Transfers

[bbtds]

I hope you are vindicated and we are able to look back at this era and my postings (rantings? ravings?) with laughter at their utterly stupid and reactionary character because the alternative isn't funny for anyone, it's just sadness and misery for years...

It's very possible we could be doing some of both. We might get a middling result from Lottich and coaching staff and your reaction is still (in your words) utterly stupid and reactionary character of rantings and ravings.

[a3uge]

Schools with 4 or more outbound transfers in 2018 that appeared in the NCAA or NIT tournaments this year (data per Verbal Commits):
Sam Houston State - 6 transfers - NIT
Iona - 5 transfers - NCAA
LSU - 5 transfers - NCAA
New Mexico State - 5 transfers - NCAA
Buffalo - 4 transfers - NCAA
Campbell - 4 transfers - NIT
Dayton - 4 transfers - NIT
Montana - 4 transfers - NCAA
Murray State - 4 transfers - NCAA
NC State - 4 transfers - NIT
North Carolina Central - 4 transfers -  NCAA
Northern Kentucky - 4 transfers - NCAA
Texas Tech - 4 transfers - NCAA championship game
Washington - 4 transfers - NCAA
Wichita State - 4 transfers - NIT

2020 Valpo national championship game confirmed.

[FieldGoodie05]

Yeah I think the transfer situation is a case by case thing. Parker Hazen leaving is a lot different from Javon Freeman leaving.

Javon came and went with Dildy, I'm not the least bit surprised.  I thought we had a chance to retain Javon if we had a strong year but we took a crap and this is the result.

Better to get out of a sinking ship on the first life raft.  We could end up plugging the holes, but Javon only had the "liberty" of seeing the Valpo program in the vacuum of one year of chaos and he made the right call potentially.

[GoldenCrusader87]

Let's hope it works out and this is the new start we desperately need. It's a matter of constants and variables. If Matt is the constant and the players are the variables, one of two things can happen.
1. The players who left are the problem. Whether it be attitude, effort, skill, or a combo of any of these.
2. The players who left are not the problem as much as the smart ones who got out while they could and we're left with the same issues resulting in underperformance.

Now, I predict what this *does* do in a lot of ways is provide Matt with a safety net.

1. If things go well, he can say - told you so. It was the darn players and their attitudes. Me-mentalities.

2. If it doesn't go well and we get more of the same, he can say - well, you've gotta trust the process. They're new. They're young. They haven't played b-ball in the U.S.

It's a win-win for him more so than a gamble on his behalf. Likely secures him a contract extension either way given the remakes we've heard from administration.

Hopefully - worst case scenario - he learns how to become a head coach over these years of Valpo fans struggling to stay optimistic. And maybe it'll pay off down the road.

Best case scenario - ironically - he matures into a really good coach someday OR strings together some injury-free seasons full of all the right breaks that lands him an opportunity to move up in the ranks lol. Shoot, he's only in his mid-30's.

In that event, we are the only losers in the deal. If we could get Bryce to stay at Valpo and afford him, why would we be able to coerce another winning coach whose last name isn't Drew to stay?

[crusader05]

I'd also say there's a middle place between 1 and 2 where neither the players or coaches were the "problem" but that expectations and reality didn't meet and issues were discovered.

I think that we recruited a bunch of players who had the talent but also maybe had different expectations (win a lot, star of the program, flashier and brasher, etc) and when they didn't gel we found out that Matt's current coaching strategy and culture didn't mesh well with motivating and leading that type of player. I think it's a skill he will need to learn but we definitely had chippier players in higher quantities than I think we have ever had in the past.

Some of that is recruiting, some of that is player attitude, and some of that is coaching strategy. Coaching is something you learn from and grow from over time but you need to recruit the types of players you know you can work with best first and I think you need to figure out what type of culture and team mentality you want and start from the ground up. I do not think every single player that left had an attitude problem and the all of the 5 we will bring in plus the 2 coming off the bench don't all have attitude problems either so if we see some of the red flags of frustration, lack of cohesiveness and failure to perform consistently I think you can say that it's on the coaching staff. If we don't and we perform well and seem like a team and things look to be on an upward trajectory I won't think that Matt all of a sudden did a 180 on coaching but I will think he figured out how to recruit for the team culture he wants to have and the other stuff will grow and develop over time.

[VUBBFan]

Looks like he might may end up closer to his home and family.

https://twitter.com/WildcatReport/status/1118246657483784192

[M]

Looking for my shocked face....

