GAME - Exhibition Valpo v. UIndy 11/1 7:00

[tiny707]

Micah is #3 point guard this year. Horizon League recruit...

[crusader05]

Yeah I don't know if Micah would have deserved to start but more just pointing out that, like last year, with two people injured and Smits and Golder not being options Javon starting may be more due to logistics/numbers than a particular coaching choice/strategy.

[VULB#62]

Javon is no Parker. I trust Coach is putting the best five out there regardless if they are a freshman, sophmore, junior, senior or grad transfer. Does anyone remember the Fab Five? Do you think Duke or Kentucky benches kids just because they are freshman?   Have to start them cuz they were recruited as one-and-doners 

It sends the right message to top recruits that they will get playing time at Valpo right away if they prove themselves versus riding the bench at a P5 school and then having to transfer.   My point precisely. Let's see Javonn prove himself in a game situation first.  Ease him in. And no, John should not start, even in this exhibition, over a  talent like Javonn appears to be,  But there is no reason why, in this exhibition, that Marcus shouldn't start at the 3 (Assuming that Deion is at the 1, Bakari at the 2 and Ryan at the 4).  Make Javonn the first off the bench in this instance, if that is necesary to fulfill  the promises made during recruiting, and then settle into the rotation that will be the basic rotation for Concordia Chicago by the end of the game. And that may include Javonn as a starter.

AP and Bryce started all four years. I put Javon in same class as them.  I'll certainly give in on AP, because I can't remember anyone on the roster at that time that had the physical size and tools for the 4 that he had, and Bryce, of course, was Indiana Mr. Basketball.

Just pointing out again that it is about coaching style and tone and that is a very subjective thing.  As most, if not all, posters here agree on -- it's not who starts, it's who plays the most minutes and finishes the game that counts. 

But no sense wasting any more time on this.  there is more important information to be shared about tomorrow's exhibition.

[vu72]

Javon is no Parker. I trust Coach is putting the best five out there regardless if they are a freshman, sophmore, junior, senior or grad transfer. Does anyone remember the Fab Five? Do you think Duke or Kentucky benches kids just because they are freshman? It sends the right message to top recruits that they will get playing time at Valpo right away if they prove themselves versus riding the bench at a P5 school and then having to transfer. AP and Bryce started all four years. I put Javon in same class as them.

I was just going to post the same thing.  AP started every game he played in and that was under Bryce.  Javon is a much better player than Hazen.

[VUBBFan]

Article from Indy Star about VU Basketball

https://twitter.com/IndyStarSports/status/1057660970384875521

[chef]

Guys, I'm just getting caught up. Now that the season is here, I'll try and check each day. As been correctly pointed out, radio only tomorrow. Espn3 and espn+ for pretty much every game going forward. Mileek has made huge strides, that's why he's starting. Javon is starting because he's an exceptional player. He does everything well. Honestly has no weaknesses. I think we're all expecting this to be a great season.

[justducky]

Mileek has made huge strides, that's why he's starting. Javon is starting because he's an exceptional player. He does everything well. Honestly has no weaknesses. I think we're all expecting this to be a great season.

Optimism is contagious and I am starting to get a bull market adrenalin rush.    Can I go back and change my November record prediction? Wait. I'm not sure I even took that poll. 

[bbtds]

I have one concern about Matt's coaching approach last year and going into this 2018 season. For some reason, a freshman is promoted to starter before the first whistle is blown. Hasen suffered a lot of disappointment as a result and never recovered. Now Javonn gets the same treatment. The basic rule of thumb is to start an experienced lineup and let underclassmen, no matter how good, wait their time and work their way into a role and the lineup. Why rush this? We know Javonn will be a key in the long-term this season. But just because he is our prize  2018 recruit does not mean he must be rewarded before the season even begins. He has never played a D-I basketball game. I just believe it sends the wrong message at this very early point.

I don't think any of us can make a decision about Javon until he plays in a game. I've been preaching caution with expecting too much from Javon but if Lottich feels he is ready to start then let's sit back and make some judgements after the game and also allow for Javon to make adjustments as he acclimates to Div I college ball. I think there was a terrible overvaluing of Hazen (and possibly some promises made to the player) that transferred over to the beginning of last year's season.

