Iup basketball

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Word is Tomiwa was contacted by 40+ programs last week. So, unless he has some major change of heart, that ship has probably sailed.

One name I really like as a replacement is former Cal and Walsh forward Tim Smith Jr. He's a one-year guy (grad transfer) but is a big-time scorer and can shoot from outside. He averaged about 17 and 8 this past season. He had a big game against IUP this year, going for 24 and 8 (he scored nearly half of Walsh's points in that game). Smith also has some ties to IUP. He's in the range of 6'8" and 220 lbs.

I've heard some other names floating but Smith seems to be one that has interest from both sides. He's also probably going to get some low-major looks so we'll see.

With Shawndale, David and Tomiwa off the books, Joe has a lot of money to spend here. We'll see if he goes (as usual) for more 'full ticket' types or instead spreads it out and goes the quality depth route.

[IUP24]

Word is Tomiwa was contacted by 40+ programs last week. So, unless he has some major change of heart, that ship has probably sailed.

One name I really like as a replacement is former Cal and Walsh forward Tim Smith Jr. He's a one-year guy (grad transfer) but is a big-time scorer and can shoot from outside. He averaged about 17 and 8 this past season. He had a big game against IUP this year, going for 24 and 8 (he scored nearly half of Walsh's points in that game). Smith also has some ties to IUP. He's in the range of 6'8" and 220 lbs.

I've heard some other names floating but Smith seems to be one that has interest from both sides. He's also probably going to get some low-major looks so we'll see.

With Shawndale, David and Tomiwa off the books, Joe has a lot of money to spend here. We'll see if he goes (as usual) for more 'full ticket' types or instead spreads it out and goes the quality depth route.

Not sure "the quality depth route" matters when he puts his "quality depth" in Siberia.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Not sure "the quality depth route" matters when he puts his "quality depth" in Siberia.

Correct. So, the recruiting will give us something to talk about but as far as next year goes it's real simple. He needs 3 players to round out his 7-8 man rotation.

Ethan, Dallis and Stewart will be starters (3 of the 8)

Brooks and Waldo will certainly be in the rotation (5 of the 8)

Polce and Bethea are candidates to be in the rotation (if they are still here). KJ will still be on the team but I assume he'll go back to the '9th man' super utility role. I'd assume his two walk-ons remain on the team.

Bottom line, he needs to sign two transfer guards (one needs to be a pure PG) and one post player. He'll also sign at least one high school player so I suspect this class to have 4-5 guys (and bigger if Polce or Bethea leave).

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Former Kennedy Catholic star (and Duquesne player) Maceo Austin is announcing his transfer destination this afternoon. Sounds like he has one year of eligibility.

[IUP24]

Correct. So, the recruiting will give us something to talk about but as far as next year goes it's real simple. He needs 3 players to round out his 7-8 man rotation.

Ethan, Dallis and Stewart will be starters (3 of the 8)

Brooks and Waldo will certainly be in the rotation (5 of the 8)

Polce and Bethea are candidates to be in the rotation (if they are still here). KJ will still be on the team but I assume he'll go back to the '9th man' super utility role. I'd assume his two walk-ons remain on the team.

Bottom line, he needs to sign two transfer guards (one needs to be a pure PG) and one post player. He'll also sign at least one high school player so I suspect this class to have 4-5 guys (and bigger if Polce or Bethea leave).

I'd prefer neither of those guys leave. I think Bethea has good upside. And I like what Polce can bring.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

I'd prefer neither of those guys leave. I think Bethea has good upside. And I like what Polce can bring.

Bethea's season was very strange. He came out of camp on the active roster (rare for a Joe true freshman). He was playing, on average, I'd guess 10-14 mpg in NOV and most of DEC. Then ... poof. Gone. They activated Jaylen Stewart and Bethea was never seen again (minus some occasional mop-up time). He's a nice-size PG and very quick. I thought he was a very good defender for a true freshman. He wasn't allowed to do anything on offense (like most of the team) so it's not fair to even comment on his offensive potential.

Polce went from playing decent minutes to essentially nothing for most of February. So, I don't know what the story is there other than something obviously changed.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

The Twitter world thinks Maceo Austin and Ike Herster are going to sign with Slippery Rock as a package.

[ironmaniup]

Bethea's season was very strange. He came out of camp on the active roster (rare for a Joe true freshman). He was playing, on average, I'd guess 10-14 mpg in NOV and most of DEC. Then ... poof. Gone. They activated Jaylen Stewart and Bethea was never seen again (minus some occasional mop-up time). He's a nice-size PG and very quick. I thought he was a very good defender for a true freshman. He wasn't allowed to do anything on offense (like most of the team) so it's not fair to even comment on his offensive potential.

