Recruiting: 2016

[sliman]

As I understand it, all of Valpo's scholarships are in use so there is nothing available for a mid-year transfer this season.  Although it's my guess that we have extended offers to players who would be freshmen next year (Zion Morgan et al), I've heard it stated that Bryce always tries to leave a scholarship open for a transfer that could have a positive impact (and especially those who have 2-3 years of eligibility remaining?).  Perhaps we sign three freshmen with a scholarship in reserve?

[SanityLost17]

I agree that we do not want to recruit 4 freshman for next year.  Smits has now become part of next years freshman class and I think having 5 freshman next year is a little excessive.  We currently have nobody who will be a sophomore next year.  I think we need a JUCO that can transfer in and play right away as a sophomore and 1 transfer who has to sit out a year and join the JUCO player their Junior year.  Recruit 2 freshman for next year.  Gives us balance throughout all of the classes. 

That said, if really good talent is available, we should take it, even if the freshman class is overloaded.   

[agibson]

As I understand it, all of Valpo's scholarships are in use so there is nothing available for a mid-year transfer this season.

Sounds right to me. If the student transferred now it might start the mandatory waiting period, they might be eligible to play after the end of classes Fall 2016. But, I assume we couldn't give them a scholarship until next year (2016-2017).

Say there is another Keith Carter out there, I wanted to know if Valpo could take him.

Did it get answered at the presser? Do we have it right?

[vu72]

I agree that we do not want to recruit 4 freshman for next year.  Smits has now become part of next years freshman class and I think having 5 freshman next year is a little excessive.  We currently have nobody who will be a sophomore next year.  I think we need a JUCO that can transfer in and play right away as a sophomore and 1 transfer who has to sit out a year and join the JUCO player their Junior year.  Recruit 2 freshman for next year.  Gives us balance throughout all of the classes. 

That said, if really good talent is available, we should take it, even if the freshman class is overloaded.   

Ideally you may be right about the freshman class, but was just three years ago we brought in Alec, Jabril, Lexus, Nick and that other kid ( )  Stuff happens.  If the talent is available we should take it. 

[covufan]

If the talent is available we should take it.

Absolutely!

I also can't blame Valpo/Homer/Bryce in saving a scholarship for a transfer/juco.  In the last 7 seasons or so we've had Cory Johnson, Brandon Wood, Bogan, Boggs, Capobianco, E. Victor and Hammink transfer into the program.  All have performed well in a Valpo uniform. 

[bbtds]

Ideally you may be right about the freshman class, but was just three years ago we brought in Alec, Jabril, Lexus, Nick and that other kid ( )  Stuff happens. If the talent is available we should take it. 

Speaking of that other kid......................

http://www.bethelcollegepilots.com/article/4200.php

Greenville, SC – In the third week of voting the National Christian College Athletic Association (NCCAA) Student-Athlete of the Week awards for men's and women's basketball have been released for competitions during the week of November 9 through November 15. Players are selected for the award by their performances and contributions during the week of competition. For the second time in three weeks a Bethel College Pilot has been selected as the NCCAA men's basketball Student-Athlete of the Week. Junior guard Clay Yeo received the award for leading the No. 22 ranked Pilots on a 3-0 week and a perfect 7-0 start to the season averaging an outstanding 23 points, 3.3 steals, 2.3 rebounds and 1.3 assist per game in the past week. 

I'm wondering if Clay didn't make a pretty good decision after all.

[vu72]

Ideally you may be right about the freshman class, but was just three years ago we brought in Alec, Jabril, Lexus, Nick and that other kid ( )  Stuff happens. If the talent is available we should take it. 

