Recruiting

[Pgmado]

Jubril is the one I'm most looking forward to see.

[LaPorteAveApostle]

Jubril is the one I'm most looking forward to see.

...because?

[milanmiracle]

My stream-of-consciousness, light-hearted musings re: the incoming class -- based what I have personally observed (which is not too much) and what has been communicated by friends and relatives who have seen various guys play over the last couple of years:  I think next year's team will soon be on the road to becoming special.  Yeo and Peters are impressive.  Yeo, in particular, is not afraid to aggressively take the ball inside and dunk it (something that this year's team doesn't like to do, apparently) or hit the outside shot.  He's quick and agile.  He needs to bulk up, but I see Yeo as a more-talented and more-athletic version of Ryan as a freshman.  Peters is a tough, hard-nosed three-point shooter who drills shots -- Like Rotnei Clarke but much taller -- but who can also do some of the same things as Yeo.  For those who know IU basketball history, both Yeo and Peters remind me a lot of Randy Wittman, which is a real compliment to them.  As for Davidson and Lexus...they are pure and smart point guards.  Both can shoot the ball -- including pull-up jumpers.  Carter is very, very good.  I think Carter has the point locked-down as soon as he is eligible.  I don't know anybody who has been able to tell me about Jubril Adekoya, so he must be our secret weapon.  We do, however, need to find an agile power forward. 

Finally, am I being too optimistic to believe that Vashil will be a force next year?  I think Yeo needs to teach him how to go up strong and just dunk the ball, and he needs to stop watching Kevin dribble and shoot a layup from two feet out. 

Just musings, but still fun! 

I'll be interested to see if he's that aggressive against D1 college men as he is against 1A high school kids. It's a big difference. That said, I think he's got a pretty good game, and I really like that he can shoot with a hand in his face. I also like that he can get his own shot, (though I might suggest working on a move going left  )

[atkins]

You're right, milan.  That's exactly why he needs to bulk up, and hopefully he will.

[bbtds]

Live finish to Andrean/Concordia game is at this website:

http://www.ihigh.com/whmb/broadcast_287871.html?silverlight=1

This same website will have the game archived for later.

[StlVUFan]

Live finish to Andrean/Concordia game is at this website:

http://www.ihigh.com/whmb/broadcast_287871.html?silverlight=1

This same website will have the game archived for later.

Where's the OT?

Still don't play with shot-clock in high school, eh?  Interesting.

[humbleopinion]

A shot clock would create one more position to paid for each game.  It may not be a big deal for big schools, but it would be another expense for the small schools that have seen budgets slashed by a hostile-to-public-education state government over the last five years.

[bbtds]

Live finish to Andrean/Concordia game is at this website:

http://www.ihigh.com/whmb/broadcast_287871.html?silverlight=1

This same website will have the game archived for later.

Where's the OT?

Still don't play with shot-clock in high school, eh?  Interesting.

The screen just goes blank on commercial time. So it comes back eventually.

By the way the pbp guy is Howard Kellman, voice of the Indy Indians, AAA Pirates.

[agibson]

I only saw the last two minutes of overtime.  Davidson was 0-3 from 3PT range in that stretch, his team 1-5 altogether.

[bbtds]

Concordia wins by 5 in OT. Davidson missed, I believe, a few shots in OT.

Congrats to the Lutherans!

[LaPorteAveApostle]

Congrats to the Lutherans!

Indeed!  Although VU loses a little with this one

Luckily looks like (Carmel) Clay Yeo to the title game next week...

[wh]

Triton shuts down Central Catholic in Class A semistate championship

http://www.jconline.com/article/20130316/SPORTS0101/303160027

[agibson]

Triton shuts down Central Catholic in Class A semistate championship

http://www.jconline.com/article/20130316/SPORTS0101/303160027

Great!  When do they play next?

