Season Ticket Holder Event

[Chairback]

A few thoughts from the season ticket holder event tonight.  The university put on a nice event.  It was nice to see the guys practice and display their skills.  No doubt this team has talent and is a sleeper.  It may not happen quickly but by the end of the season they will be a completely different team.  This is going to be a fun season to watch because we have the players, they are just all new.

LaVonte Dority looked really good.  He looked really confident and stood out amongst everyone.  I think he is the key to a successful season this year.

Jordan Coleman looked really good also.  His shot looked smoother and hardly missed.

The freshman are good and Alec Peters is the best of them.  He has a nice shot.  He's one of those players you see and you can tell he will be really good.  Not the quickest but at 6'8 he will kill teams with his outside shot.

Lexus Williams really surprised me.  Speed and passing is his game with a way better shot than Buggs.  I didn't think he could dunk until he threw down a 2 hander with ease on a fast break drill.  He will be a fan favorite.

Jubril appears to be a versatile player who is just plain tough.  He doesn't look like a freshman and will not be pushed around.  He goes very strong to the basket.

Yeo looks too thin and Davidson is not Matt Kenney.  Nickerson doesn't look like a typical Horizon league player.  He's good and you can see why he was a top 100 player.  Can't wait to see him in action next year.

Moussa is REALLY big.  However he looks slow.  I would say half as fast as Vashil.  I can see why he racked up fouls and 3pts a game at Alabama.  Don't expect him to be an offensive threat.

If Vashil doesn't get quality minutes I'd be shocked.

Keith Carter will be fun to watch the next 3 1/2 years.  He will need some PT under his belt but what a steal for Valpo.

It will be interesting to see what Chadwick's role on the team will be.

[LaPorteAveApostle]

Thanks for those thoughts...great to hear, and not just because they concur with my general thoughts/opinions/hopes

[EddieCabot]

Moussa is REALLY big.  However he looks slow.  I would say half as fast as Vashil.  I can see why he racked up fouls and 3pts a game at Alabama.  Don't expect him to be an offensive threat.

This comment surprises me ... most of the comments from knowledgeable posters (vu72, wh, kyle, to name a few) seem to indicate that Moussa will dominate the Horizon.  I'd be interested to hear thoughts from others who have seen him play.

[EddieCabot]

I'm also curious how the "slimmed-down" version of Bobby Capobianco looked.  How did his 3-point shot look?  Is he now quick enough to play the 3 like Paul Oren predicted?  IMO, he may be the key to Valpo's season.

[wh]

Moussa is REALLY big.  However he looks slow.  I would say half as fast as Vashil.  I can see why he racked up fouls and 3pts a game at Alabama.  Don't expect him to be an offensive threat.

This comment surprises me ... most of the comments from knowledgeable posters (vu72, wh, kyle, to name a few) seem to indicate that Moussa will dominate the Horizon.  I'd be interested to hear thoughts from others who have seen him play.

I wasn't in attendance, but I did see a few minutes of their mid-day practice today.  I have to agree that Moussa looks pretty slow right now.  More than anything, he doesn't appear to be game shape yet.  Presumably, that will change over the next couple of weeks and then we should get a better feel for what kind of impact he's going to make.

[valpotx]

Does your Chadwick comment mean that he wasn't very good?

[Chairback]

Chadwick can play. He is not horrible at all. With all of the height we have it will be interesting to see how he gets in.

Bobby was dressed but did not particapate in the drills. He looks like he dedicated himself to slim down.  I agree that he and Dority are the keys to the season.  They both have a lot to prove and think they will.

valpo is being overlooked in all of these polls and I'm ok with that...

[historyman]

I think it means very little when you see them running drills and not playing actual games.

I would agree with the comment that Gueye (pronounced Gee-soft "g" like a french hockey player) seems slow compared to the rest of the team. I believe his biggest value is clogging up the middle. Let's remember the Mo Kone year and not read too much into what these student athletes can accomplish in one year.

