https://twitter.com/Ryan_fazekas/status/856225941135253504
https://twitter.com/NWIOren/status/856224537226207232
https://twitter.com/MichaelOsipoff/status/856225130846060546
https://twitter.com/Ryan_fazekas/status/854105323954515968
https://twitter.com/GoodmanESPN/status/856223861104398336
FANTASTIC GET!! A former Indiana All Star and another ESPN 4 star! Perhaps the missing link to something special year after next when he will be eligible, Joe Burton will be in his senior year and our bigs will have another year under their belts. Great news!! Matt is really showing his recruiting chops!!
Great get. Sit one play 2
He'll thrive at Valpo. :thumbsup:
Quote from: elephtheria47 on April 23, 2017, 02:47:15 PM
Great get. Sit one play 2
I actually think this next year could be great for Ryan. Take a year off to enjoy school and work on his game and work with the strength and conditioning staff to get stronger.
Really excited to see him coming home. He could be a big part of our team.
Have there been some questions as to whether or not Matt L could recruit? ;D
"Only" an 80 ranking from ESPN? But somebody who played almost 20 mpg as a sophomore in the Big East can't be bad. From ESPN 4th in Indiana (overall in his class, I think), 29th nationally at Power Forward, out of high school.
What caused his transfer?
Sounds like it was down to Fordham, Valpo, and Vanderbilt. I'm sure the considerations were complicated, but, tempting to think Lottich > Bryce!
https://twitter.com/JP8185/status/856244950358536193
https://twitter.com/JP8185/status/856245193984618496
https://twitter.com/JP8185/status/856245415750008833
Interesting. This season at Providence he was 24, 23, 27 minutes the first three games. But only cracked 10 minutes twice after January 1. And his 18.8 MPG season average ignores three games late in the season where he didn't appear.
It'll be interesting to see if this transfer will get the likes of Jim Peter, both media ands, more interested in VU basketball.
Definitely sounds like he hit a bit of a sophomore slump/had too much talent on the team to let him develop fully.
Could be due to a lot of things but I'm glad to see him coming to Valpo and having another year to develop more and bond with the team. I think him coming here is good news for Lottich's recruiting abilities and also to push back any concern people may have that people came to Valpo for the Drews alone and not the program and school.
This is a fantastic get. I look forward to these next 3-4 seasons, similar to how excited I was when we got AP to sign. A culture of winning that will stay long-term.
http://www.nwitimes.com/sports/basketball/college/marquette-catholic-grad-fazekas-transferring-to-valparaiso/article_6260c42e-5766-5716-9fac-c81e2a2081fc.html
Marquette Catholic grad Fazekas transferring to Valparaiso
By: Jim Peters jim.peters@nwi.com
Ryan Fazekas is coming home.
The Marquette Catholic graduate and Chesterton resident announced Sunday that he will be transferring from Providence College to Valparaiso University.
"Part of it was coming back to the Midwest, being closer to home, where my parents and family can see more games," Fazekas said. "I definitely liked Vanderbilt and Fordham a lot. I appreciate everything they did. The Valpo offer was the one that appealed to me the most. They really made me a priority."
......
"I wanted to go my own way, somewhere where I could expand my game and be more than just a shooter. I saw my role getting smaller and smaller, and I thought it would be best for me to get out while I can."
.......
"It was definitely a more stressful process this time," he said. "You've got to get it right and I think I've made a good decision. My parents were surprised when I told them (Saturday). They were thinking it was going to be another week. I talked to Coach (Matt) Lottich and (assistant) Coach (Luke) Gore and they were both really excited. I'm just really excited to be coming home and have the opportunity to play there."
.....
4-Star Joe Burton 6-6
3-Star Ryan Fazekus 6-8
3-Star Parker Hazen 6-7
3-Star Bakari Evelyn 6-2
3-Star Derrik Smits 7-2
2.5 Star Micah Bradford 6-2
Locked and loaded!
:thumbsup:
Quote from: agibson on April 23, 2017, 03:45:18 PM
Interesting. This season at Providence he was 24, 23, 27 minutes the first three games. But only cracked 10 minutes twice after January 1. And his 18.8 MPG season average ignores three games late in the season where he didn't appear.
It'll be interesting to see if this transfer will get the likes of Jim Peter, both media ands, more interested in VU basketball.
From what I've heard is that he sort lost some confidence after he suffered a few minor nagging injuries that cost him some playing time earlier this year. After lost playing time he just couldn't get back into rhythm and fell down the depth chart.
