Recruiting: 2016

[vufan75]

From verbal commits twitter site, Valpo 2016 recruit 6-6 Nick Robinson got recent offers from SIU and DePaul.
Would look good as a Crusader. Hope we can land him.

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[vu72]

Micah Bradford named second team all state by IBCA:

http://www.ibcaillinois.org/news_article/show/626941?referrer_id=1320164

[nkvu]

Congrats to Micah, but I hope we have a big or two on our radar for next year. Micah will give us what, three point guards maybe four if Carter gets another year?  Maybe a big transfer, juco, or foreign player nobody's heard of yet? 

Anybody hear anything?

[covufan]

Congrats to Micah, but I hope we have a big or two on our radar for next year. Micah will give us what, three point guards maybe four if Carter gets another year?  Maybe a big transfer, juco, or foreign player nobody's heard of yet? 

Anybody hear anything?

The silence in 2016 recruiting is as deafening as the ARC in an NIT game!

My guess is that the staff has many things going, recruiting-wise, but are not able to divulge at this time.  This program is getting some very good press, and thusly, some good recruits are at least considering Valpo.

[valpo64]

B Hazen has a younger brother who is on the "junior" IN All-Star team.  This past season the younger often out scored his older brother.  I believe both brothers are about the same size.

[vufan75]

From verbal commits twitter site, Valpo 2016 recruit 6-6 Nick Robinson got recent offers from SIU and DePaul.
Would look good as a Crusader. Hope we can land him.

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Recruit Nick Robinson from Chicago Kenwood Academy update via various scouting services on twitter. He has 2 official visits set. St Joes and Cal. Cal offered him very recently.


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[valpotx]

I noticed that Daniel Relvao did not get any game action at George Mason this year, so he might have redshirted.  Vashil's decision to come back this season really paid off, especially since Smits got hurt!

[crusader05]

http://www.freep.com/story/sports/college/university-michigan/wolverines/2016/03/29/michigan-basketball-spike-albrecht-transfer/82370912/

Not sure if it's worth it just for one year when we would also be losing Alex, Jubril and Shane(?) but he's a local kid, could get Valpo in the news.

[oklahomamick]

Spike Albrecht would be eligible to play next year.  If we have a scholarship available but I don't know if we need a point guard.  Spike is a good player but we have two capable point guards for next year.  Maybe 3 if we can get Carter back.   

[covufan]

Here is the list, as of now, from verbalcommits:

http://www.verbalcommits.com/transfers/2016

Andre Washington, Terry Brutus, and Darion Clark look interesting at first glance.

[HC]

I saw Sam Cassell Jr on the list too...I was hoping maybe Sr and Bryce would've crossed paths in the NBA but Sr was on the Rockets a few years before Drew was.

[SanityLost17]

Spike Albrecht would be eligible to play next year.  If we have a scholarship available but I don't know if we need a point guard.  Spike is a good player but we have two capable point guards for next year.  Maybe 3 if we can get Carter back.   

When Albrecht is healthy, he is better at point guard then all of guys that back up Carter.  Chances are Carter is not going to get another year, but even if he does, we ABSOLUTELY take Albrecht if we can get him.  Hammink is better served at a position other than the 1, Lexus is capable of being a 2, even if he is a little under sized, and Max is a perfect backup point guard if Carter does not get another year.   

[wh]

Lest we forget, we have a very talented 1 that will looking for playing time from the minute he arrives:

Micah Bradford, Bradley-Bourbonnais senior guard: A Valparaiso commit, the 6-foot-0 guard averaged 19.2 points, 5.2 rebounds, 3.9 assists and 3 steals per game. Bradley-Bourbonnais' all-time leading scorer, Bradford was a two-time SouthWest Suburban All-Conference selection.

[oklahomamick]

Personally, I think we should be in the market for bigs.  A post man and a shot blocker. 

[Valpower]

Personally, I think we should be in the market for bigs.  A post man and a shot blocker. 

I agree.  I can't even begin to overstate the impact Vashil had on the greatness and character of this team.  As great as Alec is, Vashil defined this team and his absence will create a void.  By all accounts, Smits will provide a more balanced presence in the post. If his defense isn't immediately (or ever) a match for Vashil's at least his offense will create new opportunities.  But, that said, one of the other great Vashil qualities is that he was durable and Smit's freshman injury makes me think a backup big in the mold of Vashil wouldn't be a bad idea.

