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01-31-2024, 07:55 AM
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#551 |
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High School Varsity
Join Date: Sep 2022
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2032/33 Senior Tribute
JUSTICE STAFFORD November 1, 2028 should be remembered as one of the greatest days in Villanova basketball history. It doesn't measure up to those dates in early April when the Wildcats cut down the net to celebrate a national championship. But, on that day, three high school seniors committed to play basketball at Villanova. They were Kris DeMello, Asher Wise...and Justice Stafford. Code:
Justice was Mr. Everything at Trinity Episcopal School in Richmond, VA. He won eleven varsity letters as a three-sport athlete. As a senior, he caught 13 touchdown passes from a quarterback who went on to earn All-ACC recognition at North Carolina, and he placed third in the long jump at the state track and field meet. He graduated second in his class and scored 5 (the highest score) on four different Advanced Placement exams. After backing up the talented Blake Norton for a season, Justice earned the starting point guard spot as a sophomore. He went on to start over 100 games for the Wildcats, and the 3,929 minutes of court time he logged in a Villanova uniform is the highest total achieved by a player Graham Sims has coached here. No player on the roster worked harder than Justice. He developed his skills to the fullest extent possible. He took pride in his defense, and is our program's career leader in steals. And Justice is the greatest playmaker in Villanova history, with no pretender to his title. Code:
As adept a facilitator as he was, Justice could also put the ball in the basket himself. He made himself into a fine shooter, and after Reed Weisberg went down with a knee injury, Justice was the team's leading scorer for the rest of his senior season. In May, Justice will graduate with a degree in Philosophy and a Phi Beta Kappa key. If his name is called on Draft Night, he'll play professional basketball. If it isn't, he has an acceptance to graduate school at the University of Richmond and a position as an assistant basketball and football coach at his high school alma mater. Thanks for the memories, Justice. Last edited by MoonlightGraham : 03-01-2024 at 04:25 PM. |
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01-31-2024, 09:00 AM
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#552 |
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High School Varsity
Join Date: Sep 2022
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April 9, 2033
Two Wildcats are chosen in tonight's pro draft. Michael Petit just misses the lottery; he's taken with the #14 pick. Peter Segal, drafted at #50 will place his plans for law school on hold for a while as he pursues his hoop dreams. Justice Stafford's name wasn't called. He'll finish his semester and move back to Richmond, studying and coaching in his home town. Four Big East players you might know were lottery picks. Georgetown's Jed Spicer was the #1 pick, and his teammate, Damarion Logan, went at #4. Grover Jenkins of Notre Dame (#10) and the underrated Nathan Smith of St. John's (#11) also hear their names called early. Code:
Tennessee snagged the #4 and #6 players in the class, Everett Pulliam and SG Foster Simpson. They're both wings, so the Vols' perimeter game should take a big step forward this season. North Carolina and Vanderbilt each land three five-star players. Blake Phillips, whom we courted heavily, is the top player in the class. They also signed North Carolina's Mr. Basketball, big man Robby Kantor, and a chiseled athlete from Ohio, 6'5" wing Sydney Rundell. The prizes in Vanderbilt's class are small forward Otto Cain, center John Stevens, and in-state point guard Charles Robinson. We took a very long look at Stevens. Lafayette pulled its class from New York and Massachusetts. Charles Loy is a high school All-American. Code:
Mason Reynolds is considered the best newcomer in the Big East this season. Right behind him is Pitt guard John Warren, the #8 recruit in the nation. The Panthers also signed 7'2" center Charles Cunningham, who's also a five-star player. Our Kyle Gribble is promising, but raw. Connor Baxter's color blocks are better, but he's not as highly regarded. Our Prestige (100), budget ($800,000) and facilities (86) remain unchanged. Last edited by MoonlightGraham : 02-10-2024 at 10:43 PM. |
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01-31-2024, 09:26 AM
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#553 |
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High School Varsity
Join Date: Sep 2022
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April 10, 2033
Graham Sims has leveled up for the last time. He's now a Level 15 coach, with perfect 100 scores in all four coaching categories. Georgetown's Wallace Hastings is the only other Level 15 master in our universe. Three coaches--Ervin Gadson of Boston College, Joseph Owens of West Virginia, and Brooks Runyan of Kentucky--are at Level 14. Coach Owens is the youngest of the group at age 53, and Coach Hastings, who turns 60 this year, is the oldest. Graham is 54 now. How time flies... If you're wondering where USC icon Kenneth Burroughs is, he is retiring this season. More on Coach Burroughs later. We're over 20 seasons into our college basketball universe now. Which teams have won the most games? Can you guess who's at #1? Code:
Here's the membership roll of the 500 Club, the coaches with at least 500 career victories. Code:
The next initiates will be Clayton Mintz of Oregon (497 wins) and Hans Gatewood of Tennessee (491). Last edited by MoonlightGraham : 01-31-2024 at 09:27 AM. |
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01-31-2024, 10:04 AM
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#554 |
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High School Varsity
Join Date: Sep 2022
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May 1, 2033
Kenneth Burroughs is the biggest name among the coaches who have decided to hang up their whistles, but Notre Dame's Paul Gilbertson has also enjoyed a highly respected career. He retires with 473 career victories to his credit. Both Southern California and Notre Dame honor Graham with job offers, but he politely declines. The chance Graham will ever coach anywhere but Villanova again is very, very close to zero. He won't leave for another job willingly, and if Villanova were to fire him, he'd almost certainly retire instead. George Doyle becomes the latest member of the Villanova staff to move on to a head coaching position of his own. At the age of 60, the veteran assistant finally gets the big whistle. He's the new coach at Toledo. Notre Dame poaches their new coach from a Big East rival. Rupert Frazee will move to South Bend from Cincinnati. The new man at Cincinnati? None other than Dario Ferreira, who spent four seasons as Graham's right hand man at Villanova before coaching at Davidson for three seasons. Coach Ferreira went 58-52 with the Wildcats. Now he'll match wits with one of his mentors in the tough setting of the Big East. It's frankly difficult for us to fill our Coaching Assistant position. The first three coaches I attempt to hire turn us down, and end up taking huge bags from other schools. One of them, DeWitt Keaton, goes to Georgetown instead. *snarl* We end up taking a chance on venerable Frank Timberlake. Coach Timberlake is one of the oldest men still prowling the sidelines; he's now 69. His coaching itinerary includes Western Kentucky, Saint Louis, Vanderbilt, Central Florida, Old Dominion, Saint Louis (again), and Arkansas. He's got an NCAA championship ring, which he won with the Commodores in 2018/19. Coach Timberlake is a Level 6 coach with ratings of 31 for Offense and 100 for Defense. He'll earn a very reasonable $131,000/year on a three-year deal. |
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01-31-2024, 10:26 AM
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#555 |
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High School Varsity
Join Date: Sep 2022
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May 1, 2033
Michael Petit's decision to leave school early gives us a scholarship to offer during the transfer period. And, to our delight, there's a fine player in the portal who plays a position where we aren't absolutely stacked. Code:
Eldon Castanon's high school achievements were considerable: All-State, All-American, and Maryland's Mr. Basketball. I remember seeing him on our recruiting lists, but he didn't express much interest in playing for us. He ended up at Lafayette instead. Looking at his development, it seems the Leopards coaching staff made him spend training camp running on a treadmill. His Stamina improved quite a bit, but his basketball skills did not. After playing three minutes, grabbing an assist, and missing a free throw, Eldon entered the portal. Now he's moving 68 miles down the road to Villanova. Eldon is an athletic point guard with considerable potential, especially as a passer. He'll sit out a year, after which he'll have three seasons of eligibility. We expect he'll contend with Connor Baxter at the one in 2034/35. Welcome to the team, Eldon! |
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01-31-2024, 11:49 AM
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#556 |
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High School Varsity
Join Date: Sep 2022
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July 1, 2033
Our roster contains five seniors: walk-ons Darius Pettway and Chris Ramos, and scholarship players Reed Weisberg, Ernest Adcock, and Noah Gardner. All three of the scholarship seniors are perimeter players, so it's logical we'll want to restock the wing cupboard. Picking up transfer Eldon Castanon makes the need to find a point guard less urgent. There's a chance that graduation and defections to the pros could leave us without a single big man on our roster after the 2034/35 season. That makes it imperative for us to get a good post player or two into the pipeline. I'm thinking our best possible shopping list would contain:
