Cerro Gordo star signs with Millikin - From Champaign News-Gazette

CERRO GORDO — Senior Nathan Lovekamp, from Cerro Gordo, signed a letter of intent to continue his basketball career at Decatur’s Millikin University. He was second in the area in scoring as a senior (24.0 average) and ended as the Broncos’ No. 4 career scorer with 1,359 points. The 6-2 guard was an All-Area special mention selection. Lovekamp plans to major in business.

Quote from: iwu70 on March 06, 2015, 09:24:44 AM
Q, the Titans will have to do something to keep the ball out of his hands.  I think Bausch still the best option.  Or zone.  Trap him from several directions.  May need to try a different starting line-up.  Dortch would have been the best option. 

We'll see, soon enough.

'70

How about some long and quick 6' 8" Brandon Heyen 

Quote from: iwumichigander on January 15, 2015, 01:00:45 PM

Quote from: CCIWbballfan on January 15, 2015, 11:56:01 AM
It looks like Millikin will have an uphill battle to win another game this season.  I'm new to the D3 basketball world and the CCIW so I don't know what the definition of success would be at Millikin but does that put Nadelhoffer on the hot seat?  He's obviously improved the program since he came on board but it seems like the CCIW power houses just keep reloading year after year which would make further improvements a monumental task. Nadelhoffer has been able to bring in a lot of talent (including a lot this year) but very few have stuck around.  Only 6 remain from the 18 of his first recruiting class. Is that pretty common everywhere in D3 or does Millikin have a tougher time because they haven't been able to break through to the next level in CCIW play?  I wouldn't want the job of trying to rebuild a team in this conference!  I've been very impressed with the conference as I've tried to follow it over the past couple of years!

i do not believe Nadelhoffer is in the hot seat.  He inherited a mess hence the 18 first recruiting class;and, the attrition in the class expected.  He has improved the program IMHO.  He just needs to keep grinding away at recruiting. 
You have some attrition in any team until you build a program which is the task before him.  He likely needs another year or two before an accurate assessment can be made.  Whether the AD at Millikin will give him the time is another big question mark.  Millikin is not in the same position from a financial aid perspective as say, Wheaton, IWU, Augustana or North Central which makes recruiting a little harder.

Why is Millikin not in the same position from a finanacial aid perspective?

Quote from: Titan Q on January 07, 2015, 07:08:48 AM
Illinois Wesleyan (8-4) @ Wheaton (7-5), 7:00pm CST...

Illinois Wesleyan (8-4)
G - Dylan Overstreet, 6-3/180 Sr. (10.8 ppg, 5.8 rpg, 4.8 apg)
G - Bryce Dolan, 6-0/165 Jr. (9.7 ppg, 2.3 rpg, 2.6 apg)
G - Pat Sodemann, 6-3/195 Sr. (7.6 ppg, 2.8 rpg)
F - Ryan Coyle, 6-6/208 Jr. (11.2 ppg, 5.0 rpg)
C - Trevor Seibring, 6-8/235 So. (10.3 ppg, 6.7 rpg)

G - Jordan Nelson, 6-1/170 Sr. (7.3 ppg)
G - Andy Stempel, 6-3/180 So. (6.3 ppg, 2.0 rpg)
F - Alec Bausch, 6-6/210 So. (6.2 ppg, 4.1 rpg)
C - Mike Marietti, 6-8/245 Jr. (5.9 ppg, 3.6 rpg)
G - Joel Pennington, 6-0/175 Jr. (5.3 ppg)

F - Brandon Heyen, 6-8/210 Sr. After nearly 3 years of multiple injuries and surguries, Brandon will be in uniform tonite  .

Wheaton (7-5)
G - Caleb DeMoss, 6-0/165 Sr. (8.4 ppg, 2.2 rpg, 4.9 apg)
G - Brayden Teuscher, 6-3/205 Sr. (20.6 ppg, 3.3 rpg, 2.5 apg)
F - Peter Smith, 6-6/190 Sr. (9.6 ppg, 5.0 rpg)
F - Joel Smith, 6-6/235 Jr. (5.4 ppg, 4.4 rpg)
F - Michael Berg, 6-6/210 Jr. (12.6 ppg, 6.7 rpg)

G - Riley Teuscher, 6-3/185 Jr. (5.1 ppg)
G - Jonathan Berntsen, 6-0/190 Jr. (2.4 ppg)


Live video - http://portal.stretchinternet.com/wheaton/

WJBC Radio - http://portal.stretchinternet.com/wjbc/

Live stats - http://sidearmstats.com/wheaton/mbball/

Brandon Heyen has been practicing with the team and continues to work to get back to 100%.  He will work out locally while the team is in California in hopes to be ready for conf. play.

