Tucker backed by two guys from the region expect to thump the Beacons at the ARC.
We played them tough in Des Moines, and many of their nine conference wins have been by a small margin. They have lost twice to MoSt, and like VU, come off an overtime game this past Wednesday (of course they won theirs in a double overtime while Valpo ran out of gas and collapsed in OT). I look for a competitive game and hold out hope that this will be a game when our streaky shooters will find the basket.
Will Sturtz again prove himself to be the pest that makes the little plays that sting on both ends of the court?
Drake has more than Tucker DeVries and Sturtz, Brodie went to work inside the last time they played.
Quote from: usc4valpo on February 04, 2023, 07:01:52 AM
Drake has more than Tucker DeVries and Sturtz, Brodie went to work inside the last time they played.
Brodie went off for 19. They are probably the oldest team in the conference and we might bed the second oldest! They seem to be playing up to their opponent as they have been taken to overtime by UIC twice, most recently on their home court. I'm hoping for a good effort but we'll need to be hitting 3's to win as a zone is no doubt coming our way.
Defensive lapses, shot selection, (closer to the basket) and careless turnovers (that includes taking over 10 3 point attempts! Largest crowd of the year. 2,400
aB - has the game started?
Great to hear Todd on ESPN :thumbsup:
Looks like the lower section of the ARC is full!
AD Small was thanking all the students in the first row of student section for coming out tonight! Class move!
Very good game.
Not sure what looks more stupid: the Beacon logo (which ultimately makes the Valpo logo look like a W) or the two dog mascots. Ugh.
Solid student showing. They're always better on Friday and Saturday nights. Really wish MVC would quit scheduling Sunday matinees.
That foul on Krikke was absolutely brutal. How hard is it not to leave your feet when defending a three-point shooter??? Elementary age kids know this and Krikke should know better. Fingers crossed this OT goes better than the last one.
Let's see what CML draws up with Krikke out. I'd hate to see us jack up a three....
For as well as we played, and for as well as Krikke played, he had an absolutely brutal last 30-45 seconds in regulation. You foul a jump shooter well beyond the 3 point line, and then think that you are going to drive the lane on the next play, when you are at the 3 point line, and 3 Drake defenders near enough to the paint, that it is easy for them to slide over? Not a good sequence, and a very unfortunate loss, due to it.
Close but no cigar. Had multiple chances to put them away. Can't come away saying their is an enormous talent gap between Valpo and the top four teams in the league. It's the other things. Green, Edwards, King and maybe Krikke is gone next year. Very few chances left to figure out how to close these teams out.
Quote from: AB on February 04, 2023, 08:39:11 PMIt's the other things. Green, Edwards, King and maybe Krikke is gone next year. Very few chances left to figure out how to close these teams out.
We are no longer painful to watch but we still haven't beaten a good Valley team and it may not happen. Hope springs eternal so I'll try to make it for Bradley.
That was a great college basketball game to watch. Even though we lost, we competed like we should and that is what we all have wanted this whole year.
The team showed some grit tonight that we haven't seen in some time.
I hate to blame refs for a loss but some of those calls were very ticky tacky. Drake had like only 7 fouls total in 30 minutes of play in 2nd half and 2 OTs which is very hard to do. And there was an obvious big flop missed in OT.
Kudos to the fans tonight for showing up and also the students. It felt a little like old school Valpo basketball at the arc tonight.
Is Jerome Palm injured? He's been MIA lately and I wondered if he's hurt or in doghouse. Could use a big who rebounds to spell Krikke. Just curious if PO or anyone else has heard anything.
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Not sure how to feel about this one. It's your home court. You should win. Then again, you're playing a decent Drake team. You are winning the game by a large margin for parts of it. Ugly end of regulation, and couldn't finish things off in OT.
Good = Student section showed up.
Good = Lower section of bleachers was ~80% full.
Good = Actually had a halftime performer.
Good = Valpo was competitive.
Bad = Valpo lost another game & we're finding the silver lining in the lower bowl being ~80% full. And have yet to beat a top team in the valley. Is this honestly the goal? Is this enough to keep ML at the helm? I sure hope not.
Agree with Chairback, that was a great college basketball game! Battled down to the wire with arguably the best team in the Valley led by a sure NBA player. It certainly does sting to lose such a well fought tight game. I doubt anybody is going to want to play us in the tourney and now I'm contemplating going to St. Louis to see if these guys can finally get it together.
Yes, last night's game against Drake was a great college basketball game. It was exciting to watch but the result was very predictable.
