Iup basketball

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Maddox Bennett from Dubois. West lib commit.

What's funny is Dubois -- of all places on Earth -- is suddenly becoming a basketball hotbed.

It is a small town in the middle of Nowhere, USA.

[Columbuseer]

Low-major.

That said, he had a huge summer season (and keeps growing). He's the right height and has grades. Stock rising. IUP had some connections in landing him.

Hopefully the sharks don't come calling.


There's another very similar player in this years class from Dubois, PA. Everyone has offered (including WL, Cal, Gannon and IUP).

He's a 6'8" G/F. Name slips me but it's on VC. He probably projects to be more of a forward at the college level.

Maddox Bennett from Dubois. West lib commit.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Watched his higlight video, looks like he would have been a great fit in the WLU system (or any other D2 system). Did he have any Division 1 interest?

Low-major.

That said, he had a huge summer season (and keeps growing). He's the right height and has grades. Stock rising. IUP had some connections in landing him.

Hopefully the sharks don't come calling.


There's another very similar player in this years class from Dubois, PA. Everyone has offered (including WL, Cal, Gannon and IUP).

He's a 6'8" G/F. Name slips me but it's on VC. He probably projects to be more of a forward at the college level.

[Topper_Hopper]

Watched his higlight video, looks like he would have been a great fit in the WLU system (or any other D2 system). Did he have any Division 1 interest?

[IUPalum]

Joe got a big signing in Ohio's Griffin Straub (6'7" G/F).

IUP beat out Walsh, Cal and West Liberty (among many others).

He will be a HS Senior this season.

IUP has also signed a PG from Toronto.

Joe is starting to recruit a little different.

[Columbuseer]

Griffin Straub looks really good. I think he will have great success.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Joe got a big signing in Ohio's Griffin Straub (6'7" G/F).

IUP beat out Walsh, Cal and West Liberty (among many others).

He will be a HS Senior this season.

IUP has also signed a PG from Toronto.

[EyeoftheHawk]

I think MC's football stadium is a hidden gem. Great setting.

As far as setting goes, it’s the best in the Heritage in my opinion. If they got turf and expanded the visiting side bleachers it would be one of the best small schools stadiums in western PA with that great view from atop the hill. Other cool stadiums are West Shamokin for its setting and overall layout and Northern Cambria with its nostalgia and being tucked into town. Fun place to play.

[EyeoftheHawk]

I think MC's football stadium is a hidden gem. Great setting.

I used to love the old Saltsburg High School stadium. It was really cool at night.

While we're on the topic ... do you think it's a matter of time until River Valley joins the WPIAL? I know Ligonier Valley hasn't fared too well but it sure seems to me RV is gearing up to leave.

I’m not sure what RV is gearing up to do. They’ve got a maverick superintendent down there that doesn’t seem to care what people think ranging from trying to pull out of the ICTC to pushing aside the sitting head football coach to bring in another maverick, Ed Dalton. My understanding is he made a comment similar to “I didn’t build a multi-million dollar football stadium to go 8-3 every year.” If it were a college I guess I’d get that but apparently he’s lost track of what high school athletics is supposed to be about. He’s not alone I suppose.

The WPIAL for River Valley would be a bad idea, much like it was for Ligonier Valley. Ligonier had a great football run that gave them a false sense of who they are in the long run. Their most recent teams wouldn’t win the Heritage Conference. They just had a unique run of talent that eventually washed out like it does in most small schools. They’ve been average to below average in their other sports. Now they’re in the WPIAL with zero chance to win consistently.

River Valley has had good runs in girls basketball recently, been above average but not great in football, and awful in several other sports. They’re the biggest school in the Heritage and have the best facilities (oddly don’t have a true home baseball or softball field), but having fancy stuff doesn’t make you dominant. If they join the WPIAL, they’re going to have to travel to find a fit for small school conference play and they’ll lose all of the traditional rivalries. Ligonier didn’t really have those historic rivalries in the Heritage/Appalachian Conference so it was different. River Valley will become almost irrelevant in Indiana County if they go to the WPIAL in my opinion.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

I’ve seen some pretty intense pick-up games there. Good venue. Could be the start of a parking lot series similar to the stadium series in hockey, LOL.

I think MC's football stadium is a hidden gem. Great setting.

I used to love the old Saltsburg High School stadium. It was really cool at night.

While we're on the topic ... do you think it's a matter of time until River Valley joins the WPIAL? I know Ligonier Valley hasn't fared too well but it sure seems to me RV is gearing up to leave.

[EyeoftheHawk]

Personally, I don't care in they play in the Marion Center parking lot courts. I just want a better product with no roster drama.

I’ve seen some pretty intense pick-up games there. Good venue. Could be the start of a parking lot series similar to the stadium series in hockey, LOL.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Unfortunately, there will sill be roster drama because you know Sarp will be on the floor. No way he should play high level D2 ball.

Well, I'm not sure how that will play out.

Sarp is redshirt eligible. He was forced to play his true freshmen season out of necessity. Last year he started after some guards were injured.

That said, it appears the roster messes of the past two seasons are gone.

Clearly the three starting guards will be Kymani Merraro, Dallis Dillard and Christian Moore.

Behind those three are Ian Herring, Alfonso Pickens Jr. and Tasso Sfanos.

Herring is a budding star. Pickens will be the backup PG. Sfanos is a proven D2 player. That's not to mention true freshman Ralphie Blundo, who will likely redshirt. So, if Sarp doesn't redshirt, that's (7) experienced guards.

Obviously we all know Joe's habits. Being the 6th, 7th and 8th guard typically means you're somewhere on Pluto. Even with all this (for once) quality depth, I just don't see Merraro, Dillard or Moore sitting a whole lot.

Herring can be an ultimate 6th-man type. He's a real sparkplug and is ultra athletic for his size. Pickens is a solid backup and Sfanos gives them a nice outside shooter (and is a strong defender).

[IUPalum]

I'm sure that was a really fun discussion with Joe.

Well, the KCAC followed the money. They'll make 10x more on that weekend then they will on two of Joe's early-season games.

Joe's team has been pretty, well, rough the last two years. The crowds stunk last season. It will probably take until January for all the bandwagon types to resurface.

Joe's going to be strong this year (after two very painful years). I suspect by the second semester the crowds will return.

As for the decision to bump Joe ... it doesn't surprise me at all. As you mentioned, the team largely practices at the Field House so I doubt they'll mind too much (for two games anyway).

Personally, I don't care in they play in the Marion Center parking lot courts. I just want a better product with no roster drama.

Unfortunately, there will sill be roster drama because you know Sarp will be on the floor. No way he should play high level D2 ball.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Are you freaking kidding me!!! IUP basketball is getting bumped for the State Cheerleading on Nov 15. What a damn joke that is!!!

I'm sure that was a really fun discussion with Joe.

Well, the KCAC followed the money. They'll make 10x more on that weekend then they will on two of Joe's early-season games.

Joe's team has been pretty, well, rough the last two years. The crowds stunk last season. It will probably take until January for all the bandwagon types to resurface.

Joe's going to be strong this year (after two very painful years). I suspect by the second semester the crowds will return.

As for the decision to bump Joe ... it doesn't surprise me at all. As you mentioned, the team largely practices at the Field House so I doubt they'll mind too much (for two games anyway).

Personally, I don't care in they play in the Marion Center parking lot courts. I just want a better product with no roster drama.

[IUPalum]

Are you freaking kidding me!!! IUP basketball is getting bumped for the State Cheerleading on Nov 15. What a damn joke that is!!!