By the way, Jubril's name is pronounced O-da-coy-ya(long "a"). Jubril seems to be outgoing in his personality much like Vashil.

Peters seems much more comfortable lately and it seemed that Chadwick has improved his shooting. I think Capo is going to really need to pick up his speed and I believe he is getting there but I'm not sure he is as quick as we will need him to be to play the 3.

Again, I repeat. You can't tell much from the team running drills and not playing in any actual games.

If someone has questions for Mark L about the football situation they should call him themselves (219-464-6894). This was not a question and answer session.

[wh]

I don't picture Capo ever playing the 3.  He doesn't have the speed, or the ball handling skills, or the ability to beat anyone off the dribble, or the ability to get out on the break, or the speed to stay with a smaller, quicker opponent one-on-one. If I had to guess I would say Vashil and Moussa will split time at the 5 and Bobby will start at the 4.  I think the motion offense we are accustomed to will have to be tweaked to accommodate our size advantage without wearing these big bodies out.

[covufan]

A few thoughts from the season ticket holder event tonight.  The university put on a nice event.  It was nice to see the guys practice and display their skills.  No doubt this team has talent and is a sleeper.  It may not happen quickly but by the end of the season they will be a completely different team.  This is going to be a fun season to watch because we have the players, they are just all new.

LaVonte Dority looked really good.  He looked really confident and stood out amongst everyone.  I think he is the key to a successful season this year.

Jordan Coleman looked really good also.  His shot looked smoother and hardly missed.

The freshman are good and Alec Peters is the best of them.  He has a nice shot.  He's one of those players you see and you can tell he will be really good.  Not the quickest but at 6'8 he will kill teams with his outside shot.

Lexus Williams really surprised me.  Speed and passing is his game with a way better shot than Buggs.  I didn't think he could dunk until he threw down a 2 hander with ease on a fast break drill.  He will be a fan favorite.

Jubril appears to be a versatile player who is just plain tough.  He doesn't look like a freshman and will not be pushed around.  He goes very strong to the basket.

Yeo looks too thin and Davidson is not Matt Kenney.  Nickerson doesn't look like a typical Horizon league player.  He's good and you can see why he was a top 100 player.  Can't wait to see him in action next year.

Moussa is REALLY big.  However he looks slow.  I would say half as fast as Vashil.  I can see why he racked up fouls and 3pts a game at Alabama.  Don't expect him to be an offensive threat.

If Vashil doesn't get quality minutes I'd be shocked.

Keith Carter will be fun to watch the next 3 1/2 years.  He will need some PT under his belt but what a steal for Valpo.

It will be interesting to see what Chadwick's role on the team will be.

Thanks!  This is good info, especially from a fan's perspective.

[justducky]

I don't picture Capo ever playing the 3.  He doesn't have the speed, or the ball handling skills, or the ability to beat anyone off the dribble, or the ability to get out on the break, or the speed to stay with a smaller, quicker opponent one-on-one.

Total agreement! I would also be surprised to see Peters playing big minutes at the 3 and Yeo playing many (if any) minutes as a 2. These two guys are talented but raw freshman who we hope will become contributers at these positions but some patience may be required.

Yeo looks too thin and Davidson is not Matt Kenney.

It feels good to know that these are our best 2 northwest or northern Indiana recruits in over a decade and yet they seem to be overshadowed by all of the other new faces. There should be some real battles for playing time, and this should largely sort itself out by February for that late season run!

[valpopal]

I attended the open practice, I thought the new players looked pretty good. You obviously cannot tell much from a practice, especially one consisting only of drills and no game conditions; however, there were some bright spots easily noticeable. Carter appears very smooth, and it seems as if he could be as good as advertised. Peters and Yeo have nice shots. Peters looks like his outside shot eventually could be as good as Rowdy's, and he could compete at the 3 position or the 4 position. He has the ability to finish at the basket, as seen in his dunk below. Yeo may be the more versatile slasher and scorer, though he could gain some muscular pounds (see group photo of the new wave of players below). Lexus reminds me of Buggs, quick though without the experience yet or the strength Erik showed as a senior, but with some stronger shooting and perhaps more potential.