Quote from: AndOne on December 15, 2014, 10:38:54 PM
IWU fans,

I'm sure I'll get little or no argument when I say I think Dylan Overstreet is a very good:
1. Penetrator
2. Passer/assist man
3. Finisher on the drive
4. Mid-range shooter

Given that, does anyone think he is shooting too many threes?
Against Wash U, he was 1 for 6 from behind the line. For the year he is 6 for 35 which is a measely 24%.Does anybody feel he should concentrate offensively on the above 4 points, and leave the 3 point shooting to someone else? He is scoring well, but it seems he is taking a lot of shots to get his points.

Bryce Dolan was no help with an uncharacteristic 1 for 7 from distance vs. WU, but is at 43% overall. Any disagreement it was likely just an off day?

Jordan Nelson was 1 for 4 on threes, and 1 for 6 overall. For the season, the DI transfer is at only 28% on threes, and an embarrassing 23% overall against DIII competition. Obviously, when he is in the game, he is going to shoot. But, given these numbers should Pennington, or perhaps Stempel, be getting the minutes Nelson is currently eating?

Of course, even with these problems, IWU is still one of the top teams. Many others would love to have such "problems."

That's actually only 17%.

Quote from: AndOne on October 25, 2014, 01:07:16 PM
Pulling another layer of uncertainty over the question of who will man the forward position(s) for the Green Team this season.
Gook luck to Mr. Heyen in his recovery.

Appreciate the encouragement...as anyone close to the IWU program knows....nobody is more loyal, wants to play more and works harder (even through muliple injury setbacks) than Brandon.  His surgery went very well, and is extremely encouraged by the doctor that this should take care of the issue.  And is confident he should be back on the court in 4 weeks.  I pasted his h.s. videos below.  Since then he has grown another inch to 6' 8'' and put on 25 pounds.  If can in fact get healthy, could pose some real matchup problems for teams with his ability to shoot from the perimeter.  In his last j.v. game last year against Parkland College when he was playing hurt, he hit 4 of 5 on from 3 point.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L8N5Kl8D5uY
(sidenote - ally oop dunk at the 2:27 mark of video is from h.s. teammate Dylan Overstreet)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vm-yyODLg54

Quote from: iwu70 on October 17, 2014, 05:42:08 PM
Sadly, Ypsi, no Chinese opera this go 'round.  But, an IWU alum now performing at the Met in NYC is performing tonight, at the Green Carpet Gala for the 150th Celebration of the School of Music.  Perhaps in a future year, we'll go the Chinese opera route!  Stay tuned. 

No word on other Titan exhibitions as yet.  Seems Jordan Nelson is recovering well, and is starting out with the normal practices as the Titans get officially underway today.  Prospects piece on the Titan squad in today's Pgraph.   Sadly, Heyen is still fighting an ankle injury that will likely require surgery, so he's likely out for 4-5 weeks.  Hopefully, he can get healthy by the end of November and make some contribution later in the season.  The Titans are weak at the 3 and will likely go with this 3 guard set-up (with Dolan as backup) that several have mentioned.  Coyle most likely it would appear at the 4.  Time will tell.  If Marietti and Seibring stay healthy, I'm very optimistic about the Titans this year at the 5 -- both good, tough, bigtime presence players in the low post, both running the floor pretty well.   

Homecoming festivities underway.  Second City performing tonight at Hansen, after the big Music School Gala at the Bloomington Center for the Performing Arts.  All good.

IWU70

Brandon Heyen will have surgery on Tuesday (10/28).  If all goes well, hopes to be back on the court by Dec. 1st.

Quote from: AndOne on April 15, 2014, 01:02:29 AM

Quote from: URockets on April 14, 2014, 01:03:22 PM
IWU just lost an Illinois Class 2A recruit to Div. II McKendree College.

Details, man, details!
Some hotshot who didn't want to start out as a 4th stringer on the Green Team?
Details. 

Nate Michael (Dad is former Illini Tom Michael)
H.S. - St. Joseph-Ogden, Sr., 6' 2" combo guard
Travel Team - Peoria Irish

2014 Champaign News-Gazette all area first team.  Chosen to The Associated Press Class 2A five-player all-state first team. Averaged 18.4 points per game, was fifth in three-pointers (71) in area and SJ-O career leader in treys. Finished fifth in career scoring (1,244 points) at school. Fifth in area in free throw accuracy (84.3 percent, 122 of 144).

Player profile from cihoops.com -  Combo Guard Scouting Report: A high IQ, fundamentally sound combo guard. Michael is a skilled perimeter performer that is shifty in transition with the ball and, in the halfcourt, shoots with range and consistency.

IWU just lost an Illinois Class 2A recruit to Div. II McKendree College.

Quote from: Titan Q on April 13, 2014, 07:44:30 PM

Quote from: unanimous22 on April 13, 2014, 05:59:14 PM
Looks like he has some size, but I really have to question the competition he plays against...

