MBB: College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin

[petemcb]

AndOne, you could be right.  It is possible that Walton was working on his fadeaway.  I've just always loved his work around the basket and was disappointed, as a fan, to see him settling for fadeaways.  I suppose if he adds a fading jumper to his already well-stocked arsenal, he'll be that much more of a threat. 

And while the NAIA has been brought up, has anyone noticed that D2 Lewis, now coached by Scott Trost, has picked up three transfers from NAIA St. Xavier.  Two of them are significant:  Matt Marino and Jason Genova both of whom prepped at St. Pat's in Chicago.  Looks like those IWU/St. Xavier scrimmages served more of a purpose than an early season tuneup for the Titans the last few years.  Not only that, he's got another guard by the name of Keelan.  Could lightening strike twice?   

[AndOne]

Pete,
I think one reason Walton is as good as he is is that he has worked and continues to  work on his all around game. This is a kid who I understand was not really recruited by any team after his high school career. He merely showed up at NCC and at basketball practice, and through hard work over the last 3 yrs has become the player he is today. Even more impressive is that he is a true STUDENT-athlete, having been named to the regional all academic team this past season. A source at NCC has advised me that he and Adam Krumtinger, another much improved player, have been elected co-captains by the team members for 2006-07.

BTW----Great info re the transfer of 2 St. X players to Lewis. 

[Ryan Scott (Hoops Fan)]

You have to wonder if the Xavier players were IWU recruits who wanted scholarship money and are now excited to be getting money and Trost?

[petemcb]

Things that make you go hmmm.

[Titan Q]

First Timer,

Again, I did not see the scrimmage vs St. Francis, but I know they have some good players.  They return two 1st Team All-CCAC guards - seniors Eric Epps (Rich South H.S.) and Mike Smith (Shepard H.S.).  Smith transfered to USF from Division I Illinois-Chicago.

They also have a lot of size.  6-8/231 soph. Ian Jones was a very heavily recruited player out of Reavis H.S. (St. Xavier really wanted him I know) and he ended up at Lewis before transfering to St. Francis. 6-6/215 senior Dan Applegate (Sandburg H.S.) is a guy Scott Trost recruited while at IWU and 6-6/230 Arvydas Astrauskas is supposed to be pretty tough.  USF has a bunch of guys on their roster that were recruited by small colleges in Illinois, including CCIW's.

The fact that IWU really took them apart is an encouraging to me -- especially since one of my big questions about IWU is how they will handle opposing big guys and USF certainly had a lot of size.

[Titan Q]

Sounds like Scott Trost has hit the ground running at Lewis.  He has commitments from 4 transfers already:

* Brandon Alexander, 6-6 wing (Lincoln College...Simeon HS, Chicago)

* Keelan Donald, 6-1 PG (North Idaho College...Leo HS, Chicago)

* Jason Genova, 6-5 SG (St. Xavier...St. Patrick HS, Chicago)

* Matt Marino, 6-1 PG (St. Xavier...St. Patrick HS, Chicago)


As a freshman at SXU, Genova was second in scoring on the team (14.0 ppg) and he made 77 of 186 3's (.414).  I saw him play 3 times last year, including vs IWU in Bloomington -- he has a chance to be a really good player at Lewis.  Marino was SXU's starting point-guard.  Glad Genova and Marino left SXU and found a new home so IWU doesn't have to deal with those two on the southside in November.

What are the odds of a coach landing two Keelans in 5 years?

I'm tellin' ya, watch out for Lewis in the GLVC.  Scott Trost can recruit.

Pete, my May 24, 2006 post on the transfers.  Jason Genova was 2nd Team All-CCAC as a freshman...

http://www.stfrancis.edu/ath/ccaconline/MensBasketballDivision1/Awards2006.htm

He is a lefty Keelan Amelianovich -- he has a chance to be really good at Lewis.

After getting creamed by the Illini earlier in the week, Lewis hung with DePaul Saturday night (I believe the Flyers were within 3 with a couple minutes left).  Genova had 14 and Marino 7 assists with 0 T.O... 

http://www.depaulbluedemons.com/scores/mbb110406.htm


Tonight Lewis plays Division I Illinois-Chicago.  Last year when St. Xavier beat UIC, it was due in large part to Genova, who had 20 points...

http://www.sxu.edu/athletics/game_stats.asp?id=685

[Titan Q]

You have to wonder if the Xavier players were IWU recruits who wanted scholarship money and are now excited to be getting money and Trost?

After seeing Genova last year as a freshman, I asked Trost if he recruited him.  He said, "I had no idea who he was or I would have."

I am almost positive Trost did try to recruit Marino while at IWU.

[petemcb]

Sounds like Scott Trost has hit the ground running at Lewis.  He has commitments from 4 transfers already:

* Brandon Alexander, 6-6 wing (Lincoln College...Simeon HS, Chicago)

* Keelan Donald, 6-1 PG (North Idaho College...Leo HS, Chicago)

* Jason Genova, 6-5 SG (St. Xavier...St. Patrick HS, Chicago)

* Matt Marino, 6-1 PG (St. Xavier...St. Patrick HS, Chicago)


As a freshman at SXU, Genova was second in scoring on the team (14.0 ppg) and he made 77 of 186 3's (.414).  I saw him play 3 times last year, including vs IWU in Bloomington -- he has a chance to be a really good player at Lewis.  Marino was SXU's starting point-guard.  Glad Genova and Marino left SXU and found a new home so IWU doesn't have to deal with those two on the southside in November.

