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Post by aceslfer on Apr 24, 2021 8:59:39 GMT -6
Agree 100% that McCarty style basketball attracts better players, better athletes, better fan support. That style will also require a 10-11 man rotation as "bust your butt for 5 minutes" would be a mandate to the players. Can't count how many times we had players walking up court from their free throw line to ours. A continuation of this will most certainly result in less fan support and interaction. Up-tempo we will probably not get next year, attendance will dwindle and TL will be gone. The future will only look bright in 22-23 season.
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Post by ncace on Apr 24, 2021 9:53:20 GMT -6
Maybe others agree, maybe not, but IMHO, the coming season will be a really important one for our Aces. Despite the NCAA transfer mess, we have a chance to make progress...a chance with IFs. If Shamar and Newton show upperclassman leadership, we could have a VERY experienced and productive backcourt. With the ball in their hands, Shamar and Newton can draw a lot of attention. IF we have immediate impact from Sisley (who may well be an Elkins or Snow ultimately), we’ll possibly have a freshman guy like Domask or A.J.Green. This is a reason for optimism, local flavor, etc. Mind you, I’m not expecting this in game one, but Blake seems to have court maturity above his age.
Evan and Noah are security blankets for Coach Lick. No, not big talents, but he values stability and compliance with his system, and these two are a. Model citizens, b. Pretty intelligent, and c. Unselfish guys who can ease transition to Hall, Sisley, Smith, Jr., etc. I just hope Coach is able to reduce their minutes as young, future-guys assert themselves. We can’t afford loyalty to 5th year guys vs. giving earned minutes to underclass,en. Meanwhile, E and N don’t cost us scholarships.
Now to the BIG future issue, IMHO. Does Spencer have that notecard in his jacket with 5 HC candidates to replace Lick? It seems clear to me that Coach leans VERY heavily on Logan to do a LOT of the day-to-day. The other assistants may also contribute, but there is little transparency as to their successes in recruiting. Maybe Logan’s the Coach-in-Waiting, but I have my doubts. Unlike the Women’s situation, there is MUCH more at stake with Men’s Bball. Spencer, or whoever hopefully replaces him, really needs to get the right HC next time around. It is early days for Scherr-Wells, but her approach, IMHO is exactly what we need for MBB. Aggressive, can-do, personable and outgoing, strategic, with zero tolerance for anything but success.
BTW, another positive about RSW’s acceptance of the WHC position is that it effectively puts to rest any doubts about UE remaining D1. I can’t fathom her taking this job without asking that question.
Meanwhile, if we can snag Leons, despite the crowded field, he would be a plus. It’s one thing to see a JUCO put up 20/10 in regular season, but his performance in JUCO tournament play is impressive.
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Post by Deleted on Apr 24, 2021 14:40:18 GMT -6
Albothepurple, thanks for your thoughts above. However, I am having a hard time figuring out what they have to do with the Malevy Leons thread. Can you briefly summarize (in a couple of sentences) what you are saying and what it has to do with Malevy Leon? Are you saying we should not recruit this guy? I agree it is a longshot with the list of suitors but I'm sure the coaching staff is prioritizing Malevy appropriately. Thanks in advance for briefly clarifying what you are saying above in regards to this recruit. Thanks. I would say if they are recruiting the guy, that's fine. If we as fans are trying to decide how he fits in, he needs to be on the team first. Beyond that ... it's just my point of view. It's worth as much as you want it to be worth. I hate to start a new thread every time my brain decides to jump start itself.
