MBB: Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

[PauldingLightUP]

Holy Toledo, Stevens Point.  Sachtjen also is not returning who I thought had potential given some work and coaching. Point and Oshkosh having 13 and 15 rostered players respectively is crazy to think about. Hey, everyone should get some playing time.

[tomt4525]

Holy Toledo, Stevens Point.  Sachtjen also is not returning who I thought had potential given some work and coaching. Point and Oshkosh having 13 and 15 rostered players respectively is crazy to think about. Hey, everyone should get some playing time.

Hmm...checked the roster again, now there is 14 players on the roster.  New to the roster is Sophomore Logan Vander Velden, younger brother is an incoming freshman on the roster.  Logan played football as a freshman and Missouri Southern State and will have 3 years at UWSP. 

Hopefully they are still updating the roster and adding a few guys. 

[WW]

Holy Toledo, Stevens Point.  Sachtjen also is not returning who I thought had potential given some work and coaching. Point and Oshkosh having 13 and 15 rostered players respectively is crazy to think about. Hey, everyone should get some playing time.

Hmm...checked the roster again, now there is 14 players on the roster.  New to the roster is Sophomore Logan Vander Velden, younger brother is an incoming freshman on the roster.  Logan played football as a freshman and Missouri Southern State and will have 3 years at UWSP. 

Hopefully they are still updating the roster and adding a few guys.

Guessing that would be Logan Vander Velden Jr.? If so, his dad was a key contributor on that UWGB team that upset Jason Kidd and Cal in the NCAAs.

[tomt4525]

Holy Toledo, Stevens Point.  Sachtjen also is not returning who I thought had potential given some work and coaching. Point and Oshkosh having 13 and 15 rostered players respectively is crazy to think about. Hey, everyone should get some playing time.

Hmm...checked the roster again, now there is 14 players on the roster.  New to the roster is Sophomore Logan Vander Velden, younger brother is an incoming freshman on the roster.  Logan played football as a freshman and Missouri Southern State and will have 3 years at UWSP. 

Hopefully they are still updating the roster and adding a few guys.

Guessing that would be Logan Vander Velden Jr.? If so, his dad was a key contributor on that UWGB team that upset Jason Kidd and Cal in the NCAAs.

That would be correct.

[PauldingLightUP]

First taste of WIAC action tonight, Purple/Gold game at 7.  Looks like it will be streamed on their YouTube channel.

Tuned in the season half and did a double take when Canon O'Heron was in uniform and playing. He was a player/coach. Somewhat illustrates how little depth Point has at 4/5 positions.

Former Raider/Spartan/Pirate/Great Dane and now Pointer Phillip Flory looked great. He'll take over games for the Pointers.

Logan Vander Velden didn't play and Anthony Espensen apparently turned an ankle in the first half. Not sure how serious.

[PauldingLightUP]

WKOW with a story last night. Reiterated how important Tommy Thompson was in raising money for the WIAC to play. Sounded like Pat Miller just finished a two week quarantine. And mask wearing during playing will be a county by county decision. It sounds like some the of 8 counties will require it and some won't.

[tomt4525]

I watched most of the Purple/Gold scrimmage last night, and i'm not going to sugar coat what I saw.

Yes, Flory was a definite bright spot.  He will be one of the better players in the conference and will need to score in bunches for Point to contend.

First half was brutal.  I believe both teams shot under 20 percent from the field and it finished like 21-20.  Logan Vander Velden and Mayson Hazaert didn't play which brought the roster down to 12 players.  As noted earlier, Espensen went down in the first half with an ankle injury and didn't return.  Canon O'Heron suited up before Espensen got hurt and basically had to play the rest of the game when Espensen did go down.

Second half was better offensively but I don't see enough firepower on this squad to make any noise.  Garrett Nelson, Zach Mootz, Cliff McCray and Phillip Flory are the only guys that looked ready to play in a WIAC game.  Ryan Peterson looks to be a good shooter but didn't bring much else this early in his career.  UWSP has no size and will probably get bullied underneath in a physical conference like the WIAC.  I don't see UWSP beating WW, Oshkosh or Platteville.  I thought UWSP did a great job with their incoming recruiting class and was excited for a few years down the road but they are right back to low numbers with how many of their players didn't make it through the preseason.  I've never seen a UWSP roster have as much turnaround as this past year did.  They normally are great at keeping the kids on the roster.  They had 21 players when you include guys from last years team with eligibility left and including the incoming recruits who made it to campus.  They lost 8 and added Logan Vander Velden, another big influx of talent is needed for next year.