As for Jim Peters and other local sports reporters I hope Ryan Fazekas coming home to NWI and Valpo signing Mileek McMillan (Merrillville) and Parker Hazen (Columbia City) will start to cause them to notice or report on Valpo Hoops a little more.
Jim Peters is a good Prep reporter & guy but he definitely doesn't give Valpo much coverage (or as much as you'd think a local guy should). He has sort of "big-timed" the program the few years in favor of Purdue and IU (which they always will get the bulk of the coverage). Personally I'd just like the Local/In-State Sports media to take notice of our program a little more. I believe Jim went to Purdue so that may be another small factor.
I think with Valpo focusing more heavily on recruiting the region and In-State like guys: Deavion Washington (Terre Haute, IN), Walter Ellis (South Bend), and Alex Hemenway (Newburgh, IN), it will help the coverage if these guys decide to come to Valpo. (Side Note: Hemenway who is in the class of 2019 is projected to be a stud. Someone to keep an eye on. I'm glad Valpo started recruiting him early. I hope Purdue and IU don't offer.) Sasha Stefanovic (Crown Point) was really close to coming to Valpo, until Purdue came and swooped in last minute in his recruitment. I still think Sasha would have been better served coming to Valpo and get the chance to be the future THE GUY at Valpo. He would have got big time minutes and very early development at Valpo. At Purdue playing time will be tougher to come by (especially his Freshman/Sophomore year).
Quote from: wh on April 23, 2017, 04:17:37 PM
4-Star Joe Burton 6-6
3-Star Ryan Fazekus 6-8
3-Star Parker Hazen 6-7
3-Star Bakari Evelyn 6-2
3-Star Derrik Smits 7-2
2.5 Star Micah Bradford 6-2
Locked and loaded!
:thumbsup:
ESPN had Ryan a 4 star! Always liked there ratings the best! ;)
Good get. He was a solid player his freshman season in the Big East and then this year the Providence coaching staff lost some faith in him on the defensive end of the floor early on in conference play and he never found his way on the floor much other than a couple of occasions after that. He's a good shooter, and should compete with Hazen for playing time I'd assume since they've got pretty similar playing styles. He didn't do much at Providence other than shoot it from distance, so it'll be on him to develop other parts of his game in his season off. If nothing else he's quality depth in the Horizon or MVC, which is never a bad thing to have.
Really like his game, he would be very similar to Alec out of high school from what little I saw on video. Neither he or Alec are top level defenders, Alec got markedly better at moving his feet on the def end his last two years.
Alec's brother said it best on Paul's podcast....Alec will be best when teamed up with a real rim rocker and athletic 5 in the NBA. Same could be said for Jr year Alec (Vashil) vs Sr year Alec (freshmen centers). Alec picked up his def because he had to this year.
Can our bigs protect Fazekas in two years? If so, his defense will be less in question.
The signing of Parker Hazen and now Fazekas are huge stepping stones for the program. Looking forward to the future!!!
Quote from: FieldGoodie05 on April 23, 2017, 06:35:57 PM
Really like his game, he would be very similar to Alec out of high school from what little I saw on video. Neither he or Alec are top level defenders, Alec got markedly better at moving his feet on the def end his last two years.
Alec's brother said it best on Paul's podcast....Alec will be best when teamed up with a real rim rocker and athletic 5 in the NBA. Same could be said for Jr year Alec (Vashil) vs Sr year Alec (freshmen centers). Alec picked up his def because he had to this year.
Can our bigs protect Fazekas in two years? If so, his defense will be less in question.
The signing of Parker Hazen and now Fazekas are huge stepping stones for the program. Looking forward to the future!!!
Last night I watched our 2016 St. Mary's game -- mainly the second half so that I could knowlegeably post to UNIFTW about the the ARC atmosphere. But what sticks in my mind was how good Vashil was at covering ground around the basket and leaping and extending to block shots and change trajectory. Man, he was good. I only hope that one or both of our baby bigs learn to do that. I was really frustrated seeing them stand flatfooted with arms straight up and 6-4 guards were still scoring over them. Plus they then got called for fouls!
Didn't I read somewhere on our board that Fazekas had mono this season?
Am I making that up?
https://twitter.com/JP8185/status/683380833042825216
https://twitter.com/pcbb1917/status/694728777969111040
https://twitter.com/CooleyArmy/status/684550773355757568
https://twitter.com/pcbb1917/status/698550652973281280
He had mono his freshman year.
Quote from: FieldGoodie05 on April 23, 2017, 06:51:07 PM
Didn't I read somewhere on our board that Fazekas had mono this season?