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Post by Deleted on Apr 24, 2021 17:05:42 GMT -6
Honestly, if I am recruiting for this team through 2022, I get the most generic players I can get and hope they like each other well enough to combine as a team. There are reasons for this, the main ones being: 1. UE's roster looks like a box of Chex Mix. I can identify two players who ought to get some consideration for conference awards next March. Neither of them is likely to play pro ball. If you disagree on that, you have my permission to provide evidence. 2. The coach is not going to establish a long-term strategy. Lick is going to play the hand he's been dealt and hope he gets a straight if he takes three cards. That ain't his fault. He will end his career at UE and will have achieved something resembling decency and dignity in the program. Lord knows, we needed that. 3. The impact of the NCAA's completely insane and agenda-based transfer portal policy has wrecked any scheme for all but the most secure programs. If you could identify them last year, they will be back this year. How does Scott Drew manage to convince three (3) point guards to come to Baylor? Three of them? Once the buzzards pick the have-nots clean and 930 kids are dizzily trying to figure out how they lost a year's worth of college credit by transferring inside a system that used them like cheap migrant labor, the NCAA will effectively have to concede that Nike and Budweiser really ARE in charge of college sports. Hell, your YMCA youth leagues will be better organized. At least they have age restrictions. If you say the Aces need a big guy, hell ... they always DID need a big guy. Who doesn't? You spend all your search on that and in a year, you also need two small guys, unless you are Baylor and can convince THREE 4-* point guards to join the program. To be truthful, the roster I would recruit for UE is one that isn't afraid to take 150 shots a game, half of them outside the arc. If that takes more than 8 or 9 seconds, it's too slow. First team to 100 wins. I want 12 guys on the team who can bust-a** for 5 minutes, take 5 minutes to come up for air, and go back in and do it again. Frankly, pass-it-around motion offense basketball is boring, and doesn't appeal to young players. We need to recognize that impressions are real. UE spends 28 seconds trying to get one of its fence posts free for an open shot. It's safe and it's a good excuse for trying to hide players who are too slow to outflank a tombstone. Yeah, get a big guy if you can. Put up 85 points while you are at it. The NCAA was warned about outcomes but they thought their wonderful 'transfer portal' made the whole thing fair. They doubled down on it because they are the NCAA. Any violations and we will just put Denver or Texas Southern on probation and see if that fixed it. UE and similar schools are in the crosshairs this fall. The impact of this administrative disaster will be curious to watch. We will not like the outcome, so our expectations are -- let's see if we can split with the Sickos and maybe get an OT game with Loyola. Nailed it! I love an eyes wide open analysis.
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Post by bleedpurple on May 1, 2021 8:39:10 GMT -6
Any one heard more on when he is going to make a decision?
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Post by Deleted on May 1, 2021 8:48:24 GMT -6
Any one heard more on when he is going to make a decision? The staff has started recruiting the class of 2022. Correct me if I’m wrong, but I don’t think we ever made a formal offer, so don’t expect him to come here. I already expect Phillips to redshirt with our front court depth. There’s no place for Leons.
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Post by austinace on May 1, 2021 8:57:20 GMT -6
Any one heard more on when he is going to make a decision? The staff has started recruiting the class of 2022. Correct me if I’m wrong, but I don’t think we ever made a formal offer, so don’t expect him to come here. I already expect Phillips to redshirt with our front court depth. There’s no place for Leons. I agree with everything except the last sentence. This kid is good enough that we would find room. And with players like Evan and Iyen moving on in a year it would secure our front line for the following year as well. I agree with the rest of the post though. I don’t think we made a formal offer. I would expect it’s likely that Preston Phillips will redshirt as well. But again I doubt we would turn down a kid of this quality if he was interested in coming. It’s not likely but I think there is some Netherland connection with him and Iyen. But again I think it’s a longshot but you never know. We basically have two extra scholarships that we can be very picky with in my opinion.
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Post by Deleted on May 1, 2021 9:32:11 GMT -6
I go round and round on these things, alter my thoughts and come to a conclusion that will change next week.
The reasons that players pick colleges is often way outside our connection. The marquee players and the kids who think they should be marquee players are choosing because they see exposure to the pros as their agenda. The hazier ones in the middle or the ones who are good but don't have the circus attached to them -- those are the guys who surprise you.
The best example was at Valpo where Alec Peters stuck around for 4 years at a school that hardly cracked the radar for ESPN. Peters was a natural All-America and could have even gone on to a P-5 program for his grad work -- chose to stay at VU and pursued more schooling after he graduated. Why? Because his fiance was still studying there and loved the school. That is the kind of character that doesn't get discussed.
Why did big Giddy come to UE and stick around? The guy was a Lithuanian giant. He could have gotten 20 rebounds for any team in the world. He liked Evansville, maybe liked Marty. Until 2019, that was true of nearly EVERY Purple Ace.
