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No EMU as previously posted. It’s: DePaul, Iowa State, Cal and Santa Clara.

Per 247: Over 80 Guards in NCAA Transfer Portal already have new teams with another 80 WITHOUT a new team.

So he could end up on the outside looking in?

(04-30-2020 07:18 AM)wmutkelaw Wrote:  So he could end up on the outside looking in?

FWIW
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Jeff Goodman
⁦‪@GoodmanHoops‬⁩
It’s now “highly unlikely” that the one-time transfer waiver will go into effect immediately after the Board of Directors recommended that changes are not appropriate at this time, sources told ⁦‪@Stadium‬⁩. Vote still scheduled (for now) on May 20.

4/30/20, 12:02 PM

So, would he be welcome to return/stay at WMU?

Spillane came back in football, so I don't see why not, unless we don't have a 'spot' for him anymore.

(05-01-2020 02:00 PM)Motown Bronco Wrote:  Spillane came back in football, so I don't see why not, unless we don't have a 'spot' for him anymore.

Four departures & four signed scholarships given.
Looks like Mike would have to return as a walkon.

(05-01-2020 02:29 PM)okgc Wrote:  

(05-01-2020 02:00 PM)Motown Bronco Wrote:  Spillane came back in football, so I don't see why not, unless we don't have a 'spot' for him anymore.

Four departures & four signed scholarships given.
Looks like Mike would have to return as a walkon.

I think I remember Hawk saying we could over-sign due to Squeaky's injury.

Time to move on and learn life‘s lessons.

The team as constituted will compete for Mac championship.

I think Bates will bring a different perspective w/o changing the culture that has been successful in the classroom and off the court.

Of course western would miss Michael’s offensive contribution. And maybe in a different offense where he wasn’t having to dribble so much to create space and have others stand around it might make him a different and better player. I’ll leave that to Coach Bates. But if running the same offense with the same focus he was a huge defense liability particularly at the end of the game where he was physically spent having to dribble in bounce around so much.

Starting 5:
Martin
White
Merriville kid
Lee
Wright

6th man to energize and guard the 1-2 or 3
Cruz

Next 3:
Barrs
JoJo
Hamilton

Whitens
Emillen
Richard
Paw Paw kid

White is subject to both Hamilton and JoJo on minutes. Has to amp up D and make others around him better (assist playmaking). Currently a scorer who defines D as taking risk to get a steal, often taking himself out a position forcing others to help which creates the problem this program has suffered for the last five years.

Martin has proved himself to be a far superior shooter/scorer then year 1.

He may be the best defensive perimeter player even going back to last year.

He doesn’t have to shoot/score to feel he’s doing his job. He sees the floor and can distribute the ball well at the same time being a threat take it to the rim to finish or score it from the perimeter under pressure.

Chase Barr’s minutes will depend on his ability to both defend on the block not getting moved out and to be able to affectively guard the perimeter particular in the pick and roll. I thought his stroke at the free-throw line was very good. I know his percentage didn’t necessarily show it. So I would like to see him be able to take short corner and 15 foot jumpers from the elbow. He makes a number those the can now fake, take 1 step without a dribble and he’s at the rim. But he still underweight and a just a sophomore. I feel Lee’s experience and girth will buy the time until Chase develops.

If Whitens can show that he has a perimeter game particularly off the bounce whether it’s to score himself or force help he’ll make others around him better. That will garner more minutes. I like his defense and toughness but it did not make up for the fact he was putting up goose eggs on offense for the final 2/3 of the year. He’s shown diversity being able to hit some spot up three balls but frankly I was most impressed his being one of the better post up players. But Hawk only ran it once every other game.

(04-29-2020 08:47 PM)Broncos83 Wrote:  No EMU as previously posted. It’s: DePaul, Iowa State, Cal and Santa Clara.

He can't transfer to EMU if he wants to play next season

(05-02-2020 12:27 PM)Cucumber Salad Wrote:  Time to move on and learn life‘s lessons.

The team as constituted will compete for Mac championship.

I think Bates will bring a different perspective w/o changing the culture that has been successful in the classroom and off the court.

Of course western would miss Michael’s offensive contribution. And maybe in a different offense where he wasn’t having to dribble so much to create space and have others stand around it might make him a different and better player. I’ll leave that to Coach Bates. But if running the same offense with the same focus he was a huge defense liability particularly at the end of the game where he was physically spent having to dribble in bounce around so much.

