What will/is Valpo BB known for?

[VULB#62]

I am taking great pleasure in Rowdy's run in Rio and also thinking about Alec going into 2016-17, so I began to wonder about basketball reputation for this program.  With Lottich taking over from Bryce I view the a merely an extension of something that started with Homer way back.  Yeah, the "shot" put us on the map, but forget that.  Also forget about our great success recruiting outside the US. 

I am talking about what draws certain players by position to Valpo and do we have a rep for developing them.  Because I don't know BB as well as most of you, I must retreat to FB analogies -- which I do know.  Penn State is known as linebacker U.  Ohio State and USC, pretty much RBs (yeah, and most other positions as well I'll concede), BYU is all about QBs, Boston College is OL University.  Get my drift?

Can we make a statement that Valpo is THE place where a certain position in our system flourishes?  You also are probably already ahead of me in that maybe that's how we spin/slant/focus our recruiting.  It would take you guys  to go back into your memory banks and assess if there is a successful pattern there.  If nothing else it would be a fun exercise while we are waiting for that first practice.

[bbtds]

I am taking great pleasure in Rowdy's run in Rio and also thinking about Alec going into 2016-17, so I began to wonder about basketball reputation for this program.  With Lottich taking over from Bryce I view the a merely an extension of something that started with Homer way back.  Yeah, the "shot" put us on the map, but forget that.  Also forget about our great success recruiting outside the US. 

I am talking about what draws certain players by position to Valpo and do we have a rep for developing them.  Because I don't know BB as well as most of you, I must retreat to FB analogies -- which I do know.  Penn State is known as linebacker U.  Ohio State and USC, pretty much RBs (yeah, and most other positions as well I'll concede), BYU is all about QBs, Boston College is OL University.  Get my drift?

Can we make a statement that Valpo is THE place where a certain position in our system flourishes?  You also are probably already ahead of me in that maybe that's how we spin/slant/focus our recruiting.  It would take you guys  to go back into your memory banks and assess if there is a successful pattern there.  If nothing else it would be a fun exercise while we are waiting for that first practice.

Lutheran forwards from West Central Illinois who average scores in the high teens. Too specific? 

[Valpo89]

Three's only 3 positions in basketball.

[Vale O. Paradise]

Based on the number of players who have gone on to careers in Europe, I'd say Valpo players excel at the skills needed to thrive in Euro-style offenses: Namely fast, smart movement without the ball.

[a3uge]

Coaches named Drew. Although based on the list of your examples I'd say probably nothing. Those for the most part are fairly iconic programs and I'd say there are only a handful or 2 of programs that are truly known for stuff. There can only be so many linebacker Us

Wut?

[wh]

This may not fit the narrative of your thread, '62, but it does fit the title, so I thought I would share some thoughts about what I would like to see us be known for.

I would love to see us establish a national reputation as a perennial mid-major powerhouse. We are at the threshold right now IMO, thanks to our 5-year run under Bryce. If Matt can continue to build on our recent success (and he's off to a great start), we may be on the verge of a major breakthrough toward "elite" mid-major status and everything that goes with it, such as being able to consistently attract higher profile recruits.

Just yesterday we received some great press in this Sports Illustrated article featuring Gonzaga and 5 other mid major programs to watch out for this year:

http://www.si.com/college-basketball/2016/08/23/mid-major-gonzaga-saint-marys-harvard-valpo

Let's hope that articles like this become so commonplace that we get bored by them.

[Just Sayin]

The Phil Willie fight.

[ml2]

I think a strong case could be made for the "stretch 4" being especially well developed at Valpo in the recent past. 10 of the last 15 seasons the team has been led in scoring by someone in roughly this position - Lubos Barton, Dan Oppland, Sam Haanpaa, Shawn Huff, Ryan Broekhoff and Alec Peters. In addition key secondary scorers Kikas Gomes and Cory Johnson could also reasonably fit with this group. Only twice was the leading scorer someone I would describe as purely a post player, Raitis Grafs and Urule Igbavoa. Only three times was the team led by a guard, twice by Brandon Wood and once by Lavonte Dority. For comparison sake 9 of the last 15 Horizon League players of the year have been guards who were 6'3" or shorter. Also our cumulative winning percentage is 14% higher in the 10 seasons we were led by a wing/forward compared to the five years with a center or guard.

[ValpoDad89]

Here is what I hope Valpo will be known for with Lottich as our head coach (and the Drews before them), as a destination school. Whether it be transfers or many different starred recruits or even mid rated prep stars, you will be developed. Developed to the degree the coaches can and if not you got yourself one helluva of an education with a University and Alumni base that will always have your back.