Drury Panthers

[crazznewt]

Everyone understands Grand Valley is the team to beat this season. That fact has been stated multiple times.

[DUPanther]

I listened to the game and peeked at the stats afterward. Hopefully more games allow the team to cleanup on some turnovers. Riok will never be in an all-American conversation- not even player of the year conversation if he is averaging 2 rebounds a game like he did last year/early parts of this year. Highly talented, the motor does not seem to be there.

Hopefully there’s a way to tap into his potential and get him to be more effective on the boards.

Agree with you - his motor has to run more when the ball isn't in his hands. I was highly encouraged by the UCM game - he didn't have a good shooting night and still got 16 pts, 6 reb in 28 minutes. Part of his problem has been staying disciplined enough to not pick up silly fouls, and he didn't have any in that game. His offensive potential is through the roof, he just needs to mature.

Redshirt freshman Colin Hardrick has a big time motor. He's averaging over 7 rebounds a game in 27 minutes of playing time from the point guard spot and is probably the most important player on the team simply because they don't have another true point guard and he's their best defender as well. Central couldn't guard the 2 man game he and Riak had going in the second half. Put those two over on one side and Applegate and Howell standing at the 3 point line on the other and it becomes pick your poison.

Panthers defense has been very good so far. If they keep that up this team could be dangerous.

[crazznewt]

Hardrick has great poise at PG. At 6'3", he routinely grabs rebounds close to the rim amongst much bigger players. Another player with tremendous potential.

[Bballfan]

Everyone understands Grand Valley is the team to beat this season. That fact has been stated multiple times.

My only point is it will be a good measuring stick for the Drury program. Are they making progress? Really hard to tell in conference sometimes.

[crazznewt]

My only point is it will be a good measuring stick for the Drury program. Are they making progress? Really hard to tell in conference sometimes.

They will lose Monday to the team picked 13th in the GLVC poll if they play like they did Wednesday.

[Bballfan]

Who knows. Ohio Dominican upset #2 Gannon last Wednesday, but then they drop a game today at home to a team they should have beat. Findlay lost to Grand Valley by 42 at the beginning of November, but then beats D1 Wright State in an exhibition (what an embarrassment for a Horizon League team).

Not a lot of consistency in the first month of the season for a lot of teams. Three weeks and then the mandatory time off. Some teams in the region play their last game of 2024 at the end of this week! That is a crazy schedule, but gives them a lot of time to practice I guess!

[GLVCBall1985]

Agree with you - his motor has to run more when the ball isn't in his hands. I was highly encouraged by the UCM game - he didn't have a good shooting night and still got 16 pts, 6 reb in 28 minutes. Part of his problem has been staying disciplined enough to not pick up silly fouls, and he didn't have any in that game. His offensive potential is through the roof, he just needs to mature.

Redshirt freshman Colin Hardrick has a big time motor. He's averaging over 7 rebounds a game in 27 minutes of playing time from the point guard spot and is probably the most important player on the team simply because they don't have another true point guard and he's their best defender as well. Central couldn't guard the 2 man game he and Riak had going in the second half. Put those two over on one side and Applegate and Howell standing at the 3 point line on the other and it becomes pick your poison.

Panthers defense has been very good so far. If they keep that up this team could be dangerous.

I couldn’t agree more. He looked like he wanted to be out there against UCM. promising, and hopefully something to be able to go back on when he gets in his lulls.

Hardrick is one of the most exciting defensive players the panthers have seen since John Williams. Westbrook like instincts and athleticism through the roof with a motor that doesn’t seem to quit.

Men are looking like they can continue on their upward trajectory and possibly fill the seats more than the girls have in the early season?

[GLVCBall1985]

In other news ex-GLVC players Jarvis Walker and Paul Zilinskis (U Indy players now at IUPUI) have looked very good in the early part of the year. Haven’t won games at a place that is hard to win, but individually look great.

[crazznewt]

I couldn’t agree more. He looked like he wanted to be out there against UCM. promising, and hopefully something to be able to go back on when he gets in his lulls.

Hardrick is one of the most exciting defensive players the panthers have seen since John Williams. Westbrook like instincts and athleticism through the roof with a motor that doesn’t seem to quit.

Men are looking like they can continue on their upward trajectory and possibly fill the seats more than the girls have in the early season?

Thanks for all the good info! It does look like the men will carry the torch at O'Reilly this season. It will be fun to watch.

[GLVCBall1985]

Oof. Attendance does not look good for what’s supposed to be the most attended game of each regular season for the men and women. Being on a Monday does not help, I guess…

[crazznewt]

Oof. Attendance does not look good for what’s supposed to be the most attended game of each regular season for the men and women. Being on a Monday does not help, I guess…

Who knows if attendance will ever get back to normal. The seats on the west end of the arena were 3/4 full and there were a lot of empty seats elsewhere. SBU only brought about 20 fans which also isn't the norm.

The numbers will get better if Foster's team continues playing like they did Monday night. There were a lot of highlights including multiple 25 foot threes by Quinton Shelton and 6 dunks by three different players. Four of these dunks were absolute facials. Also impressive was only commiting 8 turnovers against a well coached team.

[GLVCBall1985]

The men looked very impressive last night after not having foul trouble loom over them. Riak showed how dominant he can be, Shelton back to his old ways, Howell hitting timely shots, Whitley a fun and efficient spark off the bench, not to mention Wakefield, applegate, and Hardick who were steady in their own right last night.

This could be a fun team this year, but hopefully history does not repeat itself as the men have got off to a few hot starts in the past years and sputtered out in conference play. The depth should help this.

[DUPanther]

Played well in the second half to turn a tight game into a 20 point win.

The keys for this team are going to be guarding without fouling and good shot selection on the offensive end. They struggled with both pretty much the entire first half last night. Would like to see more passing and less dribbling early. Riak needs to touch the ball on every possession against a team with minimal inside presence like SBU. Once they force a double team - and he is going to get double teamed against almost everyone - everything opens up.

[crazznewt]

So much potential with this team:

Juok has only played 26 games in his college career. I think the quicker decision making that comes with experience will speed his overall game. He is deceptively strong and quick. He often starts his drives 15 feet from the basket and if help isn't timely he makes a layup. Or like he did 4 times last night, dunk over someone.

6'2" Elijah Whitley has developed into a good overall player. He can also make the exciting play as he dunked over the Bearcat's athletic 6'4" David Hector who was trying to time for a block.

Does anyone know the status of Sekou Gassama?

[GLVCBall1985]

So much potential with this team:

Juok has only played 26 games in his college career. I think the quicker decision making that comes with experience will speed his overall game. He is deceptively strong and quick. He often starts his drives 15 feet from the basket and if help isn't timely he makes a layup. Or like he did 4 times last night, dunk over someone.

6'2" Elijah Whitley has developed into a good overall player. He can also make the exciting play as he dunked over the Bearcat's athletic 6'4" David Hector who was trying to time for a block.

Does anyone know the status of Sekou Gassama?

Lower body I believe. I don’t see much room for him to play once healthy, though. It’s a guard dominated league and the true 5 with league experience is ready off the bench whenever needed in #55 Riek Riek