[bbtds]

Triton shuts down Central Catholic in Class A semistate championship

http://www.jconline.com/article/20130316/SPORTS0101/303160027

Great!  When do they play next?

http://indianahsbasketball.homestead.com/files/1Abracket.htm    Triton versus Borden in 1A at 10:00 a.m. EDT

http://indianahsbasketball.homestead.com/files/2Abracket.htm    Bowman Academy versus Linton in 2A at 12:45 p.m. EDT

http://indianahsbasketball.homestead.com/files/3Abracket.htm    Concordia Lutheran versus Greensburg in 3A at 6:00 p.m. EDT

http://indianahsbasketball.homestead.com/files/4Abracket.htm    Carmel versus Cathedral in 4A at 8:15 p.m. EDT

all games at Bankers Life Fieldhouse in downtown Indy on Saturday, March 23, 2013.

If the Lakeshore Public TV station doesn't have it or another NW Indiana station doesn't have it, channel 40 in Indy will have it at this website:

http://www.ihigh.com/ihsaachampionsnetwork/broadcast_283771.html?silverlight=1

[LaPorteAveApostle]

MARCH MADNESS®:  can't win for lutherin'

Saturday 


--Nick Davidson and 22-4 Andrean had their hearts broken in almost-Brycelike style, losing a 9-point lead with under 4 minutes to play and falling in OT to 23-4 FW Concordia.

Davidson, targeted by the FWC defense, was held to 10 points and didn't even get a shot off until 38 seconds before halftime. He missed a free-throw with 1:45 to play in regulation that obviously would have come in handy.

Fort Wayne Canterbury 68, Andrean 63 (OT)

"They were doubling Nick the whole game and putting so much pressure on him," Cunningham noted. "He's so smart. When he gets doubles, he looks for other people."

Davidson finished with seven rebounds and six assists, but also had six of the team's 19 turnovers, 12 coming in the fourth quarter.

all six were in the fourth quarter <insert joke about how he's already ready for VU here>

great column by Steve Hanlon of the Times here...read it!  once again, VU-bound seniors saying and doing the right things after a loss:

"I'm going to have to go with Shakespeare here," Andrean senior Nick Davidson said. "It's better to have loved and lost than to never have loved at all."
...
"I take full responsibility for my turnovers," said Davidson, who had six in the final frame.
...
Yes, there were a couple of questionable calls, just like every high school game. With 33.4 left the 59ers picked the ball and Davidson was going in for a layup, which would've got the deficit to one.

But a late whistle put a Cadet on the line and that was a difference. A big difference.

The 59ers, though, should've put the game away much earlier.

from behind enemy lines:

The Cadets never relented with their defense, forcing Andrean to turn the ball over an uncharacteristic 19 times. Entering Saturday, the Fighting 59ers had averaged 13 turnovers per contest.

Oof.  i know, TOs...yecch.

Next: hey, it'd be cool if they brought the Harlem Globetrotters back to the ARC, right?

Bright spot:  Besides some stoked Lutherans around here*, DJ McCall, who has visited VU (but not been offered as mistakenly earlier claimed) had 20 points for FWC, which goes to state for the first time ever.
*Good Lutherans have a keen grasp of history (this side of Mel Piehl, anyway, and at least after 1517) and know that this avenges a loss in the semistate in 2000.

Good news dept.

--Clay Yeo was "held" to a game-high 16 points but 20-5 Triton heads to state anyway (his second trip, last as a soph in 2011) with a comfortable win over 18-9 Lafayette Central Catholic (not a great day for the good guys today. welp.).

Triton 40, LCC 32

"You just have to block out the fans, it's five on five on the floor," said Triton's Clay Yeo. "You just go out and do what you know how to do. We play defense. We execute. We played physical today and just worked through it. We trusted each other to take care of business down the stretch. We came out on top."

Yeo was the factor everyone figured he would be, and then some. Not impacting into the second half stats as he had for the sectional and regional championships, Yeo played decoy as Catholic trapped Yeo and left several Trojans open at key times. Yeo finished with a balanced stat line, recording 16 points, eight rebounds, four assists, three blocks and a steal. But it was the attention paid to the 6-6 senior that made a huge difference.
...
"I've got one more week to go, for sure," Yeo said. "It's my senior year and there are seniors out there with me just as hungry as I am. We're going to state, I wouldn't want it any other way. One week left."

Yes, I know the article wh posted claimed 10 boards for him.  Seeing the picture above (albeit a previous game) I would bet on maybe 10 plus 8.  (ed note:  another game writeup also gives him the double-double.)

wottsamatta, too lazy to find one from today? Okay, here you go.  It's not as though he doesn't do this all the time, you know.


