Iup basketball

[Cobra Hawks]

Solid win against SRU and credit to the team (including KJ). Feel Cal are going to be a whole different kettle of fish however. Joe's post match interview would indicate even he thinks IUP are going to lose, setting expectations and citing Cal as an Elite 8 NCAA team. Let's hope we don't have a repeat of the ESU or Gannon games! Would be good if it is at least a competitive match. Fingers crossed.
Looking forward I can't see who replaces Ethan at the end of the season. The other forwards are barely getting any minutes, apart from Damir when Ethan is resting. Dolan was a starter at the beginning of the season and now riding the pine. Calum will be lucky to get any minutes from now on. Romero-Sanz is red shirted and an unknown at this stage. Joe must be looking at a transfer?
Good luck to IUP tonight. Might need it!

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Solid win against SRU and credit to the team (including KJ). Feel Cal are going to be a whole different kettle of fish however. Joe's post match interview would indicate even he thinks IUP are going to lose, setting expectations and citing Cal as an Elite 8 NCAA team. Let's hope we don't have a repeat of the ESU or Gannon games! Would be good if it is at least a competitive match. Fingers crossed.
Looking forward I can't see who replaces Ethan at the end of the season. The other forwards are barely getting any minutes, apart from Damir when Ethan is resting. Dolan was a starter at the beginning of the season and now riding the pine. Calum will be lucky to get any minutes from now on. Romero-Sanz is red shirted and an unknown at this stage. Joe must be looking at a transfer?
Good luck to IUP tonight. Might need it!

They better be ready because Cal's been waiting for this game for years.

Cal has a better starting unit and is dramatically deeper.

It would take a perfect (slow) game for IUP to win.

IUP kept one streak alive Saturday ... not sure they can keep the Cal streak going.

This IUP team has flaws, and can beat other flawed teams. Cal doesn't have any. Joe's drastic lack of quality depth will likely be really exposed tonight. Not to mention Cal has perhaps the best SF in the league and IUP plays guards there.

[IUP24]

I was hesitant to post this to the board, but decided to do so against my better judgement. I'm looking forward to tonight's game against Cal, but I'm also left thinking a lot about what we've witnessed with Radford of late. What's Joe doing? Why is he so quick to give up on guys? Radford's performance on Saturday infuriated a part of me. And I think it's emblematic of what we've all discussed here of late.

They could have used Radford last year. Heck, they could have used Polce last year too!

Radford was last on the IUP roster in 2021-2022. He was a sophomore. I'll allow others to debate his usage and ability at that stage of his development. And yeah, he was down the line on the bench of a great team that was very deep. But when I sit here and watch what he's doing as a guy who is a few years older and more developed, it confirmed everything I've thought about Joe just tossing guys to Siberia for the smallest trust issue on the court. Radford is a smaller guy who may not be able to hold up over time defensively, but was there not a place for him on this team previously? Polce too. Seems like having a guy who can come off the bench and hit shots is a good thing to have. I'm just not entirely sure what Joe is thinking with some of these personnel decisions.

If I was Brooks or Waldo, I'd be on the first bus out of Indiana after this season ends.

[Cobra Hawks]

I think Joe was caught with his pants down this season and he knows it. A lot of knee jerk reactions. Not sure if not having an assistant until a little short of the start of the season helped him meaning he had to do all the recruitment himself. He brought back Coach P who had a lot of work to do before the season started. The loss of key starters and the portal clearly put Joe on the back foot. Sorry to say that he has been short sighted and is really only focused on this season. It makes it look like he is only concerned about his own reputation. A trait he hates to see in his own players! Radford was a knee jerk reaction due to guards not making shots. Bryce has clearly been a good and important player but he is only here for the short term and has had minutes at the expense of other players. Jordan taking off his red shirt due to poor performances, primarily by Josh, was another knee jerk reaction. Jordan played pretty well when asked but now is not to be seen. Dolan was a starter who clearly needs confidence to grow and Damir is ready to go but is now a bit part player. To be balanced Sarp and Josh have had a fair share of minutes but overall Josh isn't the shoot maker that he was expected to be. Overall though and In short Joe is not developing players. Damaging their confidence by taking them off for any minor infringement must put fear into the rest of the roster who can see what he is doing. I think Joe just wants to scrap through this season and worry about next season later.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

I think Joe was caught with his pants down this season and he knows it. A lot of knee jerk reactions. Not sure if not having an assistant until a little short of the start of the season helped him meaning he had to do all the recruitment himself. He brought back Coach P who had a lot of work to do before the season started. The loss of key starters and the portal clearly put Joe on the back foot. Sorry to say that he has been short sighted and is really only focused on this season. It makes it look like he is only concerned about his own reputation. A trait he hates to see in his own players! Radford was a knee jerk reaction due to guards not making shots. Bryce has clearly been a good and important player but he is only here for the short term and has had minutes at the expense of other players. Jordan taking off his red shirt due to poor performances, primarily by Josh, was another knee jerk reaction. Jordan played pretty well when asked but now is not to be seen. Dolan was a starter who clearly needs confidence to grow and Damir is ready to go but is now a bit part player. To be balanced Sarp and Josh have had a fair share of minutes but overall Josh isn't the shoot maker that he was expected to be. Overall though and In short Joe is not developing players. Damaging their confidence by taking them off for any minor infringement must put fear into the rest of the roster who can see what he is doing. I think Joe just wants to scrap through this season and worry about next season later.

