Alderson Broaddus Basketball

[JDonAB92]

Re: Alderson Broaddus Basketball

I don't know who they would offer. Carter was impressive in his overall game. He has got a good defensive game which gives him a better chance. Elmore is D2 ready with most of his game, but I feel has a few motor issues. But he is incredibly strong and has great game. Reeves is very good and appears to keep getting better with a high ceiling. Bounds has good talent but needs to operate a little more inside for a 6'7" player. Martin and Gurley are very good, but we are guard heavy.

I like Elmore overall but he was not well motivated in the first camp. The staff appeared turned off. He begged to come back to this camp. He showed a lot more this camp. He is talented. Carter can guard multiple positions. His wingspan is like that of a 6'8" player even though he is 6'5". Reeves has the most upside and is rising hard in the Ohio area.

The Stephens kid from Mussleman has really changed his body for the better. He is a solid 6'7" and drove the 3.5 hours one-way even though he couldn't play. We need a post player of his size this year as we lose Smith and Mitchell. I want to follow him this season.

Shriver and Greynolds will likely come to AB on a partial schollie if someone else doesn't offer them. Greynolds grandpa was a great player under Rex Pyles and a coaching legend over in Ohio. Shriver's grandpa played under Rex Pyles and donated the motorized bleachers at Rex Pyles Arena. Shriver's dad played for Brinkley and his sister played for Coach Allen.

We saw some good options last Saturday.

[glvcpro]

Re: Alderson Broaddus Basketball

Is there a point here because this seems really irrelevant? I guess I will waste my time and play along for whatever reason....

Alderson Broaddus is located in Philippi, WV in a town that has a population of less than 3000 people. The campus enrolls roughly 1050 students. The nearest metro city to AB is Clarksburg (30 minutes away) which has a population of a whopping 16,000 people. It isn't always the most attractive place to come for basketball players.

Southern Indiana has roughly 8500 undergrads and is located in a city of over 110,000 people.

AB had been to one basketball post-season tournament in the 46 years prior to Greg Zimmerman's arrival to campus. He went to 9 NCAA tournaments. He made it to 2 Regional Finals. He has won 74% of the games he coached in despite being at a very rural location. He has won 6 NCAA games for a program that is not and has not been fully-funded in terms of scholarships. He did suffer his worst season this past year after graduating three 1000 point scorers.

USI's coach has gone 1-5 in NCAA tournament games. I would bet USI is fully-funded and is near areas where there are more basketball players to recruit based on population. Despite these advantages, he has a similar overall winning percentage to Zimmerman.

Therefore, my hypothesis concludes with the theory that if it came down to USI or AB as to who has a better chance to win it, I go with AB with having the better percentage chance based on the sideline factor. If he could get AB to 9 NCAA tourneys for a program that had been to only 1 post-season in the prior 46 years and also got to two regional finals and has showed an ability to win NCAA tournament games, then he gets the nod.

5 years ago, AB beat Fairmont State in the WVIAC tournament. Fairmont State was a 12 seed that year....one spot below Ohio Valley. No one gave Fairmont State a chance to win a title or whatever at that point. Five years later, they are hammering the GLVC rep in the NCAAs......I believe they led by 20 points at the half and for all intent purposes, put nails in that coffin at the half. My point is that no one five years ago would put Fairmont State in any "title" category. No one knows where ANY PROGRAM will be in the coming years.

Good info. We'd gladly swap coaches but I still like our chances this year just a little bit more due to team roster. Bottom line is, teams play for postseason (or they should) no one will look back ten years from now and think usi won mini tourney then lost first round what a great year!

[JDonAB92]

Re: Alderson Broaddus Basketball

To be truthful, I wasn't trying to knock any thing. We have tons of work to do to get any where. I do think we have a coach and staff that work tirelessly, and I have watched that over the years and alway appreciated that. I think our best chance to go far is in 2018-19. How far? I dunno. We have to have a lot happen in order for that to happen. We have to reach out to some kids that may have grade issues coming out of high school that were originally thought to go D-I. We have two of those arriving on campus today. We also have one coming today that has great grades and D-I talent and offer, but decided this summer that D2 is a better fit. That is a credit to an assistant being persistent. It is never a sure thing that they ever pan out. But you shoot big and go for it.

I never really meant for my post to be too serious. We have a lot of work to do. I know very little about USI and did a brief search to post what I did. I don't know really any thing about their current roster. It was probably just an attempt by me to reply, and maybe in doing so be a bit snarky. My only point was that Fairmont State was 12th in the WVIAC final standings in 2012. Five years later, they were playing in the national championship game. Programs across the country evolve, add resources, make changes, etc. No one had Fairmont State in the national championship picture less than five seasons ago.

