Smits Commits to Valpo!

[bbtds]

2:20 p.m. CT/3:20 p.m. ET

http://cms.zcs.k12.in.us/zhs/index.php?q=node/12

My guess is around 4:00 p.m. ET

[historyman]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yPYZpwSpKmA

[LaPorteAveApostle]

I was thinking, "why didn't history man take the S out of https so it could embed?"

and then i clicked

and kind of got a lil mad at you instead

[historyman]

[valpotx]

He can Rickroll us any time, as long as Rik's kid signs

[historyman]

In case any of the players pull a Clay Yeo>>>>>>>>>>>>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pIgZ7gMze7A

[vu72]

should we be getting nervous??   

[zvillehaze]

should we be getting nervous??   

Nope.

[wh]

Valpo Basketball ‏@ValpoBasketball  3h3 hours ago
Happy to officially welcome Derrik Smits to the Crusader basketball family! #GoValpo #HLMBB
0 replies 14 retweets 13 favorites

[bbtds]

GO ZIONSVILLE EAGLES!   BEAT CARMEL!!!!!

[wh]

Derrik Smits
‏@SmitsDerrik

Just got my acceptance letter in the mail for Valpo! #crusaders #finally

5:47 PM - 21 Nov 2014

[valporun]

Wait...so Smits signed his NLI a few weeks ago, but he hadn't officially been admitted yet? Isn't that putting the cart before the horse?

[bbtds]

Wait...so Smits signed his NLI a few weeks ago, but he hadn't officially been admitted yet? Isn't that putting the cart before the horse?

   

Sometimes you have the horses necessary already

[zvillehaze]

Here are some photos from Zionsville's scrimmage with Lawrence North, including several of Derrik.

http://www.tommarronphotography.com/Sports/Zionsville-Sports/ZCHS-Boys-Varsity-Bball-vs-Westf/

[wh]

Here are some photos from Zionsville's scrimmage with Lawrence North, including several of Derrik.

http://www.tommarronphotography.com/Sports/Zionsville-Sports/ZCHS-Boys-Varsity-Bball-vs-Westf/

Good pictures.  I wonder what life is like at that altitude? 

Zville - Not trying to put you on the spot, but as a former D-1 player and someone who has presumably seen Derrik play, what are your thoughts about his potential for a high level of success at Valpo?

[zvillehaze]

Here are some photos from Zionsville's scrimmage with Lawrence North, including several of Derrik.

http://www.tommarronphotography.com/Sports/Zionsville-Sports/ZCHS-Boys-Varsity-Bball-vs-Westf/

Good pictures.  I wonder what life is like at that altitude? 

Zville - Not trying to put you on the spot, but as a former D-1 player and someone who has presumably seen Derrik play, what are your thoughts about his potential for a high level of success at Valpo?

No problem, wh.  I haven't seen him that much, but I know his HS and AAU coach very well and trust the comments they've made about him.  Now that all my kids are done with HS/college athletics, I'll try to take in a few more games this year and report back.

My son was in town a few weeks ago to watch a practice and had nice things to say.  The impression I come away with is that Derrik can be as good as he wants to be.  Like most kids his age, he needs to grow into his body and get stronger.  He also needs to show consistent effort/focus/competitiveness.  But his ceiling is extremely high, IMO.

[vu72]

Derrik tweeted that their upcoming game is going to be on TV.  He wondered what channel.  Somebody find it and give us a report--Please!!   

[bbtds]

Derrik tweeted that their upcoming game is going to be on TV.  He wondered what channel.  Somebody find it and give us a report--Please!!   

I don't see the game on channel 40's WHMB listings. WHMB is covering the football state championships on Friday and Saturday. The only other broadcast group I could think of is if the local Carmel cable system might show the game live. Or maybe a cable sports station such as Fox Sports One, Comcast Sports Network or other sports station.

[bbtds]

 moved this comment from Ball State game thread.

PS: As a bonus, I noticed that Derrik Smits had a great game tonight with 27 points as his team beat a tough Marion squad, 67-65.

