MBB: St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

[WUPHF]

Westminster College roster is available: http://www.wcbluejays.com/sports/mbkb/2016-17/roster

The roster does not identify anyone as a freshman, but there are four players that do not indicate the class.  At least two of those are transfers.  Is it possible that Westminster added four transfers, but no freshmen?

[hopefan]

Westminster College roster is available: http://www.wcbluejays.com/sports/mbkb/2016-17/roster

The roster does not identify anyone as a freshman, but there are four players that do not indicate the class.  At least two of those are transfers.  Is it possible that Westminster added four transfers, but no freshmen?

Only critical player expected but not on roster at Westmin is Nick Carlos... last year's leading scorer showed as a sophomore on last year's roster... over half his points (!3/game) came from 3 point range, he'll be missed, but Westmin has a lot of depth...

[hopefan]

Reminder....   Greenville at St. Louis University Exhibition game tomorrow night... don't know that the system will hold up too well vs D1 competition, but should be fun to watch!!

[WUPHF]

You missed my previous post:

[...] I am high on Westminster based on the strength of that junior class, though the press release mentions that Division II transfer Nick Carlos (24 minutes, 13 points per game) is no longer with the Blue Jays.  It looks like Westminster has added two junior transfers.

http://sliac.org/sports/mbkb/2016-17/releases/mbbpre16?platform=hootsuite

Thoughts on the coaches poll?

[hopefan]

You missed my previous post:

[...] I am high on Westminster based on the strength of that junior class, though the press release mentions that Division II transfer Nick Carlos (24 minutes, 13 points per game) is no longer with the Blue Jays.  It looks like Westminster has added two junior transfers.

http://sliac.org/sports/mbkb/2016-17/releases/mbbpre16?platform=hootsuite

Thoughts on the coaches poll?

I didn't miss your previous post... I was just showing that Carlos is the only expected player not returning..

The SLIAC is an absolute jumble until we see the quality that new faces bring... Personally, I favor Spalding....

[hopefan]

SLU 52 Greenville 40 at half.      UGLY

It's gonna be a long season for the Billikens. GC shooting horrible and only down 12. 

New face Kieshaun Young-Jones a couple of nice 3's for GC

[hopefan]

Final St Louis U 124   Greenville 85      pretty tough to watch....

[hopefan]

Season's openers just over a week away...

My initial thoughts, and please prove me wrong if the opinion is unpopular...

Blackburn... Chris Davis and four or 5 guys who gained great experience last year... I think they maxed out their performance last year.. can they get better?

Eureka... 2 Feehans were great fun to watch last year, but Eureka didn't make the conference tourney... there's only one Feehan coming back.. not enough... new guys better be darned good.

Fontbonne... ONLY hope is new faces.. may need a couple years for frosh to develop.. thank goodness Illinois Tech is on the schedule.

Greenville... Running the system without a legit 3 point shooter... I still can't stay away from watching... seems depth will be stronger than last year... but VALUE the ball!  I see Michel Hohm being the key.

Iowa Wesleyan... Mystery team without Chris Fowler... not much size... the Soukup brothers could make a big difference... IWC could be the dark horse in the conference...

MacMurray... Brent Long can't do it himself.... I don't see any other potential consistent scores, unless they come from the JC transfers

Principia...  4 good returning starters, plus a jc point guard... Still is there any depth help on the bench... needed from 2 or 3 more guys... can the inexperienced new coach take control and get these guys playing together... if so, a conference tourney spot contender.

Spalding... 5 regular players return, 2 bigs from 2 years ago, both good enough to have played then, and some nice looking frosh... and a strong willed coach who makes them play like he wants them to..  my preseason favorite..

Webster.. lots of experienced seniors... who under achieved badly last year...  one non senior, Evan Milligan, needs to be a major factor.

Westminster...  Experienced, Athletic, Quick.. but lost their best shooter with Nick Carlos not returning...McCollum, Tabb, Hollinsworth tough around the basket... but remember, this group was winless out of conference last year, snuck into the tourney with a tiebreaker, and after their shocking Conference Tourney championship, was embarrassed by an over 50 point loss vs the big boys in the NCAA's. Still a long way to come...  But they should be a top 4 team in conference this year.

So.. I'll take Spalding, Westminster and who knows after that... not very daring, eh?

[WUPHF]

Westminster...  Experienced, Athletic, Quick.. but lost their best shooter with Nick Carlos not returning...McCollum, Tabb, Hollinsworth tough around the basket... but remember, this group was winless out of conference last year, snuck into the tourney with a tiebreaker, and after their shocking Conference Tourney championship, was embarrassed by an over 50 point loss vs the big boys in the NCAA's. Still a long way to come...  But they should be a top 4 team in conference this year.