My opinion (after having seen this same movie many times before under Joe):

* They knew the SF position was a trainwreck coming in to the season. This is a vital position in Joe's scheme. He's always had a stud in that spot. How it was so bare is baffling They had to know what was there in Waldo and certainly in Brooks. That said, it was very poor roster management.

* Joe initially thought Waldo and Brooks could tag team the spot. Damir being the muscle and Waldo being the finesse. Neither plays now. Remember KJ was to be Ethan's backup (and EP doesn't sit much). Once Waldo and Burks got sent to Siberia, KJ shifted over and they moved Petteno down there. Joe's man crush on KJ is a different topic.

* They can get away with KJ and Petteno down there most nights. Tonight will not be one of those nights.

* Lambert was activated instead of Romero-Sanz. That's still odd as they've been dying for more size down there all year. Word on Romero-Sanz is he's raw but very powerful and a nasty rebounder. Keep in mind Lambert only played a handful of games. He may still qualify as a redshirt. With Bryce's unexpected arrival, they could be keeping Lambert on the bench intentionally.

* Joe is (somehow) 13-5. Their signature win is probably against a pretty solid Lock Haven team. The other five good teams they've played they lost all of them.

* Keep in mind, too, this team lost Denzel for the season in camp. He was going to be in the rotation. That was a huge loss. Losing Dillard was seeing a likely first team all-league player out of the equation.


I think Joe's still playing to win and they are working hard. At times, they are actually a fun team to watch. If Dallis was here they'd be pretty good. But, the ceiling is only so high for this team. I think Cal will sweep them and Gannon will hammer them again. They can win the others.

He's going to have a lot of work to do this off-season. He does have a strong group of guards back next year -- Garvin, Dallis, Stewart, Lambert and Sarp. He'll add a shooter (perhaps Shull from UPJ). Underneath, however, is a total rebuild. Waldo and Brooks will be gone. He'll likely sign several transfer post players.

As a whole, I agree. The yearly roster drama is getting old. Fast. I've said for years Joe's dream is to play 5 guys. Iron man. Nobody else even needs to dress.

For comparison, Joe's going to play 2-3 players tonight who wouldn't be in Cal's Top 11 or 12. Think about that.

The success of the Erie pipeline, my opinion, got Joe a little lazy in the recruiting world. And, he's in the twilight. This could be his last year.

[Scrub]

IUP fans are getting the pace you were hoping for so far.

[Scrub]

And shockingly, Cal seems content to play in the mud rather than try to force the pace in any way.

[TopperNation]

Whew I guess this is a typical game in the PSAC. I thought Cal would push the pace seeing as they are the new version of WL.

[Scrub]

Whew I guess this is a typical game in the PSAC. I thought Cal would push the pace seeing as they are the new version of WL.

You might be thinking of Gannon (the "PSAC WLU"). But Cal tends to average in the 80s nonetheless. They're not getting anywhere near the 80s in this one.

[TopperNation]

You might be thinking of Gannon (the "PSAC WLU"). But Cal tends to average in the 80s nonetheless. They're not getting anywhere near the 80s in this one.

Oh you are exactly right, I was thinking of Gannon.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Oh you are exactly right, I was thinking of Gannon.

Cal better get a whole lot better. IUP's half roster just about beat them. Petteno didn't dress which made it 5 on 4 all night.

Great effort from IUP. 26 to 11 foul shots and barely lost. On paper Cal should have crushed them

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Damir Brooks ... ZERO minutes. Waldo should have played 30 minutes.

TOTAL Bull****!t by Lombardi. He's actually embarrassing himself. That massive Cal lineup and he played his man crush the whole game.

IUP's 4 spot was a disaster (as usual). If they could have got anything out of that spot they'd have probably won the game. Cal literally didn't guard the position.

Joe's now 1-6 vs good teams this year.

[IUPalum]

Damir Brooks ... ZERO minutes. Waldo should have played 30 minutes.

TOTAL Bull****!t by Lombardi. He's actually embarrassing himself. That massive Cal lineup and he played his man crush the whole game.

IUP's 4 spot was a disaster (as usual). If they could have got anything out of that spot they'd have probably won the game. Cal literally didn't guard the position.

Joe's now 1-6 vs good teams this year.

Hey Joe, KJ sucks and so do you!!!

[IUP1423]

Shawndale ball back to the KCAC tonight. 6 second half possessions in which the point guard dribbled the ball down the floor and did not pass it to anyone. Ethan sets a pick and then a lousy forced shot ensued. Three other guys just stood there flat-footed and never moved. Ethan is the best player in the psac and he is just setting picks.

I just do not understand this....

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Hey Joe, KJ sucks and so do you!!!

KJ plays hard. I'll give him that.

But ... Come on, Joe. Dude is a 'listed' 6'4" guard and you're playing him all night against the best trio of bigs in the league.

Not a soul could convince me that playing the Waldo/Brooks combo wouldn't have been WAY more productive.

Damir should go in the portal tomorrow. Same with Waldo.

This team is what it is but Joe is sabotaging it.

And, as we all said, the foul trouble night would come. So, he had to turn to some guys who literally haven't played in the past 7-8 games. What's he really expect out of guys he hasn't cared to develop?


They played a tough game. Nothing to be ashamed about tonight. Cal is a really good team and they had them pretty stuffed most of the night. Joe just doesn't have enough left -- and he's using what he does have left terribly.