Adekoya looks strong and might be a scrappy rebounder, but that wasn't on display because of the lack of a game situation. I think Chadwick and Davidson will be scrambling for minutes early in the season and will have to prove themselves in games, but both show potential. Moussa is a moose, as we all knew. If you have any doubt, look at how large he seems even next to Coach Gore in the picture below. He will be a presence under the basket, and he seemed to be a dunking machine. He will need to be quicker up and down the court and stay out of foul trouble when he gets his blocks. E.Victor will not play this year, but he looked very good, and I can imagine him being a big addition next year, especially after practicing this season with the new wave of freshmen and Carter.

Of the veterans, Vashil has more confidence and might be less tentative this year. I hope we see he has made big strides. Coleman's shot looked silky, and he also appears to have more confidence. Dority could be more of a force this year. He stayed in Valpo all summer and worked on his game, and it showed in the practice drills. Bobby has lost twenty pounds, but he is still very strong, and he could be quicker this year. For some reason, he didn't participate in the drills, although he did take some outside shots during the practice.

The coaches worked the team very hard in the practice drills, and Bryce stopped players in the middle of the action many times to make corrections. The addition of coach Lottich seems to be a good decision, as he was quite active with players during the practice. With Drew, Gore, Powell, Phipps, Lottich, and Ben Boggs, the players have a fine corps of coaches from which to learn. It is going to be an adventure this year with so many new faces, but with patience this group could develop over the season into a formidable team by the close of conference play and tournament time.

To view a set of 22 photos from the evening, including pictures of fans meeting with the players, I invite everyone to go to the following: http://www.flickr.com/photos/96208998@N05/sets/72157636432650214/ 

[truth219]

Hit the defrost on the microwave boys the Deep Freeze is over. I was at the event last evening.  Even though I was covered in asphalt and diesel. Doriity looked sharp last night and I think he has improved. Clay is a fast player and can jump really high.  Moussa did look slow and big but you have to consider he is an old school center.  However he is going to be very intimidating to most players he matches up.  The freshman in the newcomers all look full of potential

[valpopal]

The women participated in the open practice as well, and Coach Dorow spoke about Jessica Carr's injury as most likely meaning she will redshirt but have two more years of eligibility. As you can see from one of the photos below, Jessica's arm is still very heavily bandaged. Jessica also then did a fine job as she introduced each of her teammates to the crowd.

[wh]

Moussa is REALLY big.  However he looks slow.  I would say half as fast as Vashil.  I can see why he racked up fouls and 3pts a game at Alabama.  Don't expect him to be an offensive threat.

This comment surprises me ... most of the comments from knowledgeable posters (vu72, wh, kyle, to name a few) seem to indicate that Moussa will dominate the Horizon.  I'd be interested to hear thoughts from others who have seen him play.

I wasn't in attendance, but I did see a few minutes of their mid-day practice today.  I have to agree that Moussa looks pretty slow right now.  More than anything, he doesn't appear to be game shape yet. Presumably, that will change over the next couple of weeks and then we should get a better feel for what kind of impact he's going to make.

Moussa is listed at 270 lbs.  Last year's roster had him at 255.  Looks like he has a few pounds to shed.  Further, he was scoreless in 17 games last year and scored 2 points in several others.  I think we're going to need more than that if we expect to be really successful.  We don't want another Buggs situation where his man plays way off of him unless he's directly under the hoop. 

[valpopal]

Moussa is listed at 270 lbs.  Last year's roster had him at 255.  Looks like he has a few pounds to shed.  Further, he was scoreless in 17 games last year and scored 2 points in several others.  I think we're going to need more than that if we expect to be really successful.  We don't want another Buggs situation where his man plays way off of him unless he's directly under the hoop.

I will be surprised if we see a game plan with Moose anywhere but directly under the hoop, and I believe he will have a bit more success with scoring in the Horizon League.