That experience is going to make a big difference.  As far as the Westminster transfers are concerned, it looks like Luke Rodgers and Andy Bennett played locally at O'Fallon Christian and Webster Groves, but a cursory review of the internet did not turn up a college record for either.  Sean O'Brien is transferring from the University of Central Missouri after having a strong senior season at Vianney, but I am not sure if he played in college.

[ecreddevils]

EC roster now posted:

http://eurekareddevils.com/sports/mbkb/2016-17/roster

[hopefan]

EC roster now posted:

http://eurekareddevils.com/sports/mbkb/2016-17/roster

well, at least a partial roster, as it tell us nothing about the new faces other than name and class...

However, a little research..Brady Sanders was a JV player two years ago at Illinois Wesleyan.. came there with outstanding hs credentials.. if he's a kid who didn't quite make it at IWU but comes to Eureka with a real desire to play, he could be very good in the SLIAC... IWU readers, any thoughts?

also Jeremy Blohm had decent stats at a solid JC program - Blackhawk JC... could move right into starting spot at EC... Ryan Mcelmurry also played at Blackhawk... Kendall Davis played at Illinois Central.. 10 ppg.. likely can help

[Gregory Sager]

EC roster now posted:

http://eurekareddevils.com/sports/mbkb/2016-17/roster

well, at least a partial roster, as it tell us nothing about the new faces other than name and class...

However, a little research..Brady Sanders was a JV player two years ago at Illinois Wesleyan.. came there with outstanding hs credentials.. if he's a kid who didn't quite make it at IWU but comes to Eureka with a real desire to play, he could be very good in the SLIAC... IWU readers, any thoughts?

I wouldn't hold your breath. When Shawn McGuire transferred from Illinois Wesleyan to Eureka back in '03, the only comments that any of the IWU people made about him on CCIW Chat was that the kid was ruining his life by transferring to an academically inferior school.

Then again, maybe Bob will come through with something useful for you.

[hopefan]

EC roster now posted:

http://eurekareddevils.com/sports/mbkb/2016-17/roster

well, at least a partial roster, as it tell us nothing about the new faces other than name and class...

However, a little research..Brady Sanders was a JV player two years ago at Illinois Wesleyan.. came there with outstanding hs credentials.. if he's a kid who didn't quite make it at IWU but comes to Eureka with a real desire to play, he could be very good in the SLIAC... IWU readers, any thoughts?

I wouldn't hold your breath. When Shawn McGuire transferred from Illinois Wesleyan to Eureka back in '03, the only comments that any of the IWU people made about him on CCIW Chat was that the kid was ruining his life by transferring to an academically inferior school.

Then again, maybe Bob will come through with something useful for you.

"Ruining his life"?... That seems a bit harsh...

[Gregory Sager]

I thought so, too. But that was what was posted on CCIW Chat when McGuire transferred. Alas, the archives only go back as far as 2005, so I can't pull up those posts. And, to be fair, it was only a couple of IWU posters who were going on about that. But there wasn't really anything else that was said about McGuire from IWU posters to counter that narrative. I think that the other Titans posters had simply moved on, probably because McGuire was not going to figure as a major piece of the IWU puzzle during that era.

[Titan Q]

EC roster now posted:

http://eurekareddevils.com/sports/mbkb/2016-17/roster

However, a little research..Brady Sanders was a JV player two years ago at Illinois Wesleyan.. came there with outstanding hs credentials.. if he's a kid who didn't quite make it at IWU but comes to Eureka with a real desire to play, he could be very good in the SLIAC... IWU readers, any thoughts?

Brady Sanders was a late commit to IWU coming out of high school, and a surprise commit.  (I don't think IWU was on him much.)  If I recall, Illinois College really wanted him.

http://www.d3boards.com/index.php?topic=4592.msg1512325#msg1512325

I remember talking to Ron Rose about him a couple times as I was doing my annual IWU preview.  Ron really spoke highly of his character and work ethic.  As far as his game, I believe he is a very strong floor general/ball handler/leader type PG.  The downside is that he doesn't shoot it well - a guy defenses can sag off.

Comments from Ron Rose in my IWU previews for the 2013-14 and 2014-15 seasons (in the "Rotation" section w/ the depth charts)...

http://www.iwuhoops.com/preview13-14.html

http://www.iwuhoops.com/preview_14-15.html

My best guess is that Eureka has a good PG in Brady Sanders.