MBB 2017-18

[bbtds]

A little trash talk from a Valpo Student 
https://twitter.com/happeninghoops/status/919405665889767424

Even better from a fan in the current HL.

Well Greg it's good to see your program is peaking in October because we all know what happens to the Griz come March. #earlyroundexits

[VU2014]

Past & Present #5s
https://twitter.com/chrisartis5/status/919384752699912192
https://twitter.com/CoachSparks5/status/919385580584218624

[JBC1824]

Hello everyone, new to the forum. Not sure if this has been discussed yet, but I'd be interested to know what people think regarding what the depth chart might look like this season. Here's my breakdown:

PG Bakari, Joseph, Bradford
SG Walker, Golder
SF Burton, Kiser
PF Hazen, Linssen, McMillan 
C Sorolla, Smits

[FieldGoodie05]

Hello everyone, new to the forum. Not sure if this has been discussed yet, but I'd be interested to know what people think regarding what the depth chart might look like this season. Here's my breakdown:

PG Bakari, Joseph, Bradford
SG Walker, Golder
SF Burton, Kiser
PF Hazen, Linssen, McMillan 
C Sorolla, Smits

Wow, all these conversations about our newly eligible transfers and I completely forgot how young we are at PF.  Hazen hasn't been talked about since signing, but he really is our top PF available.

Or do we think Burton plays 50% SF and 50% PF?  Still means big minutes for the freshmen trio. 🍼👶🏻

[VU2014]

Hello everyone, new to the forum. Not sure if this has been discussed yet, but I'd be interested to know what people think regarding what the depth chart might look like this season. Here's my breakdown:

PG Bakari, Joseph, Bradford
SG Walker, Golder
SF Burton, Kiser
PF Hazen, Linssen, McMillan 
C Sorolla, Smits

Welcome to the forum!

Starting Lineup: (just my guess)

PG: Bakari (may not be a lock. I've heard good things about Max this Fall and Micah looks a lot stronger)
SG: Walker (a Lock)
SF: Burton (a Lock)
PF: I have no clue. We are really young at PF. I'm guessing whoever will be least of a liability in terms of defense and rebounding will get the nod.
C: Sorolla (maybe Smits because Sorolla still has to sit out a game for getting caught underage drinking least year. My guess is he'll sit out the exhibition game)

Wow, all these conversations about our newly eligible transfers and I completely forgot how young we are at PF.  Hazen hasn't been talked about since signing, but he really is our top PF available.

Or do we think Burton plays 50% SF and 50% PF?  Still means big minutes for the freshmen trio. 🍼👶🏻

I don't think Burton will play any PF this year. I think mainly SF and maybe with some lineup he could play the SG or just go with 2 Forwards when Tevonn is on the bench for a rest. It sounds like Burton is plenty athletic enough to cover a guard.

Definitely agree that Hazen hasn't been talked about enough. He looks like he's added some muscle this summer. https://www.instagram.com/p/BaPNB6igVEfKeotmXC983hxwGTPAlB-gjX3AAQ0/ He is listed as a SF on verbal commits, but I think most sites I've seen list him as a PF. His senior year of high school he was forced to play out of position at Center. I saw a couple of his games that were posted on youtube and his team looked absolutely brutal. Parker was the only player with college potential on that team so he was swarmed every time he touched the ball. Parker seemed plenty quick/athletic enough to play SF, imo. The jump-shot needed work. I'm not sure how his shot has progressed since then.

Whoever is the most "ready" will get the PF starting spot I'm guessing, but I'm sure the coaches will be mixing and matching a lot with different lineups. My gut says it will be Linssen.

[VULB#62]

RE:  Linssen.

I think he gets a lot of minutes as a pure rebounder/enforcer. From what we've read, he is a rip-your-arms-off rebounder and this team needs some brutality down low.

[VU2014]

RE:  Linssen.

I think he gets a lot of minutes as a pure rebounder/enforcer. From what we've read, he is a rip-your-arms-off rebounder and this team needs some brutality down low.