There's one five-star player who expresses Very High interest in playing for Villanova. He's Timothy Johnson, a 6'8" power forward from western Maryland. Another Maryland big man who likes us a lot, Dan Roesch, is given three stars, even though he's a high school All-American. Both those players deserve a good, long look. Two highly-regarded local players are very interested in playing for us. Pennsylvania's Mr. Basketball, Max Bennett, is a four-star shooting guard. Robbie Blades, the #100 player in the Class of 2034, is a power forward. We're the first choice for both Max and Robbie. I think I'm going to trust the experts' judgement and the stats on Max Bennett, and offer him a scholarship before we evaluate him. I'd like to lock him down quickly. I can always retract our offer if his evals don't look good. I'm tempted to do the same thing with Timothy Johnson, but he currently prefers two top-tier programs over Villanova. I don't remember ever winning a battle for a player when we had to come from behind and pass two elite teams. Here is our initial call list: Code:
Last edited by MoonlightGraham : 01-31-2024 at 11:53 AM. |
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01-31-2024, 01:38 PM
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#557 |
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High School Varsity
Join Date: Sep 2022
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August 1, 2033
My first response to July's recruiting efforts: Bleh. Max Bennett's head was turned by an offer from Georgetown. He downgrades his interest in playing for us to Average. Code:
Two of the big men we mentioned, Dan Roesch and Robbie Blades, have taken us completely off their lists. That means we can't invite them for campus visits. Code:
Code:
I wonder if Robbie and Dan are focusing their attention on less prestigious programs because they don't have offers from power conference schools. I think I'm going to bet on both of them. Will offers from Villanova, and visits from both coaches, rekindle their love for the Wildcats? |
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01-31-2024, 01:54 PM
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#558 |
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High School Varsity
Join Date: Sep 2022
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September 1, 2033
We're now in a two-way competition for the signature of Max Bennett. Georgetown still holds the pole position. I'm going to fight a little longer for him. Robbie Blades now holds four offers: Temple, Lehigh, Delaware, and Villanova. And, because we're now on Robbie's list, we can invite him to campus. Having that card to play makes me feel better about our chances. Five schools have now made offers to Dan Roesch: St. John's, American, Colgate, Richmond, and Villanova. Again, we're fifth on the list, but we're there. That means we can issue the campus visit invitation if we like. Why am I hesitating to continue our pursuit of Dan Roesch? Because another intriguing player has moved us up his list: Matthew Valentine. Code:
I liked Matthew's scouting report enough that I invited him to campus last month. I decide to retract Dan Roesch's offer and present it to Matthew instead. Last edited by MoonlightGraham : 02-01-2024 at 08:41 AM. |
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01-31-2024, 02:41 PM
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#559 |
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High School Varsity
Join Date: Sep 2022
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November 1, 2033
The last player to receive a scholarship offer is the first to accept it. Welcome to the Villanova basketball family, Matt Valentine! Matt is more of a lead guard than a pure one or two. Connor Baxter, Mason Reynolds, and Eldon Castanon are all good defensive players, and they're the guys who will be sharing the perimeter spots with Matt, so Matt's reluctance to D-up won't be a fatal flaw. Unfortunately, Robbie Blades decided to pursue his basketball dreams at Temple. At least we won't have to play against him in the Big East, like we will when Dan Roesch and St. John's appear on our schedule. Our hopes of signing Max Bennett remain alive. So do Georgetown's. Something is keeping Max from making his decision. Coaches Sims and Twombly don't have to travel far to visit the Bennett family, so that will remain a priority during November. What to do with our open scholarship? Timothy Johnson hasn't said yes to the Hoyas yet, either. Do we aim for the stars and offer him? Or, do we concentrate on a target that might be easier to hit? I like the looks of two players who haven't received scholarship offers yet: SF Keith Eskridge, a four-star recruit from Michigan, and PF Charlie Lambert, a four-star player from Maryland. I'm not really in the mood to potentially deal with losing two players to Georgetown, who have emerged as my arch-nemesis in this dynasty. I'm going to offer Charlie Lambert instead. I'll post his "hero card" if we end up signing him. |
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01-31-2024, 07:49 PM
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#560 |
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High School Varsity
Join Date: Sep 2022
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November 6, 2033
Let's meet the 2033/34 Villanova Wildcats! Code:
And how did they do in training camp? Code:
This year's team will take on a different quality right about the time Big East play begins. That's when two senior stars will return from the injury list. Reed Weisberg and Ernest Adcock might have decided to turn professional if their junior seasons hadn't been cut short by serious knee injuries. Now they're back at Villanova for one more dance. Weisberg averaged over 21 points per game over the 14 contests in which he appeared last season. The 6'5" wing is quite possibly the best shooter in the nation, with almost unlimited range and a gunslinger's mentality. Reed is far from a one-dimensional shooter, however; he'll pursue rebounds willingly, and he'll play solid defense. After serving an apprenticeship under peerless point guard Justice Stafford, Adcock will be ready to lead the team himself. Ernest is an elite athlete with incredible quickness and a secure, creative facilitator. And coach Graham Sims calls him one of the best on-ball defenders he has ever seen. Assuming their skills return unabated, these players should form our starting backcourt. In the meantime, those positions will be in the hands of freshmen Connor Baxter and Mason Reynolds. Baxter will run the point. He worked hard on his ballhandling and passing during camp, and he's ready to have the keys of the offense as the season begins. Connor also made a commitment to becoming a better defensive player. Reynolds graduated from the same high school as Coach Sims, where he broke Graham's record for career three-pointers. This five-star recruit has no single eye-popping skill; he does everything well. We'll need him to provide perimeter scoring while the master, Weisberg, mends. The other wing will be a senior, Noah Gardner. He shot his way into the rotation last season, carving out a role as a provider of instant offense. Noah will probably return to that role once we're healthy, but he'll have a month or so to demonstrate what he can do as a starter. The same three players who provided a solid rotation in the post last year return for another round. Zach Cohen, now a junior, is the starting center. He's not huge for a center--6'10", and under 230 pounds--but he is as strong as they come. Zach has shown a bit of offensive skill in the past, but his calling cards are rebounding, shot blocking, and defense. Savion Wells worked hard on his inside game and his rebounding in camp. There's a need to replace about 40 points of scoring a night now that Justice Stafford, Peter Segal, and Michael Petit are gone, and we're hoping that this seven-foot sophomore can help reduce that deficit. Savion made 58 percent of his shots last season. We're hoping he can approach that mark while he plays a larger role in our offense. The third man made Freshman All-America while starting only nine games. That's Chris Woolstenhulme, another Wildcat who had a very productive training camp. There are 80 minutes available for post players, and Woolstenhulme, a plus player at both ends of the floor, should get his share of them. Sophomore Trey Partridge gives us another reliable point guard who can shoot a bit. Freshman Kyle Gribble looks like he could be the next in a growing line of Villanova sharpshooters. The rest of the players will have to earn their court time by producing when they have opportunities; first year Charles Peterman is the best example of these. We begin the season ranked #10, which is the lowest we've been in the opening poll in years. Three Big East teams--West Virginia, Pitt, and Georgetown--rank ahead of us. I don't mind playing the role of "hunter" while we prepare for the return of our injured seniors. We'll be fine in their absence, but we'll be better when they're back. |
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01-31-2024, 08:43 PM
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#561 |
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High School Varsity
Join Date: Sep 2022
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November 10, 2033
Preseason NIT, First Round (1) #10 Villanova 72, (16) Dartmouth 50 It's not pretty to watch, but we open our season with a win in the first round of the Preseason NIT. Three Wildcats start their first career game, and all score in double figures: senior Noah Gardner (13p/6r) and freshmen Connor Baxter (13p) and Mason Reynolds (11p/6r). Savion Wells adds 12 points and 9 rebounds. But the big star is Zach Cohen, who combines 9 points with 10 rebounds and 5 blocks. We do much of our damage from the free throw line, where we shoot 25-for-30. We'll need to play better, but it's a start. Record: 1-0. November 12, 2033 Preseason NIT Quarterfinals (1) #10 Villanova 77, (9) Saint Louis 53 Behind 16 points and 8 rebounds from Noah Gardner, we dispatch the Billikens and advance to the semifinals. All three frontcourt starters grab 8 rebounds, and sixth man Chris Woolstenhulme does them one better. Savion Wells scores 11 points, and Zach Cohen adds 13 more. Mason Reynolds completes the double figures club with 10. We haven't made 40 percent of our shots in either game we've played, but we're holding our opponents to under 35 percent, and we're not turning the ball over. How will we fare against stronger opposition? Record: 2-0. November 19, 2033 Preseason NIT Semifinal (1) #6 Villanova 72, (4) #15 Missouri 39 We fare very well against stronger competition today, don't we? Our defense steps up again, limiting Mizzou to 16 made field goals. That enables us to turn the game into a rout, even though we hit only 5 three-pointers (very low for us) and don't make quite half our shots. Chris Woolstenhulme plays the starring role off the bench (14p/11r). Noah Gardner (14p/7r), and Zach Cohen (11p/10r) play major supporting roles. Guards Mason Reynolds and Connor Baxter hand out 5 assists each. Record: 3-0. November 21, 2033 Preseason NIT Championship Code:
Another test passed, as we defeat a Top Ten team in a shootout and capture the Preseason NIT trophy. We win it at the free throw line, where we're shooting just over 76 percent for the season. Mason Reynolds delivers the multi-faceted performance we envisioned when we recruited him, and Savion Wells scores a career-high 25 points. Record: 4-0.  |
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02-01-2024, 07:41 AM
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#562 |
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High School Varsity
Join Date: Sep 2022
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November 25, 2033
@#4 Villanova 82, Butler 48 The Bulldogs visit the Finneran Pavilion and leave with their stubby tails held low. Our defense swarms them from the opening tip, holding them to 29 percent shooting and 3-for-18 from behind the arc. Savion Wells and Noah Gardner lead us with 17 points each. Zach Cohen scores only 7 points, but he achieves career highs in rebounds with 17 and blocked shots with 6. Mason Reynolds has 5 assists. But it's Chris Woolstenhulme who wins Player of the Game honors for his 15-point, 9-rebound, 3-block performance. Record: 5-0. November 30, 2033 Code:
In fact, we lead by 11 points at halftime, before the Kentucky breed of Wildcats reel off a 13-2 run in the first five minutes of the second half. That comeback reinvigorates the sellout crowd, and from that point forward the game is a classic. Noah Gardner pulls off a very satisfactory imitation of prime Reed Weisberg. Kentucky's star freshman, Jack Clary, adds to his 20 PPG average. Big men Zach Cohen and Ezra Love battle like gladiators in the post. There's a lot of good basketball on display. No loss is fun, but this loss is a noble one. Record: 5-1. |
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02-01-2024, 08:41 AM
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#563 |
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High School Varsity
Join Date: Sep 2022
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December 1, 2033
A new batch of high school seniors make commitments today. Who will visit us this month? St. Nicholas or Krampus? We must be on the nice list. First of all, we learn that Charlie Lambert will be playing for us next season. Here's a closer look at him: Code:
We can be patient with Charlie, since Savion Wells and Chris Woolstenhulme will be around for at least one more year. Then, we discover we've beaten out Georgetown for the commitment of Max Bennett! The Hoyas made an offer to another player at Max's position, five-star recruit Brian Bishop. Perhaps Max and his family have decided he'll have a better chance for playing time over the course of his career at Villanova. Either way, I'm delighted that he's staying home and playing for us. Welcome to the Villanova basketball family! How did we do at hitting our recruiting targets? We landed a big man, Charlie Lambert. He's not a traditional post player, and he's not the kind of player we assume we'll have for only three years, but he could certainly be a starter for a Final Four team. Matt Valentine is listed as a shooting guard, but he has the skills to run our offense, and he can guard players in the post. He looks like a plug-and-play guy whom we can utilize in a variety of roles. Max Bennett projects as an offensive threat from the perimeter, a player who is likely to play for four years and develop into a key player. We don't have a headline-grabbing, highly-touted recruit in this class, but I like the guys we have. Last edited by MoonlightGraham : 02-01-2024 at 08:51 AM. |
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02-01-2024, 11:57 AM
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#564 |
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High School Varsity
Join Date: Sep 2022
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December 3, 2033
@#3 Villanova 94, Siena 56 Junior center Zach Cohen scores 22 points, grabs 13 rebounds, and turns back 4 shots in a comfortable victory over Siena. Mason Reynolds (18p/6a/5r), Noah Gardner (15p/4a) and Chris Woolstenhulme (13p/6r) also perform well. We make almost 57 percent of our shots, a season's high mark, and hold the Saints to 6-for-24 from behind the three-point line. Record: 6-1. December 9, 2033 @#7 Villanova 56, Richmond 52 We survive a scare from a solid Spider team who takes advantage of our sloppy play. We shoot 39 percent, take only 13 threes and make only 3 of them, and commit 19 turnovers. If we do those things against most Big East teams, we're going to get smoked. Fortunately, our defense saves our blushes with an extremely good effort. Zach Cohen (4 blocks) and Connor Baxter (3 steals) stand out on that end of the floor. Noah Gardner misses 4 of the 5 long shots he tries, but he finishes with 16 points anyway. Savion Wells hits 8 of 9 foul shots en route to a 14-point, 9-rebound day. Mason Reynolds just misses a double-double: 10 points, 9 boards. Record: 7-1. December 12, 2033 @#5 Villanova 94, Bucknell 51 Savion Wells scores 21 points, collects 12 rebounds, and is named Player of the Game for the second straight time as we play much better against the Bison. This time, we shoot .526/.450/.781, commit only 11 turnovers, and record assists on 28 of our 30 baskets. (Our school record is 30 assists in a game, recorded four times). Mason Reynolds (18p/7r/5a) continues to grow into a productive, all-action wing. Noah Gardner (18p/6r/4a) is making a claim for extended playing time, even after our roster is back to full strength. Chris Woolstenhulme is thriving in the sixth man role Graham Sims likes to employ, playing it in the style of Tony Ezell. Freshman Connor Baxter conducts the show well (9p/9a). Record: 8-1. December 16, 2033 @#5 Villanova 93, Pennsylvania 88 Full credit to the Quakers for battling back to make a game of it after we lead by as many as 22 points. The result is an entertaining contest between two old Big Five rivals. Tonight's big star is Connor Baxter, who tosses in 26 points, the best of his young career. He unselfishly adds 6 assists. Another firstie, Mason Reynolds, scores 19, with 5 assists and 3 steals. Noah Gardner (15p/6r) and Savion Wells (13p/9r) score in double digits, and Zach Cohen (7p/8r/5b) does Blue Collar Man things. Bench warrior Chris Ramos blocks 2 shots in 5 minutes of play. We need every one of those contributions to ward off a tough Penn team tonight. Record: 9-1. December 21, 2033 @#4 Villanova 79, Lafayette 54 It feels a bit unusual to play an unranked Lafayette team. The Leopards lost to a very good Miami team, which is understandable. They also lost to Air Force and a bad Indiana team, which is not. These Leopards aren't as fierce as they've been in the past. I want a better fate for Graham's former assistant, Thomas Liang. The frontcourt does most of the damage for us tonight. Zach Cohen scores 12 points, hauls down 15 rebounds, and blocks 4 shots. Savion Wells finishes with 15 points and 10 boards. Noah Gardner comes within a rebound of giving us three double-doubles (19p/9r), and Chris Woolstenhulme (8p/8r) doesn't miss by much giving us four. We set a new team record for rebounds in a single game with 58. Record: 10-1. December 27, 2033 @#5 Villanova 27, Princeton 48 Zach Cohen becomes the second player in Villanova history to collect at least 20 rebounds in a game tonight. He also sets a new career high in blocked shots with 8, and scores 14 points. Noah Gardner scores 21, Connor Baxter 18, and Savion Wells 15. Wells grabs 8 rebounds, Baxter has 5 assists. Mason Reynolds makes up for a forgettable 1-for-11 shooting performance with 3 steals. Remember that rebound record we set the other night? We tie it today, as every player who is at least 6'4" grabs at least four caroms, regardless of how few minutes he plays. The most productive rebounder is Chris Ramos, who hauls in 4 in 6 minutes. Record: 11-1. January 1, 2034 Penn State's coach, Louie Smith, has had an interesting coaching journey. He was once regarded as one of the best coaches in the business. He took Illinois, and then Duke, to the Final Four. Then, after several disappointing seasons in a row, he lost his job at Duke and spent three years as an assistant at Michigan State and Stanford. Gonzaga offered him their head coaching job in 2027. He won 15, then 19, then 20 games, and when Thomas Liang left Penn State for Lafayette, the Nittany Lions called on Coach Smith. He brings a very good team with a 10-3 record to the Wells Fargo Center today. Code:
In the end, it's the Lions who come out on top. We're uncharacteristically inaccurate from the free throw line, and Penn State's defense forces us into taking shots we don't like. Record: 11-2. January 4, 2034 Code:
I'm not used to looking this far down the list of Big East teams to find Villanova. That's what losing two out-of-conference games gets you in a year when the conference is as loaded as it seems to be this year. We've hung in there very well without Ernest Adcock and Reed Weisberg. Both seniors should be back in action within two weeks. In their absence, six Wildcats are averaging between 9 and 17 points per game. Five average at least 5 rebounds per game. I'm looking forward to having Ernest and Reed back, but I'm proud of the way the other players have stepped up in their absence. Last edited by MoonlightGraham : 02-02-2024 at 10:52 AM. |
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02-01-2024, 12:04 PM
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#565 |
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High School Varsity
Join Date: Sep 2022
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January 4, 2034
Love Watch: Kentucky is undefeated (14-0), the unanimous choice as the #1 team in the nation. One of those victories, of course, came at Villanova's expense. We're the only currently ranked team UK has beaten, but they also have notable wins over Notre Dame and Creighton. Junior center Ezra Love has started all 14 games. He's averaging 5.3 points, 8.6 rebounds, and 2.6 blocks per game. Here's a list of the top 10 professional prospects among juniors, who will be eligible to declare for the next draft: Code:
Code:
Ezra has worked tirelessly to develop his skills. His battle with our Zach Cohen was a clash between two big men with maximum Strength.  |
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02-01-2024, 12:42 PM
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#566 |
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High School Varsity
Join Date: Oct 2000
Location: Cincinnati, OH
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Wow... if only he were a bit quicker with some stamina... he'd have double the rebounds per game...