[a3uge]

Spike Albrecht would be eligible to play next year.  If we have a scholarship available but I don't know if we need a point guard.  Spike is a good player but we have two capable point guards for next year.  Maybe 3 if we can get Carter back.   

I think it was pretty obvious that after watching the past two seasons, we didn't have a backup point guard. The Wright State game was a disaster after Carter got injured. When he fouled out in Detroit, Valpo couldn't get anything going offensively. With a 98% chance that he's is gone, there will be a big void in the lineup. Relying on a freshman to run a rather experienced team may be painful.

If they get a chance to add a veteran point guard, you absolutely jump at that chance.

[valpotx]

Personally, I think we should be in the market for bigs.  A post man and a shot blocker. 

I agree.  I can't even begin to overstate the impact Vashil had on the greatness and character of this team.  As great as Alec is, Vashil defined this team and his absence will create a void.  By all accounts, Smits will provide a more balanced presence in the post. If his defense isn't immediately (or ever) a match for Vashil's at least his offense will create new opportunities.  But, that said, one of the other great Vashil qualities is that he was durable and Smit's freshman injury makes me think a backup big in the mold of Vashil wouldn't be a bad idea.

Maybe Relvao will somehow resurface, after most likely redshirting this year at George Mason

[valpo84]

The Center is a more intriguing option -- http://www.freep.com/story/sports/college/university-michigan/wolverines/2016/03/29/ricky-doyle-michigan-basketball-transfer/82385864/

[atkins]

Spike would play much better than any point guard on this team, excepting Carter.  Just watch Shane or E Vic take the ball down the floor.  Yikes! 

Spike also is B1G seasoned. Shane is really our only true power conference transfer. No offense to LSU, but it is not in the same hemisphere as Michigan basketball. 

I know little about Doyle but watched him play one game on tv.  He seems like he would be a terrific pickup, but I think he is destined to a higher-level basketball program than Valpo. 

[oklahomamick]

I know little about Doyle but watched him play one game on tv.  He seems like he would be a terrific pickup, but I think he is destined to a higher-level basketball program than Valpo.

Maybe he wants to be close to home.  I don't know the graduate transfer rules but understand he will be able to play immediately.  But is that the case if it's a in-conference transfer such as Purdue?

[SanityLost17]

I start to question basketball IQ when I see people posting that Albrecht would be a poor choice.  Again, if healthy, he will be better than any freshman we have incoming and better than any player currently on our bench.  The guy scored 17 in the NCAA Championship Game and had amazing assist to turnover numbers as a junior.

Come on people.  We have Smits for next year to replace Vashil and we have to make noise next year.  We are not getting a Vashil like shot blocker for next year (best we can hope for is a project for the future).  We are going to have to be more efficient on offense to make up for a lack of a rim protector.  AKA, we need point guards to get people the ball.   

Hammink was GREAT tonight when he wasn't running the point and he and Carter were in the game at the same time.  He is not the answer at the point and both Lexus and Max have deficits and our incoming freshman will be a, well, freshman.   

[oklahomamick]

I would love to have the transfer from Michigan.  He probably would one of the better players to have suit up for Valpo.  My point is there is a greater need at other positions. 

[SanityLost17]

I would love to have the transfer from Michigan.  He probably would one of the better players to have suit up for Valpo.  My point is there is a greater need at other positions.

I hope it does not come to pass, but if we pass on Albrecht and Carter is denied another year, I will remember the "we don't need another point guard" mentality. haha

[hailcrusaders]

I know little about Doyle but watched him play one game on tv.  He seems like he would be a terrific pickup, but I think he is destined to a higher-level basketball program than Valpo.

Maybe he wants to be close to home.  I don't know the graduate transfer rules but understand he will be able to play immediately.  But is that the case if it's a in-conference transfer such as Purdue?

I thought I saw somewhere that Michigan denied him an in-conference transfer. Which would rule out Purdue. But I still think Albrecht's eyes are on larger programs (Notre Dame? Marquette? Somewhere further?). The only things we have going for us are 1) close to home and 2) HL title contender. But it is the HL. Albrecht is on a whole different level from our recent high-major transfers (Hammink, Capo, Bogan, etc.)

[ValpoDad89]

Albrecht is an upgrade period. You take s player of that caliber and figure out how to utilize him best along with your other guys. As an aside, if I'm Nick Robinson and I've watched Valpo's run, got to say it would intrigue me ... A lot.