I think he'd possibly be a nice pairing at PF with Smits. Smits is a bit more of a finesse player. Linssen has a nice mid-range jump shot for a big guy from what I've heard.

[VULB#62]

What have we heard about Derrik's performance this summer. Has the international experience (from what I understand is more physical down low) helped to make him more of a sizeable presence?

At 7-2 he has GOT to be a rim protector.

If I was Matt, I would have Derrik work 90% on toughness, shot blocking, timing, positioning, and intimidating smaller post players. But then, who am I to tell a real honest to goodness coach how to coach

[justducky]

PG Bakari, Joseph, Bradford
SG Walker, Golder
SF Burton, Kiser
PF Hazen, Linssen, McMillan 
C Sorolla, Smits

I have confidence in our point guards. Same with our shooting guards. Shooting forwards and centers should also be reliable. That leaves the trio of Hazen, Linssen and McMillan who are all freshman to man the PF position? Adequately? I don't think so, at least until much later in the season.

So do we try to pick the best of the 3 and fast track him with Fazekas waiting in the 18-19 season wings? Maybe not! Maybe all will need to be brought along gradually? Maybe Burton plays more at the 4 than would be ideal? Maybe Sorolla and Smits spend some significant minutes on the floor together?

The PF position is so important and here we stand with a complete question mark. There is a reason we are expected to be a mid tier MVC team this year and most of it has to do with our total inexperience and unproven shooting at this position.

So what will our February player rotations look like? I don't even have a clue but I am expecting the unexpected. Finding all the best answers is just likely to take a while. Be patient.

[wh]

Hello everyone, new to the forum. Not sure if this has been discussed yet, but I'd be interested to know what people think regarding what the depth chart might look like this season. Here's my breakdown:

PG Bakari, Joseph, Bradford
SG Walker, Golder
SF Burton, Kiser
PF Hazen, Linssen, McMillan 
C Sorolla, Smits

Good list. I would note that Golder is described as a "swingman" in the Athletic Department's signing announcement, meaning he is capable of playing either shooting guard or small forward. Kiser is a swingman, as well. Both can be used interchangeably to back up Tevonn and Burton. Similarly, Max is not a pure point guard, but rather a combination guard. All 3 give the team a lot of options and potential combinations.

[oklahomamick]

I understand Bradford was point last year and brought the ball up.  However, what if he is the shooting guard?  They say he is a very good shooter.  Can he relieve Walker?  I thought Bradford was gifted minutes and a starting position. 

[valpo4life]

I wouldn't get caught up in player's positioning. Numbering a player 1 through 5 really only matters when learning/drawing up set plays on offense. And defensively things will change every single game. The focus should be on the fact that we have multiple guys who can guard multiple positions, and that is extremely valuable. We have options. The thing I'm looking forward to the most this season doesn't even have to do with a single player, but what Lottich does with them. I can't wait to see the different combinations he throws out there and how aggressive we are defensively. I think this may be a Valpo team unlike any other we have seen.

[vu72]

I wouldn't get caught up in player's positioning. Numbering a player 1 through 5 really only matters when learning/drawing up set plays on offense. And defensively things will change every single game. The focus should be on the fact that we have multiple guys who can guard multiple positions, and that is extremely valuable. We have options. The thing I'm looking forward to the most this season doesn't even have to do with a single player, but what Lottich does with them. I can't wait to see the different combinations he throws out there and how aggressive we are defensively. I think this may be a Valpo team unlike any other we have seen.

[/b]

Totally agree.  We not only are one of the tallest Valpo teams ever, we are probably the most athletic ever.  As for size, think back to 2010-2011 when we had one guy at 7'1" (Vucic) who was awful and ultimately transferred. Other than a non-playing Vucic, we had three guys 6'7 and 6'8".  This year 6 guys 6'7" or taller with two 7' guys playing regularly.

I can see a lot of intense pressure on D.  How the pieces all fit together will be very interesting,no doubt.

[VULB#62]

Here's another small marketing and promotion tactic I'd like to see.  A Count-down Clock on the Valpo Atletics website banner and maybe the MBB Twitter/FB sites.

