Iup basketball

[IUPbigINDIANS]

There's a picture of one of Gary Edwards' teams on IUP Twitter today. That photo tells a lot of stories. That was a good team and a great era (that happened to end bad ... minor details). But, looking back, it was inevitable it was going to end bad. You can only play with fire so long ...

Gary's teams -- say what you will -- were pretty tough (on the court and off). Gary was also a really good guy -- despite how he's remembered here by most.

Very different cultures between the Edwards and Lombardi regimes. I'll say this, though, ... some of Gary's teams would have clocked some of Joe's teams - and vice versa, of course. And, prior to Edwards, Kurt Kanaski's 1995 team would have clobbered them all. My opinion, the '95 team is the best in school history.

What I'd call the peak of Gary's era was 2000 to 2002. He had some good teams in the late 90s but they really got loaded up from '00 to '02. They made the Elite 8 in 2000 and 2002, and the Final Four in '02.

It was a different program back then. Edwards was a big believer in hired guns. Most players were here 1-2 years. He had teams with his whole 8-9 man rotation being D1 transfers.

Games were different inside the Memorial Field House compared to today. Some things better and some things not. For all its bells and whistles, the KCAC has never roared like the Field House did on some nights. The KCAC reminds more of a 'corporate crowd' ... the MFH was more blue collar.

No home games today compare to the IUP/Cal games of that era. Trust me, I've been to them all. Two powerhouses that didn't like one another. Two flamboyant coaches (Edwards was like Kevin Reynolds on a six-pack of Red Bull, and the then-younger Bill Brown was a master at working the bench/officials). Both teams were built similarly. The games and atmospheres inside MFH were nuts. Same down at Hamer Hall.

My two favorite games in the series ...

1998 at IUP Cal won in OT. Rodney Horton went nuts, but Cal pulled it out in the final moments of overtime. The Vulcans' Ru-Shun Roberts got a break-away dunk in the final 10 seconds that just about pulled the basket down. Then he gave the 'Shhhh' to the IUP student section. The entire game was always within a basket. That was the largest crowd I ever saw at MFH. The aisles on both sides of the bleachers were even full. The fire marshal had the night off.

1999 at IUP - It was payback time in MFH. Edwards not only blew Cal out ... but ran it up. He still had his starters launching treys in the final minutes of a 30-some point massacre.

There was also the year Cal swept IUP in the regular season ... and Edwards went down to Hamer and knocked them out of the PSAC Tournament in front of a sold out crowd.

One picture can bring back a lot of memories.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Tonight should have been the first game.

#depressing

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Any of you guys have a name of the podcast? I'd like to listen.

There's a link to it from Joe's Twitter page.

[IUP24]

What a great interview by Joe! I wouldn't even know where to start in all the great insight he gave. I'm glad he ended up at IUP and I'm excited that he loves the D2 life!!!

Any of you guys have a name of the podcast? I'd like to listen.

[IUPalum]

What a great interview by Joe! I wouldn't even know where to start in all the great insight he gave. I'm glad he ended up at IUP and I'm excited that he loves the D2 life!!!

[IUP24]

Redshirt Joe did an hour-long podcast interview over the weekend. Lot of interesting discussion. It's worth a listen.

He talks about last year, this upcoming team, his recruiting philosophy, etc.

Some highlights:

* Joe said this upcoming team is likely his most talented group since Webb's team made the national final

* Tommy Demogerontas has made an 'exceptional' recovery from his knee surgery. Said Demo may have been the POY last year if not for the injury. Basically, he'll play all 5 positions at times this year.

* Tomiwa Sulaiman is physically ready to play as a true freshman and is a very skilled post player. Joe said he typically doesn't like talking about new guys who 'haven't even made us a layup yet.' However, it sounds like Sulaiman will figure in to the rotation.

* He thinks Armoni Foster can be a back-to-back All America selection the next two seasons.

* Shawndale Jones doesn't get talked about enough ... but is the reigning PSAC Tournament MVP

* Porterfield is up another inch and had a tremendous off-season. Sky is the limit.

* Ousmane Diop will be a key guy off the bench this season. They are expecting him to give them a real spark on defense and be a legit rim-protector. Joe said he's extremely athletic and fast for his size (6'10", 225 lbs).

* Was very pleased with Dave Morris' transition to PG last year

* K.J. Rhodes is a player Joe said isn't great at any one thing but is very solid at everything. It sounded like he could take over the Anthony White role this year.