[wh]

"I don't think any of us can make a decision about Javon until he plays in a game."


In other words, you don't know how someone's gonna play until they play. Hard to argue with that. That said, we're not "deciding" about Javon; we're "speculating" about Javon. Just like we speculate where we'll finish in the league, or predict our Nov. record, or pick over/unders, or post a guess on the final score for an upcoming game. IMO that's half the fun of being part of a passionate fan base.

[talksalot]

While looking through the Greyhound roster... found a couple of things I thought were interesting...

One of their players suited up against VU 2 years ago while a walk-on at Wright State; He'll be wearing #5 tonight.  Lake Central Grad... UI Indy is his 4th school in 5 years.  Played at Wright state for 2 years, and played pretty well...

Here's the WSU take on him...

https://www.wright.edu/retirees-association/news/article/archdeacon-wright-states-tye-wilburn-not-your-typical-college-basketball-player

He only played in the Vu game AT the Nutter center on 2/24/17... (against current-roster guys Sorolla, Kizer, Bradford and Smits).  Played 7 minutes; 1 rebound, 1 assist and 1 missed
shot.  Note about that game?  It was our last conference win in the Horizon League.


and also from their Roster notes... their returning star #10 Jesse Kempson...  youngest of 12 brothers and sisters....Played in 24 games as a junior, starting 22 ... averaged 12.2 points and 5.5 rebounds per game ... recorded a team-best 19 blocks, inching his way into the program's top-five in the category ... had 22 points and a season-high 14 boards in the win at Missouri-St. Louis (2/8) ... scored a season-best 26 points against Salem 12/16) ... grabbed six or more rebounds in 12 contests.


and #22 Jordache Mavunga, (JC Transfer from Parkland CC) ... brother, Julian, competed at Miami Ohio collegiately before playing professionally in Japan ... sister, Stephanie, was drafted by the Indiana Fever in April 2018 in the first round of the WNBA draft ... sister-in-law, Jeanette, currently plays for the Fever after competing at Stanford.

See you all tonight in the ARC...Rah Rah !!

[VUBBFan]

Little news on Micah.

https://twitter.com/barrybradford3/status/1058013413174140928

[valpo4life]

To me it is about establishing a solid, long lasting culture. When underclassmen know they have to work their way into the lineup as a rite of passage, it says something about the culture. And doing so is done in games, not practice. It doesn't have to be years or months, maybe just weeks, but the concept needs to be instilled from day one. In my mind no freshman, no matter how good, gets to feel entitled.

This really feels like an "Old Man Yells at Cloud" take. We might as well go back to making freshmen ineligible.

[VULB#62]

This really feels like an "Old Man Yells at Cloud" take. We might as well go back to making freshmen ineligible.

A bit of an extreme analogy don't you think?  I can't count the number of times I've read on this board how today's kids are given everything, they are sheltered by parents and rewarded for even meaningless things.  Helicopter parents do everything for their kids these days.  AAU coaches reinforce entitlement wherever you turn. And on and on and on.

From all reports and interviews, Javon is mature and has great character to go along with great talent. My point is that even great kids need to understand that eventually you get to a point where things aren't just handed to you -- you earn it.  For all I know, Javon came off the bench in the "secret scrimmage" against UIC and showed he belongs in the starting lineup against UIndy (but that information has not been shared because.......  it's secret).  I have no beef at all if that's the case.

My point is that sports are one of the few places left where lessons in life can be taught in small but meaningful ways.  Done right, of course.  And I feel that, as the institution we proclaim ourselves to be, we can make a difference.  If that is an  old man yelling at clouds, guilty!

[VULB#62]

The UIndy game is also on Live Stats! Whew!

GO VALPO!

[EddieCabot]

This really feels like an "Old Man Yells at Cloud" take. We might as well go back to making freshmen ineligible.

