Iup basketball

[Chuck Norris]

The sun came up today. Hopefully we’re all feeling a little better.

[IUPalum]

The sun came up today. Hopefully we’re all feeling a little better.

Nope, still pissed! Joe's refusal to play his best line up pisses me off. His line of BS that he sees these guys at practice everyday just irritates me. What happens at practice doesn't always translate to REAL GAME ACTION!!! KJ might be a good practice player but he sucks in REAL GAMES!!! Damir might suck in practice but he sure as hell looks way better than KJ in REAL GAME ACTION!!! I'd also be willing to bet Petteno would start to shoot better if he got to play the 3 spot where he belongs and then was actually allowed to shoot. Getting 6 broken up minutes won't get any player in a rhythm.

[IUP1423]

I sat behind the bench last night. There was a recruit in the building last night. He was a man, not a high school student. Anybody see that? Anybody got a name?

[Ship69]

Bobby Bowden. Joe Paterno. Joe Lombardi.

Guess that likely ended any slim chance you guys had of making the NCAAs. Hey, my school isn't even going to make the PSAC tourney. After a great effort against East Stroud Saturday, they go on the road and get blown away at West Chester. One of the stranger seasons I've ever seen in the PSAC, and I've seen a few of them.

[IUsuallyPonder]

Most of the astute PSAC watchers thought this wasn’t IUP’s best team, but I don’t think anyone thought they would see so much disappointment. To me, there are a few factors:

1) Poor Recruitment - Too many misses on the recruiting trail.
2) Poor Management - Not using the best players won’t win many games. Too many bad coaching decisions don’t help either.
3) Poor Player Development - For those returning, there isn’t much improvement.

One bad season happens, that’s the reality, but being nearly fully funded, and having one of the highest paying coaches on staff, I’d have to think the leash isn’t long if there’s a repeat (or maybe a retirement is forthcoming).

Who knows, maybe God just doesn’t like this team?

What am I missing? What do you think?

[IUPalum]

Most of the astute PSAC watchers thought this wasn’t IUP’s best team, but I don’t think anyone thought they would see so much disappointment. To me, there are a few factors:

1) Poor Recruitment - Too many misses on the recruiting trail.
2) Poor Management - Not using the best players won’t win many games. Too many bad coaching decisions don’t help either.
3) Poor Player Development - For those returning, there isn’t much improvement.

One bad season happens, that’s the reality, but being nearly fully funded, and having one of the highest paying coaches on staff, I’d have to think the leash isn’t long if there’s a repeat (or maybe a retirement is forthcoming).

Who knows, maybe God just doesn’t like this team?

What am I missing? What do you think?

I don't think anyone thought this season was going to be anywhere close to the last few but there has been some disappointing things that are very unexplainable.

1) Damir being a fixture on the bench every game. He's got all the intangibles to being a star rebounder and wreck shop on the defensive end, especially the top of the press.

2) KJ getting star minutes and he's not even good enough to start on a PSU Branch Campus. No team defends KJ because he is that bad.

3) Joe giving up on Petteno when he started off ice cold to start the year. I can see the kid has a good skill set at the 2/3 spots BUT in Joe's eyes he'd rather play him to spell KJ at the 4. What a joke!

4) Joe giving up on Waldo so easily. He went from starter/game winning shot against Concord to lawn ornament. Why isn't he getting some minutes to gain some experience?

5) McNamara being a fall down drunk ruined his season.

6) Dallis's torn ACL just sucks.

7) Stewart's inconsistencies are puzzling but it probably would've helped him if Dallis was still playing.

8) Romero-Sanz being red shirted is odd when they have zero size.

9) Not sure what Denzel's role would've been but I heard he had star potential before the injury.


THe Positives:

1) Garvin Clarke was a great find.

2) Ethan is still dominating even with the double and triple teams.

3) Bryce coming out from behind a desk job to set 3 point records.

4) Sarp does some bone headed things but he is developing with some sold promise for next year.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Most of the astute PSAC watchers thought this wasn’t IUP’s best team, but I don’t think anyone thought they would see so much disappointment. To me, there are a few factors:

1) Poor Recruitment - Too many misses on the recruiting trail.
2) Poor Management - Not using the best players won’t win many games. Too many bad coaching decisions don’t help either.
3) Poor Player Development - For those returning, there isn’t much improvement.

