Preseason Canada Trip

[FieldGoodie05]

So I just checked the stats for the four game trip and found that Javon shot 44% from the 3 and 85% from the line. The presumed starting five of Javon, Eron, Nick, Mileek and Daniel,shot a combined 42% from the 3 and 78% from the line.  Interestingly enough, Mileek was 6 of 9 from the 3 and didn't shoot a free throw during the trip.

I think this bodes well for the season particularly seeing that our presumed best shooter didn't even play.

I know we're trying to keep our expressions of positivity in check, but come on!  I don't care what the competition was or wasn't, these numbers are amazing. Bodes well for the season? Yeah, I'd say so! lol

Valpo's performance in Canada has not gone unnoticed by beat writers and other media around the MVC.  I expect Valpo to be top half in the MVC pre-season poll this year.

Is this a feeling or have you read some posts or articles you can share?  Just curious, I am not as plugged into MVC and conference forums and outside beat writers as many here are.

[VULB#62]

We need to stay in the predicted cellar between now and the start of the season. Let's do some surprising once the MVC season starts.

[FieldGoodie05]

We need to stay in the predicted cellar between now and the start of the season. Let's do some surprising once the MVC season starts.

I'd be fine with that, preseason awards / votes are just fun ways to get hyped for the season.  The performance from the team on the Canadian trip far exceeded my personal expectation and that's enough to fuel my excitement engine.

I'd rather be under the radar and overachieve all day long.

[VULB#62]

Definitely!

[VUBBFan]

Video clip by Gordon on the trip to Canada. With the players touring and having fun.


https://twitter.com/EronGordon1/status/1162385820461993985

[VU2014]

Erin Gordon's begins the scenes vlog of the Canadian trip. Pretty cool to get his perspective

https://twitter.com/erongordon1/status/1162385820461993985?s=21

[humbleopinion]

Erin Gordon's begins the scenes vlog of the Canadian trip. Pretty cool to get his perspective

https://twitter.com/erongordon1/status/1162385820461993985?s=21

Did I hear them say that Ryan has mono?

[vu72]

Erin Gordon's begins the scenes vlog of the Canadian trip. Pretty cool to get his perspective

https://twitter.com/erongordon1/status/1162385820461993985?s=21

Did I hear them say that Ryan has mono?

I don't think so.  What you may have heard was "Vanno" not "Mono".  They did say, When referring to Ryan"  it was said, "sick kid".  Maybe that's the answer to why he didn't play

[VUGrad1314]

That poor kid... I wonder if we'll ever see him healthy... It's a shame because our offense runs so well with him in it...

[VUBBFan]

John does call Ryan sick kid, don't know if it means he was sick, but he did look tired in the video. So maybe. Better to be under the weather now before the season.
Also it was not mono that you hear. It's Vonno. That's what they call Javon. It's his name/handle on Twitter.

[VUBBFan]

Team work saved the day. Everyone from Valpo Basketball made it back to the States.
https://twitter.com/AlBillets/status/1162478621795266561

[bbtds]

 At the 4 minute mark I noticed the Pont Jacque Cartier (Jack Cartier Bridge) which goes from the island where Expo 67 was held in 1967 and was the event which the baseball team Le Expo (the Expos) was named after until the team moved to Washington DC and became the Nationals. The ferris wheel is part of an amusement park on that island. The amusement park is called Le Ronde and is part of the Six Flags group. To the left of the bridge is the Molson brewery.

Just before the video switches to Mileek sitting on the bed there is a shot of the Montreal skyline lit up by lights at night. The dark building not lit up is Le Galerie d'Art Beauchamp which is a very famous Canadian art museum.

https://www.sixflags.com/larondeen/store/tickets

[wh]

So I just checked the stats for the four game trip and found that Javon shot 44% from the 3 and 85% from the line. The presumed starting five of Javon, Eron, Nick, Mileek and Daniel,shot a combined 42% from the 3 and 78% from the line.  Interestingly enough, Mileek was 6 of 9 from the 3 and didn't shoot a free throw during the trip.

I think this bodes well for the season particularly seeing that our presumed best shooter didn't even play.

I know we're trying to keep our expressions of positivity in check, but come on!  I don't care what the competition was or wasn't, these numbers are amazing. Bodes well for the season? Yeah, I'd say so! lol

Outside shooting success changes everything. If either half of the Smirolla had stuck around they or it could have reaped the benefits of single coverage under the basket!    Krikke and McMillan could benefit greatly from their departure.

Also, both Krikke and McMillan are good 3-pt. shooters. When they drift outside, opposing centers are going to have to stay with them.  Opposing big people seldom left the paint to chase Smits or Sorolla around. This opens up a whole new world for lightning fast slashers like Daniel and Javon.   

