RE: Official Game Thread: @ Valparaiso
Valpo will be an interesting test again this year. They are very big on the front line ( 6’10, two 6’9”s, two 6’8”s, three 6’7”s) with a plus 4.2 rebounding margin, but their guards are not big and not that good and we should have a real advantage in quickness in the backcourt (they averaged 14.9 turnovers to 10.9 for their opponents, and 5.6 steals compared to 7.1 steals for their opponents). They killed us on the boards last year 45-28, but we snatched 14 steals and forced 24 turnovers, while losing only 5 steals and 9 turnovers ourselves. Stats are last year's and this year's team may, of course, be different.
This year they have been picked to finish 4th in the Horizon League (Green Bay is first, Cleveland State second and Detroit third, just ahead of Valpo). 6’9” 225 soph. Alec Peters (12.7 pts on .383 from 3 with 4.8 rpg) is picked to make All-Conference.
They were also pretty unimpressive in their only exhibition, winning 60-52 over Grand Valley State, who hung with them all night. But then, so were we.
DEPARTURES:
They lose leading scorer 6'1" 190 G LaVonte Dority (15.7 ppg), third leading scorer 6'5" 200 G Jordan Coleman (8.1 ppg) and 5th leading scorer 6'10" 235 Bobby Capobianco (6.3 ppg, 3.8 rpg)
RETURNING GUARDS:
6’0” 160 Sr. Lexus Williams, 23.4 min., 6.5 pts. on .383 from 3, 2.1 rpg;
6’1” 185 Jr. Keith Carter, 18.5 min., 5.7 pts on . 400 from 3, 1.8 rpg
RETURNING BIGS:
6’9” 225 So. Alec Peters, 29.6 min., 12.7 pts on .383 from 3 (57-149),
6’7” 230 So., Jubril Adekoya, 19.1 min., 5.8 pts on .172 from 3, 3.4 rpg
6’10” 245 Sr., Vashil Fernandez, 19.3 min., 4.3 pts, no 3’s, 5.1 rpg
6’9” 220 Sr., David Chadwick, 7.0 min., 2.9 pts on 4-10 from 3, 1.1 rpg
I haven’t had time to research the new guys who include 6’8” 180 Sr/Jr G/F Victor Nickerson a transfer from Charlotte, 6'1" 195 Fr. G Tevonn Walker a top ten Canadian from Montreal, and 6’3” 215 Jr. G Darien Walker an All-Region JUCO who got 16 pts on 2-3 from 3 and 4 rebounds versus Grand Valley State. He could be a physical matchup problem for us.
We’ll need sharper, more focussed play from our guards, and much better defense. And Giplaye, Bates, Williams and Banks will get their first public test against real bigs.
(This post was last modified: 11-11-2014 11:25 AM by swvabucsfan.)
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