Am I making that up?
Never mind, it was Dec of his freshmen year.
Quote from: VULB#62 on April 23, 2017, 06:46:23 PM
Quote from: FieldGoodie05 on April 23, 2017, 06:35:57 PM
Really like his game, he would be very similar to Alec out of high school from what little I saw on video. Neither he or Alec are top level defenders, Alec got markedly better at moving his feet on the def end his last two years.
Alec's brother said it best on Paul's podcast....Alec will be best when teamed up with a real rim rocker and athletic 5 in the NBA. Same could be said for Jr year Alec (Vashil) vs Sr year Alec (freshmen centers). Alec picked up his def because he had to this year.
Can our bigs protect Fazekas in two years? If so, his defense will be less in question.
The signing of Parker Hazen and now Fazekas are huge stepping stones for the program. Looking forward to the future!!!
Last night I watched our 2016 St. Mary's game -- mainly the second half so that I could knowlegeably post to UNIFTW about the the ARC atmosphere. But what sticks in my mind was how good Vashil was at covering ground around the basket and leaping and extending to block shots and change trajectory. Man, he was good. I only hope that one or both of our baby bigs learn to do that. I was really frustrated seeing them stand flatfooted with arms straight up and 6-4 guards were still scoring over them. Plus they then got called for fouls!
I hope so too but I'm not getting my hopes up with Smits being a defensive rock in the middle. I think he can still be an effective big because you can not teach 7'2" to kids. He has the type of size and length that can alter wings shot when they try and slash to the basket but he needs to be able to diagnose and read the opposing defenses offense to put him in a position to not get call for the foul. He just doesn't have the lateral natural foot speed or athleticism that Vashil had to be that type of dynamic shot blocker, but he still can still be effective defensively. (It will come with more experience and hard work battling Jay in the paint in practice and working with Coach Gore).
Jay I'm a little bit more optimistic on his defensive capabilities. He was pretty good for a freshman center the first 3/4 the season (before he hit that freshman wall). He may not be dynamic like Vashil but still very capable and solid. I have high hopes for Jay just as I'm still optimistic about Smits on the Offensive end if he gets stronger and learn play through contact and be more physical. WE NEED those guys to use that size to rebound next year!
Got a little off topic but I think Ryan can be effective in a structured team defense. He doesn't have quick feet (he may be a tad bit slower then Alec from the times a remember watching him). I'd imagine they will play him a the stretch 4 but also try and develop something of an inside game like Alec did in College. Ryan doesn't have as big of a frame as Alec does, but I'm sure Derek Bol will pack on some lean muscle to his frame in his year off which should really help him especially if the coaches plan on using him similarly to Alec (Alec really built his frame throughout college (he was a pretty lean kid his freshman year)).
Ryan is definitely a shooter and real perimeter threat but I think the Valpo coach develop and utilize him much more better then Providence would the rest of his College Career. I think he made wise choice for development coming to Valpo.
Wait! That gives us a red shirt junior from Chesterton, and sophomores from Noblesville and Zionsville. OK and we have freshmen coming in from Merrillville and Columbia City. And, and and we are recruiting kids from Newburgh, South Bend and Terre Haute?
Whats wrong with this picture? Aren't all of these towns in Indiana? :thumbsup: We have gone entire decades with fewer than half this many hoosier kids even showing up for a recruiting visit. Is Matt seeing something here that Bryce was blind to? Hoosier kids coming to an Indiana school! What is this world coming to? :o
https://twitter.com/MichaelOsipoff/status/856315075103252480
https://twitter.com/MichaelOsipoff/status/856315140748312577
https://twitter.com/MichaelOsipoff/status/856315259916832769
https://twitter.com/MichaelOsipoff/status/856315677455638528
https://twitter.com/MichaelOsipoff/status/856315923598376961
https://twitter.com/MichaelOsipoff/status/856316338490494976
https://twitter.com/MichaelOsipoff/status/856316428395446272
The official Valpo release:
http://www.valpoathletics.com/mbasketball/news/2016-17/17358/fazekas-to-join-crusader-basketball-program/#.WQCca1KZMo8
Quote from: justducky on April 23, 2017, 08:32:30 PMWait! That gives us a red shirt junior from Chesterton, and sophomores from Noblesville and Zionsville. OK and we have freshmen coming in from Merrillville and Columbia City. And, and and we are recruiting kids from Newburgh, South Bend and Terre Haute? Whats wrong with this picture? Aren't all of these towns in Indiana? :thumbsup: We have gone entire decades with fewer than half this many hoosier kids even showing up for a recruiting visit. Is Matt seeing something here that Bryce was blind to? Hoosier kids coming to an Indiana school! What is this world coming to? :o
I hope we don't forget the Chicago Kids that have been so good for us. We have had a lot of special players from the city. I know that was Powell expertise.
