Continuity is nice but I'm not sure Stafford returning is all that big of a deal.
Continuity is nice but I'm not sure Stafford returning is all that big of a deal.
I think his return is important as long as he understands that his role for 24-25 could be remarkably different than it was for the season just passed. He was a volume shooter because our team needed a late shot clock upperclassman with the confidence to exercise his green light. No, his shooting percentages were not great but those numbers could climb just by his being surrounded by improved shooters and playmakers. The Powell and Stafford vision for next year should be for fever minutes, fewer shots, more assists and a great many more wins.
Some mental comparisons between Isaiah and Bakari Evelyn pop to mind but Bakari bolted partly because Lottich was trying to restrain him and I don't anticipate this reaction from Stafford.
Stafford is very significant, if we can find complementary scorers for Cooper and Stafford. As justducky mentions, he was a volume shooter out of necessity, and often had to take all shots as the shot clock was expiring. If he is kept to 8-10 shots on bad days, and more on his 'on fire' days, he is very useful.
Bakari left because he felt we didn't let him shoot enough? He went to Iowa and played in a role where he was a starter with significant minutes, but maybe 3-5 shots every game! https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/player/stats/_/id/3911894/bakari-evelyn
Hensley, Rupert, Ebube, and Ferguson from SIU have entered the portal.
That's six for SIU and Hensley's third transfer.
Continuity is nice but I'm not sure Stafford returning is all that big of a deal.
I think his return is important as long as he understands that his role for 24-25 could be remarkably different than it was for the season just passed. He was a volume shooter because our team needed a late shot clock upperclassman with the confidence to exercise his green light.
I disagree with the late shot clock allowance for his ill advised shots. He was, as we said back in the day, a "chucker". I guess these days it is a "high volume shooter". These types are universally inconsistent as they tend to fire the ball in the general direction of the basket rather than shooting the ball. He is just as likely to shoot the team out of a game as he is to keep them in it. He was also of the type to throw behind the back passes underneath the basket and all sorts of not particularly basketball bright plays. The fact that he rebounds well for a guard is a plus in his case.
Darius, Cooper, Williamson and maybe Weatherspoon are the returners I'd like to see of the guys who played with the hope that the two that didn't can contribute along with the freshman. This prior to adding bulk up front. Everyone else should be free to go.
When can all the early portal entries start making concrete commitments? I ask because I expect Powell to take quick and decisive actions without need for much additional inquiry. I think we will likely know our 24-25 roster members far faster than most D-1 fanbases.
@justducky Portal opens tomorrow. It is always the day after selection Sunday for basketball
Anyone want to guess how many current guys go into the portal before Valpo fills the roster?
I'll say 3.
I will say 2 How many open scholarships do we have? Three seniors and we have have signed the kid from Joliet. So as of now....two?
Since it appears that the double transfer rule no longer exists, I predict 4 that will transfer or be encouraged to leave the program
Well, last year there were 1716 transfers, There are (I think) 353 D1 teams so that's 4.86 per team. That, is frickin unbelievable, but what we are dealing with. Stafford is officially back so for the first time in a ling time we have our top two scorers back. I'll go with three transfers so we would have 5 spots open.
Stafford is officially back so for the first time in a ling time we have our top two scorers back.
I'm hoping Coop and Stafford set a president within the org. Basketball players don't make as much money as football players. Being a basketball-forward school (Sorry VU Football) allows most NIL funds to go to the basketball team. Hoping we can build relationships with local businesses now in the Powell and Small era to offer perks for being a Beacon
I will agree with jd24 that Stafford in 23-24 was a "chucker". This was forgivable because we had few players who could reliably hit open shots and even fewer who could create them. By default and with coaching staff allowance he tailored his game towards designation of becoming "chief chucker" which might or might not have been a great honor. 
The 24-25 team should develop and or find a sufficient number of shooters that shot selection will rise as "chucking" disappears and earns culprits bench time sitting next to Powell. We can be pretty sure that Isaiah Stafford already knows and fully accepts the realities of his latest commitment. For definition purposes only the sophomore Bakari Evelyn was a shooter with the green light because he hit 38+% from deep. As a junior hitting 31-% he became more of a chucker because he continued to shoot while Smitts and Sorolla stood inside waiting for assist men to pass them the ball.
@justducky Stafford played with the weight of the team on his shoulders in the early going as Coop had foul trouble issues. Later on I did notice an improvement in his "chucking" as coop learned to calm down. I feel like Stafford has the tools to be a primary ball handler who can take the occasional shot.