I'm going to copy something I wrote in the VUWBB thread.
But the MBB team still has not beaten a team in the top 8 of the conference standings at this point. NOT GOOD ENOUGH! CLOSE DOESN'T COUNT IN BASKETBALL. HOLDING A COACH TO HIGH STANDARDS IS THE SAME THING VU DOES WITH IT'S STUDENTS IN THEIR ACADEMIC FIELD. WHY DOES THE UNIVERSITY LOWER THE STANDARDS FOR ATHLETICS?
Valpo is playing better and played hard last night. They are getting wins over ham and egger opponents and can't get over the hump over better opponents. Now there will be some pity about the coaching situation unlike what we experienced a month ago. This will be an interesting offseason for the direction of Valpo basketball.
I was pleased to see the attendance and excitement at the game last night—due to the reemergence of the pep band, turnout by student groups, local interest in players on Drake from the area, advertising in the town newspaper, and a halftime show—all good and to be applauded, and all things we've been calling for on this forum. Nonetheless, the result was the same as we've seen, a collapse at the end of the game. I turned to my wife midway through the second half and commented that I'm curious to see how Valpo creatively will lose the lead. As historyman stated, "the result was very predictable." So, now some folks are enthused by one game of elevated atmosphere during the season and seemingly encouraged by another near-win. Nonetheless, the team lingers in 10th place with the best outcome being a possible 9th place finish in the conference. Expectations for this program ought to be higher than that; otherwise, again to quote Historyman, we "lower the standards for athletics."
[tweet]1622284197695029251[/tweet]Yet, when Valpo needed a three to tie the game at the end of the second overtime, Nelson wasn't even an option. Edwards dribbled the ball across half court to the sideline in front of the VU bench, where he was stuck by himself while Nelson was clear across the court standing on the opposite sideline completely out of the play. Result: a low percentage 3-point shooter hoists an almost impossible off-balance shot at the buzzer instead of giving the team's hottest shooter during the night a chance.
I am not saying I am okay with losing, but it sure was a fun game to watch, which isn't always the case. You want to team to show up and give you something to be excited about. Hope this continues. If they play this hard consistently, they should (hopefully) win a few games, and get much needed fan support.
somewhat of a moral victory and it doesn't appear to be a team that will quit. Better results from better intensity on defense. 4 games this year came down to execution in crunch time or extending leads. At this level, the coaching pedigree of Wardell, Jacobson, Devries (working the officials better for calls etc) can make a difference. Palm....agreed mystery. Would have been an asset on offensive rebounds last night.
The game last night was certainly good and Valpo's effort against a good team was nice to see. And the student turnout and enthusiasm in the student section was great to see.
The thing that stood out to me, however, is that Valpo seems to lack a system. On offense, there is little or no team cohesion. The ball does not move and players seldom move off the ball. Most offensive sets emphasize the point guard getting the ball to the chosen player (based on matchup and/or the hot hand) and that player trying to score. Last night, Krikke was "the guy". He played great and the ball did get to Nelson several times, but most everyone else was not engaged in the offense. Krikke went out and then it was a lot of King going one-on-one.
This type of play, which is consistent with what I have seen in Matt Lottich teams, is not likely to lead to any sustainable success (which I will define as consistently seriously competing for the MVC championship). There might be brief periods of peaking (the MVC tournament a few years ago), but I do not see any consistent success with the current "system". Furthermore, since the players are not aligned with a system, they are far more likely to leave if they think they can play at a higher tier school. wh made some very salient points in a post on a different thread regarding how Matt Lottich could be retained and signed to an extension - but I think that would be a mistake (and as said in many other posts, Matt Lottich seems like a really good person - this is about coaching and outcomes).
Lastly, Valpo apparently did more advertising for this game (from other posts)...and that is great. But things like promotions, halftime entertainment, etc. will not create excitement and greater attendance (maybe for a game, but the goal is for every game or at least all good opponents). Perceptions of the quality of the team, far and away, has the greatest impact on attendance...followed by perceptions of the quality of the opponent. Everything else has far less of an impact.
I just took a look at home attendance and am SHOCKED as to how far we have fallen. The Drake game was the FIRST home game with attendance over 2000 and made a huge jump to a very respectable 3137. There was actually one game listed at 915. Through 12 home games we are averaging 1586 which of course made a jump based on last night's game.
I looked back and saw that last year we averaged 1758, in 2019-2020 we averaged 2797 and in 2018-2019 we averaged 3126!!! Talk about lost revenue. The AD has to be looking at the numbers.