Have the Crusaders ever had 2 former IN HS All-Stars on a roster before? If they did, I don't remember it. By the way Parker Hazen was a Junior All-Star. It's conceivable that we could have 3 IN HS All-Stars on the same roster.
Change the mascot to Good Hoosiers! ;D
Quote from: wh on April 26, 2017, 08:31:14 AM
Have the Crusaders ever had 2 former IN HS All-Stars on a roster before? If they did, I don't remember it. By the way Parker Hazen was a Junior All-Star. It's conceivable that we could have 3 IN HS All-Stars on the same roster.
Parker could make it but there are a lot of bigs ranked in the state. IndyStar has him rated the #15 player in the state. Can't seem to locate other ranking services.
Quote from: vu72 on April 26, 2017, 11:18:12 AM
Quote from: wh on April 26, 2017, 08:31:14 AM
Have the Crusaders ever had 2 former IN HS All-Stars on a roster before? If they did, I don't remember it. By the way Parker Hazen was a Junior All-Star. It's conceivable that we could have 3 IN HS All-Stars on the same roster.
Parker could make it but there are a lot of bigs ranked in the state. IndyStar has him rated the #15 player in the state. Can't seem to locate other ranking services.
I'm not a native from Indiana and I watch hardly any Indiana HS Basketball but I've heard the voting on the Indiana HS Allstar is pretty political and people voting for "their guy".
Quote from: vu72 on April 26, 2017, 11:18:12 AM
Quote from: wh on April 26, 2017, 08:31:14 AM
Have the Crusaders ever had 2 former IN HS All-Stars on a roster before? If they did, I don't remember it. By the way Parker Hazen was a Junior All-Star. It's conceivable that we could have 3 IN HS All-Stars on the same roster.
Parker could make it but there are a lot of bigs ranked in the state. IndyStar has him rated the #15 player in the state. Can't seem to locate other ranking services.
The team was named a few weeks ago ... Hazen wasn't included. Mr. Basketball winner will be named tomorrow.
Yes, it's always been political and most of the voters are from in/around Indy, so it always skews heavily to that part of the state. Good players from the Region, Ft. Wayne, Evansville area and Kentuckiana are regularly overlooked.
Quote from: wh on April 26, 2017, 08:31:14 AM
Have the Crusaders ever had 2 former IN HS All-Stars on a roster before? If they did, I don't remember it. By the way Parker Hazen was a Junior All-Star. It's conceivable that we could have 3 IN HS All-Stars on the same roster.
Yes!
In 1989 Casey Schmidt was an All-Star. In 1994 Bryce was an All-Star.
In 1998 Greg Tonagel was an All-Star. In 2002 Seth Colclasure was an Indiana All-Star, and in 2003 Kenny Harris was an All-Star. They were on a few teams together.
Brandon McPherson was an All-Star in 2005. He and Seth were on the 2005-6 team, which unfortunately did not have Kenny Harris.
A forgetful year with McPherson and Bryan Bouchie in 2007-8 (Bouchie transferring, not McPherson's play).
Clay Yeo was an All-Star in 2013. Fazekas and Smits in 2015. Unfortunately, Hazen is not on the 2017 All-Star roster.
https://twitter.com/MichaelOsipoff/status/857287769835614209
https://twitter.com/MichaelOsipoff/status/857287854115999749
https://twitter.com/MichaelOsipoff/status/857288121267912704
https://twitter.com/MichaelOsipoff/status/857288304001241091
https://twitter.com/MichaelOsipoff/status/857288570385682436
https://twitter.com/MichaelOsipoff/status/857288621300338689
https://twitter.com/MichaelOsipoff/status/857288817086255112
It hurts my Soul that a Publication pays this idiot for his thoughts on sports.... :crazy:
https://twitter.com/carronJphillips/status/857277250001096705
Too good for Valpo? Guess Carron J. Phillips thought he was too good for Michigan City so he moved "up" in the world to Delaware. Awesome.
Someone got triggered when I called him out. :rotfl:
https://twitter.com/Valpo_Hoops/status/857306081088995332
https://twitter.com/carronJphillips/status/857306990556721155
https://twitter.com/carronJphillips/status/857307182852964354
https://twitter.com/Valpo_Hoops/status/857314941132582912
https://twitter.com/Valpo_Hoops/status/857315036297089026
https://twitter.com/Valpo_Hoops/status/857315086796455937
https://twitter.com/Valpo_Hoops/status/857315487667150849
He's a nobody.