One bad season happens, that’s the reality, but being nearly fully funded, and having one of the highest paying coaches on staff, I’d have to think the leash isn’t long if there’s a repeat (or maybe a retirement is forthcoming).

Who knows, maybe God just doesn’t like this team?

What am I missing? What do you think?

In somewhat order of events:

1) Tomiwa decided to leave. That single event changed the entire season - and left a gapping hole at the SF position.

2) Said hole wasn't addressed and has remained an incredible weakness all year. So bad, in fact, opposing teams ignore it -- choosing to rather double and triple team Porterfield.

3) The recruiting class, to this point, has been a disaster (aside from Garvin Clarke, and, at times Sarp).
- Josh Petteno, originally thought to be a showcase addition, was forced to play a forward role and isn't suited for that position. He also had an awful first two games at the SG spot and was quickly morphed to end-of-rotation role player.
- Denzel, a highly sought after transfer, was lost for the season in camp with a knee injury.
- Romero-Sanz was redshirted on a team that (I have to believe) knew it had major problems under the basket.
- Jordan Lambert (walk-on) was redshirted but then activated. All he did was produce on the offensive end but was quickly vanished to Siberia.
- Sarp was a decent late signing and has upside. However, in a normal year he'd have never seen the floor as a true freshman.
- Watson is a JUCO PG transfer and also redshirted. He was also injured.

4) Dallis Dillard going down with an ACL was a total disaster. He is one of the best two-way players in the league. This took a likely all-conference player out of the lineup (and 38 mpg).

5) McNarmarra returning from the holiday break lost for the season -- just when he was starting to see minutes. He's raw but that took a powerful 6'7", 230 lb forward out of the rotation.

6. Where's Waldo? The highly-touted recruit not only started opening night but took the game-winning shot attempt out of a timeout. He missed and quickly after was sent to Siberia. How the most-hyped high school recruit in some time was given up on after two games is still baffling.

7. By now you are seeing a theme at the small forward position. KJ started the season as Ethan's backup (and EP plays 38 mpg). Do the math.

8. Damir Brooks was benched the first two games of the season after being named a starter in camp. He's the perfect size and highly productive. Problem is (and, it's a big problem) he doesn't play. This, my opinion, ruined their season.

9. Instead of the physically-imposing, strong and athletic Brooks, KJ starts at SF and Petteno backs him up. One minor detail is both are at best 6'3" and, well, were brought here to be guards. And, remember, the giant Romero-Sanz and Brooks are sitting on the bench.

10. Dillard's injury forced Jaylen Stewart in to the starting lineup. Stewart has been adequate but was much more productive off the bench. They needed (need) much more scoring from him.

11. Bryce Radford came out of retirement to be a guard off the bench. His first day in Indiana was when Dillard was hurt. He went from role-playing sniper to 37 mpg starter. While he's had some monster games, he's also totally vanished in some. Defensively, the 6'4" Dillard is vastly better. Dillard is also an elite rebounder.

12. Aside from EP and Garvin (and sometimes Bryce) IUP has no offensive production.

13. If Brooks isn't going to play, Petteno should be playing way more than he does.


This season is toast as is. Even with the injuries, it didn't have to be this bad.

Move KJ back to EP's backup and split the SF between Brooks and Petteno. See what happens. IUP would look like a totally different (much better) team.


This team is better than 16-9. It should be at least 19-6 right now. It has to be coached to win. I'm not sure that is happening when your best lineup doesn't play.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Brooks gets in. Two giant boards.

Back to the bench 40 seconds later.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Damir massive block. Let that boy eat. Finally.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Joe saving his timeouts for next year. Goodness. Rock on huge run.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Joe may get blown out of Morrow

[IUPbigINDIANS]

That may have been the worst half of basketball played by IUP in at least 15 years. Maybe 20 years.

IUP started red hot, up 15-5 and you could hear Joe screaming to slow the pace. They did. And ... then got lit up like a pinata.

Down 12 at half. Let the crowd back in to it. This could get ugly. IUP's effort and energy was horrendous the last 13 minutes.

Lindsay's been draining uncontested shots on IUP for four years. Might as well not guard him today, either.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

This is a TRAVESTY Brooks isn't playing.

There's no way to explain this.

KJ may foul out before getting his first rebound.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Wonder what Cal is going to do to this team Wednesday night?

Goodness.

[IUPalum]

Wonder what Cal is going to do to this team Wednesday night?

Goodness.

This team might not win another game. One and done in the tournament.