What is sad about this outcome is that actually we never trailed in regulation and there was three ties. We lead for over 38 minutes before they tied us on the three free throws.
As far attendance, I think the 6 pm starts have affected the attendance, as well. I have missed several games this year because of that start time and I have difficult time getting others to go with me.
Quote from: tjjvalpo on February 05, 2023, 06:25:15 PMAs far attendance, I think the 6 pm starts have affected the attendance, as well. I have missed several games this year because of that start time and I have difficult time getting others to go with me.
^^This^^
CAVEAT: I'm too far away to physically attend games in the ARC, but............ The typical work day is 9-5. Usually there is a commute of some length. Usually families need some time together to organize before going somewhere. Usually there's gotta be some dinner or maybe just a quick snack? Then ya gotta get out the door and do this casually all in under an hour from quitting time to make the tip off. Hell, I'm in the same time zone and have seldom been able to click into the start of any game. I also assume some on-campus classes stretch to 5 or 6 as well. This is brainless and counterproductive to fostering increases in attendance.
Out of curiosity, I checked just the Bradley and Drake schedules. They appear to have evening tip offs at 7pm. And their evening away games, except for Valpo, also seem to be 7pm. WHY???
I have been wondering about the 6pm starts. Maybe it's for travel?
Enjoyed watching the Drake game. Wished for a different outcome, but you can see tremendous improvements from earlier in the year. Loved seeing more people in the stands and the student section.
Also loved the Phillips66 and sonic commercials. Does everyone get those who is it because I was watching from Oklahoma I get local commercials??????
Hated the shot selection on our very last procession.
Felt kind of bad for the guys. They played hard and I wished they got the outcome they wanted.
One thing that stays pretty accurate. Bet Valpo 1st half and fade in the second half.
Quote from: valpopal on February 05, 2023, 11:44:21 AM[tweet]1622284197695029251[/tweet]Yet, when Valpo needed a three to tie the game at the end of the second overtime, Nelson wasn't even an option. Edwards dribbled the ball across half court to the sideline in front of the VU bench, where he was stuck by himself while Nelson was clear across the court standing on the opposite sideline completely out of the play. Result: a low percentage 3-point shooter hoists an almost impossible off-balance shot at the buzzer instead of giving the team's hottest shooter during the night a chance.
I wouldn't be surprised to find out the ball was supposed to go to Nelson. He and King ran a scissors with Nelson running for the corner and King coming out up top where he could receive a pass and move it to the corner. Edwards just ran the ball out of the play...or frankly...any play.
Quote from: JD24 on February 05, 2023, 11:55:50 PMI wouldn't be surprised to find out the ball was supposed to go to Nelson. He and King ran a scissors with Nelson running for the corner and King coming out up top where he could receive a pass and move it to the corner. Edwards just ran the ball out of the play...or frankly...any play.
And this is where the head coach has to
OVER EMPHASIZE to the athlete what must happen and the reasons why. Edwards has been on the team all year. It isn't getting better in these areas.
It was great to see Maximus hit so many threes!!!!
Quote from: historyman on February 06, 2023, 06:02:27 AM
Quote from: JD24 on February 05, 2023, 11:55:50 PMI wouldn't be surprised to find out the ball was supposed to go to Nelson. He and King ran a scissors with Nelson running for the corner and King coming out up top where he could receive a pass and move it to the corner. Edwards just ran the ball out of the play...or frankly...any play.
And this is where the head coach has to OVER EMPHASIZE to the athlete what must happen and the reasons why. Edwards has been on the team all year. It isn't getting better in these areas.
It was great to see Maximus hit so many threes!!!!
Thanks to Paul, here is a link to the "play" (a word I use loosely).
[tweet]1622061880125673472[/tweet]
What the ... we gotta do better than that.
Quote from: valpopal on February 06, 2023, 08:56:10 AMQuote from: historyman on February 06, 2023, 06:02:27 AMQuote from: JD24 on February 05, 2023, 11:55:50 PMI wouldn't be surprised to find out the ball was supposed to go to Nelson. He and King ran a scissors with Nelson running for the corner and King coming out up top where he could receive a pass and move it to the corner. Edwards just ran the ball out of the play...or frankly...any play.
And this is where the head coach has to OVER EMPHASIZE to the athlete what must happen and the reasons why. Edwards has been on the team all year. It isn't getting better in these areas. It was great to see Maximus hit so many threes!!!!