Speaking of that other kid......................

http://www.bethelcollegepilots.com/article/4200.php

Greenville, SC – In the third week of voting the National Christian College Athletic Association (NCCAA) Student-Athlete of the Week awards for men's and women's basketball have been released for competitions during the week of November 9 through November 15. Players are selected for the award by their performances and contributions during the week of competition. For the second time in three weeks a Bethel College Pilot has been selected as the NCCAA men's basketball Student-Athlete of the Week. Junior guard Clay Yeo received the award for leading the No. 22 ranked Pilots on a 3-0 week and a perfect 7-0 start to the season averaging an outstanding 23 points, 3.3 steals, 2.3 rebounds and 1.3 assist per game in the past week. 

I'm wondering if Clay didn't make a pretty good decision after all.

Probably, from a playing time standpoint.  It must be exciting playing in front of 312 fans!! 

[bbtds]

Probably, from a playing time standpoint.  It must be exciting playing in front of 312 fans!! 

Being a glass half empty guy you could say the same about Valpo crowds being about 3,000 when major programs can get crowds of 15,000 to 20,000. It's all relative to how you view it. If you're just playing for a school based solely on the crowd size then maybe you shouldn't be there in the first place unless you're at a major school.

[vufan75]

Some current info on the status of former Valpo commit Zion Morgan's recruiting.

http://ny2lasports.com/article_one.aspx?articleid=3238#

[agibson]

Some current info on the status of former Valpo commit Zion Morgan's recruiting.

http://ny2lasports.com/article_one.aspx?articleid=3238#

Morgan added that Valparaiso is still very much a factor in his recruitment. "I'm not counting them out," he said. "They're still in the picture. I just rushed it in the beginning. They're not out at all. "Of course they were disappointed. They told me the offer was still on the table. They were just upset because they wanted to build the team around me."

A big goal for him this season is to earn a high major offer.  "I'm trying to prove something to myself and everybody else that I can play at a high major school," he said. "I'm still considering all my offers, but I want to land those offers to prove to myself I can play. "I think I have a big season in me," he continued. "We'll see what happens."

[talksalot]

November 16, 1933....The Torch...

http://collections.valpo.edu/cdm/compoundobject/collection/torch/id/3349/rec/10

Column 4... all the way at the bottom...

THAT"S the way to get the best college basketball players to be on your team!

[historyman]

November 16, 1933....The Torch... http://collections.valpo.edu/cdm/compoundobject/collection/torch/id/3349/rec/10 Column 4... all the way at the bottom... THAT"S the way to get the best college basketball players to be on your team!

BULLETIN:

Official basketball practice begins Monday night, November 20, at 7:30.
All interested upperclassmen interested report at Boucher gym.
                                                                    --J. M. Christiansen.


Back in the 30's intercollegiate athletics was pretty much just a form of recreation only. Yes, school pride was a big part too. It is also interesting that Valpo didn't even have it's own gym. In 1933 VU rented Boucher Gym from Valparaiso High School which was located then where Benjamin Franklin Middle School is located on Campbell Street and Park Ave (605 Campbell). Boucher Gym was built in 1928 a year after the High School was built in 1927 at 605 Campbell. So in 1933 Boucher Gym was only 5 years old and served both VHS and VU.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Valparaiso_High_School

A new high school opened in 1927 at 605 North Campbell Street, with a gymnasium finished the following year. This building served as the high school until 1972, and continues to be used as Benjamin Franklin Middle School.
 

[agibson]

alparaiso High School which was located then where Benjamin Franklin Middle School is located on Campbell Street and Park Ave (605 Campbell). Boucher Gym was built in 1928 a year after the High School was built in 1927 at 605 Campbell.

I think a lot of the old high school is incorporated in the current middle school, which has also been expanded with some architectural continuity.

Is the gym still around? Do they have a new gym?

[talksalot]

From the "Historical Campus Tours" Script ... I have a picture if I could figure out how to upload it!


During the week of December 15, 1927, Vu held its first exhibition game of the season playing Lewis Institute of Chicago in this facility and VU won 32-28.  That was the last game played here, since later that night, it burned to the ground.  For the next 12 years, VU played all of their home games at Boucher Gym.  This was the Valparaiso High School gym at the time.  It still stands, as the gym at Ben Franklin Middle School on Campbell Street.  Valpo won the first game played there in January 1928, by beating the University of Arkansas Aggies 54-27.

