2013-2014 Season

[classof2014]

With the latest signing of Gueye all of the players for next year are set in stone. There is still a lot of question on who will start and who will play where.

Here's my depth chart.

At the PG - Carter (once available), Dority (I think he's more of a 2), Williams
2 - Dority (after Carter is available), Coleman, Davidson
3 - Rossi, Peters, Yeo
4 - Capo, Chadwick, Adekoya
5 - Gueye, Fernandez

I think this will be a fun year to watch. Way more questions than last year, tons of new faces as well. Looking forward to October for the first pre-season game. Still a lot of questions surrounding this team and a ton of unknowns as well.

Opinions.... COMMENCE

[vu72]

With the latest signing of Gueye all of the players for next year are set in stone. There is still a lot of question on who will start and who will play where.

Here's my depth chart.

At the PG - Carter (once available), Dority (I think he's more of a 2), Williams
2 - Dority (after Carter is available), Coleman, Davidson
3 - Rossi, Peters, Yeo
4 - Capo, Chadwick, Adekoya
5 - Gueye, Fernandez

I think this will be a fun year to watch. Way more questions than last year, tons of new faces as well. Looking forward to October for the first pre-season game. Still a lot of questions surrounding this team and a ton of unknowns as well.

Opinions.... COMMENCE

I think your chart looks pretty good.  Interesting how, much like last year, you can go to the end of the bench and still find some very good players.  The second point here is our experience.  Many seem to think we will be very "young" but looking at the depth chart shows only the 3 with a freshman second on the depth chart and that kid is one of the highest ranked kids we've seen in quite some time.  Learning to play together will of course take some time but with Dority, Capo, Coleman, Chadwick and others having played together (or practiced together) it may not take as long as we think!

[valpopal]

With the latest signing of Gueye all of the players for next year are set in stone. There is still a lot of question on who will start and who will play where.

Here's my depth chart.

At the PG - Carter (once available), Dority (I think he's more of a 2), Williams
2 - Dority (after Carter is available), Coleman, Davidson
3 - Rossi, Peters, Yeo
4 - Capo, Chadwick, Adekoya
5 - Gueye, Fernandez

I think this will be a fun year to watch. Way more questions than last year, tons of new faces as well. Looking forward to October for the first pre-season game. Still a lot of questions surrounding this team and a ton of unknowns as well.

Opinions.... COMMENCE

As I said in another thread, Rossi is the biggest question mark. I don't think we can plug him into the starting line up. We aren't sure of his status at all. Will he be healthy and able to play as a starter? Will he be limited? Will he be another Kurth situation? Will he decide he can't play and be replaced by another transfer? Nobody has seen Rossi play since the earliest games at the end of 2012. Even in post-season on campus, I have seen all the other players work out or play ball in open gym, but I haven't seen Rossi.

[LaPorteAveApostle]

I have seen all the other players work out or play ball in open gym, but I haven't seen Rossi.

You said that in the other thread, and it made me a sad panda.  That is probably the biggest remaining question now that the last scholarship is filled.

Burning questions after Rossi (I would add "can he get an injury redshirt for last year pretty please?"):

#2:  Is Chadwick really good or will he be the Human Victory Cigar?  Has there been any practice chatter or has anyone seen any formal or informal basketball type activities?

#3:  Can Carter get first-semester eligible?  He mentioned that, but was it more than just a hope? Further, he talked about getting an injury redshirt for his SLU time initially--wonder what's happened with that?  Thus,
--best-case scenario:  8 semesters of the Mr. Basketball runnerup
--still pretty good:  7 semesters (missing the first semester)
--worst-case scenario: 5 semesters (still better than nuthin')

#4 Can we get any of the freshmen a redshirt? Also a nickname?  (Seriously, you can't tell me bbtds et al. can't come up with le mot juste for these kids.)  Obviously maybe no one will want one, but I would be all for it--extra year of school to spread out credits, get a year up on everyone.