Thanks to Paul, here is a link to the "play" (a word I use loosely). [tweet]1622061880125673472[/tweet]
From that angle it looks like Nelson didn't move quick enough. King was signalling to him to switch so King could go up top and (likely) give it to Nelson in the corner. At least I think that's what was supposed to happen. Fairly standard reverse scissors.
Yes - I watched the game + 2 OTs.
Later, I watched the press conference. Personally, I did not care for the way Matt said to Ben, "Be careful," when asked about the officiating. I would get it if Ben were a rookie, new-to-Valpo transfer player, or known for letting his emotions get the best of him. But, not Ben.
Am I pulling at straws with this critique? Yes. But, that's similar to what we're doing concerning this possession or that possession. Beyond thankful - as a VU alum & fan - Ben stuck it out here at VU. What an incredible young man - what a role model for kids. What a testament to his upbringing and approach to life. I've been a fan of his since he stepped on the court. But he will surely be missed based on his on-the-court AND off-the-court reputation.
Quote from: valpopal on February 05, 2023, 11:44:21 AM[tweet]1622284197695029251[/tweet]
Watching Maximus grow in confidence over the course of the season has been a joy. I think he has a great future ahead.
I agree about Maximus and it was nice to see. However, a lot of his open looks were due to insufficient attention from Drake's defenders (not criticizing Max...he made the shots!). I have posted about the lack of a system under Matt Lottich and I don't feel he is going to get many open looks in the current offensive system.
At times, VU shows tantalizing signs of being able to score a surprise or two in Arch Madness, if it can just execute a tiny bit better. Maybe it can still happen.
In any event, a look at the Drake roster (https://godrakebulldogs.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster (https://godrakebulldogs.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster)) reminds us of how a mid-major can be competitive amidst the musical chairs of the transfer portal. Among other things, it appears this current team snagged many of its top transfers earlier in their college careers, which means they got them for 2-4 seasons (esp. with the COVID year) rather than 1-2 seasons. Roman Penn, their excellent point guard and Hammond Bishop Noll grad, is in his 6th year of college ball and 4th year with Drake.
Of course, they also somehow managed to get Tucker DeVries, Iowa's Mr. Basketball and a 6-7 wing, who (if he stays) could turn out to be Drake's Bryce Drew in terms of program impact. It goes back to the reality of needing a true star quality player to lead the way.
Ben Krikke has grown into an MVC standout, and maybe we'd be singing his praises even more if he wasn't so exhausted at the end of close games and had a better supporting cast. I wonder if improvements by current players and other changes could make a potential 5th year something memorable.
Quote from: David81 on February 06, 2023, 05:50:45 PM
Ben Krikke has grown into an MVC standout, and maybe we'd be singing his praises even more if he wasn't so exhausted at the end of close games and had a better supporting cast. I wonder if improvements by current players and other changes could make a potential 5th year something memorable.
Great question David. My basketball-ignorant input to this scenario goes something like this...
1 - Since he got to Valpo, Ben has been forced, through a lack of a full-time, legit 5, to play out of position. Last year, he got to play his real position at times, but as soon as Kithier went to the bench or couldn't suit up, Ben was banging down low against opponent's 5s. That can wear a guy out. This year, I thought that maybe Paul would take over the Defensive Big role and give Ben a breather. But Paul has disappeared since the beginning of the year and the other bigs just can't play at this level it appears. Ben is a natural talent, but he is not Superman and not built to take a pounding all game down low.
2 - To your other thought, even given the current personnel, Ben has some raw talent to support him (emphasis on raw) right now. Maybe we don't have the greatest shooters, but we have a good collection of athletes. It's not that these athletes are subpar, it's that these athletes, each with their own individual talents, have not been meshed into a system that optimizes those talents in a disciplined, coordinated and consistent manner. Even with Ben out with fouls, the replay of the final play of the Drake game glaringly illustrates the lack of a disciplined effort to get someone open for a good shot. I saw three guys just standing at one point and what looked to me as wondering "I wonder what do I do now?" There was no determined, assertive set of aggressive moves/screens, etc. resembling a planned attack. That's coaching, man.
3 - Ben has demonstrated an incredible sense of loyalty to this team. But I think he knows under current circumstances 2023-24 will be just more of the same frustrations. You mention "other changes." My guess is that Ben knows a fifth year is important to his development and possibly going pro. He's certainly demonstrated the talent that would be attractive to the right P5 team looking to immediately fill that last slot that would make the difference in an NCAA run. But that still would be a crap shoot for him. OTOH, if a coaching change is made at Valpo, the new coach could use Ben's familiarity with current teammates as leverage to keep him in a known, kinda comfortable environment.