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Email: [email protected] |
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02-01-2024, 04:35 PM
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#567 |
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High School Varsity
Join Date: Sep 2022
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January 4, 2034
@#12 Villanova 75, #20 Providence 67 Welcome to Big East basketball, Mason Reynolds! Our freshman guard scores 25 points, grabs 11 rebounds, and makes 2 steals as we defeat a very good Providence team at the Pavilion. Chris Woolstenhulme adds 17 points and 5 boards from the bench. Zach Cohen is good for 10 points, 11 rebounds, and 2 blocks. Noah Gardner has 10 points and 9 rebounds. This team is really good at rebounding. We grab 55 today, our third game in two weeks in which we've had at least 50. Record: 12-2 (1-0). January 7, 2034 #12 Villanova 82, @#9 Louisville 75 The beat goes on for Mason Reynolds and the Wildcats. Mason scores another 25 points and leads us to another crucial road win. Other notable performances include those by Noah Gardner (13p/8r), Chris Woolstenhulme (12p), and Savion Wells (7p/10r). Zach Cohen (12p/9r/4b) scares us when he goes to the floor, holding his knee... The diagnosis is fairly good, however. Zach has a less severe sprain, and he's listed as day-to-day. We'll see what he can do when Rutgers comes to call this week. Record: 13-2 (2-0). January 11, 2034 Code:
One year and two days after he last played, Reed Weisberg returns to action tonight! Authentic as can be, Reed pulls the cord on two triples in 5 minutes, hitting one of them. Noah Gardner pays tribute to his classmate and teammate with a Weisbergesque 26 points, featuring a perfect 8-for-8 at the line. Record: 14-2 (3-0). January 14, 2034 #7 Villanova 70, @Seton Hall 55 And Ernest Adcock returns to action today, starting at point guard and scoring 16 points in a successful visit to Seton Hall. The senior guard also hands out 4 assists and makes 2 steals. Reed Weisberg shows signs of rust in his first start of the year. He takes only 5 shots, making one (a three) and scores 5 points. Mason Reynolds (16p/10r/4a) plays especially well. He's remaining in the starting lineup for now, with Noah Gardner joining Chris Woolstenhulme and Connor Baxter to form a scary-good reserve squad. Record: 15-2 (4-0). January 18, 2034 #2 Villanova 93, @Marquette 64 For the first time in over a year, the "Player Notes" section of my game screen doesn't contain the name of an injured Villanova player. Our fully healthy team travels to Milwaukee and routs Marquette. Again, it's first year Mason Reynolds who provides the spark. He finishes with 21 points, 7 rebounds, and 3 steals. Reed Weisberg shows signs of finding his range, scoring 15 points and hitting 3 of 9 three-point attempts. Zach Cohen (13p/8r/3b) and Chris Woolstenhulme (11p/4r) deliver the kinds of performances we've come to expect from them. Record: 16-2 (5-0). January 21, 2034 @#2 Villanova 85, St. John's 56 Savion Wells is one of the key players in the gameplan I've created for the Wildcats. Tonight he redeems my choice, scoring a career-best 28 points on 12-for-17 shooting as we knock off the Red Storm. The 7'0" forward also snags 8 rebounds, second on the team to Zach Cohen's 11. Cohen blocks another 5 shots, too. Reed Weisberg scores 14 points, and Ernest Adcock hands out 5 assists. While we're at it, Syracuse is at Georgetown, beating the Hoyas in a gnarly 57-43 contest. We end the day's action in sole possession of first place in the Big East. And, guess where we're going next? Record: 17-2 (6-0). January 25, 2034 @#8 Georgetown 80, #2 Villanova 69 By halftime, the game is a rout, with the Hoyas leading 51-28. Their fans howl their delight as they watch their favorites smack their rival in the face. We don't concede, however, and we rally back to within 8 points with five minutes to play. That's as close as we can come. We shoot 23-for-69, and an even uglier 8-for-32 from three-point distance. We turn the ball over 18 times. The Hoyas to do us what we to do opponents when we're playing at our best. Reed Weisberg (18 points) and Mason Reynolds (14) are our double-figure scorers. We're 17-3, and we'll end the week ranked in the top 10 again. It's far from dark days, but the loss still stings. Record: 17-3 (6-1). January 28, 2034 @#2 Villanova 62, #15 West Virginia 36 For the first time since his return, I feel like we get to see some vintage Reed Weisberg. The senior sharpshooter hits 5 of his 11 triples, scores 22 points, and grabs 5 rebounds. Zach Cohen's 5 blocks and Ernest Adcock's 3 steals highlight a defensive effort that thwarts the Mountaineers again and again. We force this very good team into 23 turnovers. Cohen also has 9 rebounds, Adcock hands out 6 assists, and Savion Wells scores 14 points. Making the day even nicer is the news that Louisville beats Georgetown in a battle of Top 10 teams. The Hoyas are a game behind us again, and now we're sharing the top spot with Pittsburgh...whom we play next. Record: 18-3 (7-1). Last edited by MoonlightGraham : 02-02-2024 at 10:53 AM. |
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02-01-2024, 06:53 PM
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#568 | |
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High School Varsity
Join Date: Sep 2022
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Quote:
Indeed! As I recall, the only truly bad rolls I made when I was creating Mr. Love were his Quickness and Stamina scores. Looking back, I must have rolled a 4 for his original Quickness score and a 2 for his Stamina. Otherwise, I rolled up a colossus of a player. Even with his "weaknesses," he'll possibly still be the #1 player in the next professional draft. If you'd like to create another recruit to follow, please do. I'll put him into the pool of high school seniors the year after Ezra finishes his collegiate career. |
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02-01-2024, 06:56 PM
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#569 |
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High School Varsity
Join Date: Sep 2022
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Love Watch: Kentucky suffered their first loss of the season this month, stumbling at Ole Miss. Still, the 20-1 'Cats continue to hold the top spot in the weekly polls. The consistent excellence of Ezra Love is a big reason why. Ezra averages 9.3 rebounds and 2.3 blocked shots per game.
Is Love the quintessential Blue Collar Man? Ezra blocks almost as many shots as he makes himself, which is definitely a BCM move, one exemplified by Samuel "Big Sazzy" Davis, Lafayette '19. However, Ezra is a far better rebounder than Davis was, and unlike Big Sazzy, Ezra absolutely refuses to attempt a three-point shot. He's taken one in over 2400 minutes of action. Davis pulled 231 of them...over a third of his field goal attempts. While that's not a shot profile reminiscent of Reed Weisberg or Duncan Sims, it's very atypical of the post-loving BCM. Ezra seems to be the purest example of the type I've seen, and quite possibly as good as it gets. |
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02-02-2024, 08:36 AM
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#570 |
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High School Varsity
Join Date: Sep 2022
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February 1, 2034
Today, ground was broken for the new home of Villanova Wildcats basketball.  Wawa Arena will be a state-of-the-art, 12,500 seat arena. It's designed to provide the best possible atmosphere for Wildcats games. The arena will be built on a tract of land adjacent to campus, close enough for students to walk there and convenient for fans who are traveling to campus to watch their team. The name sponsor is a popular chain of convenience stores, founded and headquartered in metropolitan Philadelphia. Wawa Arena should be ready for the opening game of the 2036/37 season. It will replace the old Finneran Pavilion, which is now almost 50 years old, and will end the practice of playing home games at the Wells Fargo Center. Note: This plot line has been inspired by a proposal for a new arena presented on a Villanova basketball fan site by a poster called "NovaDave" some time ago. I ran across it last night, and thought I would incorporate it into the story. |
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02-02-2024, 09:09 AM
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#571 |
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High School Varsity
Join Date: Sep 2022
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February 1, 2034
@#2 Villanova 84, #4 Pittsburgh 67 Did the groundbreaking ceremony for their new home inspire the Wildcats tonight, as they rock the Pavilion with a big win over Pitt? Reed Weisberg, who unfortunately won't get to play in Wawa Arena, completes his comeback with a vintage performance (25p/6r/4a). His classmate, Ernest Adcock (16p/9a/3s) also seems to be good as new. Their efforts are backed by Chris Woolstenhulme (15p/7r), Savion Wells (11p) and Zach Cohen (7r/4b). Record: 19-3 (8-1). Code:
February 4, 2034 @#2 Villanova 72, #8 Louisville 67 We complete a string of four straight games against ranked opponents with a 3-1 record, edging the visiting Cardinals at the Wells Fargo Center. We have to come from behind to do it, riding the hot hand of Reed Weisberg, who scores 19 of his 26 points in the second half. Reed hits six threes over those 20 minutes, part of his 8-for-11 performance from long range. As a team, the Wildcats hit 14 of 24 triples. Mason Reynolds, back in the starting lineup after coming off the bench while a nagging calf injury heals, posts a double-double (11p/10r/5a). Ernest Adcock scores 13 points. Record: 20-3 (9-1). February 8, 2034 @#2 Villanova 86, Providence 51 There's some bad news to mar an otherwise wonderful day, as two Villanova players are bitten by the injury bug. Hapless Ernest Adcock rolls his ankle, spraining it painfully. He's listed as day-to-day, and he should be back to full strength in a week. Freshman Kyle Gribble is in worse shape. He takes an elbow to the face, which fractures his cheek. He'll be out for at least two weeks. On the court, Reed Weisberg's torrid streak continues. Today, he sinks 8 of his 13 three-point tries and scores 28 points. Savion Wells contributes 19 points and 8 boards, and Chris Woolstenhulme posts a 12-point, 12-rebound double-double. Connor Baxter will start our next game at point guard; we'll be hosting DePaul on Saturday night. Record: 21-3 (10-1). February 11, 2034 @#2 Villanova 71, DePaul 61 The Blue Demons have struggled again this year. They enter tonight's game with a 1-10 conference record that is the mirror image of ours. Tonight, they fight us more tenaciously than several better teams have done. Their senior wing, Billie Vargas, locks down on Reed Weisberg and holds him to 13 points. Reed doesn't get as many good looks as usual, shooting 3-for-10 from behind the arc. Sixth man Chris Woolstenhulme records another double-double, with 11 points and 10 boards. Savion Wells scores 14 points. Connor Baxter adds 10 with 4 assists and 4 rebounds. We get 9 points, 8 rebounds, and 4 blocks from Zach Cohen. It's a pleasing team effort against an opponent that makes us work hard for 40 minutes. Record: 22-3 (11-1). |
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02-02-2024, 12:16 PM
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#572 | |
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High School Varsity
Join Date: Oct 2000
Location: Cincinnati, OH
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Quote:
Sweet... Charlie Sutton.. Indianapolis, IN... Decatur Central High School SG - Sharpshooter
__________________
Email: [email protected] |
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02-02-2024, 12:56 PM
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#573 |
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High School Varsity
Join Date: Sep 2022