[VUGrad1314]

Every time we would play a game the opposing announcers would remark on our team's size as though it were some kind of advantage. It isn't though if your bigs are as limited as Smits and Sorolla were, it can actually become something of a liability. It's refreshing and exciting to see that Valpo has joined the pace and space revolution and I think it's going to pay dividends as long as the team also keeps its strong defensive identity as well. The more time I've had to digest analyze and process everything the more I'm liking this new roster. I just hope we have some good home games to see them in action before conference play. Go Valpo!

[JD24]

So I just checked the stats for the four game trip and found that Javon shot 44% from the 3 and 85% from the line. The presumed starting five of Javon, Eron, Nick, Mileek and Daniel,shot a combined 42% from the 3 and 78% from the line.  Interestingly enough, Mileek was 6 of 9 from the 3 and didn't shoot a free throw during the trip. I think this bodes well for the season particularly seeing that our presumed best shooter didn't even play.

I know we're trying to keep our expressions of positivity in check, but come on!  I don't care what the competition was or wasn't, these numbers are amazing. Bodes well for the season? Yeah, I'd say so! lol

Outside shooting success changes everything. If either half of the Smirolla had stuck around they or it could have reaped the benefits of single coverage under the basket!    Krikke and McMillan could benefit greatly from their departure.

Also, both Krikke and McMillan are good 3-pt. shooters. When they drift outside, opposing centers are going to have to stay with them.  Opposing big people seldom left the paint to chase Smits or Sorolla around. This opens up a whole new world for lightning fast slashers like Daniel and Javon.

To me, if there was a revelation out of the Canada series, it was the play of McMillan.

[NativeCheesehead]

Problem with the rafting was every time Mileek paddled the water there was an MVC official on shore who called a foul.

[bbtds]

Erin Gordon's begins the scenes vlog of the Canadian trip. Pretty cool to get his perspective

https://twitter.com/erongordon1/status/1162385820461993985?s=21

I'm kind of surprised that no one was shown ordering french fries with poutine (french fries with cheese curds and brown gravy) which is served at most of the fast food restaurants including McDonalds, Burger King, KFC, etc.

[VUGrad1314]

Poutine rules! So tasty...

[VUBBFan]

A little bit more of the team touring Canada

https://twitter.com/EronGordon1/status/1163586469082083329

[VUBBFan]

It sounds like Ryan was sick on the trip to Canada. Glad to see the comradery of this group. Really getting excited about this team.

[justducky]

A little bit more of the team touring Canada

https://twitter.com/EronGordon1/status/1163586469082083329

Near the end Robinson said "we have a big season coming and we are just getting started".  I'm not certain I am fully bought in to his thinking but it felt good hearing him say it. 

It sounds like Ryan was sick on the trip to Canada.

In the first episode Kiser commented outside his room about his sick roommate Ryan. At the time my interpretation was that maybe he was looking for a different roommate.     Fortunately Ryan was only sick without being "sick". 

[bbtds]

A little bit more of the team touring Canada

https://twitter.com/EronGordon1/status/1163586469082083329

The most Catholic large city in North America is Montreal which is not surprising since France at the time of the beginning of New France was catholic. The team visited the 3 most famous Cathedrals (bascilicas) in Montreal, St. Joseph's, Notre Dame de-Bon-Secours and St. Patrick's.

They also were on the Vieux-Montreal (Old Montreal) streets which sometimes resemble Europe in many ways since Montreal is one of the oldest cities in North America.

The team were also at the top of Parc Mont Royal with the famous view of the Montreal skyline along with wishing the Ville de Montreal (city of Montreal) would trim the trees they did seem to enjoy the view.

They also made a trip up to the Parliament building in Ottawa which some may remember was the sight of a shooting in October 2014.

Eron also showed the team discussing their victory over Carleton on the bus after the exciting win.

[humbleopinion]

The most Catholic large city in North America is Montreal which is not surprising since France at the time of the beginning of New France was catholic. The team visited the 3 most famous Cathedrals (bascilicas) in Montreal, St. Joseph's, Notre Dame de-Bon-Secours and St. Patrick's.

Maybe they'll visit the Chapel of the Resurrection some time.

[IrishDawg]

Didn't realize this, but Carleton's coach that won 13 of the school's 14 national titles is not the coach this year. Apparently he stepped down into the Director of basketball ops role and they hired the women's coach as the men's head coach. They did beat Albany 90-77 the other day to finish off their pre-season schedule.

The Ringer's CBB podcast talked about it with their Canadian correspondent.

https://www.theringer.com/2019/8/20/20825562/the-end-of-the-rich-paul-rule-a-return-from-vacation-and-another-zion-story

[VUBBFan]

The reason we did not see Ryan play in Canada.

https://twitter.com/rwweinstein/status/1164191879421972480