I always bang the redshirt drum because it's a great advantage--it's not trading freshman year 2013-14 for redshirt freshman year 2014-15--it's trading a 2013-14 freshman for a 2017-18 5th year senior.  Trade:  accepted.

[covufan]

#4 Can we get any of the freshmen a redshirt? Also a nickname?  (Seriously, you can't tell me bbtds et al. can't come up with le mot juste for these kids.)  Obviously maybe no one will want one, but I would be all for it--extra year of school to spread out credits, get a year up on everyone.

I always bang the redshirt drum because it's a great advantage--it's not trading freshman year 2013-14 for redshirt freshman year 2014-15--it's trading a 2013-14 freshman for a 2017-18 5th year senior.  Trade:  accepted.

Was just about to start a thread on whether or not a freshman (or two) should redshirt.  I'm sure the coaching staff will be thinking of the same thing come October and the first several weeks of practice. 

Depending on which freshman are ready to play, this could be a year with 10-11 players getting significant playing time.  Only Broekhoff averaged more than 30 minutes a game, with Kenney, Buggs and Bogan averaging more than 25 minutes.  I'm sure there will be game decisions, not necessarily foul related, where a player will get 28-30 minutes, and later that week only 17-19 minutes. 

It will be interesting and fun to watch this team develop this next year, and hopefully with a defensive big man it could lead to some postseason success.

[classof2014]

I think Williams or Davidson may be candidates for a possible redshirt. Personally, I think it's good for a PG to sit out a season and watch and take notes. I think it helps them in the end. Buggs had to, Dority did, and so did Carter. I think it helps them learn the offense and know what's going on around them and become better defenders. We saw Buggs this year and he was the best player on the team come late season and I think a lot of that leadership came from being a 5th year senior.

[bbtds]

#4 Can we get any of the freshmen a redshirt? Also a nickname?  (Seriously, you can't tell me bbtds et al. can't come up with le mot juste for these kids.) 

Peters should be the East Peoria Earthmover (Caterpillar) or the Washington Wizard. Since the production of whiskey was big in Peoria at one time maybe Peters should be the Tazewell (Washington's County) Masher (what whiskey is made out of) or the Tazewell Tomahawk or Tazewll Teaser (if things don't work out--just kidding) or Tazewell Tazz (pronounced with a short a as in apple).

Yeo---Rocky's girlfriend/wife, Adrian. "Yo, Adrian"

Adekoya----Coy?

Davidson----Regioniner--some will get this

Williams---Smith, what is more generic than Williams

[valpopal]

When I think about next year's team, I have to remind myself of the following reality. Adekoya, Carter, Chadwick, Davidson, Gueye, Peters, Williams, and Yeo have not played a single minute yet. Rossi hardly played at all last year. Dority only played the second semester. Bobby missed or was hampered a significant amount of last season due to his surgery. Coleman and Fernandez were the only ones available the whole season, but they spent most of their time on the bench and neither started a game.

Therefore, there is no way to accurately predict what will happen next season. It will be a surprise and an adventure, and it should be entertaining with an outcome anticipated in the way of any mystery. I look forward to the beginning of the season much more than I normally would in any typical "rebuilding" year.

In addition, I like to examine the comparisons of new players entering the league for all the teams. Nobody can know who will blossom into a star or excel beyond expectations. (Did we all know for sure that Rowdy and Kevin would be as productive and influential when we first heard their names mentioned as recruits? Many were counting on Jay Harris as the future star.) Still, when I look at all the Horizon League newcomers for next year mentioned at the following link, I like very much the potential of our guys:
http://www.horizonleague.org/blog/mens-basketball-signing-central.html 

[valpopal]

The transition to the 2013-2014 season officially begins. Yesterday we watched the seniors accept their diplomas, and today already starts a shift to the new season. Those at Valpo can look for "Moose" Gueye to be around campus this afternoon as summer classes get under way tomorrow.

[valpopal]

I happened to be on campus today and spotted Alec Peters at the ARC. Nice to see some of the players are on campus, especially freshmen, for the second summer session beginning Monday and to know they will have the opportunity to play together daily as they become more familiar with one another's game.

