Tough Times For The Toppers

TheTastyGreek · August 19, 2009

Back in April, WKU fans were very excited, and rightfully so, over inking Terrence Boyd and David Laury. Boyd was a 4 star recruit and ranked 54th in ESPN's Top 100. Laury was a very well regarded power forward who averaged better than 20 and 10 in his prep year.

Both are off the team.

Laury was let go 3 weeks ago. Boyd was released just two days ago.

WKU is always dangerous, and they've still got a strong roster and a good recruiting class with the three guys they still have coming in. But losing these two guys hurts, both short term and for the next few years.

I'm telling you guys... This could be a very special year. We may not just be the best team in the West... If we can pick up where we left off last year, we could very well be the top team in the whole damn league.

Censored by Laurie · August 19, 2009

Doesn't surprise me.

WKU is still loaded...but losing a player like OMV who did everything for you and would move out of Mexia just for a W is so hard to replace.

NT03 · August 19, 2009

Sounds like they both could just be diabetic.

WKu still returning 4 starters back , but I see the Belt being a 2 bid team again this year for the Big Dance

TheTastyGreek · August 19, 2009

Yes, WKU is still a very strong team. And yes, they return 4 out of 5 starters.

But the one that DOESN'T return is Orlando Mendez-Valdez. And Ponch wasn't just a starter, he was the player of the year in conference last season.

They lost Courtney Lee and still managed to bounce back to the NCAAs and a 1st round win. But losing Ponch and these two recruits, (and didn't Magley transfer?) I just don't see them improving on last season.

They may push 20 wins, they'll probably be right in the hunt for the East. But losing their incoming frontcourt guys, Magley, and Mendez-Valdez... Even with the talent on their roster, how do they improve on last season?

Like I said, they're still a very formidable team and a conference contender. I wouldn't be surprised to see them win the East or at least earn a bye in the SBC Tournament. I just think that taking two hits like this at a position of relative weakness... They'll have a hard time matching the high level results they've posted the past two years. And given where they're taking the biggest hits, specifically in the frontcourt, it helps us match up against them. We've got Odufuwa and Tramiel back, Spencer eligible, Hogans returns, and Holmen and Knox give us some pretty impressive depth for 3rd string post options.

Losing these guys improves our ability to match up with WKU, and also makes it harder for them to get through the East. If the releases and other losses cost them one or two conference games, it makes our task much, much easier.

CMJ · August 19, 2009

I'm still glad we got them at the SuperPit this season. Winning is in their DNA. Even when they were "down" in the middle part of the decade, they were still winning 20+ a season.

Censored by Laurie · August 19, 2009

Yes, WKU is still a very strong team. And yes, they return 4 out of 5 starters.
But the one that DOESN'T return is Orlando Mendez-Valdez. And Ponch wasn't just a starter, he was the player of the year in conference last season.
They lost Courtney Lee and still managed to bounce back to the NCAAs and a 1st round win. But losing Ponch and these two recruits, (and didn't Magley transfer?) I just don't see them improving on last season.
They may push 20 wins, they'll probably be right in the hunt for the East. But losing their incoming frontcourt guys, Magley, and Mendez-Valdez... Even with the talent on their roster, how do they improve on last season?
Like I said, they're still a very formidable team and a conference contender. I wouldn't be surprised to see them win the East or at least earn a bye in the SBC Tournament. I just think that taking two hits like this at a position of relative weakness... They'll have a hard time matching the high level results they've posted the past two years. And given where they're taking the biggest hits, specifically in the frontcourt, it helps us match up against them. We've got Odufuwa and Tramiel back, Spencer eligible, Hogans returns, and Holmen and Knox give us some pretty impressive depth for 3rd string post options.
Losing these guys improves our ability to match up with WKU, and also makes it harder for them to get through the East. If the releases and other losses cost them one or two conference games, it makes our task much, much easier.

The still have Cliff Dixon, a 6'10" 220lb JUCO transfer who averaged 15.3ppg and 8.0rpg and had offers from Memphis, Mizzou and Setan Hall so the loss of Magley won't be too terrible and a couple of nice freshman guards/wings in Caden Dickerson and Jordan Swing.

