Alderson Broaddus Basketball

[Looking For 9]

I guess Nicks fine record got him the job.

[JDonAB92]

Staff additions:

Josh Wamsley has returned as an assistant on the basketball staff after a year off. That certainly adds a good recruiter. Wamsley did a great job under Zimmerman.
Ta-Rel Franklin who also served with Zimmerman has returned to AB as well. Franklin has ties to the Cleveland area. Franklin has spent time in the D3 ranks since leaving Philippi.

[JDonAB92]

Men's basketball schedule is up:
https://gobattlers.com/schedule.aspx?path=mbball

Home OOC games against: Seton Hill, WV Wesleyan, Charleston
Road OOC games against: Grand Valley State, Ferris State, Ashland, Salem, Bluefield State and 2 in the Gannon Tournament where we play Gannon first night and either LeMoyne or Ashland the second night as it is a championship/consolation deal.

Dobnak pitched 5 solid innings the other night against Cleveland. Gave up only 1 run.

Football team looked awful the other day. Hopefully we get this corrected real quick.

[JDonAB92]

Randy Dobnak with his first win the other night for the Twins. Future looks good for Randy!

It is a real possibility that we start out in men's basketball at 1-10 or 2-9. Schedule is pretty tough and I don't know how things will mesh. I see Seton Hill at home and possibly a senior-laden WV Wesleyan team being wins at home to start the year. The schedule is more conducive after the Christmas break. Josh Bradford is a good recruit who we have eyed for 3 years now. He comes to us from JUCO ranks. He and Spruell should be okay by January in the backcourt. Bocook really needs to step it up this year. Other than that.......I don't know. Cantrell is an interesting transfer from Fairmont as he played behind some quality players over the years, but he has little production. Shriver needs to be more than a shooter. Huestis is who I hear good things about. One thing that needs to change is the turnover in the roster every year. It really hasn't been a problem until the last 3 or 4 years, but we have no continuity the past couple of years. I know admin wants athletics to drive enrollment, but we need retention.

Volleyball is at 6-6 after beating Charleston. I don't see them winning many in the G-MAC.
Men's soccer will be okay after they play some home matches. They play 6 of last 7 at home. Women's soccer I don't see competing in conference.
Football has been disappointing so far. Let's hope that changes.

Greg Zimmerman won the best match of the day according to the WVGA site shooting a +3 over par in the WV senior event at Bridgeport. He shot a 75.

[JDonAB92]

Randy Dobnak got his second straight win last night. 6 innings pitched, 1 hit, 6 Ks no runs.

[BlueBlood]

Nice to see. He is a writing a great story.

[JDonAB92]

Randy Dobnak was named the Minnesota Twins minor league pitcher of the year.

Men's soccer won on the road at ODU last night. They are now 3-1 in the G-MAC. Coach Scott Phipps does as good a job as any one. He gets a more than competitive squad on the field and gets players that are excellent in the class room.

I do like that the men's basketball team is doing a lot of team building stuff. The workouts also look good. I will say that Dye has brought a little bit more of an element that the kids need. I believe morale by the end of the season may be better.

[crixus]

I think Alderson Broaddus will finish with a winning record this coming season. They came close last time and should be a little better. Not good enough to win the GMAC, but good enough to be noticed. Go Battlers!

[JDonAB92]

I wish I could share in your optimism. But the front part of the schedule is brutal. A lot of quality programs before Christmas break line the schedule. There is a possibility of playing Ashland twice and Findlay once. I believe they are nationally ranked to start the season. A lot of good D-II programs on that slate like Ferris State, University of Charleston, Grand Valley (19-13 last season), etc. We are in a state of transition. I like all of the coaches and such. That is not an issue. But we just lost our most successful coach in school history. He wanted out three years ago and was strongly encouraged to stay. He had finally had enough. With that said, the roster was recruited for the previous staff and their system. There just doesn't appear to be a whole lot there in terms of talent. The end of the Dye era at Glenville State wasn't good either. He certainly did some great things during his tenure. There is no denying that. We have to hang our hats that Spruell, Bocook and Bradford will post good numbers because much of the rest of the roster just doesn't seem to give much. I hope I am proven wrong. I mean that sincerely. But we lost a sideline technician that won us a lot of games over the years with his ability to coach and develop players. I think the last few years he was burnt out. He tried and could still coach. But you could tell that he had had enough. If Dye can somehow get the team to finish in the top 8 of the conference, I would be extremely thrilled. I just don't see it. I would like to see women's basketball get to mid-pack. I am tired of seeing the women's teams over the years not be competitive. This coach is now starting to bring in his own players as most of last year's were the prior regimes. Witherspoon as a freshman was a glimmer of hope. A D-I transfer and a couple of JUCOs were brought in. The athleticism on the team needed to be largely upgraded. We will see if it has. Again, a top 8 finish in the conference for them would be successful in my eyes. It will be hard. I just hope for more competitiveness in year two.