[valpo84]

Based on Twitter, Alec and Clay are rooming together.

[valpopal]

Based on Twitter, Alec and Clay are rooming together.

I think Nick Davidson may be rooming with them as well.

[LaPorteAveApostle]

I think Nick Davidson may be rooming with them as well.

where is there room for all that?

[wh]

I think Nick Davidson may be rooming with them as well.

where is there room for all that?

Both Uptown East apartments and University Promenade lofts have 2-BR units.  I believe both are now considered part of approved university housing.  I'm sure 2 guys could share the bigger BR. 

[vu72]

I think Nick Davidson may be rooming with them as well.

where is there room for all that?

Many years ago Wehrenberg had three man suites on each floor.

[LaPorteAveApostle]

Both Uptown East apartments and University Promenade lofts have 2-BR units.  I believe both are now considered part of approved university housing.  I'm sure 2 guys could share the bigger BR. 

Wow, so freshman can now live off-campus?

[wh]

Both Uptown East apartments and University Promenade lofts have 2-BR units.  I believe both are now considered part of approved university housing.  I'm sure 2 guys could share the bigger BR. 

Wow, so freshman can now live off-campus?

All first-year, sophomore, and junior students are required to live in approved University housing.[/b]

http://www.valpo.edu/reslife/halls/index.php

Note that Uptown East is listed under residence halls.  University Promenade was originally built for the general public, but I heard the university recently entered into an agreement with the Promenade owners to make the units available exclusively to VU students to support the growth in enrollment. The Promenade website says as much:

http://www.universitypromenade.com/our-residences/floor-plans

[vufan75]

Gotta love the enthusiasm and excitement from what many would say is Valpo's top rated freshman this coming 2013-14 season. He is on campus for I presume the second summer school session, as are many of the players. After yesterday's 7/1/13 first real team workout, he posted the following on twitter.

Alec Peters@petersalec   "First team workout was da bomb". 

[wh]

Gotta love the enthusiasm and excitement from what many would say is Valpo's top rated freshman this coming 2013-14 season. He is on campus for I presume the second summer school session, as are many of the players. After yesterday's 7/1/13 first real team workout, he posted the following on twitter.

Alec Peters@petersalec   "First team workout was da bomb". 

And a tweet from Peoria Irish coach Gavin Sullivan last Saturday:

Gavin Sullivan ‏@PeoriaIrish 29 Jun
Last workout with my guy @petersalec. Valpo tomorrow: he has put in alot of work, game continues to expand!

[LaPorteAveApostle]

he has put in alot of work

[talksalot]

Note that Uptown East is listed under residence halls.  University Promenade was originally built for the general public, but I heard the university recently entered into an agreement with the Promenade owners to make the units available exclusively to VU students to support the growth in enrollment. The Promenade website says as much:...


Promenade East is the current home of the "Go Teach" group from Ecuador.   Promenade West, when opened in a few months, will be home to a similar group from China.  These are non-traditional students... and those are certainly non-traditional Housing Units.  They are NOT University Housing under the auspices of Residential Life.

[LaPorteAveApostle]

Promenade East is the current home of the "Go Teach" group from Ecuador.   Promenade West, when opened in a few months, will be home to a similar group from China.

should have put Ecuador in the West and China in the East...sigh

[wh]

Quality abounds on this coaching staff:

Roger Powell Jr ‏@RogerPowellJr 3h
Happy 4th of July!!  Thank God for our independence as a nation. But most importantly for our Freedom in Christ.

[wh]

Valparaiso freshmen learning quick during summer workouts

http://www.nwitimes.com/sports/college/valparaiso-university/valparaiso-freshmen-learning-quick-during-summer-workouts/article_d824807a-95bb-57f0-8d27-d7bc1fe80460.html

[valpopal]

Verbal Commits reports that Alex Rossi has officially left the team for personal reasons. I think we all knew this was coming, and I wish Alex the best, but I also wish we could have gotten to see him play healthy and at 100%. He had a tremendous looking shot.