Polce went from playing decent minutes to essentially nothing for most of February. So, I don't know what the story is there other than something obviously changed.

It seems something happened to the team in February. The Team that beat ESU by 14 would have had a better chance in the NCAAs , as it was, they just weren't up to it.

[IUPNation]

In the recent PIAA boys and girls finals..The Philadelphia Catholic League went 4-1 in the title round. West Catholic for the boys and Lansdale Catholic, Archbishop Wood and Archbishop Carroll for the girls for the win and Roman Catholic lost to Reading on the boys side.

Hopefully IUP can recruit a few players from the PCL…

[IUPbigINDIANS]

It seems something happened to the team in February. The Team that beat ESU by 14 would have had a better chance in the NCAAs , as it was, they just weren't up to it.

It slowly evolved into a one-man show and unfortunately Joe didn't get a grasp on it. The more they went AAU offense (basically from February forward) the worse they got. Their offense was hard to watch the final 5-6 weeks of the season. It was a total mess.

[IUPTrackMan]

Bethea's season was very strange. He came out of camp on the active roster (rare for a Joe true freshman). He was playing, on average, I'd guess 10-14 mpg in NOV and most of DEC. Then ... poof. Gone. They activated Jaylen Stewart and Bethea was never seen again (minus some occasional mop-up time). He's a nice-size PG and very quick. I thought he was a very good defender for a true freshman. He wasn't allowed to do anything on offense (like most of the team) so it's not fair to even comment on his offensive potential.

Polce went from playing decent minutes to essentially nothing for most of February. So, I don't know what the story is there other than something obviously changed.

Didn’t Polce have a knee injury at some point during the season that may have left a step slow?

[hawks16]

Those first four schools to contact Tomiwa yesterday ... if he signs with any of them he'd be nuts. IUP has better fans, support and facilities than all of them. Going to some dumpster fire like Cleveland State just to say you play D1 ... each his own, I suppose. Tomiwa is also a showman. He was a celebrity in Indiana and the crowd loved him. He may not find that in the places that come calling for him.
.

Said it once and I'll say it again -- Joe's best recruiting is bringing players on campus on an April Saturday to walk through the Co-op food court during prime day drinking season. Hawk Family but also Hawk groupies and Lady Hawks. The men's and women's basketball players are the celebs on campus. (Swimming/track are a close second because they throw the best parties.)

[hawks16]

Former Kennedy Catholic star (and Duquesne player) Maceo Austin is announcing his transfer destination this afternoon. Sounds like he has one year of eligibility.

TribLive said two years of eligibility and he'll play as a grad student. What the TribLive article didn't say is why he left the Duquesne program. Connect the dots, but his older sister died in January 2020. He was a star at Kennedy Catholic (Joe's alma mater), scoring 1,971 points and winning four state titles. Played in the shadow of Oscar Tshiebwe.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

TribLive said two years of eligibility and he'll play as a grad student. What the TribLive article didn't say is why he left the Duquesne program. Connect the dots, but his older sister died in January 2020. He was a star at Kennedy Catholic (Joe's alma mater), scoring 1,971 points and winning four state titles. Played in the shadow of Oscar Tshiebwe.

He's going to be a major headache for the rest of the PSAC West.

I think the question for SRU is can they get enough of a quality supporting cast around him based on their somewhat limited scholarship numbers. Assuming they do also sign Ike Herster and have Lashon Lindsey returning ... that's probably three full rides right there. Average year SRU probably has 4.5 to 6 equivalencies. So, that probably means building the rest of the roster spread over 2-3 equivalencies.

I'd guess a change of scenery (and coach) is going to do wonders for Herster. Khalid Gates may regret leaving.

[IUPalum]

He's going to be a major headache for the rest of the PSAC West.

I think the question for SRU is can they get enough of a quality supporting cast around him based on their somewhat limited scholarship numbers. Assuming they do also sign Ike Herster and have Lashon Lindsey returning ... that's probably three full rides right there. Average year SRU probably has 4.5 to 6 equivalencies. So, that probably means building the rest of the roster spread over 2-3 equivalencies.

I'd guess a change of scenery (and coach) is going to do wonders for Herster. Khalid Gates may regret leaving.

Gates leaving probably opened the fund to get Austin.