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February 16, 2034
@Rutgers 66, #2 Villanova 63 As cliché as it sounds, in a league like the Big East, anyone can beat anyone. The Scarlet Knights, a .500 team, demonstrate this today with an upset victory. Rutgers senior Jed McAnally hits a career-high 24 points, and he and his teammates go 11-for-22 from three-point distance. Meanwhile, we make only 7 of our 20 triples, and miss a third of our 15 foul shots. If we shoot more normally from the line and from behind the arc, we win the game. Reed Weisberg's 16 points lead a quartet of 'Cats in double figures. Zach Cohen rips down 14 rebounds. Fortunately, other Big East front-runners are beating up on each other, so we remain atop the standings. Record: 22-4 (11-2). February 18, 2034 #2 Villanova 63, @Notre Dame 43 We play suffocating defense and make it possible for us to win on another night when our shooting touch seems elusive. Reed Weisberg shoots 5-for-12 on three-pointers and finishes with 17 points, but he's the only Wildcat who seems immune to the problem. Savion Wells and Chris Woolstenhulme score 10 points each; they're the only other players in double figures. Our rebounding superiority asserts itself again, as we claim 54 boards--it's our fourth game this season with 50 or more. Five players have 6 or more, led by Zach Cohen with 12. Our average of 43.9 RPG is the best in all of Division I. Record: 23-4 (12-2). February 22, 2034 @#2 Villanova 61, Syracuse 47 Despite our loss, we remain in the #2 position in the polls, behind Kentucky, who are coming off two straight losses. All the best teams in the country seem to have flaws which tough opponents can exploit. Again, it's our defense that wins the game for us tonight. Syracuse shoots only 29 percent, and 3-for-15 from three-point territory, which means we can win with a score in the low 60s. The "designated shooter" tonight is first year Mason Reynolds. He goes 5-for-9 from distance and scores 18 points. Savion Wells and Reed Weisberg score 10 apiece, Ernest Adcock scores 7 with 6 assists, and Zach Cohen combines 8 points, 10 rebounds, and 2 blocks. Record: 24-4 (13-2). February 25, 2034 #2 Villanova 84, @Cincinnati 57 And when the offense and defense are both on point, we win Big East road games by 25. Four Villanovans score between 13 and 19 points, led by Reed Weisberg. Chris Woolstenhulme notches a double-double (15p/11r), and Mason Reynolds (9p/9r/6a) and Zach Cohen (9p/8r/6b) don't miss by much. We're two games ahead of Pitt in the Big East race now. Record: 25-4 (14-2). February 28, 2034 Love Watch: The 28-3 Kentucky Wildcats are battling #8 Florida for the SEC East lead. The Gators are one of the teams who beat UK last week, and they're 13-2 in conference play, a game ahead of Kentucky. Ezra Love continues to do the dirty work his team needs. He averages 9.2 rebounds per game, a career-best mark. He recently blocked the 200th shot of his collegiate career. Ezra is shooting more than he ever has, averaging nearly six field goal attempt per game, but his percentage is lower than last year's (.431 to .516). He's a very good foul shooter, especially for a big man; he's making 80 percent of his charity tosses. Last edited by MoonlightGraham : 02-02-2024 at 12:57 PM. |
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02-02-2024, 12:59 PM
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#574 | |
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High School Varsity
Join Date: Sep 2022
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Quote:
You got it. I'm almost positive Ezra will declare for the draft this spring. The scouts think he's the best prospect among players who could be drafted. I'll put Charlie Sutton into the graduating class of 2034. |
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02-02-2024, 05:00 PM
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#575 |
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High School Varsity
Join Date: Sep 2022
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March 1, 2034
@#3 Villanova 96, South Florida 59 Coach Sims has five seniors to honor during the last home game of their careers. Four of them will start, among them walk-on Chris Ramos. Another walk-on, Darius Pettway, will come off the bench early. Weve clinched the Big East title, so we can have some fun tonight. The special lineup works like a charm! Senior Noah Gardner leads all scorers with 25 points. Senior Ernest Adcock scores 13 points, hands out 10 assists, and makes 4 steals. Senior Reed Weisberg encounters foul trouble and finishes with only 8 points, but Finneran Pavilion crowds have had plenty of chances to cheer his exploits. Senior Chris Ramos snares 6 rebounds and blocks a shot. Senior Darius Pettway scores 4 points and makes a steal. Neither walk-on misses a shot. And a good time was had by all. Record: 26-4 (15-2). March 4, 2034 #3 Villanova 92, @#16 Connecticut 71 The six Wildcats who play the most today all score in double figures, as we end our regular season with a victory over a UConn team that's on its way to the Big Dance. Reed Weisberg knocks down 5 threes and scores 22 points. Chris Woolstenhulme records a pair of 11s: points and rebounds. Ernest Adcock scores 10 points with 6 assists. But the Player of the Game is Mason Reynolds, who fills 26 minutes with 12 points with 6 rebounds, 5 assists, and 3 steals. Record: 27-4 (16-2). |
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02-02-2024, 05:26 PM
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#576 |
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High School Varsity
Join Date: Sep 2022
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March 9, 2034
Here's how the Big East tournament has gone so far:  There has been exactly one upset so far: the one that eliminated 6 seed Notre Dame. Big East Tournament Quarterfinal (1) #2 Villanova 79, (8) Cincinnati 55 Reed Weisberg leads the way with 21 points (5-12 from three) and 7 rebounds as we advance to the semifinals. Savion Wells adds 13, 9 of which come from the free throw line. Ernest Adcock and reserve Kyle Gribble each contribute 10, and Chris Woolstenhulme hauls in 11 rebounds. Once again, all the better seeds advance, so we'll face Georgetown next. Record: 28-4. March 10, 2034 Big East Tournament Semifinal Code:
We lead, 39-33, at halftime, but we play carelessly in the second half, missing shots we should make and turning the ball over. If you commit 22 turnovers against a team as good as the Hoyas, you're going to lose, and that's what we do. Still, we have chances to pull out the victory in the end. Kudos to Mason Reynolds for a fine performance under pressure, including a basket with 30 seconds left in regulation that ties the score at 66. The game was still even with 1:08 remaining in the extra period, before DeQuinn Baldwin takes over and puts the game on ice. Record: 28-5. |
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02-02-2024, 08:18 PM
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#577 |
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High School Varsity
Join Date: Sep 2022
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March 12, 2034
Louisville, who beat Georgetown in the Big East tournament championship, is awarded the top seed in the NCAA East Region. The other one seeds are Stanford, Florida, and Kentucky. We're seeded second in the South Region, the one that includes Ezra Love's Kentucky team. March 17, 2034 NCAA South Region (2) #3 Villanova 88, Liberty 74 The first half is freewheeling, with the teams combining to score 100 points. The second half is grinding, and we manage to do enough to win...despite missing a slew of three-pointers (9-for-29). Reed Weisberg leads a group of five Wildcats in double figures with 18 points. Reserve Noah Gardner is among them, tossing in 10 in 17 minutes of court time. Zach Cohen supplements his 14 points with 6 rebounds and 6 blocks. The Player of the Game is Mason Reynolds, author of a 17-point, 11-rebound double-double. Duke beats Tennessee in a 100-99 classic, so we'll face the Blue Devils next. Record: 29-5. March 19, 2034 NCAA South Region, Second Round (2) #3 Villanova 96, (7) Duke 70 We have less trouble with our ACC opponent than we did with a feisty mid-major. Interestingly enough, we and the Blue Devils combine for exactly 100 points, too, but we have 62 of them. Reed Weisberg knocks down 6 of his 11 three-point shots, all 5 of his two-pointers, and a pair of free throws. That gives him 30 points. Zach Cohen scores 11 points and grabs 14 rebounds, but he doesn't block a single one of the 66 shots Duke players take. That's odd. Ernest Adcock (13p/5a/4r), Chris Woolstenhulme (12p/4r), Mason Reynolds (8p/7r/6a), and Noah Gardner (11p/4a) each do their part to help us advance to the Sweet Sixteen and give Graham Sims another 30-victory season. Record: 30-5. March 23, 2034 NCAA South Region Semifinal: the Sweet Sixteen (2) #3 Villanova 74, (3) #11 Southern California 56 Joseph Renshaw has huge shoes to fill: those of the magisterial Kenneth Burroughs, who led the Trojans to 605 victories before retiring last May. Taking a team to the Sweet Sixteen is a good start, but we prevent him from going farther with an especially tough defensive effort. For twenty minutes, the Trojans match us, stop for stop, and we take a 29-27 lead to the break. Then Savion Wells begins to assert himself in the post. He scores 12 of his 14 points in the second half, making all 6 of the shots he takes despite the efforts of John Wood, one of the nation's toughest interior defenders. Zach Cohen pulls down 10 rebounds and blocks 3 shots. Reed Weisberg posts a double-double, with 17 points and 10 boards. And Mason Reynolds does more than a little of everything: 9 points, 6 assists, 5 rebounds, 2 steals...and only 1 turnover. Record: 31-5. March 25, 2034 NCAA South Region Final: the Elite Eight Code:
This feels like Kentucky's year. They maintain a lead of six to ten points throughout the game. We're never out of it, but we're never truly in it, either. Graham Sims shares quiet moments with each of his seniors as he substitutes for them in the game's closing minutes. Each of them, from walk-ons to players who started over a hundred games, have contributed to the program in their own ways. Another player who has likely played his final collegiate game, Zach Cohen, battles with his opposite number, Ezra Love. Both men acquit themselves well. Kentucky next faces another Big East foe: West Virginia, one of two 10 seeds to reach the Final Four. Boston College faces the other, UNLV. Record: 31-6. |
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02-02-2024, 08:46 PM
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#578 |
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High School Varsity
Join Date: Sep 2022
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April 3, 2034
As it turned out, it wasn't Kentucky's year, either. The Wildcats lost to West Virginia, 82-65, in the national semifinal. Ezra Love fouled out after 20 minutes, but he packed those minutes with action. He scored only 4 points, but he grabbed 10 rebounds and blocked 5 shots. Boston College defeats West Virginia in the championship game today by a 77-74 score. Sam Marshall scores 23 points and snares 7 rebounds to earn Player of the Game honors. After the game, Zach Cohen announces he will be leaving Villanova to enter the professional draft. Among the other juniors who are turning pro early are Boston College's Sam Marshall, Stanford's Chadwick Steinmetz, Georgetown's DeQuinn Baldwin and Jacody Hinton, Pitt's Reggie Johnson...and Kentucky's Ezra Love. Code:
No Villanova player earned national honors this season. I thought Mason Reynolds might stand a chance, but he lost out to Kentucky's Jack Clary, who was a second team All-American. No shame there. Mason's fine season does earn him some well-deserved accolades at the Big East level. And it's wonderful to see Reed Weisberg on the Big East honors list, after both his junior and senior seasons were marred by injury. The Coach of the Year Award is Graham Sims' third Big East prize, and his tenth overall. |
