Iup basketball

[EyeoftheHawk]

Fun night at the KCAC last nigh. If you want to truly see the place packed go to the Heritage Conference championship games. I’ve been to all of them since they started the Road to the KCAC thing and it’s an amazing atmosphere. I don’t know what attendance was but there weren’t many empty seats. A kid from River Valley hit a buzzer beater to win it over Conemaugh Township and it was as loud as I’ve ever heard the place. Conemaugh Township beat them by 27 in the regular season. Figure that one out!

Penns Manor knocked off River Valley in the girls game and held D1 recruit Ava Perschetti to 13 points. Before you say local girls basketball isn’t good, consider that the two teams from last year’s championship game (River Valley and Homer Center) both played in the state championship game in 3A and 2A respectively. District 6 hoops on the girls side, and particularly the Heritage Conference, is outstanding. If our man Craig Carey was paying attention, he should have taken notice of Penns Manor’s junior guard Alyssa Altemus. She was step for step with Perschetti and is tough as nails. She will be a solid D2 player and would bring some local interest.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Mercyhurst seems to always have the right type of player to matchup with whatever Joe tosses out there. It feels like Planutis has been draining shots on them for a decade. And I've always liked Reichart. He's a really big 6'4" like you said. Forget the guy's name who transferred out last year, but him and Reichart would be an impossible combo to matchup with.

Pip Ajayi. Him and Tomiwa would have both been juniors this year at Mercyhurst and IUP. That would have been the must-see match-up this season and next. Both were built the same, etc.

I'm convinced Reichert may be playing the wrong sport. That dude could be a monster at LB.

[IUP24]

Planutis is a very good player -- and a great player against IUP. Same with Reichert. Ethan is too slow to cover either, and Mercyhurst knows it. KJ can't defend either, and Mercyhurst especially knows it.

The thing that was mind-blowing last night was how wide open Planutis was on numerous occassions. This is an all-conference player who has smoked you for years. How in the world does IUP lose track of him constantly? Reichert is just a match-up problem for IUP. He's just 6'4" but plays much bigger. He's very strong and fast. IUP has no answer for him this year.

When IUP beat them in Indiana, those two got their stats but IUP shut down everybody else. That didn't happen last night.


IUPs bench last night:

-

Name	Minutes	Points
Furton	23	3
Petteno	17	0
Lambert	2	0
Brooks	0	0
Waldo	0	0

-

Add in starting guard Stewart: 27 minutes and 0 points.

Anybody else see a problem? Goodness.

Joe had a week to prepare for that game. It sure didn't look like it.

Mercyhurst seems to always have the right type of player to matchup with whatever Joe tosses out there. It feels like Planutis has been draining shots on them for a decade. And I've always liked Reichart. He's a really big 6'4" like you said. Forget the guy's name who transferred out last year, but him and Reichart would be an impossible combo to matchup with.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

It's embarrassing that Joe chooses not to play Brooks. I'm pretty sure that if Planutis and Reichard are driving to the rim and see Brooks that they choose other options.

Planutis is a very good player -- and a great player against IUP. Same with Reichert. Ethan is too slow to cover either, and Mercyhurst knows it. KJ can't defend either, and Mercyhurst especially knows it.

The thing that was mind-blowing last night was how wide open Planutis was on numerous occassions. This is an all-conference player who has smoked you for years. How in the world does IUP lose track of him constantly? Reichert is just a match-up problem for IUP. He's just 6'4" but plays much bigger. He's very strong and fast. IUP has no answer for him this year.

When IUP beat them in Indiana, those two got their stats but IUP shut down everybody else. That didn't happen last night.


IUPs bench last night:

-

Name	Minutes	Points
Furton	23	3
Petteno	17	0
Lambert	2	0
Brooks	0	0
Waldo	0	0

-

Add in starting guard Stewart: 27 minutes and 0 points.

Anybody else see a problem? Goodness.

Joe had a week to prepare for that game. It sure didn't look like it.

[IUPalum]

It's embarrassing that Joe chooses not to play Brooks. I'm pretty sure that if Planutis and Reichard are driving to the rim and see Brooks that they choose other options.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Yeah, Stewart had an awful game - he took 1 shot in 27 minutes. Maybe something was going on with him, he scored 12 last time with Hurst.

I'll give the players credit. They were drastically outplayed last night. Mercyhurst should have been up 15 at half. IUP getting that to 2 OT was a miracle.

But, when you get out-rebounded by a team that plays four guards all night (and Reichert is only 6'4") ... You aren't likely to win.

Stewart is becoming the latest to completely vanish (and he actually plays). Petteno looked lost. Brooks and Waldo were lawn ornaments. Both need to find a better home.

Joe's refusal to play Brooks is embarrassing. He's setting his own team up to fail. This is the worst he's played favorites since he started Dante as a true freshman - when he was nowhere near ready to start.

Bryce made some big shots but took several ill-advised ones -- none more so than when IUP finally had a chance to go up. They got a steal and had a 3 on 1 ... and he fired one up on the run from Row 8.

KJ had his moment on offense in the first half but was beyond atrocious defensively for all 50 minutes. Him and Stewart were shredded all night. Brooks can actually rebound (and not get knocked down 26 times a game). He also protects the rim and would have altered all Mercyhurst's drives.

It's a frustrating season. Dallis and Denzel would have changed much but they aren't here.

Last night falls on the big guy. He had the roster to win that game up there. He again chose not to play it.

[IUPalum]

Yeah, Stewart had an awful game - he took 1 shot in 27 minutes. Maybe something was going on with him, he scored 12 last time with Hurst.

Stewart played 27 minutes? Felt like he played 5. He was about as disinterested I've ever seen a player be.

[ironmaniup]

IUP has three guys left who can score. This isn't a good team as we've been saying all year. Gannon has nothing to worry about.

Yeah, Stewart had an awful game - he took 1 shot in 27 minutes. Maybe something was going on with him, he scored 12 last time with Hurst.

[TheMadLibs]

IUP has three guys left who can score. This isn't a good team as we've been saying all year. Gannon has nothing to worry about.

I'm not tremendously worried, but there's a loss still remaining. I'd rather it be on the road vs an above .500 squad than not. That leaves Gannon with IUP and Seton Hill, and who knows what the Griffins record is by the end of the year.

And yes, IUP is gonna have to get the PSAC automatic birth to make it into the field at this point and... Well, that'd be a truly wild outcome.

Feel for IUP fans only... Kinda! 🤣

A true shame for kid like Porterfield. What a talent!

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Wonder when the last sub .500 team to beat IUP was?

And, with that, the NCAA hopes are finally gone.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Brooks needs to tell him to stick it.

It's embarrassing

[IUPbigINDIANS]

I mean, still don't want to play yall after either a loss or a big win in 2OT but thanks to Hurst for making our next opponent a little more tired?

IUP has three guys left who can score. This isn't a good team as we've been saying all year. Gannon has nothing to worry about.

[IUPalum]

Fair weather fans.

[TheMadLibs]

I mean, still don't want to play yall after either a loss or a big win in 2OT but thanks to Hurst for making our next opponent a little more tired?

[IUPbigINDIANS]

2 OT in Erie

Lol