BUT, that new coach has to be one whose record, philosophy/approach and coaching chops generate Ben's respect and buy-in.
In conclusion your honor 😉, I submit for your consideration the following four interrelated final arguements:
Ben will not immediately turn pro. There's more work to be done.
Ben will not return to Valpo under the current circumstances - he wants to finish his college career as a winner.
Ben will seek the challenge of playing a 5th year somewhere to further develop his skill portfolio.
Ben will consider a 5th year at somewhere (even Valpo) if his new coach is someone he respects and believes in for his coaching chops - he wants to finish his college career as a winner.
Quote from: David81 on February 06, 2023, 05:50:45 PMOf course, they also somehow managed to get Tucker DeVries, Iowa's Mr. Basketball and a 6-7 wing, who (if he stays) could turn out to be Drake's Bryce Drew in terms of program impact.
I'm detecting a bit of facetiousness in your comments but just in case someone may not know, Tucker is the son of Drake's head coach, Darian DeVries, and is very likely to stay 4/5 years (his whole eligibility).
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Darian_DeVries
Someone mentioned that Ben's girlfriend is a current VU volleyball player with one more year left. If Ben doesn't go pro, and his gf stays at Valpo, he might be back. It wouldn't be the wisest decision on his part, but he's in his 20s, and we know what drives decision-making at that age :)
Quote from: VULB#62 on February 06, 2023, 08:15:14 PM
Quote from: David81 on February 06, 2023, 05:50:45 PM
Ben Krikke has grown into an MVC standout, and maybe we'd be singing his praises even more if he wasn't so exhausted at the end of close games and had a better supporting cast. I wonder if improvements by current players and other changes could make a potential 5th year something memorable.
Ben will not immediately turn pro. There's more work to be done.
Ben will not return to Valpo under the current circumstances - he wants to finish his college career as a winner.
Ben will seek the challenge of playing a 5th year somewhere to further develop his skill portfolio.
Ben will consider a 5th year at somewhere (even Valpo) if his new coach is someone he respects and believes in for his coaching chops - he wants to finish his college career as a winner.
I would have to be really surprised if he came back to VU for another season. I'd imagine he could get the chance to play at the P5 level, and it would be hard to fault someone for chasing that.
So...part of the speculation on whether Krikke returns for a 5th season should include an assessment of his pro potential.
With Alec Peters as the most obvious point of comparison, does Krikke have NBA potential? I'd say it's quite a reach, because he doesn't have a 3-pt shot and rebounds more like a 3-4 tweener than a genuine 4, whereas Peters was very strong both on the boards and on the 3s. But Krikke should have some attractive international opportunities.
If the NBA is unrealistic, then the case for finding a P5 school for a 5th collegiate year starts to dissolve a bit. And if he's got any personal reason to stay at VU (like a relationship), then he can be assured that plenty of VU players have had successful international pro careers. Maybe if other things start looking more optimistic, he stays.
Quote from: David81 on February 07, 2023, 02:15:06 PM
So...part of the speculation on whether Krikke returns for a 5th season should include an assessment of his pro potential.
With Alec Peters as the most obvious point of comparison, does Krikke have NBA potential? I'd say it's quite a reach, because he doesn't have a 3-pt shot and rebounds more like a 3-4 tweener than a genuine 4, whereas Peters was very strong both on the boards and on the 3s. But Krikke should have some attractive international opportunities.
If the NBA is unrealistic, then the case for finding a P5 school for a 5th collegiate year starts to dissolve a bit. And if he's got any personal reason to stay at VU (like a relationship), then he can be assured that plenty of VU players have had successful international pro careers. Maybe if other things start looking more optimistic, he stays.
Exactly, there is no reason for him to consider P5. He is going to have plenty of European offers from top leagues, as he fits their mold of a big man. He is good, but not NBA good.
Quote from: valpotx on February 08, 2023, 04:07:54 AM
Quote from: David81 on February 07, 2023, 02:15:06 PM
So...part of the speculation on whether Krikke returns for a 5th season should include an assessment of his pro potential.
With Alec Peters as the most obvious point of comparison, does Krikke have NBA potential? I'd say it's quite a reach, because he doesn't have a 3-pt shot and rebounds more like a 3-4 tweener than a genuine 4, whereas Peters was very strong both on the boards and on the 3s. But Krikke should have some attractive international opportunities.
