Kentucky Wesleyan Basketball

[kdubnation]

Re: Kentucky Wesleyan Basketball

The MBB Alumni Game was fun to watch this morning. Scored some nice game-worn and practice uniforms as well. It looked like the team probably raised some decent funds selling off that stuff. Not thousands of dollars or anything, but easily a few hundred.

Coach also dropped the news on us that just yesterday we signed a transfer from Morehead State. Listed at 6'11" (but probably more like 6'9") post player from Russia. He also said 7'2" Nate Smith is healthy and ready to play this season and will be returning to the US from England in August. These guys, plus Ben Sisson and Stewart Currie means depth in the post will be much better this year. I assume you can add Mo and Deng to that mix as well, though it sounds like they might be able to move back to their more natural small forward position. I'm excited to see Craig Yeast's football team in action, but will be counting the days til basketball season is here!

[Looking For 9]

Re: Kentucky Wesleyan Basketball

ditto I may even go to a football game. Did we have some current players play in the game?

[kdubnation]

Re: Kentucky Wesleyan Basketball

No, some current players were there to help with locker room tours and the sale but they did not play in the game.

[Looking For 9]

Re: Kentucky Wesleyan Basketball

thanks... I think Alex is a good signee. Nice touch and good foot work. I am very surprised we got a big that can shoot the three. He will fit in at KWC and will settle in and improve.
Did we lose an Asst. Coach over the summer?

[kdubnation]

Re: Kentucky Wesleyan Basketball

I'm not sure if Nate Laing is returning as an assistant or not. I haven't heard that he isn't, but he also wasn't at the event over the weeked, while both Coach Cooper and Coach Hochstetler were.

As of everything I've heard to date regarding players returning / leaving / new recruits, this is what our roster looks like. Obviously there could be others that are leaving that we don't know about...as well as late signees. But as of right now this is what we look like:

# Name Pos Ht Yr
0 Abu Arisha F 6'7" Sr
1 Fort F 6'6" So
2 Boyle F 6'5" So
3 Bezold F 6'3" Sr
4 Bell G 5'11"Sr
5 Goetz G 6'1" Sr
11 Cartwright G 6'1" So
21 Dixon G 6'1" So
32 Smith C 7'2" Jr
33 Hopewell G 6'2" Jr
43 Mayot F 6'7" Sr
TBD Griffin G 6'1" Jr
TBD Currie F 6'7" Jr
TBD Battaile G 6'4" So
TBD Sisson F 6'6" Fr
TBD Sukhanov C 6'9" So

[pantherfan]

Re: Kentucky Wesleyan Basketball

Glad to hear Saturday went well, and the exciting news on transfers. I unfortunately had a prior commitment that my wife wouldn't let me bail on! Cooper has made some solid moves this off-season, and I hope it makes the entire team better.

How did the new locker room look? I know Cooper had some heavy emphasis on it, so hoping that the end result was good!

[Looking For 9]

Re: Kentucky Wesleyan Basketball

I agree with the roster as of now. I do feel roster is too large will need some management. I do think the height of some maybe off and if Coop and the player want to year of eligibility could change.

[kdubnation]

Re: Kentucky Wesleyan Basketball

Yeah, where I was unsure on what year they are (particularly Nathan Smith may have a chance to reclassify as a soph) I just put up what Verbal Commits lists them as.

I think in the past we've had coaches that kept the rosters pretty small. Coop seems to favor larger rosters. That being said, I think we will find that the rotations are more stable this year, and even moreso next year, as he has a chance to have these guys playing for him across multiple seasons. Last year was largely a "let's see what players a, b, c, and d can do" kind of situation. Now that he knows the core players and only has to get a feel for the newcomers it will become easier for him to figure out which players get the bulk of the time. Obviously with 16 players on the roster you're going to have some that don't play much, if at all, but that's true on every team. I kind of prefer this to past years when we might have had only 10 or 11 total on the roster and then injuries or grade issues, or things of that nature that wind up effecting only 1 or 2 guys suddenly mean you've got less depth in games, and more critically don't have enough players for really good practices.

[Looking For 9]

Re: Kentucky Wesleyan Basketball

Well thought out comments.... I do have to say that adding the number of new players kind of puts Coop with the same lack of knowing who he can depend on. I believe it would be a mistake to depend on last years players too much.

[alumnifan]

Re: Kentucky Wesleyan Basketball

Yeah, where I was unsure on what year they are (particularly Nathan Smith may have a chance to reclassify as a soph) I just put up what Verbal Commits lists them as.