...ALL the time?  yep.


wow.  I know. Good times ahead.

is there a cloud in all this silver lining? Um...from the article below.

To prove he is human, Yeo also paces his squad in turnovers (78).

GOOD GOD WHAT IS GOING ON AT THE THRIVENT FINANCIAL HOMERDOME  I know.  This doesn't bode well.

Give me something about frickin' turnovers I can look forward to.  This is all I got.


That makes the WSU second half so much more...palatable.  I know, right?

Stop dialoguing with yourself and get to the aforementioned article.
nice pregame article about the star

Yeo will have a lot to say on Saturday whether or not the tradition-rich Triton program wins its fourth semi state title or not.  The versatile guard leads the Trojans in every statistical category, including scoring (26.7), rebounding (7.9), assists (68), steals (43), blocked shots (43),  3-pointers (30) and minutes played (660).  He is shooting 56.7 percent from the field and 73.7 percent from the free throw line.

Please do read the article--long but good.  If Paul Oren read it he might even decide he was more excited about Yeo than Adekoya

Next: The Trojans advance to the 1A title game at the unGodly hour of 10:30 AM Saturday vs. 23-3 Borden, who ironically tied with Triton for 10th in the final 1A poll.  How do you feel now, voters?

Speaking of voting: Go here for a monster dunk and to vote for Clay for Mr. Basketball--currently up by just 16 votes over his ND-bound friend Demetrius Jackson:
http://www.indystar.com/interactive/article/20130312/SPORTS02/303120073
(that won't actually help him win, but it's still cool.)

Yeo now has 1966 points, a good year if you were Bruce Lindner or Boog Powell, probably.  Needs a pretty big game in the championship to hit 2K.  But anyone want to bet against him?

Hands down, Section 140.

[justducky]

Yeo may actually be 6'6", either that or the 6'3" man he was guarding is only 6'1". Seems to have all the tools but as Milan suggested his current ability to drive left is limited to 3 dribbles or less. Very solid defender but was slow to leave his man to give help (needs to develop those eyes in the back of the head). He made several weak not well executed bounce passes which were picked off just like Matt, Erik, Ryan and Will made Tuesday night (so he should fit right in). Look for him to play mostly the 3 with a little 4 next year but he might someday be able to play a little 2. I like what I saw but it will take some time. For a big man bringing the ball up the floor against some pressure and traps I like his court sense.

[atkins]

The photos illustrate Yeo's ability to play at or above the rim.  As I noted previously, all he needs to do is to bulk up, and he'll be a force for the next several years at Valpo.  As for Davidson, with six turnovers, he'll fit right in at Valpo (just kidding, of course).  Both of these guys will be fun to watch next year, along with their classmates. 

[agibson]

"I'm going to have to go with Shakespeare here," Andrean senior Nick Davidson said. "It's better to have loved and lost than to never have loved at all."

Not exactly the most literate freshman class, it seems.  But points for trying.

[FWalum]

Bright spot:  Besides some stoked Lutherans around here*, VU-offered DJ McCall had 20 points for FWC, which goes to state for the first time ever.

Not sure where this is coming from. Spoke to one of the Concordia coaches Wednesday and unless he is unaware or the offer came after that time, McCall has only visited VU and had not been offered as of yet. If you have some different information from a creditable source please share.

[LaPorteAveApostle]

Not sure where this is coming from.

Sorry--I got him confused with someone else and conflated interest with offer!  Corrected, thanks.

[FWalum]

Had been asked to give my thoughts on Nick Davidson's performance.  I really gave it some thought and wanted to temper my comments.  I have only seen him play one time, every player has an off game, I am sure that the coaching staff has seen him play many many times and I trust their judgement.  I was at the game with a number of VU alums, coaches and even some officials and all of them were concerned with his performance as a point guard.  Lets start with some of the good things.

• Nick appears to be a legit 6'4" and likes to try and post up opposing guards.  This was not effective against Rogers or McCall from a scoring standpoint, but I thought it allowed him to rebound pretty well.
• Nick did a nice job passing out of the double team that either led to a bucket or started a ball rotation that led to an open look at the basket.  Many of us wondered why CLHS continued to double him.
• I think he was 6 of 7 from the line so pretty good free-throw shooting despite what is an odd hitch in his motion.

