https://bustingbrackets.com/2023/10/06/mvc-basketball-preseason-power-rankings-for-2023-24-season/ (https://bustingbrackets.com/2023/10/06/mvc-basketball-preseason-power-rankings-for-2023-24-season/)
Valparaiso hired the Valley's only new head coach. After a successful assistant coaching run at Gonzaga, Roger Powell Jr returns to another place where he enjoyed great success as an assistant. Valpo's roster is virtually redone and Powell has assembled an impressive coaching staff.12. Valparaiso Beacons – Head Coach Roger Powell Jr2022-23 record: 11-21 overall, 5-15 in the MVC
New coaches bring in new rosters and Valparaiso is no different. Just three players with significant playing time return and Connor Barrett is the team's leading returning scorer at 4.1 points per game.
Powell's energy and experience will bode well in Northern Indiana. The fan base loves 'the Rev' from his days as a Bryce Drew assistant and he has taken the long view on recruiting. There are six freshmen on this year's team.
Point guard Darius DeAveiro is the single, experienced ball-handler but he'll have plenty of young players to mentor. Rookies, Sherman Weatherspoon IV and Jahari Williamson will vie for playing time. Barrett, Murray State transfer Jaxon Edwards and John A. Logan transfer Isaiah Stafford look to fill backcourt spots.
Canadian born Williamson was signed by the previous coaching staff and stayed after the hiring of Powell. His international experience playing for the Canadian youth team will help in his transition. Edwards is an explosive player out of St. Louis and Stafford, who previously played at Southern Indiana is an experienced player and winner.
Valpo improved its frontcourt size by adding 6'7 Central Michigan transfer Ola Ajiboye and two, 6'9 freshmen in Lucas Scroggins and Cooper Schwieger. Jerome Palm returns after appearing in 23 Beacons' contests. The 6'10 Netherlands native played just 14 minutes per game and averaged just 1.9 points, but is more talented than those numbers indicate.
Schwieger (Link Academy) has received high praise from Powell. He compared him to Gonzaga's Drew Timme and former Valpo great Alec Peters. 6'7 freshman Kaspar Sepp spent part of the summer playing for the Estonian national team.
If Lual Manyang can stay healthy, he may be 'diamond in the rough' this team needs. The 6'10 redshirt freshman was a top ten player in the State of New Jersey in 2022. After signing with Hofstra he was injured at sat out the season.
Expect some growing pains for this year's Valpo squad.[/i]
MVCFans has started its members' place-by-place poll. They are starting with 12th place and each day they add the next place until they get to the top two, then they'll have run-off poll between them I think. Like our forum, you have to log in to vote.
In the 12th place poll, three teams have received votes so far:
UIC - 1
Evansville - 7 (mine was the 7th vote ;D)
Valpo -17
Next up will be 11th place.
Quote from: VULB#62 on October 08, 2023, 03:32:31 PM
MVCFans has started its members' place-by-place poll. They are starting with 12th place and each day they add the next place until they get to the top two, then they'll have run-off poll between them I think. Like our forum, you have to log in to vote.
In the 12th place poll, three teams have received votes so far:
UIC - 1
Evansville - 7 (mine was the 7th vote ;D)
Valpo -17
Next up will be 11th place.
I can't imagine anyone voting for anyone other than Valpo for last place. We're rebuilding a once magnificent home that a group of 4 squatters - Matt Lottich, Luke Gore, Mark LaBarbara, and Mark Heckler - used, abused, and burned to the ground.
Quote from: VULB#62 on October 08, 2023, 03:32:31 PM
MVCFans has started its members' place-by-place poll. They are starting with 12th place and each day they add the next place until they get to the top two, then they'll have run-off poll between them I think. Like our forum, you have to log in to vote.
In the 12th place poll, three teams have received votes so far:
UIC - 1
Evansville - 7 (mine was the 7th vote ;D)
Valpo -17
Next up will be 11th place.
When everyone expects you to finish last, there is no place to go but up.
I hope we surprise everyone
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
As of this morning for12th:
ISUr - 1
UIC - 1
EU - 8
Valpo - 20
11th place poll now up. Apparently, VU ran away with 12th. ::)
So far it's......
ISUr - 1
UIC - 2
EU - 5
E'ville took 11th.
Now the 10th place poll is out there and UIC is running away with that one. Also receiving 3 votes each: ISUr and Murray; 2 people picked SIU.