Drury Panthers

[crazznewt]

The Miles Lester/Kelvin Sampson connection is paying big dividends for Drury on this one!

Quote from Lester
"Excited to add @kevin_sarge20
to the squad! Anyone that plays hard enough to impress Coach Sampson is going to be a steal! Athletic, High Motor, Tough and a winner!! Kevin was a top 3 finalist for Houston POY & led his team to 37-3 & the state championship game. Big time add!!"

https://x.com/TXInvitational/status/1860522941529674021

https://x.com/vypehouston/status/1910337305727868948


https://www.instagram.com/reel/DGQ0F...g4emtpOTVtMmM1

Plus, the Lady Panther unannounced 6th freshman, is a 6'2" strong, athletic, first team All Stater from Illinois. Lots of very good frosh will be on campus soon! A major youth movement.

[Bballfan]

Lewis women hired their coach. Just reading his hiring announcement looks like they are more interested in style versus substance. I would say Drury is going to face no real competition in the GLVC next year. Quincy - new coach. Lewis - new coach. Lewis had a very senior group, and I know some are transferring. Some Quincy players/recruits could follow their old coach too.

With Lewis having their 3rd coach in 4 years, that is a program that doesn't scream stability. Good luck to them. They will need it.

[crazznewt]

Lewis women hired their coach. Just reading his hiring announcement looks like they are more interested in style versus substance. I would say Drury is going to face no real competition in the GLVC next year. Quincy - new coach. Lewis - new coach. Lewis had a very senior group, and I know some are transferring. Some Quincy players/recruits could follow their old coach too.

With Lewis having their 3rd coach in 4 years, that is a program that doesn't scream stability. Good luck to them. They will need it.

Drury graduates 6, including 3 all conference starters. Also, 2 who didn't play have left the program. So far, the only signees have been 6 all-state level freshmen. The Lady Panthers need at least a couple good transfers to be considered a favorite to win the league. Considering the NIL debacle, I'm sure not making any bold predictions for next season.

[Bballfan]

Drury graduates 6, including 3 all conference starters. Also, 2 who didn't play have left the program. So far, the only signees have been 6 all-state level freshmen. The Lady Panthers need at least a couple good transfers to be considered a favorite to win the league. Considering the NIL debacle, I'm sure not making any bold predictions for next season.

The GLVC has been down in women's basketball the last few years. I don't see anything changing this upcoming season. Maybe some lesser team will rise up for the first time in a long time.

[crazznewt]

Definitely down. The overall level of the GLVC players is better than the overall level of coaching IMO. I have seen some major coaching blunders in the GLVC that led to some major unnecessary losses for those teams. If a team hasn't had injuries, said team should be better at season's end. That wasn't the case for every league team.

Drury did well despite losing Halliday for the whole season, Burns and Storey at inopportune times. Bailey also proved she is to be respected. With Drury leading, she benched her best player for the fourth quarter in a 6 point loss to Newman. A win would have put their record at 4-0 against MIAA teams.

I also think S and T's Kira Carter is one of the handful of good coaches in the league.

It will be VERY interesting to see how recruiting pans out for everyone this season in particular.

[crazznewt]

Former Drury Assistant Jenna Knudson, is now an assistant for Arizona Wildcats WBB.

Former Drury player Ashton Hermann has left JUCO where he was all region and signed with Upper Iowa.

SBU lost a good one in Drinin Dinkins, who has transfered to Rockhurst.

Former Maryville Saint Gracie Stugart, is having a very successful season playing pro ball in Australia. She has recorded a triple double in a game and has been named a league player of the week among other highlights. She had a successful run in the GLVC, as she broke the all time assist record and made all region.

I've got time to surf tonight. All non essential energy draws are off and the backup generator is in use. A small rain wrapped tornado hit my front field and knocked down about 800 feet of service line. About 41,000 of us are without power. We've been told to prepare to be without power for up to a week.

[Bballfan]

I heard Springfield Missouri got hit pretty hard early morning. Sorry to hear that. Hopefully not too much damage.

[DUPanther]

https://x.com/avante_nichols0/status...7cyojwdaCpyrXw

Cowley CC’s Avante Nichols commits to Drury. Held numerous D2 offers including Chaminade, Tampa, SW Oklahoma, Valdosta St, and Kentucky Wesleyan.

[crazznewt]

I heard Springfield Missouri got hit pretty hard early morning. Sorry to hear that. Hopefully not too much damage.

It was a fast moving line of thunderstorms that produced a recorded wind gust of 91 mph that caused the crazy widespread tree and utility pole damage. There also were at least a couple tornados that caused damage in Springfield, including the F-0 or F-1 I watched that barely missed my house. Thank God my wife was already at work.

I have trees down everywhere on my property, but none that needed immediate attention. I lost a lot of shingles that almost overwhelmed me as water was dripping in the house. I replaced all the missing shingles on my steep roof before it started to rain again this evening by the Absolute Grace of God as I am limited in my physical capabilities.

With widespread security system failures, including mine, I'll likely be up most of the night because the thieves will certainly be active. So if you see a middle of the night post, be aware I'm a non drinker who is just guarding his property!

[crazznewt]

https://x.com/avante_nichols0/status...7cyojwdaCpyrXw

Cowley CC’s Avante Nichols commits to Drury. Held numerous D2 offers including Chaminade, Tampa, SW Oklahoma, Valdosta St, and Kentucky Wesleyan.

That's great news! Drury is looking like they will be very athletic. They have been waiting a while for this guy to decide. One report I heard is that he is the most athletic player in the JUCO ranks.

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DHyL2...ZlMWNpcnJ0dQ==

https://x.com/FastbreakHoops5/status...68389232746781

From the free throw line at 6'3"?

[Bballfan]

https://x.com/avante_nichols0/status...7cyojwdaCpyrXw

Cowley CC’s Avante Nichols commits to Drury. Held numerous D2 offers including Chaminade, Tampa, SW Oklahoma, Valdosta St, and Kentucky Wesleyan.

Surprised he didn't go D1 to get some NIL money to pay for all that artwork. Crazy.

[Bballfan]

Quincy hired their women's coach. Former player Ali Schwagmeyer. She certainly had an impressive basketball career, but her coaching career is a joke. When they say....we had many impressive applicants for the head coach's position I call bull****. Nepotism hire all the way. Her coaching experience.... one year coaching at a JUCO college and she did coach junior high basketball, so she has that going for her.

I get why they wanted to hire a legacy, but with a coaching resume that isn't even paper thin, you would think they could have done better hiring a coach with at least some decent coaching experience.

Don't look for women's basketball in the GLVC to get better anytime soon.

[crazznewt]

Boy, I dont know. Molly Miller worked four years for a medical firm after graduation, then returned to Drury as an assistant for two seasons before taking the head coaching position in 2014 after the previous coach was asked to leave.
Being a local product sure helps when recruiting area kids.

[Bballfan]

Assistant coach for two years in college yea. No experience recruiting, with the portal, etc. No. College basketball is a lot more than coaching. I just thinking learning on the job is less than ideal.

[crazznewt]

I suppose they will have to hire a couple of experienced assistant coaches. They are probably tired of being a stepping stone as they have had 3 coaches in four years. Looking for loyalty. (I can't resist)
https://youtu.be/ehWbMmFm6G0?si=iqa2eL72RycunI0N