Iup basketball

[IUPalum]

Re: Iup basketball

I certainly don't mean anything personal here against anyone. But there is a growing school of thought amongst IUP supporters that the IUP MBB team has dropped off quite noticeably since Bravado has installed his son into the lineup. Look at the stats that you have documented here. It all started when Dante got to campus and entered the starting lineup. If the coach wasn't insisting on playing his son then it is very likely that he would have a much better player in this spot such as a Devante Chance, a Ashton Smith, or a Kevin Stewart, et. al.

Those are the types of guys who get you to the Elite Eight and national title games. Not your undersized son. Okay, he's alright----but hardly in the class of some of the past backcourt players that Bravado has brought on board.

The best thing that can happen for IUP MBB at this time is for the son to graduate and have that spot opened up to a player that can really deliver the goods like some of the past greats.

What has IUP done the past three years with all of this going on? Pretty much a lot of nothing!

Again, I apologize. Nothing at all personal towards anyone.

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You say it's Dante but I think Cobo is the reason. He's the softest 6'9" player I've ever seen. Maybe it's a combination of the two since they came here together. I'd like to think it's not his son because if you remember, Joe's other son never even sniffed the court when he was here.

[IUPalum]

Re: Iup basketball

Soft is Cobo and Willem! I've heard it from PSAC players that played against them.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Re: Iup basketball

Despite the bulked up roster, I still have some concerns with this season.

This current run in discussion (past 3 years), the team has went 71-20, won three West titles, 0 PSAC Titles, made just one tournament and has one NCAA win.

If you're in to records ... sure, not bad. However, with the funding and support the program has, things aren't as bright when you dig a little deeper. Within that 71-20 record, pull the record against Regional-quality teams.

Were all three teams good enough to make 3 tournaments? Yes. That means nothing, however. It means problems exist.

* Norfleet and Daddy's senior year, the collapse up at SRU and follow it up with the debacle in Greensburg. They win a PSAC game and then lose on a Hail Mary at WCU.

* Two years ago, they go 28-4 but go 0-3 (at home) against Ship (twice) and Fairmont State. Two of those losses came in OT. Nonetheless. They hammer Kutztown in Round 1 of the NCAAs but then get blasted by Fairmont State. Granted, FSU was fantastic that year and lost in the National Title game.

* This past season they start by getting blown out by Findlay, but follow it up by losing in the final 20 seconds to eventual National Champion Ferris State. Things got fixed and then all the craziness happened -- from kitchen fires to Seton Hill (again), etc. Recall despite winning the trip to Greensburg cost them the Anthony Glover suspension and Dante broke his wrist. The phantom Glover call -- mind you from 45' away ... I'll always believe, was some jabroni ref sticking one back at Joe. Regardless, another year watching the tournament on TV. Virginia Union got hot and Gannon, despite more losses and less quality wins, got the nod.


Despite talent everywhere this year, I truly think this team is going as far as Dante can take them. The PG is the absolute most important position on the floor. That in itself leads to some concerns. Can he stay healthy for a full season? Or, even most of it? Can Joe not run him in to the ground with too many minutes? Can we see him shake the desire to try and play like Stephon Marbury? He's been physically battered the past two years -- knees, wrists, elbows, etc. He's taken a lot of lumps on here and in the stands.

That said, he's not a freshman anymore. Not a sophomore. Not a junior. If he can put it all together this year, it can be a real special year. I also think Joe's put too much of a load on his rotation the past three years. There's been no depth and the little depth that has existed has always had issues -- injuries, etc. One big advantage Dante has this year is he's never had this much talent around him. He just needs to feed the ball and (most importantly) stay in control. Let his playmakers do their thing and hit some treys when the opportunities arise. Get Armoni Foster at least 15 minutes a game at PG and you'll see a much better Dante.

He's not DeVante Chance. Few have been in the history of the program. He also doesn't need to be Chance this year. He just needs to have HIS best season at IUP. This is the team they've been waiting for ... but they can't do it without him having a very solid year.

[Chuck Norris]

Re: Iup basketball

I certainly don't mean anything personal here against anyone. But there is a growing school of thought amongst IUP supporters that the IUP MBB team has dropped off quite noticeably since Bravado has installed his son into the lineup. Look at the stats that you have documented here. It all started when Dante got to campus and entered the starting lineup. If the coach wasn't insisting on playing his son then it is very likely that he would have a much better player in this spot such as a Devante Chance, a Ashton Smith, or a Kevin Stewart, et. al.

Those are the types of guys who get you to the Elite Eight and national title games. Not your undersized son. Okay, he's alright----but hardly in the class of some of the past backcourt players that Bravado has brought on board.

The best thing that can happen for IUP MBB at this time is for the son to graduate and have that spot opened up to a player that can really deliver the goods like some of the past greats.

What has IUP done the past three years with all of this going on? Pretty much a lot of nothing!

Again, I apologize. Nothing at all personal towards anyone.

-

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Re: Iup basketball

Soft is Cobo and Willem! I've heard it from PSAC players that played against them.

Cobo isn't a 'U.S.A.' style power forward. He won't have to play that role this year. His skill set isn't to be banging with Micah Till. I put that on the big guy for not having a legit bruiser down low. That will be fixed this season and Cobo can play more his style (finesse) and further away from the basket. No offense to Blake but I don't think teams feared him too much and as a result they could hammer on Cobo. When he's out of the game they'll have Chuckie Humphries and Keyes enter which is a substantial upgrade over the past two years.