Starting 5:
Martin
White
Merriville kid
Lee
Wright

6th man to energize and guard the 1-2 or 3
Cruz

Next 3:
Barrs
JoJo
Hamilton

Whitens
Emillen
Richard
Paw Paw kid

White is subject to both Hamilton and JoJo on minutes. Has to amp up D and make others around him better (assist playmaking). Currently a scorer who defines D as taking risk to get a steal, often taking himself out a position forcing others to help which creates the problem this program has suffered for the last five years.

Martin has proved himself to be a far superior shooter/scorer then year 1.

He may be the best defensive perimeter player even going back to last year.

He doesn’t have to shoot/score to feel he’s doing his job. He sees the floor and can distribute the ball well at the same time being a threat take it to the rim to finish or score it from the perimeter under pressure.

Chase Barr’s minutes will depend on his ability to both defend on the block not getting moved out and to be able to affectively guard the perimeter particular in the pick and roll. I thought his stroke at the free-throw line was very good. I know his percentage didn’t necessarily show it. So I would like to see him be able to take short corner and 15 foot jumpers from the elbow. He makes a number those the can now fake, take 1 step without a dribble and he’s at the rim. But he still underweight and a just a sophomore. I feel Lee’s experience and girth will buy the time until Chase develops.

If Whitens can show that he has a perimeter game particularly off the bounce whether it’s to score himself or force help he’ll make others around him better. That will garner more minutes. I like his defense and toughness but it did not make up for the fact he was putting up goose eggs on offense for the final 2/3 of the year. He’s shown diversity being able to hit some spot up three balls but frankly I was most impressed his being one of the better post up players. But Hawk only ran it once every other game.

Pretty optimistic forecast. I doubt a nine point forward from a lowly Bakersfield program comes close to replacing Brandon Johnson. Bakersfield was his only legit D1 offer. Of the other three players coming in only one got serious D1 looks. That was the Virginia kid. The Houston kid didn't get much D1 look even from the dozens of D1 Texas schools. We'll see. I think they are starting almost from ground zero. Best three players are gone, Johnson, Flowers, and Squeaky. Squeaky was apparently lighting it up in practice after Christmas until he got hurt again in late Feb. Had he played the MAC season I imagine we might be looking at a different outcome?

Titus Wright is the best post prospect Western has had since Tom Cutter.

He should take those opportunities that Brandon presented in addition to what he would’ve normally gotten. No question Brandon will be missed. But there’s one ball and somehow you’d have to divide it between the two. I have no problem with Titus seeing it more often.

My optimism is not that Greg Lee would replace the numbers but at 6’9” and 215 lb, with a good level of athleticism his job is simply to be Dennis Rodman. Make open shots, defend multiple positions and rebound like a madman. He fills a role.

If Hamilton plays as Bates projects WMU will get much more offensive productivity and diversity out of the 3 spot. He too takes possessions away from where Brandon and Michael would have had them. I still like Whitens ability to play offense without the ball. He moves and fill spots forcing the other team to defend. 2 offensive put backs a game can be decisive. When all the other team had to do was block out. It’s easier to block somebody out who’s acting like a wooden Indian in front of the 5 and 10. Jason needs to put the ball in the hole with more regularity and with a little diversity. I have yet to really see him put it on the floor with regularity where he’s a threat. He’s proven to be exceptional as a spot a passer. He’s delivered the pill very nicely to Titus and Brandon in the post. He just needs to be more a threat to score.

The guard from Houston is both athletic and skilled. Titus didn’t have many offers. Other people’s mistakes shouldn’t compound your own. Personally I’m not counting on this kid to be a difference maker. But if he plays longer and quicker then say Boyer-Richard or White that’s a plus.

Assuming natural progression the two keys that are returning are Barrs and Martin. Both showed glimpses. Chase is physically challenged literally being a lightweight. But you can’t teach intuition and length. He has both. When his body gets stronger he will be a difference maker. I’m hanging my hat on Lee to buy time filling a Rodmanesque role. Anything else he provides is gravy. He’s giving Chase time in the laboratory to develop.
If that is accelerated all the better.