[classof2014]

Moussa is listed at 270 lbs.  Last year's roster had him at 255.  Looks like he has a few pounds to shed.  Further, he was scoreless in 17 games last year and scored 2 points in several others.  I think we're going to need more than that if we expect to be really successful.  We don't want another Buggs situation where his man plays way off of him unless he's directly under the hoop.

I will be surprised if we see a game plan with Moose anywhere but directly under the hoop, and I believe he will have a bit more success with scoring in the Horizon League.

He wasn't brought in to be a shooter. Without a doubt he was brought in for his defensive abilities and losing KVW we needed somebody who can play under the basket and Moussa will definitely disrupt the inside and alter many shots. He might not be the biggest scoring threat but he will block many shots and in a 7 point game if Moussa blocked 4 shots, that's 8 points he took away, which would be the difference in a 7 point game. Coupled with scoring 8 or so points, that's pretty much the same as having a 16 point night. Which is a pretty decent night for anybody. Let us not forget I'm sure he'll be a force on the glass both offensive and defensively, so that's giving us 2nd chance opportunities and taking away those opportunities from the opponent. Moussa will have a huge impact on this team, he might not lead the team in scoring but his presence will be the reason we win a couple of games.

Moussa WILL lead the HL in blocked shots this season, GUARANTEED.

[LaPorteAveApostle]

if Moussa blocked 4 shots, that's 8 points he took away

eh...you're assuming all those shots would have gone in otherwise.  it's better to estimate that a block is about a point, given the nature of shooting percentages, etc.  even a blocked dunk is not a fer-shure 2 points saved (although usually would be).

defensive and offensive rebounds are just as important, if not more so, than blocks; for, if a block goes out of bounds, it simply goes back to the other team, whereas a rebound switches possession.  A block just alters a possession.

All that said, Gueye should do well there too, as you agree. 

I believe someone (not to go all Mo Kone on the preseason prediction, as someone has already warned) pointed out that with a good season he could end up on the Crusader CAREER top 10...

EDIT:  yeah, it was me after all

His 52 blocks last year would put Gueye right at #6 for Valpo. [single season top 10]

At Alabama, he averaged a block every 10.3 minutes.  Playing 20.6 minutes for Valpo and playing every game would give him 68 blocks, which would be...let's see -- oh look! -- the top season ever at Valpo.  4-5 more would put him in the top 10 ever. [career]  In one season.

http://www.valpofanzone.com/forum/index.php?topic=472.msg33445#msg33445

[agibson]

defensive and offensive rebounds are just as important, if not more so, than blocks; for, if a block goes out of bounds, it simply goes back to the other team, whereas a rebound switches possession.  A block just alters a possession.

I agree with your general direction, for sure.  A block's not two points.

But, it's possibly better than a defensive rebound?  Just because Gueye gets a defensive board hardly means the other team was going to get it if he didn't.

[Side note: I'm going to be curious to see how the announcers handle his name.  Someone, above, tried a phonetic transcription, but I didn't quite follow.  In video, what Moussa's said sounded pretty close, transcribed to simple English phonetics, to "Gay".  With maybe a hint of a second syllable.  Some other people, in other places, speaking of other individuals with the same surname have pronounced it with a more distinct second syllable.  Sort of "GAY-eh".  But not _too_ distinct.]

[LaPorteAveApostle]

But, it's possibly better than a defensive rebound?  Just because Gueye gets a defensive board hardly means the other team was going to get it if he didn't.

Well, just because Gueye gets a block doesn't mean that it doesn't go right into the arms of another guy who gets the layup, either.  I think a DREB is better because it's a change of possession, for sure (by definition!).  A block means there MIGHT be a change, and further, makes it less likely that Gueye (or any shot-blocker) gets the DREB himself.

[And after hearing what people do to Anibal Sanchez' first name, there's no hope for Moussa.]

[Chairback]

Interesting to go back and see our preseason thoughts on the team.  Some we were dead on about and others no.

[LaPorteAveApostle]

Well if your team is up and down, your predictions should probably be up and down too.