Where they'll need a significant jump up in play...or sign a JUCO with one of these open scholarships...is at point guard. Right now they're rolling out a combination of Anthony Sally, A.J. Slaughter and Dickerson...Sally is a decent bus driver...Slaughter is a 2 and is best as a 2, but he did handle a little bit last season when they wanted Ponch off the ball...and Dickerson is a freshman. I think that is a gaping hole at the most important position on the floor

TheTastyGreek · August 19, 2009

The still have Cliff Dixon, a 6'10" 220lb JUCO transfer who averaged 15.3ppg and 8.0rpg and had offers from Memphis, Mizzou and Setan Hall so the loss of Magley won't be too terrible and a couple of nice freshman guards/wings in Caden Dickerson and Jordan Swing.
Where they'll need a significant jump up in play...or sign a JUCO with one of these open scholarships...is at point guard. Right now they're rolling out a combination of Anthony Sally, A.J. Slaughter and Dickerson...Sally is a decent bus driver...Slaughter is a 2 and is best as a 2, but he did handle a little bit last season when they wanted Ponch off the ball...and Dickerson is a freshman. I think that is a gaping hole at the most important position on the floor

Didn't forget about Dixon, but Dixon and Evans (who's under 200 lbs according to their official site) can't play 40 minutes per game. Once they're on the bench, WKU has to roll out a crew of 6'5" or shorter swingmen as forwards. Or turn to their Euro brigade of 5 minute-per-game mediocrities. That's when they'll really miss Laury and Magley.

100% agree on the OMV problem. Ponch's departure is going to hit them a lot harder than Courtney Lee's did.

greenminer · August 19, 2009

For the sake of continuing this convo, can someone elaborate on OMV and Slaughter's impact within their team. Both of them seemed like Mean Green killers.

I'm not looking for anything new here; just a refresher course in Sun Belt bball.

Censored by Laurie · August 19, 2009

Didn't forget about Dixon, but Dixon and Evans (who's under 200 lbs according to their official site) can't play 40 minutes per game. Once they're on the bench, WKU has to roll out a crew of 6'5" or shorter swingmen as forwards. Or turn to their Euro brigade of 5 minute-per-game mediocrities. That's when they'll really miss Laury and Magley.
100% agree on the OMV problem. Ponch's departure is going to hit them a lot harder than Courtney Lee's did.

Last year Evans started at the 5...and I don't expect anything different this season. I expect their starting line-up to be Sally, Slaughter, Pettigrew, Kerusch and Evans...and while Pettigrew and Kerusch are both 6'5"...they're not 6'5"...they play considerably bigger and I think they did pretty well with that line-up last season. Magley played 11 minutes a game and averaged 2.5ppg and 2.5rpg. Dixon is an upgrade in nearly all facets save for just pure bulk. Plus, the only Euro left on the roster is Nemanja Milosevic...a 6'8" 240 Sr transfer from NJIT who will contribute more than the Mike Walker-Matt Maresca combo of last year. Western's frontcourt is better.

OMV will hurt more than CLee...you can replace scoring very easily, players like Slaughter love to shoot. And they're going to need at least one of their freshman guards/wing to step up.

TheTastyGreek · August 19, 2009

Last year Evans started at the 5...and I don't expect anything different this season. I expect their starting line-up to be Sally, Slaughter, Pettigrew, Kerusch and Evans...and while Pettigrew and Kerusch are both 6'5"...they're not 6'5"...they play considerably bigger and I think they did pretty well with that line-up last season. Magley played 11 minutes a game and averaged 2.5ppg and 2.5rpg. Dixon is an upgrade in nearly all facets save for just pure bulk. Plus, the only Euro left on the roster is Nemanja Milosevic...a 6'8" 240 Sr transfer from NJIT who will contribute more than the Mike Walker-Matt Maresca combo of last year. Western's frontcourt is better.
OMV will hurt more than CLee...you can replace scoring very easily, players like Slaughter love to shoot. And they're going to need at least one of their freshman guards/wing to step up.