Our first regular season game tips off on November 10th at 7PM at the ARC vs. North Park.  We are  something like ___25___ Days __N__ Hours ___N___ Minutes away from tipoff. Wouldn't it be nice to see that in a count down clock?  Also, later, once the season is underway (say, December 1?), I could also see another countdown clock appearing for our very first MVC game @ Indiana State on December 28th.

It's just another way to build enthusiasm.

Even if Valpo doesn't do it, might that be possible on the banner of this board?  That would be cool IMO.

[covufan]

I don't necessarily see the lineups as strictly PG, SG, SF, PF and C.  I think Valpo has been team of 3G and 2F for many years -decades even.  I see players getting playing time at the G/SF position as Joseph, Walker, Burton, Evelyn, Bradford, Golder, Kiser and Hazen.  I see players splitting time at the F position as Burton, Smits, Sorolla, Kiser, Hazen, McMillan, and Linssen.  I do see Burton getting minutes with only one of Smits/Sorolla/McMillan/Linssen, possibly putting Burton into a PF position - depending on the current matchup of the team they are playing.  It is all about finding the right mix of players against the other teams players.

[FieldGoodie05]

I don't necessarily see the lineups as strictly PG, SG, SF, PF and C.  I think Valpo has been team of 3G and 2F for many years -decades even.  I see players getting playing time at the G/SF position as Joseph, Walker, Burton, Evelyn, Bradford, Golder, Kiser and Hazen.  I see players splitting time at the F position as Burton, Smits, Sorolla, Kiser, Hazen, McMillan, and Linssen.  I do see Burton getting minutes with only one of Smits/Sorolla/McMillan/Linssen, possibly putting Burton into a PF position - depending on the current matchup of the team they are playing.  It is all about finding the right mix of players against the other teams players.

Well said, but I'd argue that (currently) using the PG, SG, SF, PF, C dynamic remains important for setting the minutes roster.

Basketball has become a game of matchups for years now.  You still have to defend size/speed ranges equivalent to the standard system.

I might go further and say MINUTES HOGS more than starters.  Jaume probably started a disproportionately small number of games but very likely out gained in minutes over Smits.

I'd rather not get cute with "basketball isn't PG SG SF PF C anymore".  We all know this, but if you have a better equivalent than Starter or Minutes, I'd entertain that.

[justducky]

We not only are one of the tallest Valpo teams ever, we are probably the most athletic ever.  As for size, think back to 2010-2011 when we had one guy at 7'1" (Vucic) who was awful and ultimately transferred. Other than a non-playing Vucic, we had three guys 6'7 and 6'8".  This year 6 guys 6'7" or taller with two 7' guys playing regularly.

Vucic was a longshot gamble that failed to pay off. We took that gamble because 7 footers are rarer than hens teeth. Well we now have 2 of them with a season under their belts who could both start breaking out big time to the upside. How exciting is that? 

[VU2014]

https://twitter.com/ValleyHoops/status/920334215534862336

[VU2014]

For those thinking about attending the Purdue game this December. I'm definitely not going to miss that game or the Northwestern game.
https://twitter.com/ValparaiZone/status/920688073930878977
https://twitter.com/ValparaiZone/status/920688211722153985
https://twitter.com/ValparaiZone/status/920690164598562822

[crusadermoe]

 Good move!  Congrats to all who organized it.

I think we have the athletes to stay in the game. 

[VU2014]

2017-2018 Team Photo
https://twitter.com/ValpoBasketball/status/920777886335950848

[wh]

Who is #30?  I don't see him on the roster.

[VU2014]

That's Patrick Robinson (formerly of Detroit-Mercy). Still unclear if he has any eligibility left, but he's been practicing with team. I'm not sure if he transferred or just enrolled in classes to start his masters.

https://twitter.com/nwioren/status/920779160297136129

[vu72]

The walk-on, uneligible, can't remember his name.

[SanityLost17]

Burton is listed as being 4 inches taller then Bakari.   Sitting next to each other they look pretty much the same.   Burton must be all leg and no torso.