To be frank, USI and AB have little in common other than being D2. AB is in a great little town (to me). It fit me great. But to the current 2017 student-athlete, an older 3000-populated Civil War town isn't attractive to all. With that said, I have always been a supporter and appreciative of Greg Zimmerman and his efforts. I find it hard to see a lot of other coaches that could have come in and had the success he had. I witnessed a lot of good coaches over the years come, work hard and get average to good results. But Zimmerman has taken AB to more post-seasons than the rest of the head coaches at AB combined. He actually has tripled the number of other post-season bids over the combined field of head coaches at AB.

[JDonAB92]

Re: Alderson Broaddus Basketball

Sunahara to Fairmont State. That is not a surprise in many ways. Fairmont has tons of support right now and are a hot hand in the world of D2 basketball. He is a great talent, and it would have been a coupe to get him. I still want to see how FSU and West Lib do under new head coaches. West Lib lost a lot in Crutchfield. They also lost a ton of good players off of last year's team. Luckily they do have one of the best D2 players coming back, but he will need help. McMurray has two D-I offers now. He is a good player, butI wasn't all that high on him.

[Looking For 9]

Re: Alderson Broaddus Basketball

Zimmer can and does coach the pants off of most in D2.

[JDonAB92]

Re: Alderson Broaddus Basketball

There are a lot of good coaches in the G-MAC......Happy Osborne (a proven winner at all levels), Tharp (who will soon be the all-time wins leader at Hillsdale), Ernst at Findlay, Zimmerman, etc. Coach told me at the camp that the coach at ODU has a lot coming back from a team that went 14-12 and played a lot of the top GLIAC teams tough....including two 3-point losses to Findlay and a 3-point loss at Ferris State. Zimmerman told me no one talks enough about how good ODU will be, but he said people will come January and February. He said ODU returns their entire lineup including their top 7 scorers. He emphasized there will be no room for "off nights" in the expanded league.

The G-MAC/GLIAC crossover in Philippi will have at least two NCAA teams. Which two? I don't know. Lake Superior and Wayne St return tons of quality players. This is a critical tourney for all involved.

[JDonAB92]

Re: Alderson Broaddus Basketball

I guess the campus is coming to life. It is good that the football players help with the freshmen with moving in. That is a nice touch that they have been doing for years. This video is good and shows a ton of effort the school put into for the new arrivals:

Click the link below to see how Move-In Day went for our Battlers! ⚔️📸🎥https://t.co/NEFKEpsTqx pic.twitter.com/ZChIQY3p1v

— ABU Admissions (@ABU_Admissions) August 20, 2017

And nothing better than Arden which is just off the AB campus. Good to see that retweet ABjo

This is phenomenal. @ABU1871 pic.twitter.com/uPl5Oo1zIQ

— Chris Stewart (@cstewart1993) August 20, 2017

[JDonAB92]

Re: Alderson Broaddus Basketball

A few tidbits:

*It appears Anthony Carmon and Tyler Golphin won't be eligible this year. I think we all knew Anthony wouldn't be eligible.....we wouldn't have gotten him if he was going to be. That is why he isn't D-I right now. Tyler appears to have 1 credit issue from high school. He still has a chance but Coach Zimmerman thought it was doubtful. Both had D-I offers coming out of high school. Zimmerman said "Carmon is a steal". Staff knew when they took these two that they weren't going to be eligible.

*Reggie Robinson isn't coming back. Not a loss IMO. Zimmerman said Exzavier Cooper "flunked out". I assume that means he isn't coming back. He won't be eligible this semester even if he does. He would probably have been backing up Bocook this year. He may have had a hard time finding as many minutes as last season. He was good though and is a loss. It appears Harper will back up there now. Chavez is a senior and needs to bring it this year. Don't forget that 6'5" Jonah Crosby is on the roster this year after hurting his knee in practice in October and having surgery. He will help us this year. He was up there last Saturday playing and I thought he looked good and will only get better. He was a good high schooler down in Charleston and has a very good head on his shoulder.

*Every one else appears good to go. Matt Watkins has returned to the program. He was up there last Saturday and looked real good. He has developed his body strength and looks like a serious athlete. He played very well last Saturday. He even looked better than Carmon because Anthony has to figure the AB way out. Carmon has unreal talent. But Watkins looked real good. He was up at AB last year and even served as a RA in the dorm. I am not always impressed, but he has really gotten after it since four or five years ago.