Positive: I heard great things from alumni that I know that attended homecoming. Dobnak has a definite future in the major leagues. Men's soccer is at 4-6-1 despite playing 9 of the first 11 games on the road. It is a cardio sport and we looked tired this weekend up in northeast Ohio. We play six of the next seven at home to close out the season. This is the only fall sport that gives us any hope this year.

Why is football this bad? They look horrible this year. There is no way to cut it. When we go on the road, we get blown out. I don't see in-game adjustments either. I don't see how we win a game this season. That is hard to believe, but that is what is going to happen.....0-10. Women's soccer is 2-7 with wins over Salem and a school that looks to be shutting down in Wheeling. Those were the first two games of the year. I see where Wheeling is raising money with social media to keep open next year. I think they need $6 million in funds. They probably will get a lot of it from the diocese. But I doubt our women's soccer wins another game. It wasn't that long ago that Pat McGinnis started up that program as a JD Long hire, took the team to the NCAA and won a conference crown the following year. He was chased off by Denny. And here we are! Volleyball is 8-11 which is much better than previous years, but let's be truthful, we are 0-5 in conference play. Some of the wins were over bad, bad programs. Not much hope remaining for a winning season here.

I am glad our enrollment is up 10%. I am glad that retention is up. I think our current president is a good leader. But it is time to make some decisions about our athletic programs. If the lack of competitiveness continues, I feel we should try to go to the PAC as a D-III member or try and go NAIA. Bluefield State and Salem need to do the same along with a few Mountain East schools.....rumor is from some Shepherd football alumni in my area that coach in the high school ranks is that Seton Hill will leave the PSAC and Frostburg State will be invited in. As I said....rumor. We invested a lot of money in football.....stadium (bonds), locker rooms and facilities, equipment, trainers, more dorms, etc. I never thought we would win a conference, but going 0-10 and not being competitive most games is not a product the school should embrace. Zimmerman went to 9 straight NCAAs and 2 regional finals with 7.5 scholarships. It is why I tout what he was able to do over the years because he never was fully-funded but yet gave us fully-funded results. Unfortunately those days are over. He busted tail and gave so much over the years for the school. For 4/5 of his career, he was the lowest paid head basketball coach in the WVIAC and G-MAC. I wish for nothing but the best from the school I graduated from. I am a proud alum who has an AB license plate frame on my car along with alumni stickers, flies an AB flag from his house and wears AB gear to work. But something needs to change over the next few years. I don't have the answer, but the current pace won't fly. Bodkins needs time for sure. But she was left in a tough, tough spot. I wish the school, coaches and players the best.

[crixus]

I am glad our enrollment is up 10%. I am glad that retention is up. I think our current president is a good leader. But it is time to make some decisions about our athletic programs. If the lack of competitiveness continues, I feel we should try to go to the PAC as a D-III member or try and go NAIA. Bluefield State and Salem need to do the same along with a few Mountain East schools.....rumor is from some Shepherd football alumni in my area that coach in the high school ranks is that Seton Hill will leave the PSAC and Frostburg State will be invited in. As I said....rumor. We invested a lot of money in football.....stadium (bonds), locker rooms and facilities, equipment, trainers, more dorms, etc. I never thought we would win a conference, but going 0-10 and not being competitive most games is not a product the school should embrace. Zimmerman went to 9 straight NCAAs and 2 regional finals with 7.5 scholarships. It is why I tout what he was able to do over the years because he never was fully-funded but yet gave us fully-funded results. Unfortunately those days are over. He busted tail and gave so much over the years for the school. For 4/5 of his career, he was the lowest paid head basketball coach in the WVIAC and G-MAC. I wish for nothing but the best from the school I graduated from. I am a proud alum who has an AB license plate frame on my car along with alumni stickers, flies an AB flag from his house and wears AB gear to work. But something needs to change over the next few years. I don't have the answer, but the current pace won't fly. Bodkins needs time for sure. But she was left in a tough, tough spot. I wish the school, coaches and players the best.

When AB and KW meet for the final game of the football season there's a good chance they'll both be winless. Two winless teams fighting it out for that one win might actually be entertaining. :D

[JDonAB92]

KWC will blow our doors off. Mark it down!

AB lost 70-16 on the road to Chowan. Yes, Chowan.....a team that is 1-5 right now in football beat us 70-16. That is unreal! We haven't shown a pulse in any road game. We won't the rest of the year.