Now on to the parts that concerned most of us.

• As I mentioned in a previous post, CLHS has a pretty good lock down defender in Marq Rogers.  Marq is 6'4" and long and Nick really had trouble with him in straight up situations.  IMO CLHS did much better on Davidson when they did not double him and he did not have available wide open teammates. Rodgers picked him twice, caused at least 2 traveling calls and several bad passes.
• Nick could not create his own shot. Rodgers really prevented him from driving to the basket while also defending well against the post up that we were told was a favorite tactic of Andrean in must make situations.  As a matter of fact Nick only took one shot in the first half and that did not come until there was only about 40 seconds left.
• Quickness does not seem to be one of Nick's strengths.  Several of the CLHS players appeared to be much quicker and this led to the 19 turnovers that Andrean had in the game
• Not really prepared to comment on his shooting ability because he really did not get very many opportunities.  The two 3 point attempts at the end of the game were close but no cigar and probably taken out of rhythm.  I haven't seen any stats on his 3pt% so perhaps he might transition to the 2 guard.

Based on this one performance (stressing the fact that this is just an initial impression and certainly not based on a body of work) I don't really see how Davidson can play the point at a Horizon League level. He just did not appear to have the quickness or the handles to play that position against the better guards in our league. I really hope this statement comes back to haunt me much like Rowdy's release point criticisms came back to haunt some other posters.  That being said, McCall was the most athletic player on the floor but also missed several bunnies including the potential game winner in regulation.

[milanmiracle]

Based on this one performance (stressing the fact that this is just an initial impression and certainly not based on a body of work) I don't really see how Davidson can play the point at a Horizon League level. He just did not appear to have the quickness or the handles to play that position against the better guards in our league. I really hope this statement comes back to haunt me much like Rowdy's release point criticisms came back to haunt some other posters.  That being said, McCall was the most athletic player on the floor but also missed several bunnies including the potential game winner in regulation.

I resemble that remark 

[justducky]

Based on this one performance (stressing the fact that this is just an initial impression and certainly not based on a body of work) I don't really see how Davidson can play the point at a Horizon League level.

Agree. He may be forced to play some point but that will obviously not be his best position. Much of the scoreing potential at the 2 next year will depend on Carters play at the point. If he is as good as claimed then our 2 and 3 guards of Dority, Coleman, Rossi, Davidson and Yeo might all get some open looks from deep. Not very much proven make your own shot potential anywhere on that list but we were limited at that capacity this year as well.

I think it is interesting to note that we may now have reached the point where we are evaluating future players potential with an eye for their abilities to take us into the top 50 instead their potential to get and keep us in the top 100.

[FWalum]

Agree. He may be forced to play some point but that will obviously not be his best position. Much of the scoreing potential at the 2 next year will depend on Carters play at the point. If he is as good as claimed then our 2 and 3 guards of Dority, Coleman, Rossi, Davidson and Yeo might all get some open looks from deep. Not very much proven make your own shot potential anywhere on that list but we were limited at that capacity this year as well.

If Bryce and staff want to stay at VU I see no reason why this program can not flourish in the future.  This is just the start of what could be an era of basketball prosperity.  I think that we will reload next year and once again compete for the top two or three spots in the league. So yes, I think we are looking for kids that consistently put us in the top 50 and next years class and transfers should put us firmly in that category.

I was hoping that someone else who had seen Davidson play would chime in with their observations.  Obviously this kid has played some decent ball over the last 4 years.  Does anyone care to give their assessment of Nick's skill set?

[valpo64]

I agree with your comments FWAlum Re:  Davidson.  I too was surprised that he couldn't handle the ball better  as he was the guy always bringing the ball up.  whenever I have seen his FT stats he has been a great shooter but he does have that unusual hitch in his motion.  I couldn't get a handle on his overall shooting ability but he wasn't close on his 2 or 3 3-pt attempts.  Has good size and appears to be an intelligent player with good court sense...found open man when being double-teamed.  Hopefully he is a better shooter than he showed last Saturday.  Good potential I believe.

Concordia's McCall is an outstanding prospect,  good leaper and long and when he bulks up he could be a very good player.  He has continued to improve as this season has progressed.