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02-02-2024, 10:33 PM
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#579 |
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High School Varsity
Join Date: Sep 2022
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April 3, 2034
Code:
We were an extremely good rebounding team, a very good defensive team, and a good offensive team, despite injuries to two dynamic offensive players. Our offensive efficiency (111.1) and defensive efficiency (87.8) both ranked sixth in the nation. Code:
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I like how balanced this year's team turned out to be. I like the way several players stepped up to cover for their injured teammates. Noah Gardner averaged over 15 PPG as a starter while Reed Weisberg was out. Connor Baxter demonstrated his ability to run the offense while we waited for Ernest Adcock to return to action. I'll be writing about almost half the team this time around, with a Farewell and five Senior Tributes on the agenda. |
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02-03-2024, 09:24 AM
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#580 |
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High School Varsity
Join Date: Sep 2022
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2033/34 Farewell
ZACH COHEN These Farewells, which I write for juniors who leave the program for the professional ranks after three years, are bittersweet. I'm sorry to see very good players leave us with a year of eligibility left, but I'm also glad to recognize the fact that they developed enough in their time with us to be such influential players. Code:
I'm a little surprised that Zach Cohen decided to leave early. I thought he'd be a four-year guy when I recruited him. And, while he saw significant playing time as a freshman and started for two years--on excellent teams--he never earned a post-season honor, and he doesn't have an NCAA championship ring. Zach is leaving things on his "to-do" list as he leaves the Main Line. Still, his body of work is that of an impact player. An excellent rebounder and shot blocker, he's sixth and fifth in those categories all-time at Villanova, respectively. And I can't always figure out if players who suited up before Graham Sims came to Villanova played for three or four years. For example, I know that two of the five players with more career rebounds than Zach played four years. I'm almost positive a third player did, too. Avery Sullivan and Lowell Welter, whom Graham coached, are the only players I know to grab more rebounds than Zach in three seasons. And, with another typical year, Zach would move to the top of the leader board. While I wish he'd return for a fourth season, I'm grateful for the contributions Zach made in the three years he was here. I hope he goes on to a long and productive professional career. Thanks for the memories, Zach. |
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02-03-2024, 09:43 AM
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#581 |
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High School Varsity
Join Date: Sep 2022
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2033/34 Senior Tribute
DARIUS PETTWAY There's something very special about a player who plays four seasons as a walk-on. A man who takes a redshirt so he can be a part of our team for a fifth year is even more special. That's what Darius Pettway did. Code:
The tiny village of Copenhagen, New York sends roughly 120 students to school each day in a single school building. It had never seen a basketball player like Darius, who passed up the opportunity to be a star at a Division II or Division III program in order to attend and play basketball for Villanova. Darius is so shy that he usually lets people mispronounce his name, calling him "DARE-ee-us" rather than correcting them; he and his family pronounce it "Da-RYE-us." Darius was an assertive presence when he appeared on the basketball court, however. He made over half the shots he took during his career, and if you look at his statistics on a per-game basis, he averaged roughly nine points and five rebounds a game. That's a basketball player. While Darius was providing quality opposition for players like Asher Wise and Savion Wells in practice each day, he was completing a degree in Electrical Engineering. He'll graduate next month, and there is a job waiting for him up the road in Reading. Thanks for the memories, Darius. Last edited by MoonlightGraham : 02-03-2024 at 09:44 AM. |
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02-03-2024, 09:58 AM
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#582 |
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High School Varsity
Join Date: Sep 2022
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2033/34 Senior Tribute
CHRIS RAMOS We had two senior walk-ons this season, players who kept earning their jerseys year after year until they are no longer eligible to play. One of them appeared in almost 100 games for us, and averaged nearly six minutes per appearance. If Chris Ramos were an actor, we'd give him a role with a name. Code:
Chris was a coach's dream: a big, strong player who was willing to work hard to develop his talent as a rebounder, defender, and shot blocker to the point that he was able to challenge young men who would go on to play basketball for a living. As Zach Cohen put it, "if you mess around in practice, Chris will kick your butt. He's a player." Villanova crowds roared with delight when Chris performed his specialty: blocking shots. He turned back as many as five in a game; as a point of comparison, he never scored more than seven points. Next month, Chris will receive his degree in Chemistry. He plans to work for a year and study for his MCAT, preparing for medical school and a career as a primary care physician. Thanks for the memories, Chris. |
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02-03-2024, 10:14 AM
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#583 |
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High School Varsity
Join Date: Sep 2022
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2033/34 Senior Tribute
NOAH GARDNER The story of Noah Gardner is what happens when I get careless and recruit too many of the same kind of player. At least one of them doesn't get to play very much, and that was the case with Noah for too much of his career. Code:
Noah grew up locally and rooted for Villanova as a boy. He leapt at the chance to play for us, knowing he'd have to wait his turn while another local product, Asher Wise, was around. But there was another player like Noah in his recruiting class, one you'll meet in a few moments, a player who became a starter his freshman year. Meanwhile, Noah didn't play at all as a sophomore. To his credit, Noah stuck with us, and he played a key role as a junior. He began his senior season as a starter, and he averaged nearly 16 points a game over that stretch. That's precisely the player I hoped we'd get when I recruited him: a dangerous scorer who could also play solid defense. Noah is an excellent student who is planning to remain at Villanova and pursue a master's degree in English. He'd like to teach and write and coach some basketball, and he doesn't plan on moving too far away. I suspect we'll see him at quite a few games. Thanks for the memories, Noah. |
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02-03-2024, 10:28 AM
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#584 |
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High School Varsity
Join Date: Sep 2022
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2033/34 Senior Tribute
ERNEST ADCOCK When Ernest Adcock was a junior, a radio commentator for a Big East rival called him "the best backup point guard in college basketball." Until his senior year, that's exactly what Ernest was, because of the fact that he was a year behind Justice Stafford. Unfortunately, by the time Justice had moved on to a professional career, Ernest was rehabilitating a knee injury. Sometimes life is very unfair. Code:
Mean, small-minded people might call Ernest a "disappointment." A Maryland product, he was a high school All-American and the top-rated point guard in his class. He didn't start a collegiate game until his junior year, and his career numbers, while good, won't turn anyone's head. Ernest's knee injury prevented him from taking his star turn. Devastatingly quick, Ernest was one of the best on-ball defenders the Big East has seen in years. He could handle the ball, pass it, and shoot it. He wasn't Justice Stafford--no Villanova point guard has ever been--but he was certainly good enough to man the controls for an elite college basketball team. Ernest will hear his name on Draft Night, probably late in the first round. He's worked tirelessly to rehabilitate his knee, and he appears poised for a significant professional career. He will also have a degree in Global Interdisciplinary Studies in his hand. I hope the universe is kind to Ernest Adcock from now on. He deserves it. Thanks for the memories, Ernest. Last edited by MoonlightGraham : 02-03-2024 at 10:29 AM. |
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02-03-2024, 11:25 AM
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#585 |
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High School Varsity
Join Date: Sep 2022
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2033/34 Senior Tribute
REED WEISBERG One look at Reed Weisberg shooting a basketball was all it took to convince Graham Sims. We couldn't pass on those projected A shooting grades, not when he was already rated in the 70s and 80s as a high school senior. Reed was recruited to shoot and score, and shoot and score he did. Code:
A lean, 6'5" wing from New Jersey, Reed shot his way into the starting lineup for a team that won the NCAA championship. He spent his sophomore year proving his performance was no fluke, and he took his game to another level during the first two months of his third season. As I said last year, there was no better shooter in college basketball than Reed Weisberg. Then came the knee injury that ended up robbing Reed of a season's worth of games. Weisberg's career statistics are superb. He is the second leading all-time scorer in Villanova history, and he ranks 14th in all of the Big East. He's also second in three pointers made and attempted at Villanova. But what if he'd never been injured? For the sake of this exercise, we will assume Reed wouldn't have turned pro after his third year if he'd been healthy. It's not an unreasonable assumption; he wasn't regarded as one of the top pro prospects in his class at the beginning of his junior year. We'll also assume a healthy Weisberg would have played in every Villanova game. Reed played every game in his career, except for those he lost to his hurt knee. Reed missed the last 25 games of his junior season, and the first 12 of his senior season. Let's suppose Reed averaged 17 points a game over those 37 games. That's his career average. Now, let's do some math. At that rate, Reed would have scored 629 points during those missing games. If you add those points to the 1923 he did score, his total becomes 2552. That's considerably more than Jacob Allen's Villanova record of 2073. The Big East record is held by David Sullivan of St. John's, who scored 2573 points in a fabulous career that ended in 2017. Reed would have been one productive game short of that record. Projecting Reed's three-point basket total provides an even more intriguing result. At his career rate of 3.6 made threes per game, we'd add another 133 to his career total. With 542 triples to his credit, Reed Weisberg would be the most productive three-point shooter in NCAA history. Sharp eyes might notice that Reed was outscoring his career averages as a junior and a senior, even after his injury, so we're possibly underestimating his totals. However you look at it, it's safe to say we might never again see another shooter like Reed Weisberg. Reed and his fiancée will be watching the draft at his parents' New Jersey home. If he isn't drafted, Reed will possibly try to sign with a team in Europe. Reed is a citizen of the world; he and his friend, Ernest Adcock, were students together in the Global Interdisciplinary Studies program. His jump shot will travel anywhere in the world. Thanks for the memories, Reed. Last edited by MoonlightGraham : 02-03-2024 at 11:27 AM. |
