Drury Panthers

[crazznewt]

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DPZo8...B5ZDl3YzkxaA==

Cale Clingan is another good Drury freshman signee for 2026. 6'9" wing with a lot of upside. This video doesn't show the level of talent that some of the others online do, but this is better quality.

[Bballfan]

Looks like the D2 portal names have stabilized somewhat. Sitting about 750 names. There will be some players from the Elite Eight teams enter the portal too, but not sure if D2 gets to 800 names or not. D1 on the other hand already has 250 names in it with players announcing their intent to go into the portal, which hasn't even opened yet. Easily could see over 1,000 names here.

[crazznewt]

Reese Schaaf was named an All-American for the third time in her career, this time a first team selection. Coach Slifer said she was equally impressive on the defensive end, also leading the team in that category.
Schaaf capped her two-year career at UCM ranked third in career scoring average (19.1 points per game), tied for third in career rebounding average (9.9 rebounds per game), and fourth in career free-throw percentage (.845).

I had a chance lunch with someone who has very strong ties to the Lady Panthers today. Lets just say I am optimistic about next season at this point for a few reasons:

1. Not having to start the season with a mostly new roster, then having to play ranked teams in the non-conference. Drury would have had a much better chance of a win against a very experienced Ferris State team had that game been played later in the season. The UMSL win over Ferris in the regional is proof of this.

2. The possibility of every all conference player returning, including Sara Mendel, who is a lot more athletic than I gave her credit for. She is very efficient in her movements and deceptively athletic as a result. I will stop right here until everything is official with the returning roster.

3 The glaring deficiency from this past pre-season was at the point and inside depth. The point is likely no longer an issue. If Sara gets good help inside, this will be a good team.

I think the Drury Men will still be good despite losing 3 very good players. I will wait until players stop hitting the portal before commenting too much.

[Bballfan]

The all-American lists differentiated a lot this year.

On the WBCA list, Schaff and VanStee of Grand Valley were coaches All-Americans. On the D2CCA list, neither appeared.

There was some head scratchers on both lists to me, but here are the "consensus" all-Americans.

• Talexa Weeter - Fort Hays State
• Olivia Reed Thyne - Colorado Mesa
• Lili Wilken - UAH
• Asher Cai - Central Washington
• Natalie Bremer - Minnesota Mankato

Interestingly enough, Weeter was the D2CCA POY. The WBCA POY was Bremer.

Weeter won't be a repeat D2 POY next year despite being a junior however. She is of course hitting the portal and no doubt will be appearing at a D1 school somewhere next season.

[DUPanther]

Looks like the D2 portal names have stabilized somewhat. Sitting about 750 names. There will be some players from the Elite Eight teams enter the portal too, but not sure if D2 gets to 800 names or not. D1 on the other hand already has 250 names in it with players announcing their intent to go into the portal, which hasn't even opened yet. Easily could see over 1,000 names here.

the D2 portal definitely going to get to 800 names. Maybe 900 before it's done. 7 players from just 2 teams in the GLVC in the last 2 days alone.

Rockhurst should've won 1 or more games in the NCAA tournament this year and had 10 guys who averaged over 8 minutes per game. 3 of them are graduating. 4 of the returners are now in the portal. Crazy.

[Bballfan]

Rockhurst lost in a close one, but then Northern Michigan who beat Rockhurst lost to Walsh by 20. Walsh then loses at home to Michigan Tech by about 20, and then Michigan Tech to Gannon by 25.

Midwest D2 men's basketball just seems to be lagging over other regions, and the transfer portal isn't doing teams in the region any favors either.

[crazznewt]

So true. I witnessed a crazy phone conversation and I won't tell you where it was (not d 2). "If he is available, do whatever it takes to get him" is what I overheard. Was told yesterday by a reliable source that the $15,000 per semester one womens player was getting is now "20 or 25 thousand" I hate sharing this because it sounds like hearsay or pure BS. I will just let my "yes be yes and my no be no".
I think there will be a change in the portal before long. I have a lot of video links to share at some point on this subject. My algorithms keep taking me to this subject.

[Bballfan]

Even mid to low D1 programs are paying women's bball players 5 figures. Many of the low level programs would not beat elite D2 programs, at least not back a few years ago.

[crazznewt]

A major hire for the Southwest Baptist Women's Basketball program. At one of his coaching stops, Matt Bollant was voted Horizon League Coach of the Year four times while at Wisconsin Green Bay where his team went 95-5 (.950) in Horizon League play, the best winning percentage by any coach in the history of the league.
This will be a major upgrade from the previous coach who spent way too much time talking to and staring at game officials with arms down and palms forward. Bollant's resume is probably the most impressive among GLVC coaches. SBU might be on the upswing if they can keep a couple key players and convince a few Baptist kids to move to Bolivar for a while.

[Bballfan]

I am always a little skeptical of D1 coaches coming off the rebound. I mean this guy was a coach at a Power 4 school (Illinois) and failed miserably after great success at Wisconsin Green Bay. After flaming out there he went to Eastern Illinois and in 7 seasons there only had 3 winning seasons.

So is it a great get for Southwest Baptist? Time will tell. They definitely hired a coach that at one point was in high demand at the highest level. But that was awhile ago.

If he has success, he won't be there probably more than 3 seasons anyhow as he is working on his "career rehabilitation".

[crazznewt]

Yeah, I need to back off the "best resume in the conference" statement as I just read the headline on this guy. Not a fan of SBU, but the campus is less than 30 miles from my house so I pay a little attention to them.

I can stand by the "major upgrade" statement. The coaching was not good at all the last 3 seasons for SBU. Some decent talent was brought to Bolivar, but from the outside, it looked like some of these players were not a good fit for a conservative baptist university.

[DUPanther]

Panthers get a commitment from 6'2" juco guard Caison Cole from NOC-Tonkawa.

https://www.instagram.com/caison.cole/

[Bballfan]

Yep. D2 needs to poach juco, D3, and NAIA. But then if they succeed they will just leave again.

[crazznewt]

Looks like only one (Isaiah) of the Drury freshmen hit the Portal. Six good freshmen will be among the returners next season, including 3 who will likely be starters. Keep recruiting good players, maybe some will stay more than a year or two. In the meantime, curses on the Atlantic Coast Conference, Big Ten, Big 12 and Southeastern Conference for their contributions to this crap show.

[Bballfan]

You can curse more than just the big schools. Seeing in the portal Northern Illinois took not 1, not 2, but 3 Northern Michigan players from the portal. Northern had a nice season, barely beat Rockhurst, and then lost to Walsh by about 20. Of course Walsh has their own issues. They have 4 players in the portal, one already committed to a D1 school and another (the GMAC freshman of the year) is destined to go D1.

D2 farm systems anymore.