AB Battlers Men's Basketball 2021-2022

[Columbuseer]

Huge congrats to our men's coaching staff on a big commitment today!

Rye Gadd, out of Webster County HS, committed to ABU today over 8 other schools that had offered. We offered Gadd last season. He averaged 28 ppg this past season. He had a 41 point & 8 rebound effort in his last game in the regional championship loss to Greater Beckley Christian which finished as the state runner up. He scored over 1600+ points for his career. Kid has serious bounce.

If we don't lose Knott and others to portal, then this is a huge compliment who can come in right away and contribute.

We have also offered Sean Paige (6'8" ; 235) post player out of Anderson, Indiana. He visited campus this past week.

Ye Gads! What a scorer!
Congrats on a great commit!

[boatcapt]

Huge congrats to our men's coaching staff on a big commitment today!

Rye Gadd, out of Webster County HS, committed to ABU today over 8 other schools that had offered. We offered Gadd last season. He averaged 28 ppg this past season. He had a 41 point & 8 rebound effort in his last game in the regional championship loss to Greater Beckley Christian which finished as the state runner up. He scored over 1600+ points for his career. Kid has serious bounce.

If we don't lose Knott and others to portal, then this is a huge compliment who can come in right away and contribute.

We have also offered Sean Paige (6'8" ; 235) post player out of Anderson, Indiana. He visited campus this past week.

But can he shoot the 3??

[JDonAB92]

We had a visit from 6'4" wing Jalen Wenger out of Dalton, Ohio. He averaged 26 ppg this past season.

I know we are still trying to get Kaden Smallwood to come to AB. We offered him awhile back. He is good friends and AAU teammate with Rye Gadd.

[JDonAB92]

David Shriver is using his 5th year to transfer to Virginia Commonwealth.

Looks like KJ Walker could land at Wayne State of the GLIAC.

[JDonAB92]

https://twitter.com/ABMBasketball/st...widget%3DTweet

So our 3 seniors are graduating this week. Smalls and Walker have an extra year of eligibility due to COVID. They have entered the portal for that. I don't think there is any way they could stay. Our master's program are in the medical field and one in the teaching field. Their undergrad majors don't match up. So they will have to go elsewhere I would assume under NCAA guidelines.

The only true loss in the portal is Simpkins. I think he saw the handwriting on the wall with playing time. We already signed Rye Gadd who actually brings a lot more to the table that Simpkins. Smalls and Walker are leaving with a degree. There are two other players that entered the portal.....neither saw the floor.

My calculations on our returnees:

Jalen Knott 6'2" wing who was MEC Freshman of the Year
Coryon Rice 6'0" guard who can shoot and defend
Jadakis Mack 6'4" athletic wing who hasn't really played much but took advantage of his opportunities when he did. He recently finished 2nd in the High Jump at the MEC track & field championships.
Jaelyn Etheridge 6"3" wing
Tahleik Walker athletic 6'3" wing who is our best defender but developed a lot better late in the season on the offensive end.
Eman Eman 6'4" wing who was ineligible 2nd semester.
Jalen Collins 6'6" forward who started almost the entire season
Max Washington 6'7" forward who hardly plays
Fraser Larocque 6'8" post who hardly played

Rye Gadd is an athletic 6'3" wing who can shoot and attack the rim
Nekhi Smith was brought in late last year as a transfer from Lincoln Memorial. He 6'6" and 230 pounds
Sirr Hughes is a 5'11" point who sat out last year but I do hear is talented. Time will tell.

We ideally need to round out the class with one more point guard that can play and at least one or two inside players (JUCO or transfer). We didn't get hit on the transfer portal like I thought we would. I don't fault any one when a kid gets his degree and moves on. The portals shows 5 leaving but Simpkins is really the only one that left that would have contributed.

This isn't a bad lineup next season. We still need some impact players. Losing KJ is a killer but if it weren't for COVID year, he would have been gone. Smalls played well late this season but is replaceable. He is a loss though. But again, if it weren't for the COVID year, he too would have been gone.

[crixus]

One last look at the 2021-2022 team for old times sake. Go Battlers!
??????

[JDonAB92]

Our women's basketball coach Summer Quesenberry has left for the heading coaching position at D'Youville which is a D2 member out of Buffalo, NY. Real tough loss. She made great strides in recruiting at ABU.

[JDonAB92]

KJ Walker will play at UNC-Pembroke next season.

[JDonAB92]

Weird set of events....

Our women's basketball coach resigned on June 6th to accept the head women's job at D'Youville (NY).