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02-03-2024, 11:51 AM
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#586 |
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High School Varsity
Join Date: Sep 2022
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April 8, 2034
Draft Night ends up being a lot of fun for 'Nova Nation. Zach Cohen demonstrates that it was smart of him to bet on his professional prospects, as he's a lottery pick: #8 overall. Not much later, Ernest Adcock hears his name, announced as the #19 choice. Then, as the draft is nearing completion, Team Weisberg rejoices, as Reed is chosen with the #56 pick. Zach is the third Big East player to come off the board, following center Reggie Johnson of Pitt (#3) and point guard DeQuinn Baldwin of Georgetown (#8). However, the happiest news of all is celebrated in the city of Evansville, Indiana. Their favorite basketball son, hard-working Ezra Love of the University of Kentucky, is the #1 pick in the professional draft. Congratulations to all these players as they begin their professional careers. Code:
Should we worry that our class of three four-star recruits is considered the fifth-best in the Big East? Code:
Georgetown signed two of the top five players in the nation: Brian Bishop (#3) and Timothy Johnson (#5). Pitt's haul of four-star talents include two we looked at closely: Jack Blankenship and Tyrese Russell. I'm still pleased with our guys. All three of them fill roles we needed to fill. Our Prestige remains at 100, and our budget holds steady at $800,000. The board has announced a facilities upgrade for next year (maybe it read my post about the new Wawa Arena).  |
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02-03-2024, 12:28 PM
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#587 |
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High School Varsity
Join Date: Sep 2022
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May 1, 2034
Today comes the news that Wallace Hastings has retired from his position as head coach at Georgetown University. Coach Hastings is only 61, but he has always said he couldn't envision coaching much past his 60th birthday. He retires with a career total of 641 victories, second all-time to Graham Sims' 698. Then, we learn that Thomas Liang has stepped down from his position at Lafayette! This shocks me. Coach Liang has just completed his second season back on College Hill, where he spent over a dozen years as Graham Sims' lead assistant. His record at Lafayette was 50-18, and while the Leopards were eliminated in the first round of the NCAA tournament, it's hard to say Coach Liang's tenure was disappointing. The thing that surprises me most, however, is the fact that Coach Liang is so young: he's 57. Coach Liang is the most successful member of Graham's coaching tree. I can't tell you what his career record was, because he didn't win enough games to make the Top 50, but I know he posted a winning record. Georgetown offers Graham their job. Nope. I'm flattered by the offer from Vanderbilt, who's also looking for a new man after their incumbent, Jed Settle, retires. But I'm not going anywhere. There's an excellent coach up for hire this year: Clayton Mintz, who has a 510-256 career record, has been fired by Oregon. I'm thinking either Georgetown, Vanderbilt, or Lafayette will snap him up, but they don't. All three programs go with less established coaches. Lafayette's new man, Daniel Turcotte, is 54-year-old, journeyman Level 6 coach with a career record of 257-458. He has the third most losses of any coach in history. Georgetown hires promising Clint Grams, 48, fresh off a 27-victory season at Houston. Vanderbilt's new man is Chris Box, formerly at Clemson. The plot thickens a bit. Graham's veteran Coaching Assistant, Frank Timberlake, decides to retire. When I look at the list of coaches who are seeking positions, I see both Clayton Mintz and Blake Petitford, another veteran coach who's just been fired from the head job at Georgia Tech. I decide to offer Coach Petitford the job; he's willing to work for much less than Coach Mintz, and his ratings are almost as good. He turns down my offer, however, and ends up accepting one at Kentucky. I don't blame him; the Wildcats offered him about $75,000 more than I did. We hire Clayton Mintz's lead assistant, instead. He's John Gruber, a 41-year-old Level 5 coach who joined the Oregon staff in 2024. Coach Gruber's rating for Coaching Offense is 53, and his score for Coaching Defense is 86. He'll do just fine. We'll pay him $142,099/year on a three-year contract. |
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02-03-2024, 06:21 PM
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#588 |
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High School Varsity
Join Date: Sep 2022
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July 1, 2034
There's one senior scholarship player on this year's roster: power forward William Collins. However, two of our juniors--Savion Wells and Chris Woolstenhulme--have in the past been identified as future pro draft picks. Both Wells and Woolstenhulme are big men, too. I cut a lousy walk-on who would probably never go to class, so I can offer two scholarships this season. One will have to be a big man. The other should probably not be a guard, or we'll have a problem with players not getting court time in a year or so. Across the Delaware River in New Jersey, there's an excellent big man who likes Villanova a lot. We're going to recruit Sebastian Roberts energetically from the start. Sebastian is a high school All-American, a seven-footer who averages 24 points and 12 rebounds per game. He's also an excellent student. We'll take a closer look at him after our evaluation is done. I'm going to offer Roberts a scholarship right away. I've learned that players don't seem to commit until November 1, so nothing we do this month will be set in stone. Pennsylvania's Mr. Basketball is Joshua Lee, a 6'7" forward who averages 27 points and 13.5 rebounds. He's a five-star recruit who, despite his state of residence, lists no Pennsylvania schools among his top five. We'll take a close look at Joshua anyway. I don't usually look much at junior college players, but there's one who intrigues me this time around: 7'2" center Wendell Cairns from Virginia. We're still evaluating some wing players, including a high-scoring four-star player from Indianapolis, Charlie Sutton. The title of Mr. Basketball means as much in Indiana as it does anywhere, and Charlie currently holds that title. He averages 21 points a game, shooting .517/.423/.958. Charlie lists North Carolina, Kansas, Kentucky, Boston College, and West Virginia in his top five. He's apparently open to the idea of heading East to play college ball, so we're going to investigate him closely. This is our initial call list: Code:
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02-03-2024, 08:31 PM
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#589 |
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High School Varsity
Join Date: Sep 2022
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August 1, 2034
I'm glad I went ahead and offered Sebastian Roberts a scholarship. His high school stats are supported by a solid set of ratings. Code:
If we want to bring in another big man, Cornelius Jones might be the one. Code:
If we want a rim-protecting Blue Collar Man type with an extra helping of offense, there's Virginia's John Simon. Code:
And, if we want to consider a wing, Will Pittman has attracted our interest. Code:
Charlie Sutton doesn't show much interest in playing for us, and that's a shame. Code:
After some contemplation, I decide to offer a scholarship to Will Pittman. We'll make a full recruiting pitch to him, bring him to campus, and see what happens. |
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02-03-2024, 09:00 PM
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#590 |
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High School Varsity
Join Date: Sep 2022
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September 1, 2034
Sebastian Roberts has eliminated all but two schools from his list: Villanova and Georgetown. The Hoyas haven't offered him a scholarship, so I like our chances. Perhaps we'll have really good news in two months or so. Will Pittman's recruiting blows up in August, as four other schools offer him. Among them is Boston College, Will's preferred school. They're also the front-runners for Taylor Murray, a talented point guard from Virginia. Taylor and Will are the #5 and #6 players on the national lists. We're still leading the Cornelius Jones sweepstakes, although he's been offered a scholarship by Holy Cross. If I decide two big men are one too many, I might offer that scholarship to Luke Christensen. Code:
Now it's decision time. I have a good feeling about Luke Christensen, so I decide to leave the pursuit of Will Pittman and offer Luke a scholarship. He's already visited campus, and Coaches Sims and Twombly will be visiting again this month. |
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02-03-2024, 09:26 PM
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#591 |
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High School Varsity
Join Date: Sep 2022
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October 1, 2034
While Sebastian Roberts has also expressed interest in West Virginia and Stanford this month, we're still tops on his list...and the only program who's made him a scholarship offer. Do AI coaches concede when they "think" the battle is over? And if they do, is this what they've done with Roberts? An offer from Kentucky causes them to move up Luke Christensen's list, but only to second place. Meanwhile, Charlie Sutton lists Villanova as his second choice, behind Vanderbilt. I'm tempted for a moment to take a shot at poaching him, but Charlie is a pure guard. We already have several talented players of the same type on our roster. Max Bennett and Matt Valentine are promising first year players. Point guards Connor Baxter and Eldon Castanon are point guards, and Trey Partridge is a junior. Mason Reynolds is listed as a small forward, but he's 6'4", and that says "guard" to me. Luke Christensen looks like he will be a different kind of player, one who's comfortable operating a little closer to the basket sometimes and switching onto bigs when needed. I'm going to stick with Christensen and hope we can secure his commitment soon. |
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02-03-2024, 10:13 PM
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#592 |
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High School Varsity
Join Date: Sep 2022
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November 1, 2034
It's Decision Day, and it's a happy one in 'Nova Nation. Sebastian Roberts and Luke Christensen will be playing their college ball in Wildcat colors. Christensen is the first to make his commitment. He's the son of Villanova alumni; in fact, his parents knew Graham and Mary Kate Sims as students back at the turn of the century. St. Joseph's Prep is a Jesuit school, and Villanova is an Augustinian university, but Luke ought to be comfortable on campus anyway. Roberts' good news arrives soon after. Sebastian is an exceptionally good student who plans to take advantage of the educational opportunities he'll receive, even if he pursues a professional basketball career after three years. It's a real possibility for him. Welcome to the Villanova family, Luke and Sebastian! A number of other players we recruited make their decisions today, too.