Shortly after the 1927-28 season ended, the Torch printed the announcement that a new gym would be coming shortly.  On that day, the University held the first "Valparaiso Day" with "Young men in overalls and co-eds in knickers" doing a general cleanup of campus and among other things, remove the rubble of the gymnasium fire.

On November 1, 1929, the Torch Headline was "Board Grants New Gym".  With previously unforeseen enthusiasm, every student on campus attended Convocation on Halloween 1929 for the purpose of raising money for the project.  The Board members pledged $130,000 as the students were chanting "We Want a Field House!"   They were presented with renderings of the proposed facility.   TEN YEARS later, the new building opened... and it did not look anything like the renderings seen in 1929.

Starting the tradition that continues, we invited Notre Dame to come to the Inaugural game in the new facility.... we were very nice hosts that day, Irish 63 Uhlans 26.  First win in Hilltop was against Concordia (Ill) 43-41, after starting the season 0-6.

[historyman]

I also saw this in the third column towards the bottom of the 1933 Torch:


                           NOTICES

The season's first basketball practice for freshmen
commanded a fair turnout last night at Boucher gym,
but Coach Christiansen again issues an appeal to all
freshmen interested in that sport to report to the
gym at 7:15 tonight. It is the Coach's plan to plan to
organize two teams besides the varsity, each with a
schedule of games, giving all men an equal opportun-
ity for action.

so in some sense it was intramurals and P.E. all in one.

[SanityLost17]

http://espn.go.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/14369859/elijah-thomas-texas-aggies-once-star-recruit-transfer

Never too early to start looking at who is transferring. 

[vusupporter]

Except we have no open scholarships right now, so any mid season transfer would have to pay their own way for the spring semester to come here.

[VULB#62]

How does that work?  Can we contact him once he announces?

[vu72]

An update on Micah Bradford, recently named MVP of the Kankakee Valley holiday Tournament.  Seems like he is an OK player!     In a recent game he was also 12 for 12 from the line!!

http://www.daily-journal.com/sports/high-school-basketball-bradford-shows-elite-skills-in-easy-win/article_e29ee410-f686-5db7-80f3-54da10c7d69f.html

[vu72]

Very quiet on the recruiting front.  We've got a bunch of bodies to replace.  In the meantime, take a look at the moves Micah Bradford possesses.  Unfortunately I can't figure out how to post it but if you go to Barry Bradford's twitter page and scroll down, you will see a Seth Curry impression.  Awesome is an understatement.

https://twitter.com/barrybradford3

[VULB#62]

[tweet]695853758819872768[/tweet]

[vufan75]

Per recruiting guru Roy Schmidt of Illinois Prep Bullseye tonite on his twitter feed......

"Valparaiso also at R-B for both Nick Robinson & Zion Morgan."

R-B is the Riverside Brookfield sectional or regional state tournament site, with a game tonite between Kenwood and Proviso East. Robinson decommitted from Indiana State with Valpo as one of the schools he is considering. Morgan decommitted from Valpo to explore his options but is still considering Valpo. These guys play together at Kenwood Academy and would be nice players if we could land them. Hope our ace Illinois recruiter Coach Powell along with Coach Lottich can seal the deal with them. #govalpo

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G920A using Tapatalk

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G920A using Tapatalk

[IndyValpo]

http://espn.go.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/14968784/cullen-neal-transfer-new-mexico-lobos-leaving-coach-father-craig-neal

We should be on the phone today.......

[covufan]

http://espn.go.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/14968784/cullen-neal-transfer-new-mexico-lobos-leaving-coach-father-craig-neal

We should be on the phone today.......

The transfer season has begun. 

Not sure Neal is looking for a program such as Valpo, but he would be a good one to get.

[covufan]

If UCF has fired Donnie Jones, does Brachen Hazen open up his recruiting?

http://verbalcommits.com/players/brachen-hazen