She lasted a month at D'Youville and today is now named head women's coach at Illinois-Springfield. She is a good coach, but that is a quick bounce in jobs.

[JDonAB92]

AB men's basketball was voted by the coaches to finish tied for 7th in the Mountain East during MEC media day. We were tied with Glenville State. I think we have a chance to finish better than that......not that we will. Interesting in that West Liberty finished 1st in the poll but Fairmont State received more first place votes. Our roster has been out since this summer, but I know we picked up a transfer forward from Kent State and the Covington kid from Connecticut real late in August. I don't know their eligibility status as they aren't on the roster as they signed after this current roster was put out.

The AB women were picked to finish 10th. I think they have a chance to finish higher. I know they return their top 3 players, but I am not sure about replacements for those that left. Point guard will be the huge key there. Inside we are pretty tough. Willams, Taylor and Weaver produced quite well last season. I don't know if we had any late pickups as that roster was put out in early August.

At this rate, I am ready for basketball to start. I will try to appreciate more the wins that we get in basketball as football is an absolute nightmare to even watch. Men appear to have nice depth......I am hoping Dye will open up the floor more on offense and fast-break much more. I actually thought the rare times we 3/4-court pressed last season that it was very effective. We shall see.

[JDonAB92]

They are only exhibitions but the women won comfortably in their scrimmage the other day. That won't be a bad starting five. Depth is a problem. I haven't heard any thing on the men from their exhibition on Friday.

[crixus]

They are only exhibitions but the women won comfortably in their scrimmage the other day. That won't be a bad starting five. Depth is a problem. I haven't heard any thing on the men from their exhibition on Friday.

We need a new thread for the new Hoops season. You're a lot closer to the action (I'm in California) so why don't you start it. You're able to attend games in person and have a better perspective.

[JDonAB92]

The men will scrimmage WV Tech tonight at Beckley. It is a regular season game for Tech.

Live feed below:

https://portal.stretchinternet.com/wvutech/

[JDonAB92]

I watched the game. AB won on the road 103-100 in OT. Tech was 26-6 last season and had a lot of similar type players that you see in the MEC.....athletic players to go along with some real nice shooters.

It was fun to watch for an exhibition. It was a real game for Tech who had two more weeks of practice on us. But I was fairly impressed.

No Jalen Knott? I don't know what is going on there.....ineligible? hurt? He won a lot of there pre-season workout awards so I don't think it was disciplinary.

Zach Simpkins looked great in many phases. He had 27 points and was 10 for 11 from the FT line. He has developed more than just a shooter. He took the ball to the whole and he moved real well in the offense without the ball.

Collins is improved but did some bad things.

Rye Gadd is an impressive freshman. Coach Dye will need to play him more. He makes a few mistakes but he was good in many phases while he was in the game. 8 points & 4 boards and 0 turnovers in 16 minutes. He defended well and constantly had his man boxed out. This guy was a good get. He played with a brace on his knee....maybe banged up early pre-season. He wasn't quite as fluid because of that, but he can play several different positions.

Fraser LaRocque had 11 points and 5 boards in 17 minutes. He has to play more. He is a big body that moves well. He did some nice pump fakes around the basket. A big, athletic body like that in the MEC can do damage. He also passes well from the post as he had two nice assists.

Rice ran the point well but shot selection at times is an issue. He drives the ball much better this year.

Tigney needs some work but their is some upside.

The transfer from Kent State Jon King has some nice ability and athleticism. He had 12 points, 6 boards, 5 assists and 2 block shots in 23 minutes of play. A ton of upside....more than Tigney who played more. King is only a sophomore so great find there.

Walker, RIce, Gadd and King defend well. Simpkins is better there too.

Dye was really coaching last night. He had to pleased that the game was close and went into OT. That is what you want to find out about your team in an exhibition. I give Dye credit too.....this team acted real tight & close all night.....supportive on the bench......rushing to help a player that dived for a loose ball......carried themselves well. We still miss too many shots close to the basket especially Collins and Tigney. We also fouled at times 75 feet from the basket. I would like to find out about Knott.

We have to get better, but for a scrimmage, I really liked how it went.

[BostonBattler]

JDon, is this the last basketball game at Rex Pyles Arena on Saturday? You know me and I know you brother. Man, this is a sad day coming. I was thinking of coming down if you are coming in. I know you haven’t been posting much. You know I registered on here a long time ago just to read your updates. I know a lot of people from AB lied to you the past 15 years. You of all people got to be there Saturday. You were the true heart & soul of AB for so long, not all them fakes. You knew the old conference like no other. Holler back brother!