[PauldingLightUP]

Bob Semling was on WPCN this morning. Some note worthy highlights. Mayson Hazaert has a dislocated kneecap and will likely miss the entire season. Logan Vander Velden transferred at semester and it seemed like there might be eligibility issues right now, but Semling was hopeful he could play some point this season. Anthony Espensen has had nagging/reoccuring ankle issues and hopes to get him going as the season starts. Semling noted they have had some COVID opt outs. So, any potential players missing from an expected roster of incoming and returning players could be due to this. He said Ryan Peterson of Pines was their number one recruit and likes his potential.

[tomt4525]

Bob Semling was on WPCN this morning. Some note worthy highlights. Mayson Hazaert has a dislocated kneecap and will likely miss the entire season. Logan Vander Velden transferred at semester and it seemed like there might be eligibility issues right now, but Semling was hopeful he could play some point this season. Anthony Espensen has had nagging/reoccuring ankle issues and hopes to get him going as the season starts. Semling noted they have had some COVID opt outs. So, any potential players missing from an expected roster of incoming and returning players could be due to this. He said Ryan Peterson of Pines was their number one recruit and likes his potential.

Thank you for the info, much appreciated.  Terrible news on Hazaert, he would have been a rotational player this year at worst.  Hopefully, he comes back healthy next season ready to go.

I brought up awhile ago on the board wondering whether there could be some covid opt outs on teams.  With how many players that were on campus but didn't make it on the roster at UWSP, it was a thought on my mind again.  I'm actually glad to hear there were some opt outs rather than that many players leaving the program.

Another thing to think about for teams is how many seniors will use this season as a free year and come back to play next season as well. 

[tomt4525]

https://uwrfsports.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster

UWRF has updated their roster, some incoming players that I hadn't seen announced.

[fredfalcon]

One of UWRF's listed freshmen is Thomas Robarge, Chippewa Falls H.S., actually a transfer from Superior. He played two years there.

The freshman with the most gaudy stats is Riley Hulke, Nicollet, MN. He averaged 24 ppg, set Minnesota H.S. League records in career points, threes, steals, and assists. I watched several of his highlights and still can't tell whether he will be a WIAC player. He's a guard, 6'2". There is a reason why he isn't on scholarship with those stats.

[Dave 'd-mac' McHugh]

The Division III basketball season technically started nearly three months ago, but it has taken until the end of January for it to start feeling like the season is really underway. Even so, only about a quarter of the division has played just a single game. Another quarter of the division will never take to the court. And in between is wide gulf of different options.

On the first video-version of Hoopsville this season, Dave McHugh is joined by much of the D3hoops.com crew, Pat Coleman and Ryan Scott, to react to what has been one of the more unique seasons ... to say it lightly.

We react to the challenges schools are facing, what coaches are grappling with on a daily basis - especially beyond games and practices, and why schools are making so many different decisions.

We also discuss what is likely the future of this season's NCAA Championship Tournaments and, more importantly, when the decision on those tournaments will be made.

Plus, will there be a Top 25? No. Well, yes. Kind of. Tune in to learn more on what's coming. Plus a lot more including Dave spinning off Pat's thoughts on those wishing to attend games.

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[tomt4525]

https://letsgopioneers.com/sports/mbkb/2020-21/roster

Freshman have been added to Platteville's roster, 21 players listed.

[PauldingLightUP]

Pat Miller was on Whitewater Athletics podcast that was released today. Some note worthy highlights. He said a senior is out with an injury with a fracture in his leg and will not play this season. He did not mention Ards by name, but it's likely him as he is the only senior on the roster. He said they have lost Caleb Flaten-Moore who was playing great. He had an ACL injury and lost him for the year. Miller said this hurts inside depth a little bit. He said he is happy with the work ethic of this group and is excited to see them play.  Miller also reminisces on NCAA Tournament runs in 2009, 2012, and 2014. Just listening the 2009 regional at Elmhurst was loaded with great teams.

[Dave 'd-mac' McHugh]

DIII Championships are official canceled: https://www.d3hoops.com/notables/2021/02/committee-decides-championships-fate