[Just Sayin]

Accepting graduate transfers could come at higher price

https://www.nwitimes.com/sports/basketball/college/accepting-graduate-transfers-could-come-at-higher-price/article_8828984d-8356-55b8-b4df-0c98f7c33cc6.html

The NCAA Division I Council is expected to vote by Friday on an amendment that would require a grad transfer to count against a team's scholarship total for two years, no matter how much eligibility the player has left when they arrive. An exception would be made for athletes who complete graduate degree requirements before the start of the second year./www.nwitimes.com/sports/basketball/college/accepting-graduate-transfers-could-come-at-higher-price/article_8828984d-8356-55b8-b4df-0c98f7c33cc6.html

[VU2014]

Accepting graduate transfers could come at higher price

https://www.nwitimes.com/sports/basketball/college/accepting-graduate-transfers-could-come-at-higher-price/article_8828984d-8356-55b8-b4df-0c98f7c33cc6.html

The NCAA Division I Council is expected to vote by Friday on an amendment that would require a grad transfer to count against a team's scholarship total for two years, no matter how much eligibility the player has left when they arrive. An exception would be made for athletes who complete graduate degree requirements before the start of the second year./www.nwitimes.com/sports/basketball/college/accepting-graduate-transfers-could-come-at-higher-price/article_8828984d-8356-55b8-b4df-0c98f7c33cc6.html

I doubt it passes, but I guess we'll see. I like the part where it would require them to complete the grad degree in order to eliminate the 2 season scholarship penalty.

[vu72]

Looks like he might may end up closer to his home and family.

https://twitter.com/WildcatReport/status/1118246657483784192

Here I thought his goal was to make it to the NCAAs!  Apparently those top notch facilities made a great impression!

[vu72]

D1 transfers now at 659.  We've got a ways to go as every year since 2015 there have been 800 or more. Joey Brunk to Indiana.

[M]

Tracey Ramsey from Valpo High School and Don Bosco is transferring from Maryland....

[wh]

Looks like he might may end up closer to his home and family.

https://twitter.com/WildcatReport/status/1118246657483784192

Here I thought his goal was to make it to the NCAAs!  Apparently those top notch facilities made a great impression!

Makes as much sense as saying he wants to transfer to Duke to get more playing time. 

"The Wildcats received their only invitation to the NCAA Tournament in 2017, after 78 straight years without a bid. The Wildcats have won two Big Ten conference championships (1931 and 1933)." Wikipedia

[tiny707]

I like Trace Ramsey. Sits out a year and takes over after Ryan and Jon graduate. Knows Meleek, Helm, and Langston.

[vu72]

I like Trace Ramsey. Sits out a year and takes over after Ryan and Jon graduate. Knows Meleek, Helm, and Langston.

He may have four years of eligibility as he only played a total of 10 minutes and managed to score 1 point! 

[valpopal]

Others are showing early interest in Ramsey, but I have to think Valpo would be a preference for him and his family.


[tweet]1118586542220546048[/tweet]

[wh]

Shot at Hilltop Gym - Trace Ramsey HS Workout video

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=teJBsFC5U1I

[vu72]

Shot at Hilltop Gym - Trace Ramsey HS Workout video

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=teJBsFC5U1I

Great find!  Donovan Clay is also a lefty.  Could be a nice fit for us.  Gotta love Hilltop!  What a beautiful practice facility.

[FWalum]

Trace Ramsey

So no lingering effects from his serious back issue during high school?  Seems really strange that he would only play 10 minutes the entire season.

[valpopal]

I liked what I saw in Ramsey's workout video at the Hilltop Gym; however, like too many other athletes' videos, I had to turn off the soundtrack, which had numerous horrible and offensive lyrics that would result in me getting kicked off this board if I quoted them.

[EddieCabot]

Great find!  Donovan Clay is also a lefty.  Could be a nice fit for us.  Gotta love Hilltop!  What a beautiful practice facility.

Didn't realize Clay was a lefty (I haven't watched much video), but he uses his right hand pretty well too!  Always a plus.

[VU2014]

https://twitter.com/valpo_hoops/status/1118650451350687744?s=21

It's been a very long and injury plagued road for this young man. It would be quite poetic if he found success with Valpo if he landed here.

[NativeCheesehead]

Someone refresh me on Zion Morgan....

[Just Sayin]

Freshman Trace Ramsey plans to leave Maryland men's basketball

https://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/terps/bs-sp-trace-ramsey-maryland-basketball-transfer-0417-story.html

[crusader05]

He was a guard, played 2 I believe that we recruited around the same time as Micah and ended up going to, I believe, UNLV. Unsure how long he stayed there. This is just off the top of my head and it only sticks cause I believe he people though he decommitted after Micah came on board because they both played the same position.