Personally, I think Willem is going to explode this year. I watched every game last year. The last 7-8 games Willem was a different player. Not sure where he was the first 20-some games. Not sure if Joe just cut him loose or he just came out of his shell ... something changed. Once he started playing with a little mean streak he was a monster down the stretch. Remember, despite his size, that was his first year EVER playing hybrid center. I really believe he can be dominant this season.

Remember they are adding a 5-tool, 6'9" beast to start along side them in Krivacevic. Most other teams can't handle three legit, athletic bigs on the floor at the same time -- especially when they can all shoot deep and are ultra-athletic.

[IUPalum]

Re: Iup basketball

AGREED!!!

[PSACwatcher]

Re: Iup basketball

One way to evaluate whether a player is a D2 talent capable of winning a PSAC championship - if given a substantial role - is to ask and answer this question: If that player were competing at the D3 level, would he dominate or just blend in? If he would not dominate at the D3 level, then he is likely a role player at the D2 level in the PSAC and probably not worthy of 30+ minutes per game. We have seen that with other players who transferred out of the PSAC to D3 programs. They blend into D3 programs and do well, but they don't dominate.

The issue is not whether DL is a player capable of fulfilling a role on IUP's team - he certainly is. The issue is: what should that role be? If a more talented, explosive player were afforded that role and given those minutes, would that increase IUP's chances of winning a PSAC championship? It would be interesting to confidentially ask the IUP assistant coaches their opinions on the subject.

[IUPBBall]

Re: Iup basketball

There are times when he's been a shoot-first PG when passing the ball would've been a better move, and he has cost IUP some big points when the shots didn't fall. That being said, there are games where he has gone off and made that difference that the team needed. As already mentioned, he might not be the best PG ever to step foot at IUP, but he is certainly a very talented player. Has he had more favorable treatment because he's the coach's son? Maybe. Whether that is the case or not, Dante has more than proven himself a valuable player to the team, and I believe he's earned the starting spot he has.

I think the bigger issue in the past few years has been the forwards. Joe clearly has tried to make sure that will not be the case this year.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Re: Iup basketball

Opinions seem to vary.

Unfortunately, he'll never escape that 'coaches son' item and he just has to play with it.

Give him one thing ... he's been the target of some of the scariest dudes in the league ... Micah Till, Trey Staunch, Dustin Sleva. Some of that comes with the last name. He's brought some of it on himself. Some of it came from some bonehead teammates a year ago and he took the retaliation.

I do think if he played at, say, Clarion, he'd be considered a very good player on a very bad team (in that instance).

But, the fact is he's here ... at the 'rich' program and has the big last name. That all comes with a level of scrutiny that other players don't have to endure.

Trust me, in three years there have been nights he can drive you completely bonkers with errant passes, stepping out of bounds under the basket (routinely), etc. Then the next trip down he crushes souls with a trey from 8' behind the line.

No more 'what if' games now. There's no Brandon Spain controversy. It's his show this year. That team is going to go as far as he can drive them.

I will say if Armoni Foster comes in and lights stuff up (as expected) ... this board will get awfully interesting come January.

[Chuck Norris]

[IUP CRIMSON HAWKS]

Re: Iup basketball

Regarding Dante----my main point was that he was taking the spot of a player who could possibly really make a difference for IUP (e.g. like a Chance or an Ashton).

In a sense Bravado has put the brakes on the rocket sled IUP hoops that he so masterfully crafted to stick with Dante for four years. I just don't feel that he is the best possible player that IUP could have at that position.

He's a decent player. Not bad. But also not the very best that they could have either IMHO. He has produced some good moments and some not so good ones in the opportunity that he has had to play. Wasn't there a 1-17 postseason shooting night? Do most players survive something like that and still retain the confidence of the coach?

I'm sure he is a great kid and I did not mean anything personal against him.

The rather thin rotation that Bravado has incorporated the past few years has to also be looked at with much scrutiny.

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[hawks16]

Re: Iup basketball

I don't think Dante or any one player is the sole blame for missing two out of the last three NCAAs. Maybe Joe just likes his primary ball-handlers (Devante, Dyer, Norfleet, Dante) to play heavy minutes -- which then gets us back into the depth issue.

[IUP24]

One way to evaluate whether a player is a D2 talent capable of winning a PSAC championship - if given a substantial role - is to ask and answer this question: If that player were competing at the D3 level, would he dominate or just blend in? If he would not dominate at the D3 level, then he is likely a role player at the D2 level in the PSAC and probably not worthy of 30+ minutes per game. We have seen that with other players who transferred out of the PSAC to D3 programs. They blend into D3 programs and do well, but they don't dominate.

The issue is not whether DL is a player capable of fulfilling a role on IUP's team - he certainly is. The issue is: what should that role be? If a more talented, explosive player were afforded that role and given those minutes, would that increase IUP's chances of winning a PSAC championship? It would be interesting to confidentially ask the IUP assistant coaches their opinions on the subject.

[IUP24]

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Re: Iup basketball

Most unheralded PG ever at IUP ... name somehow forgotten ... DeWayne Anthony.

Don't forget White Lightning ... Wes Layton. His performance in the regional title run in 2002 ... one for the books. Best team in school history ... my opinion. Final Four but I put No. 1. That was the era when IUP and Cal played .... biggest show in town all year.