[JDonAB92]

I have to give big props to our athletic director for giving the inside of Rex Pyles Arena a new makeover. It looks fantastic! I mean that sincerely. They really added some nice touches. I love how the doors look entering the arena. The painting of the walls behind the baskets is a good look.
https://www.facebook.com/ABBattlers/...type=3&theater

I have to give Coach Dye a ton of credit. He has really done some team bonding stuff with the players both on the floor and off the floor. It has been neat to follow on social media. I believe, truthfully, that this was very much needed. I am sure the boot camp before the season started did a lot of team bonding. But seeing some of the other stuff off the floor is needed as well. It is going to be a rough two months to start the season. But if his kids stick with him and believe in him, it does get more manageable after Christmas break. Doing some of this stuff will help. These guys might be alright not being chewed out on the floor. I never cared for some of Zimmerman's berating of players. It was way too much at times. These guys in this era may adapt a lot better to Dye's style. I am going to try and get over next Sunday for the WV State exhibition. That will be a good test as Poore has some good players back and had a heck of a recruiting class. We are going to start slow because of the schedule and because of a lot of new parts. I don't think the first two games will be indicative of where we could possibly progress.

[JDonAB92]

Women's volleyball team defeated WV Wesleyan last night. We are winless in the G-MAC, but we did go 4-2 against the Mountain East teams. I do believe the MEC in every sport has one or two elite teams in each sport. But the G-MAC is better in most sports from top to bottom with football probably being the exception as the G-MAC is top-heavy and not-so good at the bottom. That seems to be the case from what I have gathered over the years. Notre Dame is a good football program. If the MEC loses NDC and Shepherd, they take a major hit to football. I would guess they would try every thing to keep Notre Dame. They have had real good success in the MEC and may wish to just stay.

Football needs to show some pride coming off a bye week. It would nice to not go winless, but it looks likely that is what will happen. Can we at least compete?

I am going to try and get to the scrimmage on Sunday. WV State was picked pre-season 4th in the MEC. I am afraid the first weekend will be ugly as can be. And I hope I am wrong. I think we need to quit this crossover thing. A lot of trips to Michigan over the years and hosting once. Time to play Salem twice a year and some nearby MEC schools twice a year. Why travel 9 hours one way when you have schools less than one hour away? Say what you want, but AB fans still come out to see us play Salem. I hope this is the last time we see this crossover thing on our schedule. Coach Dye and staff are trying hard from what I can see. I am excited to see where he goes over the next 4 to 5 years with the program. He has to have time and put his print on the program. I just think this year might be rough. Last year was hard to watch and may be worse this season.

Former AB standout Gary Washington was given a distinguished alumni award during homecoming. Gary led the WVIAC in scoring back in 79. He was a heck of a player. He went back to his hometown of Washington DC and became a teacher and later a very successful principal at some challenging inner-city schools. He received a lot of awards for his work for inner-city youth. He was awarded an award by former first lady Laura Bush. Washington is in the AB HOF. He was 1st team WVIAC for Dave Barksdale and on the NAIA all american squad. Good for Gary who is a good guy! Not many people want to try and make a difference in inner-city DC.

It is time to put Jim Seaton and Greg Zimmerman in the HOF for their accomplishments as coaches at AB.

[JDonAB92]

Final: Grand Valley State 69 Alderson Broaddus 56.....I was fairly impressed under the circumstances. We missed way too many missed shots that were good looks from what I could tell. The camera angle that GVSU had in their gym was awful.

BUT the reality is: no Bruce Spruell, no Josh Bradford, no Gavin Williams, no KJ Walker and no Dalen Solomon in the lineup. I am hearing that some were involved in this mess this week that led to the arrest of a former player. I can't say all were because I don't know for sure. But I hear at least two were. I won't go into further detail until I here more official stuff but this is absurd. What a complete mess! It is time to say that Stephen Dye has inherited a mess! What is the guy supposed to do this weekend? He was forced to start two freshmen who I never thought would play today. We aren't going to win hardly any with the lineup we had out there today. But that isn't Dye's fault.

Glad to see the football team won today. They tried several times to give it away including a fumble on 1st and goal from the one. We also missed a wide open receiver in the end zone on another possession. I am just glad we won't go winless. Women's basketball was okay yesterday and not so good today.

Women's volleyball did win two straight G-MAC games this weekend. Men's soccer competed well against OVU....tough matchup loss in the playoffs. The cross-country/track coach left in the middle of the season to go to Virginia Wesleyan. We have a ton of work to do in the athletic department. It is frustrating to see what we have become. I am just glad we had a little bit of success this weekend.

Coach Dye will need to carefully recruit the right players to AB. I hate that he has to come back to his alma mater and have this happen the opening weekend. I think he handled it with poise today and the team played loose for a change to start the year.

[JDonAB92]

At the first media timeout of the second half....

Ferris State 49 ABU 47