I think in the past we've had coaches that kept the rosters pretty small. Coop seems to favor larger rosters. That being said, I think we will find that the rotations are more stable this year, and even moreso next year, as he has a chance to have these guys playing for him across multiple seasons. Last year was largely a "let's see what players a, b, c, and d can do" kind of situation. Now that he knows the core players and only has to get a feel for the newcomers it will become easier for him to figure out which players get the bulk of the time. Obviously with 16 players on the roster you're going to have some that don't play much, if at all, but that's true on every team. I kind of prefer this to past years when we might have had only 10 or 11 total on the roster and then injuries or grade issues, or things of that nature that wind up effecting only 1 or 2 guys suddenly mean you've got less depth in games, and more critically don't have enough players for really good practices.

I agree and the Coach knows this season what to expect. I have to admit that I am impressed with his recruiting, especially in the power positions. KWC has some size this season. They will compete in the G-MAC this season, I hope. They need to because the program has been on a slide, to say the least. They need to come out strong. If they do attendance will increase and all will be well for Coach Drew Cooper to continue on as the future KWC Head Coach. I am not saying he will, but if by some chance he does not produce much this season his odds of becoming a long tenured coach at KWC will get slimmer. I think he will win 15 games this season, maybe more. I hope he does. And, I hope he makes some noise in the G-MAC this year.

[Looking For 9]

Re: Kentucky Wesleyan Basketball

Let's assume that two players will not return this year. Witch two would you be okay with them leaving? I would not like it but if two must go I choice Dixon and Bezold.

[kdubnation]

Re: Kentucky Wesleyan Basketball

You may be onto something there; KWC has officially announced the signing of Alexander "Sasha" Sukhanov and also incoming freshman from Oldham County Matthew Teague (6'4" G/F)

If nobody redshirts then I don't see how we have room on the roster at this point. My guess is either another player or two is leaving, or possibly one or two of them are migrating over to the JV/club team? Or...there could be a redshirt or two. Or we'll just have a big roster, I guess. Either way, I'm ready to skip forward to November and get this season going.

Roster Update:
# Name Pos Ht Yr
0 Abu Arisha F 6'7" Sr
1 Fort F 6'6" So
2 Boyle F 6'5" So
3 Bezold F 6'3" Sr
4 Bell G 5'11"Sr
5 Goetz G 6'1" Sr
11 Cartwright G 6'1" So
21 Dixon G 6'1" So
32 Smith C 7'2" Jr
33 Hopewell G 6'2" Jr
43 Mayot F 6'7" Sr
TBD Griffin G 6'1" Jr
TBD Currie F 6'7" Jr
TBD Battaile G 6'4" So
TBD Sisson F 6'6" Fr
TBD Sukhanov C 6'9" So
TBD Teague G/F 6'4" Fr

[alumnifan]

[alumnifan]

Re: Kentucky Wesleyan Basketball

You may be onto something there; KWC has officially announced the signing of Alexander "Sasha" Sukhanov and also incoming freshman from Oldham County Matthew Teague (6'4" G/F)

If nobody redshirts then I don't see how we have room on the roster at this point. My guess is either another player or two is leaving, or possibly one or two of them are migrating over to the JV/club team? Or...there could be a redshirt or two. Or we'll just have a big roster, I guess. Either way, I'm ready to skip forward to November and get this season going.

Roster Update:
# Name Pos Ht Yr
0 Abu Arisha F 6'7" Sr
1 Fort F 6'6" So
2 Boyle F 6'5" So
3 Bezold F 6'3" Sr
4 Bell G 5'11"Sr
5 Goetz G 6'1" Sr
11 Cartwright G 6'1" So
21 Dixon G 6'1" So
32 Smith C 7'2" Jr
33 Hopewell G 6'2" Jr
43 Mayot F 6'7" Sr
TBD Griffin G 6'1" Jr
TBD Currie F 6'7" Jr
TBD Battaile G 6'4" So
TBD Sisson F 6'6" Fr
TBD Sukhanov C 6'9" So
TBD Teague G/F 6'4" Fr

I don't know if they had a JV team last season. My guess is he has recruited 14 players on half scholarship and three with full scholarships. That is just a guess.

[alumnifan]

Re: Kentucky Wesleyan Basketball

I like a large roster and I would like for them to travel with the team. The larger roster also helps with funding the program, because 14 will have to be on half scholarship unless some are walk on players. I kind of doubt he is recruiting walk on players. This size roster also ensures that if a player or three become injured, the team still has plenty of players for practice and games. You don't have to worry about foul trouble with this many players. You can also play a really fast up tempo game. When Todd Lee first came to KWC, I think he had six players for one game. Those guys were exhausted after the games, almost to the point that they could not even give radio interviews because they were breathing so hard.

It doesn't cost more to transport that many players on a team bus, but it does cost more to house them and feed them for road games. So, it could be a case where he will dress all 17 for home games, and keep some off the road unless they are willing to pay for their meals and share motel room costs. A large team like this could be intimidating during warm ups. That helps for away games. If you can strike fear into opponents on their home court - that helps.