What are the odds of a coach landing two Keelans in 5 years?

I'm tellin' ya, watch out for Lewis in the GLVC.  Scott Trost can recruit.

Pete, my May 24, 2006 post on the transfers.  Jason Genova was 2nd Team All-CCAC as a freshman...

http://www.stfrancis.edu/ath/ccaconline/MensBasketballDivision1/Awards2006.htm

He is a lefty Keelan Amelianovich -- he has a chance to be really good at Lewis.

After getting creamed by the Illini earlier in the week, Lewis hung with DePaul Saturday night (I believe the Flyers were within 3 with a couple minutes left).  Genova had 14 and Marino 7 assists with 0 T.O... 

http://www.depaulbluedemons.com/scores/mbb110406.htm


Tonight Lewis plays Division I Illinois-Chicago.  Last year when St. Xavier beat UIC, it was due in large part to Genova, who had 20 points...

http://www.sxu.edu/athletics/game_stats.asp?id=685

Man, you beat me worse than IWU beat St. Francis.  Nicely played, Bob.

[petemcb]

You have to wonder if the Xavier players were IWU recruits who wanted scholarship money and are now excited to be getting money and Trost?

After seeing Genova last year as a freshman, I asked Trost if he recruited him.  He said, "I had no idea who he was or I would have."

I am almost positive Trost did try to recruit Marino while at IWU.

I am surprised that he might have recruited Marino and not been aware of Genova since they both played at St. Pat's.  I wonder if Genova was more of a late bloomer.  Nice development, if so.

[Titan Q]

Every season I put together an Illinois Wesleyan/CCIW preview for IWUhoops.com.  Here is the 2006-07 edition...


http://www.iwuhoops.com/prev07.htm


It includes projections on starting lineups for each CCIW team.

[cardinalpride]

Every season I put together an Illinois Wesleyan/CCIW preview for IWUhoops.com.  Here is the 2006-07 edition...


http://www.iwuhoops.com/prev07.htm


It includes projections on starting lineups for each CCIW team.

Bob, nice stuff as always!!

[titan2000]

Every season I put together an Illinois Wesleyan/CCIW preview for IWUhoops.com.  Here is the 2006-07 edition...


http://www.iwuhoops.com/prev07.htm


It includes projections on starting lineups for each CCIW team.

What does "played JV" mean?  Do you actually have a JV team or is that another moniker for practice squading?
At LU we have 23 players on the varsity.

I now have to listen to Chuck Schumer speak so I have to put my PC away before I puke.

[BeastMaster]

Korte Long has always had the potential to be a great player and I hope that this year he finally puts it all together.  I would also like to add that he looks like a bodybuilder this season.  By that I mean, he has absolutely huge arms! 

The freshman played well in there first collegiate contest.  Rexroade started at the "4" with Korte Long playing the "5".  Rexroade hit a few three's as did Zach Ott.  Rexroade is very very skilled but also rail thin.  Joscar Demby from Romeoville has a huge upside to his game.  Absolutely outstanding athlete, but still pretty raw.  Transfer Charles Warren from New Hope Prep School and Decatur Eisenhower could also see significant minutes in the guard rotation. 

Referring to the Drew Gensler/Kent Raymond being the best guards in the conference.  I saw Raymond play quite a bit his freshman year and he was great.  I hope that he can return to that form, but I do think he may take him a few games or more to get back in the swing of things.  It is hard to be away from the game for a year and come back just as you left. 

[AndOne]

Thanks for the report on the Milliken freshmen.


I heard almost every CCIW school was after Rexroade to the extent several coaches made home visits. I sense he choose Milliken due to the opportunity to start in his 1st yr. That would not have happened at Augie, Elmhurst, NCC, and possibly others. Also
Decatur is not to far from his hometown. Good luck to him.

[Gregory Sager]

I am surprised that he might have recruited Marino and not been aware of Genova since they both played at St. Pat's.  I wonder if Genova was more of a late bloomer.  Nice development, if so.

No, Genova was St. Pat's star player and drew a lot of recruiting attention. NPU is hoping that his fellow forward in the St. Pat's class of '05, Mike Ventura, is the true late bloomer. 

AndOne, you could be right.  It is possible that Walton was working on his fadeaway.  I've just always loved his work around the basket and was disappointed, as a fan, to see him settling for fadeaways.  I suppose if he adds a fading jumper to his already well-stocked arsenal, he'll be that much more of a threat. 

That could happen, but it's also possible that he'll either fall in love with the fadeaway and use it all the time (even when it's unnecessary) or that it will affect his shooting form and unconsciously bleed into his normal shot. I call it "Reuben Slock Syndrome". I've talked to coaches who are wary of fadeaways because they worry about what they can do to a player's shooting form.

I heard almost every CCIW school was after Rexroade to the extent several coaches made home visits. I sense he choose Milliken due to the opportunity to start in his 1st yr. That would not have happened at Augie, Elmhurst, NCC, and possibly others. Also
Decatur is not to far from his hometown. Good luck to him.

Believe it or not, he really liked the dorms at Millikin. No, I'm not joking.