Adrian was hamstrung because Hawk didn’t trust him. There was nothing I saw in Martin last year I didn't Love. I think he holds untold potential. He too plays longer and quicker than either Printy or Boyer-Richard. He doesn’t need to be jacking it up to be a part of the offense. When will comes to shooting he improved his efficiency tremendously. Granted a small sample but larger than the small sample port shooting that apparently was used against him last year as he doesn’t need to be jacking it up to be a part of the offense. When it comes to shooting he improved his efficiency tremendously. Granted a small sample but larger than the small sample of poor shooting that apparently was held against him last year.

Akron will likely be the pick to win the Mac if it gets played next year. Their head coach is so confident he is interviewing for the eastern Tennessee state university job.
I like WMU’s chances with Clayton at the helm.

Agree on the optimistic part. Last place two years in a row. While I think they'll exceed expectations I'm not sure they'll be contending next season (but that would be awesome if they did)

Disagree on the recruiting class having one player with d-1 looks.

They beat Wright State and several others for Jaylon Holmes, who you fail to mention.

They uncovered what they seem to feel is a gem in Hamilton and were his first offer. He's a player who would've ended up at a like school eventually or a high level Juco where he would've been very attractive to plenty of D-1s next Spring. I always laughed at assistants/hc's who'd ask "who else has offered him" when told to have a look at a kid. What they're really saying is "I don't trust my evaulation process enough, I need to know Johnny and Joe offered too" or they were just too lazy to actually go out and watch the potential recruit.

Lee is a guy who will give minutes in the post and play hard. Bakersfield's had some success under Barnes and there were plenty of programs competing for Greg's services. No, he won't replace Brandon and he isn't expected to.

JoJo is a scorer/shooter who has a chance to be very successful.

This team lost their best player in Brandon. That's the loss and it's a big one no doubt. Hoping he bucks the trend of up transfers and produces a season in Minny that will help his future earnings.

They also "lost" a high volume shooter/scorer in MF who routinely got targeted on D. Again, how much a loss that is from a last place team will be determined, I guess, both by future results and performance.

Nobody knows when the season will start. Most guess it will be later than usual but we have no idea right now so it's hard to speculate on Squeaky and when he'll be ready, although Titus Wright was, IMHO, the 2nd best player on the team last year. That's just my basketball opinion and I understand it might not be worth much.

Starting from Ground Zero? Yeah, last place is ground zero.

New Day. New Work. New Program. Be fun to watch it unfold once we get the chance.

My response above was to Fast Buicks post fwiw

(05-06-2020 08:59 AM)fastbuicks Wrote:  Pretty optimistic forecast. I doubt a nine point forward from a lowly Bakersfield program comes close to replacing Brandon Johnson. Bakersfield was his only legit D1 offer. Of the other three players coming in only one got serious D1 looks. That was the Virginia kid. The Houston kid didn't get much D1 look even from the dozens of D1 Texas schools. We'll see. I think they are starting almost from ground zero. Best three players are gone, Johnson, Flowers, and Squeaky. Squeaky was apparently lighting it up in practice after Christmas until he got hurt again in late Feb. Had he played the MAC season I imagine we might be looking at a different outcome?

Fastbuicks

Are you rooting for coach Bates and this Bronco team to succeed?

Mike Flowers to South Alabama
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Edit addition

WMU Transfer Michael Flowers Commits to South Alabama

https://247sports.com/college/south-alab...147247911/

South Alabama? That’s better than he had it at WMU? Okay, I guess.

South Alabama 20-11 last year, a couple good wins. Average home attendance a tick over 2,300. Kind of a head scratcher. Wonder if he got froze out of his supposed Final 4. Sorry, don’t see it as a worthwhile upgrade. Maybe he just likes it there or likes the coach.. His choice...good luck Mike. I’ll never forget the Wisconsin-Milwaukee game. Should have gotten more attention for sinking 4 buzzer beaters in one game!

I'm sure he'll enjoy Mobile Bay.

She sprinkles Flowers in the dirt
That's when a thrill becomes a hurt

I feel bad for Mike. I think he received poor guidance. This is not what he had hoped nor expected.

I hope he makes the best of it. He does have a better shot playing at SAU than any of the final four that were previously listed. He needs to work on his game and I’m sure he will.