A bit of an extreme analogy don't you think?  I can't count the number of times I've read on this board how today's kids are given everything, they are sheltered by parents and rewarded for even meaningless things.  Helicopter parents do everything for their kids these days.  AAU coaches reinforce entitlement wherever you turn. And on and on and on.

From all reports and interviews, Javon is mature and has great character to go along with great talent. My point is that even great kids need to understand that eventually you get to a point where things aren't just handed to you -- you earn it.  For all I know, Javon came off the bench in the "secret scrimmage" against UIC and showed he belongs in the starting lineup against UIndy (but that information has not been shared because.......  it's secret).  I have no beef at all if that's the case.

My point is that sports are one of the few places left where lessons in life can be taught in small but meaningful ways.  Done right, of course.  And I feel that, as the institution we proclaim ourselves to be, we can make a difference.  If that is an  old man yelling at clouds, guilty!

I would disagree slightly that proving yourself in games/scrimmages is the only way to "earn" playing time or a starting spot.  These guys have been practicing full-time for a month and been in organized workouts since arriving on campus in the summer.  That's plenty of time for players to "earn" their place in the lineup.

[VU2014]

Cool trick shot from Markus

https://twitter.com/TheReal_MG3/status/1058032714681585664

[valpo4life]

This really feels like an "Old Man Yells at Cloud" take. We might as well go back to making freshmen ineligible.

My point is that sports are one of the few places left where lessons in life can be taught in small but meaningful ways.  Done right, of course.  And I feel that, as the institution we proclaim ourselves to be, we can make a difference.  If that is an  old man yelling at clouds, guilty!

So, we shouldn't start a talented freshman because kids around the country are entitled and he needs to learn a lesson about those kid's entitlement. Got it.

[crusadermoe]

I'm just concerned they might overlook the Jags.  It has to be distracting to hear all the national buzz around their Nov. 6 opener with Concordia.   

[vu72]

Cool trick shot from Markus

https://twitter.com/TheReal_MG3/status/1058032714681585664

Some how I doubt ML would be too happy if he knocked the shot clock off the top of the basket!

[VULB#62]

This really feels like an "Old Man Yells at Cloud" take. We might as well go back to making freshmen ineligible.

My point is that sports are one of the few places left where lessons in life can be taught in small but meaningful ways.  Done right, of course.  And I feel that, as the institution we proclaim ourselves to be, we can make a difference.  If that is an  old man yelling at clouds, guilty!

So, we shouldn't start a talented freshman because kids around the country are entitled and he needs to learn a lesson about those kid's entitlement. Got it.

You conveniently chose to eliminate the previous contextual paragraph inserted below, which applied to Javon's case, to make your comment more caustic

From all reports and interviews, Javon is mature and has great character to go along with great talent. My point is that even great kids need to understand that eventually you get to a point where things aren't just handed to you -- you earn it.  For all I know, Javon came off the bench in the "secret scrimmage" against UIC and showed he belongs in the starting lineup against UIndy (but that information has not been shared because.......  it's secret).  I have no beef at all if that's the case.

And EddieCabot makes a good point about the months of open gym and scheduled practices that preceded competition against someone other than teammates.  And none of us are privy to the behind the scenes stuff that never makes it out of the gym. However, I would still ease him into that starter role after he had an outside experience or two under his belt. Ya know, it only starts to count on November 6th. 

That being said, let's drop this difference of opinion, call it just that, and get on with following the progress of our boys tonight.

[wh]

Got my game face on and heading out soon. The start of Valpo basketball - one of the best times of the year! 

[VU2014]

Little news on Micah.

https://twitter.com/barrybradford3/status/1058013413174140928

Tough news about Micah. Anyone know how long he's expected to be out? Jay's ankle is suppose to keep him out 2 weeks.

[VU2014]

Interesting. Just trying to curtail speculation about the injury?

https://twitter.com/NWIOren/status/1058149913480060929

[VU2014]

It sounds like were giving up the majority of their points to the UIndy post players. Smits sounds good offensively but needs to be better on defense.

[VU2014]

Valpo 28, UIndy 23 with about 3min till half time. Some positives and some negatives. Javon sounds strong.