Unfortunately I'm sure Coach Busick would tell you all is not well with the Eagles. On Friday night they lost to an athletic and part of a resurgence in IPS basketball, Indy Shortridge (2A-they were a middle school up till about 5 years ago when they became a HS again) team, 49-47. Crispus Attucks is #4 in 2A also. The Big O must be watching that development with such glee. I heard that the Blue Devils of Shortridge were able to control most of the game with athleticism that Zionsville doesn't have. Derrik is doing his best.

Marion lost their third in a row to Zionsville and are currently 2-3. I'm afraid there is a letdown in HS basketball in the Muncie-Marion-Kokomo(James Dean) section of the state as the only highly rated team is Northeastern (Howard Co) as #2 in 2A.  Although losing to Lawrence North by 11, WL Harrison by 6 and Zionsville by 2 isn't all that bad.

http://www.chronicle-tribune.com/sports/giants-rally-falls-short-against-eagles/article_ff75fa36-8345-11e4-af7a-e3a534cf85e6.html
(got to have subscription for the rest of the story)

Here are the state rankings before this weekend's games.

http://usatodayhss.com/2014/this-weeks-associated-press-boys-basketball-rankings

[bbtds]

This upcoming Bob Wettig Tournament at Richmond HS and Earlham College looks to be interesting.

http://indianahsbasketball.homestead.com/files/tny61.htm

Both Valpo High and Portage are participating along with Zionsville, Bedford-NL, FW Dwenger and Hamilton Heights. And, of course, Richmond. With a lot of luck maybe the Z-Eagles and the Valpo Vikes get to the championship game.

Oooops! Missed the Columbus North Bulldogs, currently #5 in 4A. Always detest teams with Bulldog nickname.

side note--games 23 & 24 are winners bracket games not losers bracket

[bbtds]

Derrik Smits and his Zionsville Eagles head up to Anderson to take on the Indians.

Tonight's game in Anderson against Muncie Central got pretty heated as a fight broke out.

Anderson was 0-5 going into the contest with the Muncie Central Bearcats.

http://www.theindychannel.com/news/local-news/fight-breaks-out-at-anderson-vs-muncie-high-school-basketball-game

http://fox59.com/2014/12/19/ten-juveniles-arrested-after-fight-breaks-out-at-anderson-basketball-game/

Both Anderson and Muncie police were able to quickly restore order in the stands after the fight broke out, with no one suffering injury.   I wonder if Erik Estrada had still been serving with the Muncie Police if he would have risked bodily injury to stop this fight.

http://www.heraldbulletin.com/news/local_news/fight-halts-anderson-muncie-central-game/article_f5222fec-87ef-11e4-a827-93628ec1a9fb.html

Anderson ended up winning their first game of the season 58-51 after a 30 minute delay to restore order.

[valpopal]

Derrik Smits scored 33 points tonight as Zionsville beat Anderson 74-60! Can't wait to see him teamed with Alec Peters! 

[bbtds]

Just back from an exciting night in Ft Wayne. Great to see Alec and company power us to a win in close contest with IPFW shooting lights out in the 1st half.

http://www.heraldbulletin.com/sports/smits-happens--footer-leads-zionsville-past-tribe/article_64ac598a-88c4-11e4-b381-0f38be5abb2c.html

"Anytime a big man (Smits) has good footwork like he does, he's going to be a problem for you in high school basketball," Indians coach Joe Nadaline said. "He's very smart, he has a good feet, he has good court awareness and he has a nice jumpshot. We tried to make him take that jumper, and he hit the ones he took."

Smits was 14-of-18 from the floor, leading an Eagles team that shot 70 percent (14-of-20) in the second half and 66.7 percent (28-of-42) overall. Smits also had a game-high eight rebounds — Zionsville (4-2) won the battle of the boards 30-19 — and three blocked shots.

The Indians pulled within 62-48 with less than three minutes to play before Smits put an end to the bleeding with six points to fuel an 8-0 Zionsville run.

[classof2014]

I would imagine some high major programs are kicking themselves now for not going after Smits earlier!

[bbtds]

Zionsville takes on the 3A Bishop Chatard Trojans at the Eagles Nest at ZCHS on Monday at 7:30 p.m. EST.

Chatard is 1-2 having lost to Scecina Memorial and Heritage Christian.

It should be a good test for the soaring Eagles. 



P.S. Indiana Speaker of the House and a former Lutheran, Brian Bosma, sends his kids go to Heritage Christian.