*Zimmerman thought it would be a good point guard battle this fall between Matt Watkins, Jarrell Jones and Anthony Mills. Zimmerman was real high on Mills ability to run the point. He spoke well of Watkins for showing unbelievable work ethic. Watkins does know how to run the system even though it has been a few years. Apparently he tried to go Kent State when he left AB first time. Jarrell and Matt are D2 ready when it comes to defense.

*Looks like Willis at the 2 and Davis at the 3 although it is a lot of double-wing. Davis was in a car wreck this summer and got banged up real good. Nothing was broken and it appears he is fine. He wanted to come up to AB early with some of the other Cleveland guys. That is a good sign that he has fit in up there. That is two talented wings that can score. Then you put Malik at the 4 and that is a lot of talent. Murphy projects as a back up, but practice could change that I was told. He will definitely play a lot of minutes. The only concern about him was his thin build that he might get bumped around year one. Staff certainly feels he has great talent and could start. Zimmerman feels Willis has to improve defense, but offensive game is real good.

*Ohndo appears back after sitting out last year. Zimmerman put high demands on him and apparently he lived up to those. It gives us a 6'9" / 240 guy out there. He was in good shape when he left AB. Hopefully he kept it that way. It would appear he and Mitchell to battle at the five. We will need to recruit at the four and five as Ohndo, Mitchell and Harper are seniors.

*Team and staff have higher expectations this year. We are far better than last season if no injuries occur. Coach Zimmerman noted that this season is different from prior four in that the league is stronger and that an off night in the past, sometimes still led to a win. He doesn't think that is the case any more. He noted some games in prior seasons that were 2 to 5 point AB wins but said the team didn't play good. He said with the new additions that off nights are Ls now.

*Zimmerman said Malcolm Tatum is in the same pro league in Spain as Bonifant (West Lib) is in. Tatum did well in El Savador and signed on with a good division in Spain.

*Ron Miller impressed me as a coach last Saturday. He takes charge and is full of energy. He really teaches the game well. He had bad knees his last two years but he still gave it his all.

*A lot of other things, but I know what is not to be posted.

*Good luck to the football team. That is a tough opener. We lost 37 seniors and have very little starting experience returning. Every one needs to be patient with the new staff and players. They had great numbers out on the field when I was up there Saturday. We looked stout too compared to those first two years so we have recruited and conditioned the kids well.

I will check the board periodically and post. I am a head boys hoops coach again at the high school level after taking some time off. A guy convinced me to take over the job at his school and so my time is shorter now. I will try to get a season preview up on the site and that will be it for this year. I will post some recruiting stuff if any thing breaks. I expect some offers soon.

[crixus]

Re: Alderson Broaddus Basketball

Zimmer can and does coach the pants off of most in D2.

I think we'd all prefer it if they kept their pants on...if you know what I mean. :)

[Looking For 9]

Re: Alderson Broaddus Basketball

I think both AB and KWC football teams are going to be down this year. A real shame. People not in the know will say see they are not very good when playing tough competition. KWC has at least three players doing well in pro ball but not many skill players this year. They will play hard but get but just do not have the size and speed to win.

[crixus]

Re: Alderson Broaddus Basketball

I think both AB and KWC football teams are going to be down this year. A real shame. People not in the know will say see they are not very good when playing tough competition. KWC has at least three players doing well in pro ball but not many skill players this year. They will play hard but get but just do not have the size and speed to win.

By pro ball, do you mean the CFL or one of the arena/indoor leagues?

[Looking For 9]

Re: Alderson Broaddus Basketball

By pro ball I mean making a really good living playing football including NFL.

[crixus]

Re: Alderson Broaddus Basketball

By pro ball I mean making a really good living playing football including NFL.

That's great. I didn't know there were any D2 players in the NFL.

[JDonAB92]

Re: Alderson Broaddus Basketball

Real quick:

I don't know much soccer. But I know that was a big win for the AB men's soccer program last night in defeating Tiffin 1-0. Tiffin was a NCAA Midwest tournament team last year so they have a solid program. It should also validate that the early G-MAC schools are making gains and that it is not all the new schools getting the marks.

Great to see Randy Dobnak graduated from AB in May and made it all the way to the Twins Single A affiliation before ball ended. He started out in the Twins rookie league affiliate and then was promoted to Single A. He was an excellent pitcher during his career at AB. Let's see where he goes from here.

[JDonAB92]

Re: Alderson Broaddus Basketball

We offered Jordan Greynolds from Barberton HS in Ohio. His grandpa is in the AB HOF and was a former all-conference performer averaging 25.8 ppg his senior year. His dad played at Akron. Grandpa Jack won two Ohio HS state titles as a coach. I like our chances. He was at the elite camp and is a good player. He has a great head on his shoulder.....better than most.