Always a fair question about a kid from a small school, but there have been a lot of all-CCIW players from the IHSA 1A/2A ranks.  Just in the last 5 seasons...

* Hunter Hill (Augustana), Byron
* Dylan Overstreet (IWU), Paxton-Buckley-Loda
* Brayden Teuscher (Wheaton), Rockford Christian
* Tyler Pierce (Carthage), Westmont
* Jordan Zimmer (IWU), Delavan
* Bryant Voilles (Augustana), Byron
* Zack Boyd (Elmhurst), Warrensburg-Latham
* Aaron Garriott (Wheaton), Bloomington Central Catholic
* Kyle Taylor (Millikin), Bement
* Matt Pelton (Augustana), Bloomington Central Catholic
* Travis Rosenkranz (IWU), Macon Meridian

Obviously if we go back in the history of the CCIW, there is quite an impressive list of stars from the small school ranks. 

John Baines has worked the Central Illinois 1A/2A landscape very effectively in his time at Elmhurst, both as an assistant and now the head man:
- Chris Martin (Eureka)
- Ryan Burks (Midwest Central)
- Brent Ruch (Blue Ridge)

...and others.

More times than not, superstar 1A/2A players end up being good CCIW players by their JR/SR seasons.  They obviously don't put up the crazy numbers they did in high school, but most seem to end up good players.

Nick Samford (Elmhurst), Decatur St. Teresa

Quote from: USee on March 12, 2014, 10:43:04 AM
I am very intrigued by the Calvin @IWU game. It appears Calvin is every bit the match for the Titans on the front line. The key to the matchup could well be the perimeter shooting and defense for the Titans. To that end I have been surprised a little by Jordan Nelson. He has a swagger to him that has been well documented on here. My data points are really the 3 games vs Wheaton but in the CCIW tournament I saw him take long, often contested 3's early in the shot clock. Up at King arena, he bailed the Titans out with long, usually open 3's at the end of the shot clock. His shot selection, when it is made in the context of the offense, has been deadly. When he gets that "I'm unstoppable" swagger to him, he seems to be a bit of a detriment to the Titans. That's been my observation and, since I believe his play may be a key to the game Friday, I am interested in other's thoughts. Sodeman is IWU's most accurate perimeter shooter but I can't remember him taking a bad shot very often.

I think that is a fair and accurate assessment.

Starters for IWU j.v. team were -
5 -11 Soph. Brian Nelms
6 - 3 Fresh. Andy Stempel
6 - 8 Junior Brandon Heyen
6 - 8 Fresh. Trevor Seibring
6 - 0 Soph. Joel Pennington

bench players -
6 - 1 Fresh. Spencer Seibring
6 - 10 Fresh. Max Scholle
6 - 2 Fresh. Jordan Turner

Correct, Brandon Heyen is a Junior, but only a Sophomore in eligibility.  Keep in mind he only played in a handful of j.v. games as a Freshman due to 2 non-related injuries, and just came back a few weeks ago.  With all of that time out, he is not able to play yet to his current potential and conditioning, let alone his off-season work to improve when he is now able and healthy.   

Per per previous post from IWU70 on any feedback for IWU j.v. team.

I saw them play at Parkland Junior College last night in Champaign, IL.

IWU jumped out to a quick 11 point lead with 6' 8" forward Brandon Heyen having two straight 3's to start the game to put them up 6 - 0 quickly.  They led by around 10 points most of the first half until a run by Parkland at the end of the first half made it close.  It was a game of runs that went back and forth most of the 2nd half, but Parkland had too much depth compared to IWU's 8 players.  IWU kind of ran out of gas at the end and lost 80 - 69....On a sidenote, per Parkland's website, they beat Millikin's j.v. 107 - 43.

Observations taken -
6' 3" Guard Andy Stempel was the leading scorer with 23 points.  Very smooth and accuarte shooter.  Not sure what his 3 point percentage was, but was well over 50%.  Very smart player that moves well without the ball, finding the open seems to get his shot.

6" 8" Forward Trevor Seibring had 16 points.  Very physical and tough on the inside.  Does a nice job of posting up and making himself wide; then finishing at the basket.  Nice footwork for a guy his size and youth.

6' 8" Forward Brandon Heyen finished with 14 points.  Very nice game for being out so long with injuries.  Was 4 of 5 from 3 point.  Runs the floor well.  Had a couple of blocks as well.  With his size and mobility, really gives the opposition some real match up issues with his ability to shoot so effeciently from 3.  A lot of ways this could be utilized to break down a defense.

5' 11" Guard Brian Nelms did not have a lot of points but did a great job of defending and running point.  Very good ball handler that has good vision of seeing the whole court and finding the open man.
 

Quote from: Iwufan on January 08, 2014, 08:45:48 PM
Augie shooting lights out at half titans down 46-34

Titans won jv game.  Heyen did not play did not make trip over.

Brandon Heyen is 100% now and back at practice.