

Re: West Liberty Hilltopper Basketball

Appreciate it guys!

[Sportsnut]

Re: West Liberty Hilltopper Basketball

Good job! Glad you got the chance to do this.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Re: West Liberty Hilltopper Basketball

Nice job, Layton. That will be a great resume piece for you.