I never thought Magley was a world beater, but he did play an important part in their system. His stat line is pretty much identical to Harold Stewart's, and I wouldn't have wanted to go through last season without Stewart. Or this season without Hogans. I didn't think Magley was going to hurt them much until I learned about what else they'd lost. On his own, he'd be pretty replaceable. But when your best incoming guy (and another well regarded prospect) wash out before classes even start... Those could be 11 very essential missing minutes.

As for the reference to European players... I thought they had two Slavs on their roster. Looking it up, I see that one was a tall guard and the other, the stiff frontcourt guy, seems to have moved on.

Just to reiterate... I still think this is a team that has to be considered one of the favorites for the conference title. Not trying to sell them short, not deluding myself into thinking they'll have any real problems (as most teams would classify 'problems') this year.

One of the Topper fans on the SBC board shared his impressions after seeing some of these guys in "pickup games" on campus. Doesn't think Dixon is starting material, and also shares your expectation that Sally will start in place of Ponch.

CMJ · August 19, 2009

For the sake of continuing this convo, can someone elaborate on OMV and Slaughter's impact within their team. Both of them seemed like Mean Green killers.
I'm not looking for anything new here; just a refresher course in Sun Belt bball.

Quick sum up.

Mendez-Valdez basically drove the car, made that engine purr. And of course he could hit the big 3 point shots when called upon. Slaughter was more of their true scorer. Arguably he coulda been Sun Belt POY too. He hit tons of big shots(like against US).

Green Lantern · August 19, 2009

Quick sum up.
Mendez-Valdez basically drove the car, made that engine purr. And of course he could hit the big 3 point shots when called upon. Slaughter was more of their true scorer. Arguably he coulda been Sun Belt POY too. He hit tons of big shots(like against US).

Slaughter hit a couple of daggers against us in the SBC Tournament this past spring. I'm glad that we wont be dealing with OMV anymore. That dude was a gamer.

I have a great feeling about the Mean Green this year. CBL and I have talked extensively about how this could really be our breakout season as far as the program is concerned. I'm much more pumped about hoop this year than I am football.

CMJ · August 19, 2009

Slaughter hit a couple of daggers against us in the SBC Tournament this past spring. I'm glad that we wont be dealing with OMV anymore. That dude was a gamer.
I have a great feeling about the Mean Green this year. CBL and I have talked extensively about how this could really be our breakout season as far as the program is concerned. I'm much more pumped about hoop this year than I am football.

Slaughter also keyed their big run against us in the regular season game. We basically led the whole way until Slaughter put the Toppers on his back and stole our win.

I'm usually more excited about basketball. As far as this season is concerned I'm cautiously optimisitic. On paper it could be a special year - we should win the West at the least. But one never knows about this kinda thing. On paper our 2007 team probably shouldn't have won the Conference Tournament.

drex · August 22, 2009

It is my understanding that Mendez-Valdez was not on the WKU health insurance plan....he was covered by Medicare.

dahbeed · September 2, 2009

pretty good breakdown by you guys on the toppers.

i had said all along that i'd believe boyd was playing for us when i saw him checking into the scorers table for a real game. never happened. his outside shot was horrific but he would have abused sunbelt guards going to the hole. wish it could have worked out but the young man had issues.

we'll be led by slaughter this year. i really believe he will be able to put up c-lee type numbers for his senior season. evans is looking really good but has been inconsistent in the past.

kerusch had a phenomenal first year. yes he and pettigrew are undersized but as someone said they both play much larger. sergio should average a double double this year. he's one of the best instinctual rebounders i've ever seen play.

i went back and watched the sunbelt tourney games, the ncaa games and the louisville game. the thing that stood out in all of them is even though undersized we rebounded very well.

i predicted a .500 season for us last year due to the losses of lee, brazleton and rogers. i was very wrong. k-mac is a players coach and they love him. harper is a phenomenal coach and in line to succeed mac.

i'll make no predictions for this season as the schedule is much tougher. louisville at their place, vandy in nashville (sommet center, not vandy), siu on the road. houston, tulane, murray state and mississippi state all in diddle. we could play better than last year and still not have as good a record.