I guess we tend to think these guys are all hunting their best playing options when it could be, they just like the fountain outside the chapel. First impressions matter. They like a certain prof, or just find the people around them to be interesting and kind. Maybe there is a priest at a local church who inspires them, or a legacy from 80 years ago from the war, perhaps a man who met somebody from the city and left a lasting taste of happiness. Those bonds in Europe are quite deep and inspirational.
A lot of these guys are grounded and know that by the time they are 25, they need to be finding a career. Some of the dicier ones are milking the cow because they believe their 'mentors' will salvage a high school career that never existed. I don't know if the European kids are that sloppy. If UE has something to offer this Leons kid, they ought to offer it.
Maybe this is the sort of basketball we want to embrace.
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Post by Deleted on May 1, 2021 10:49:25 GMT -6
The staff has started recruiting the class of 2022. Correct me if I’m wrong, but I don’t think we ever made a formal offer, so don’t expect him to come here. I already expect Phillips to redshirt with our front court depth. There’s no place for Leons. I agree with everything except the last sentence. This kid is good enough that we would find room. And with players like Evan and Iyen moving on in a year it would secure our front line for the following year as well. I agree with the rest of the post though. I don’t think we made a formal offer. I would expect it’s likely that Preston Phillips will redshirt as well. But again I doubt we would turn down a kid of this quality if he was interested in coming. It’s not likely but I think there is some Netherland connection with him and Iyen. But again I think it’s a longshot but you never know. We basically have two extra scholarships that we can be very picky with in my opinion. I agree. It doesn’t hurt to have a boatload of talent off the bench that can develop. I was trying to find information on this kid, and the only known offer I could find was from Kent State. It seems that he has interest from a bunch of schools and conferences though. I’m just expecting big things from Smith Jr. and Sisley at the 4, so that’s what I don’t see him as a necessity.
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Post by stlscooter on May 4, 2021 15:19:24 GMT -6
Signed with Bradley
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Post by austinace on May 4, 2021 15:32:11 GMT -6
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Post by ncace on May 4, 2021 16:38:20 GMT -6
Hard to know how hard we recruited him, but this is a get for Bradley that might just haunt us for those two years of eligibility. Juco, yes, but he performed at a high level at tournament time. I’m not a huge Wardle fan, but IMHO, he seems to know how to close on a recruit. He also got the Hickman kid from Bloomington. Probably wrong, but I just don’t see recruiting as a strong suit for Coach Lick, and in order to compete with Ford, Mullins, Wardle, Jacobsen and DeVrees, we’ve got to be sure that recruiting skill is VERY high in our next HC’s profile.
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Post by ad1770 on May 4, 2021 18:14:13 GMT -6
Hard to know how hard we recruited him, but this is a get for Bradley that might just haunt us for those two years of eligibility. Juco, yes, but he performed at a high level at tournament time. I’m not a huge Wardle fan, but IMHO, he seems to know how to close on a recruit. He also got the Hickman kid from Bloomington. Probably wrong, but I just don’t see recruiting as a strong suit for Coach Lick, and in order to compete with Ford, Mullins, Wardle, Jacobsen and DeVrees, we’ve got to be sure that recruiting skill is VERY high in our next HC’s profile. Whoa, slow down there. Maybe I missed it, but I never saw a post saying we actually offered the kid, and I never saw an answer when that same question was asked in this thread. So, I believe that recruiting a player is pretty low priority if you haven’t even offered them. (And who said that our coaching staff even talked to the kid?)
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Post by aceshigh on May 4, 2021 20:43:28 GMT -6
There’s some really good players in the transfer portal with D-I experience. The Coaches could also be looking at some strong HS or Prep School candidates that could give us 4 years of eligibility. Since we aren’t privy to inside information on who they are actually going after, we don’t have the ability to criticize their effort.
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Post by austinace on May 4, 2021 21:04:54 GMT -6
I've thought for awhile now that this might be a really good year to go after a player with 4 years of eligibility as you might be able to get a steal with all of the focus on the transfer portal (and the focus on now). Of course, that presumes that the player or players stays four years.
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