* Talked about why IUP has been such a good road team over the years ... 'competing or performing'



My interpretation -- and as we know from over the years with Joe sometimes you have to listen between the comments a bit -- he's planning on a bigger rotation this year.

They don't have to redshirt anybody this year as it doesn't count toward eligibility.

That said, it sounds like the minutes will be:

Starting 5

Demo
Porterfield
Armoni
Shawndale
Morris

Subs

Diop (PF)
Rhodes (2 or 3 guard)
Sulaiman (SF or PF)
Radford (PG)
Benton (utility)


Deep Bench

Cordon (freshman)
Polce (freshman)
Burk (freshman)

Challenge accepted.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Redshirt Joe did an hour-long podcast interview over the weekend. Lot of interesting discussion. It's worth a listen.

He talks about last year, this upcoming team, his recruiting philosophy, etc.

Some highlights:

* Joe said this upcoming team is likely his most talented group since Webb's team made the national final

* Tommy Demogerontas has made an 'exceptional' recovery from his knee surgery. Said Demo may have been the POY last year if not for the injury. Basically, he'll play all 5 positions at times this year.

* Tomiwa Sulaiman is physically ready to play as a true freshman and is a very skilled post player. Joe said he typically doesn't like talking about new guys who 'haven't even made us a layup yet.' However, it sounds like Sulaiman will figure in to the rotation.

* He thinks Armoni Foster can be a back-to-back All America selection the next two seasons.

* Shawndale Jones doesn't get talked about enough ... but is the reigning PSAC Tournament MVP

* Porterfield is up another inch and had a tremendous off-season. Sky is the limit.

* Ousmane Diop will be a key guy off the bench this season. They are expecting him to give them a real spark on defense and be a legit rim-protector. Joe said he's extremely athletic and fast for his size (6'10", 225 lbs).

* Was very pleased with Dave Morris' transition to PG last year

* K.J. Rhodes is a player Joe said isn't great at any one thing but is very solid at everything. It sounded like he could take over the Anthony White role this year.

* Talked about why IUP has been such a good road team over the years ... 'competing or performing'



My interpretation -- and as we know from over the years with Joe sometimes you have to listen between the comments a bit -- he's planning on a bigger rotation this year.

They don't have to redshirt anybody this year as it doesn't count toward eligibility.

That said, it sounds like the minutes will be:

Starting 5

Demo
Porterfield
Armoni
Shawndale
Morris

Subs

Diop (PF)
Rhodes (2 or 3 guard)
Sulaiman (SF or PF)
Radford (PG)
Benton (utility)


Deep Bench

Cordon (freshman)
Polce (freshman)
Burk (freshman)

[IUP CRIMSON HAWKS]

God please let me have boys! hahaha

Don't be so quick to discount here. My niece is as tough and tumble and as rough as they come. She played power forward in basketball and loved doing all the outdoor things much more than her three brothers. She was as rugged as could be. And very smart and pretty girl. She was like a hurricane that blew in.

I have a Bassett Hound under my charge. A more incorrigible child than my Horace you will not find. I have really aged badly the past several years since I adopted him. Lots of lines in the face and gray hairs. But he has been having an absolute good time. LOL.

[IUP CRIMSON HAWKS]

ICH coined the phrase Redshirt Road.

I just like to borrow it. Cracks me up.

I don't even recall coming up with that one. But I am probably second only to Nation in developing the lexicon of this forum. But it needs to be noted that I am many light years behind anything that he has done. LOL.

[IUPalum]

I'm a (multiple) girl Dad. I don't have much outside of Disney, cheerleading, dance and gymnastics. Lol.

God please let me have boys! hahaha

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Where do you come up with these things? lol

ICH coined the phrase Redshirt Road.

I just like to borrow it. Cracks me up.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Where do you come up with these things? lol

I'm a (multiple) girl Dad. I don't have much outside of Disney, cheerleading, dance and gymnastics. Lol.

[IUP24]

I was quickly told the official seating capacity at the KCAC is 5,000. So, they could allow 750.

Joe averaged more than 2,000 a game last year -- and that includes the XMAS funeral season. Heck, we may see scalpers working Redshirt Road for the first time ever this season.

Where do you come up with these things? lol

[IUPalum]

Being that this is a 'free' year eligibility-wise ... this off-season will be interesting.

D2 can up the scholarship limit, I suppose, but you still have to raise the money.

Does this include DEMO???

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Being that this is a 'free' year eligibility-wise ... this off-season will be interesting.

D2 can up the scholarship limit, I suppose, but you still have to raise the money.