Edit: Also, I assume that he played at Morehouse College? That is D-2, so it isn't like he was a world-beater. I hate people that claim the, 'I played, did you' card. It is usually people who underachieved.
Quote from: Valpo89 on April 26, 2017, 01:47:18 PM
Too good for Valpo? Guess Carron J. Phillips thought he was too good for Michigan City so he moved "up" in the world to Delaware. Awesome.
Irregardless of the hurt feelings, he reports for a small market and we are a small university. Have some mutual respect.
We both have the very same constraints on our resources and to see something like this when everybody involved is happy for Ryan coming to VU is just unnecessary.
We all have missteps and maybe it's time for him to admit his own here.
Quote from: VU2014 on April 26, 2017, 01:42:39 PM
It hurts my Soul that a Publication pays this idiot for his thoughts on sports.... :crazy:
https://twitter.com/carronJphillips/status/857277250001096705
What a hack. He should hang out with that reporter from Fort Wayne.
Quote from: bigmosmithfan1 on April 26, 2017, 11:59:51 AM
Yes, it's always been political and most of the voters are from in/around Indy, so it always skews heavily to that part of the state. Good players from the Region, Ft. Wayne, Evansville area and Kentuckiana are regularly overlooked.
That is one view--the other is that the central part of the state does have better players. Names like Conley, Teague, Hayward, Hill, etc. ring any NBA bells? Name four players in the NBA off the top of your head from the other parts of Indiana.
Quote from: bbtds on April 27, 2017, 01:00:24 AM
Quote from: bigmosmithfan1 on April 26, 2017, 11:59:51 AM
Yes, it's always been political and most of the voters are from in/around Indy, so it always skews heavily to that part of the state. Good players from the Region, Ft. Wayne, Evansville area and Kentuckiana are regularly overlooked.
That is one view--the other is that the central part of the state does have better players. Names like Conley, Teague, Hayward, Hill, etc. ring any NBA bells? Name four players in the NBA off the top of your head from the other parts of Indiana.
Glen Robinson III, Miles Plumlee, Mason Plumlee, and... Marshall Plumlee? That's all I've got. :lol:
E'twuan Moore, GRIII, GR Jr, Mitch McGary, Bryce Drew :)
You forgot Robbie Hummel
Quote from: crusader05 on April 27, 2017, 08:25:02 AM
E'twuan Moore, GRIII, GR Jr, Mitch McGary, Bryce Drew :)
Quote from: M on April 27, 2017, 08:28:17 AM
You forgot Robbie Hummel
Hummel, Moore, McGary and Robinson were all in the NBA in 2015.
Pgmado you are too nice ;D
https://twitter.com/NWIOren/status/857733255793192960
https://twitter.com/Valpo_Hoops/status/857759505337200640
Trying my whole Martin Luther "best construction" angle the best I can do is that he may have had friends, or contacts, or heroes or what not in Bristol and have been shaken up by the ESPN layoffs.
Well, he's not even good enough to get laid off by ESPN. #burn
Quote from: agibson on April 27, 2017, 07:59:09 PM
Trying my whole Martin Luther "best construction" angle the best I can do is that he may have had friends, or contacts, or heroes or what not in Bristol and have been shaken up by the ESPN layoffs.
Did you beat yourself before hand so as to punish yourself for your sin of agreeing with an "idiotic" fan?
Oh, I'm not agreeing with him. Just trying to understand his hating and Twitter posturing.
He went to the Skip Baylese school of journalism.
Another Providence player to transfer. Guard Ricky Council II will transfer to UMBC
https://twitter.com/RealJMorandini/status/858036198476001282
http://www.valpotorch.com/sports/article_1615c17c-2bd7-11e7-b8f5-bfb26cd355da.html#user-comment-area
Lottich nabs key Providence transfer
Fri Apr 28, 2017.
Jordan Morandini
It's officially the post-Alec Peters era for Valparaiso basketball, and everyone is interested to see how the program will handle the loss of the NBA prospect.
Crusader fans were happy to find out this past weekend that a certain 6-foot-8 forward known around the area has decided to transfer to Valparaiso.
Ryan Fazekas, a sophomore for Providence, announced Sunday on Twitter his plans to transfer. He will sit out one season, per transfer regulations, and then play two for the Crusaders.
..................