If the NBA is unrealistic, then the case for finding a P5 school for a 5th collegiate year starts to dissolve a bit. And if he's got any personal reason to stay at VU (like a relationship), then he can be assured that plenty of VU players have had successful international pro careers. Maybe if other things start looking more optimistic, he stays.
Exactly, there is no reason for him to consider P5. He is going to have plenty of European offers from top leagues, as he fits their mold of a big man. He is good, but not NBA good.
There are certainly reasons to consider P5 programs. The chance to play on a bigger stage in better environments. Depending on where he would go, the much more likely chance to play in the NCAA Tournament. I would presume that NIL opportunities at P5 programs are much more substantial than what would be available at Valparaiso.
Quote from: AlaskaCrusader19 on February 08, 2023, 09:37:59 AMThere are certainly reasons to consider P5 programs. The chance to play on a bigger stage in better environments. Depending on where he would go, the much more likely chance to play in the NCAA Tournament. I would presume that NIL opportunities at P5 programs are much more substantial than what would be available at Valparaiso.
Probably true, but consider the case of one Isaiah Mosley. Mosley was perhaps the best player in the Valley last year (we should know as he averaged over 25 ppg over three games against us) and certainly would have been in the running for POY this year. He opted to take his game from Missouri State to Missouri where, hw seems to be in trouble with their coach and was benched for their most recent game. He has only started a few games and now is averaging 9.6 ppg for the Tigers. This is not the stuff that gets you noticed by the NBA, and he has NBA talent. The grass is not always greener...
the last few post were varying in opinion and excellent information. Ben is not NBA material, but sometimes you get better with better competition or where there is a gap for a higher conference team. I guess you have to analyze accordingly.
At his age, I hope not and doubt he is making a decision strictly because of his girlfriend. At his young age, you gotta expand your horizons.
Krikke's game is not only more suited to overseas than it is the NBA but it's also suited more to overseas than most P5 programs. Unless he can find a program which is willing to run things as for instance, Loyola did with Krutwig, he's a tough fit. He's too small, slow afoot, not a great defender nor is he a great shooter from deep. He works for Valpo because they don't have anything much else...or know how to use it depending on your point of view.
Re girlfriend. Girlfriends can transfer as well. However the gf may keep in in the US. I think that is likely a fairly small factor at this point.
While it's understandable to speculate on this young man's future, I would not hypothesize how his personal life impacts his decisions. Unless you know Ben personally, such thoughts are mere conjecture. He's a human being with a real life on & off the court. The only "wrong" decision does not align with what he & his family / significant others deem best.
Dr. T - just sharing my pearls of wisdom regarding life.
Grass isn't always greener on the other side. Probably a tighter ship at Mizzou than Springfield for Mosley. For all we know it could be grades. Flip a coin on the transfers to P5. The Redbird Transfer Reeves is very import player in Kentucy's rotation this year. Carter from NIU to Mizzou playing well. JFL got a lot more exposure on TV and against better talent while at DePaul, but was on bad teams. Now he's working his way up through the G League. Sorolla walked mid season at Cincinnati. Smits was a bust (injury) at Butler. Evelyn had a great roll with Iowa. Krikke will have nice career in Turkey, Russia, and or Europe. He doesn't have enough athleticism for the association, defensive liability and yes he'd have improve his long range shooting. Pluses ...he's an extremely crafty scorer and always plays under control. He's improved every year. Dan Opland esk production. Is Sabonis a fair comp to Krikke?
Sabonis ?????
Maybe if you remove rebounding, defence and rim protection from the comparison. Both can score. Otherwise.........
Bakari did not get elevated by transferring to Iowa. He is playing pro ball, but he would have been playing for similar pro teams, if he would have stayed at Valpo. He played at Iowa and got PT, but you think that he was on a roll at Iowa with these stats?
https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/player/stats/_/id/3911894/bakari-evelyn
Apart from one's aspirations with playing professional ball, is it fair to say that there are transfers who aren't transferring elsewhere solely because they *think* they can play at a higher level, in a better conference, or that they're not getting a fair shake where they're at, etc.?
If it were me, I could see myself transferring up (if I had the opportunity) purely to be part of a P5 program. In part because of the experience. In part because of the school, I'd be attending tuition-free. In part, because of the networking opportunities I'd establish. Maybe I don't see myself as a pro player but would love to be in an electric environment and experience what it's like to be in a P5 program ... around the big dawgs ... travel around to different places ... get the gear ... and show my cerebral abilities to carve out thereby an opportunity to be a graduate assistant, etc.
I can't be the only one who would do so lol.