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02-04-2024, 12:28 AM
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#593 |
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High School Varsity
Join Date: Sep 2022
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November 5, 2034
It's time to meet the 2034/35 Villanova Wildcats... Code:
Here's how training camp went: Code:
Could this really be Graham Sims' ninth season at Villanova? Since he arrived on the Main Line, the Wildcats have a record of 270-33, and a 125-19 mark in Big East play. Sims' teams have won the Big East regular season title and the Big East tournament four times each. Under Sims, they've been to the national championship game five times, and they've won it twice. This year's team is looking to add to this winning legacy without a senior who has played significant minutes. Its leaders are a pair of junior post players, Savion Wells and Chris Woolstenhulme. Wells inherits the center position from Zach Cohen, a lottery pick in last April's draft, after starting at the four for two seasons. Savion is one of the team's two leading returning scorers and its second-leading rebounders. We think he can still take a step forward in what is likely his final year at Villanova. Woolstenhulme moves into the starting lineup this season, after spending most of the last two years as the sixth man. He is a strong, athletic 6'9" forward who is most effective near the basket. Chris's skills complement Savion's well; both can hold their own against strong opponents inside, while Savion can draw his man from the basket with his deceptively good outside shot. Mason Reynolds was the Big East Freshman of the Year and a second team All-Conference choice. He's undersized for a small forward at 6'4", but his versatile skill set enables him to move inside and out with ease. There is little Reynolds can't do on a basketball court, and he might emerge as one of the best players in the Big East this season. Point guard Connor Baxter started 17 games as a freshman, and then moved into a reserve role once Ernest Adcock returned from the injured list. Baxter emerges from camp with a more consistent shot, a better sense of what we're trying to do defensively, and a more confident hand on the controls of the offense. The other guard will be Eldon Castanon, eligible this season after transferring from Lafayette. The powerfully built redshirt sophomore was a high school All-American. Can he live up to that promise with us? He is a good shooter with some range, a slick passer, and a reliable defender. Freshman Charlie Lambert impressed us with his hard work during camp. Our Villanova teams have generally featured at least one serious threat from three-point distance. There's not a player like that in the starting five, so Lambert's ability to stretch the floor could come in very handy. Kyle Gribble is also available for reserve duty in the frontcourt, and there's a walk-on center, Erick Sullivan, who actually has the potential to be good. Charles Peterman didn't show much improvement after camp, which hurts his chances of making more than cameo appearances. Trey Partridge, now a junior, has developed into a useful backup guard. He might cede some playing time to freshmen Max Bennett and Matt Valentine as the year goes on. It bodes well for the future if Max and Matt are ready for meaningful minutes. As I mentioned, this year's Wildcats don't have a player whose reputation as a scorer precedes him. Wells, Woolstenhulme, and Reynolds will be the focal points of the offense, which might be less dependent on long-range shooting than recent Villanova teams have been. It's a young team; Wells, with 75 career starts, has more than twice as many as the next most frequent starter. Only three current Wildcats have played as many as 1000 minutes of college basketball. The Big East, however, is a fairly young league this year. Among the perennial contenders, West Virginia is the only team that can rely on seasoned players. If our youngsters can play like grown men, we could win 30 games, challenge for another Big East title, and make a deep run in the NCAA tournament. If they can't, it could be a long season. |
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02-05-2024, 07:50 AM
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#594 |
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High School Varsity
Join Date: Sep 2022
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November 9, 2034
Preseason NIT, First Round (1) #5 Villanova 93, (16) Jacksonville State 88 (OT) The Gamecocks nearly pull off a stunning upset in the first round of the Preseason NIT. They lead us, 44-37, at halftime. We rally and take the lead, but we can't pull away from the pesky Gamecocks. Their center, Graham Goetz, scores a basket to tie the score at 77 with 30 seconds left, and on our final possession, he blocks a Chris Woolstenhulme shot to preserve the tie. Both teams are led in scoring by men named Mason. Mason Zarate, a junior guard, scores 44 points for Jax State. I'm almost positive that's the most an opposing player has ever scored against a Graham Sims team. Our Mason Reynolds finishes with 21, adding 9 rebounds and 6 assists. Connor Baxter (19p/6r/3a) and Chris Woolstenhulme (14p/8r/2s) reach double figures, and so does sixth man Charlie Lambert, who knocks down 3 triples, scores 16 points, and blocks 4 shots. Record: 1-0. November 11, 2034 Preseason NIT Quarterfinal (1) #5 Villanova 99, (8) Charlotte 58 Today's victory is the 700th of Graham Sims' coaching career. He reaches this milestone early in his 24th season on the bench. His record now stands 700-128. The game goes much more according to plan. We never expect to win by 40, but it's awfully nice when we do. Mason Reynolds posts career highs of 30 points and 15 rebounds, and adds 3 steals and a block. Chris Woolstenhulme contributes a double-double (18p/14r/2b). Starting guards Connor Baxter and Eldon Castanon each have 6 assists, and Trey Partridge adds 15 points from the bench. Record: 2-0. November 18, 2034 Preseason NIT Semifinals (1) #5 Villanova 86, (4) #8 Texas 69 We record a quality win over a fine Texas team to advance to the Preseason NIT championship game. The Longhorns run at our shooters when they spot up behind the three-point line, and for a half, it works quite well. We're ahead by a single point at the break. After the intermission, we concentrate on getting the ball inside with much better results. We get another excellent game from Mason Reynolds (19p/12r/5a) and near double-doubles from Chris Woolstenhulme (9p/11r) and Savion Wells (15p/8r). Connor Baxter chips in 16 points, and Eldon Castanon has 6 assists and 8 rebounds. November 20, 2034 Preseason NIT Championship (10) #22 South Carolina 79, (1) #4 Villanova 78 We lose a heartbreaker, as USC's Clement Linden converts an old style three-point play with two seconds left. Connor Baxter's 15 points lead a contingent of four Wildcats in double digits, including sixth man Charlie Lambert (11). The Gamecocks make 16 free throws to our 4, and that explains a lot. Record: 3-1. November 24, 2034 @#4 Villanova 92, Fairfield 45 We often follow up a loss with a particularly emphatic win, and that's what happens on our Finneran Pavilion opener. A .557/.462/.800 shooting performance is a big key to this result. Mason Reynolds, held to 7 points by South Carolina, bounces back with 25 tonight. He adds 8 rebounds, 7 assists, and 3 steals. Eldon Castanon (16p/6a), Connor Baxter (10p/5a), Savion Wells (10p), and Chris Woolstenhulme (10r) all play well, too. Record: 4-1. November 28, 2034 @#9 Villanova 85, #21 Lafayette 53 If this were English football, we'd probably call this matchup the Graham Sims Derby. It's usually a better game than this. It's close for a while--we lead 40-33 at halftime--but the Leopards only score 20 points after the intermission, while we tally 45. Mason Reynolds hits 5 of 10 three-point tries, en route to 23 points. His 9 rebounds and 5 assists are very close to his season averages. Eldon Castanon adds 14 points and 5 helpers. Connor Baxter nearly matches him, with 14 and 4. Chris Woolstenhulme contributes 12 points and 8 rebounds. We hold Lafayette to 32% shooting, only 4-for-24 from long range. Record: 5-1. |
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02-05-2024, 07:50 AM
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#595 |
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High School Varsity
Join Date: Sep 2022
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December 2, 2034
#9 Villanova 84, @#18 Vanderbilt 57 All five starters finish in double figures as we travel to Nashville and defeat the Commodores, giving us another road win against a ranked opponent. Our high scorer is once again Mason Reynolds (15p/7r/2s). He's followed by Savion Wells and Chris Woolstenhulme (12p/6r each), Eldon Castanon (11p/4a) and Connor Baxter (11p). Woolstenhulme blocks 2 shots, and Charlie Lambert adds 9 points and 7 rebounds off the bench. Our defense limits Vanderbilt to a .333/.346/.444 shooting line, and forces 21 turnovers. Record: 6-1. December 8, 2034 @#7 Villanova 98, Gonzaga 75 Behind 25 points from Savion Wells and 21 more from Mason Reynolds, we turn back our visitors from Washington State. Wells adds 9 rebounds, while Reynolds collects 8 rebounds and 4 assists. Sixth man Charlie Lambert scores 13 points, and Chris Woolstenhulme fills his stat line with 8 points, 8 rebounds, and 5 assists. Record: 7-1. December 12, 2034 @#5 Villanova 97, Davidson 53 It's Connor Baxter's turn to shine, as he reaches a career high with 20 points and hands out 8 assists in a home victory against Davidson. Savion Wells supports him with a double-double (16p/11r), Mason Reynolds (18p/7r/6a) and Chris Woolstenhulme (16p/4r/2b/2s) are also notably effective. Record: 8-1. December 16, 2034 @#5 Villanova 105, Pennsylvania 54 We roll to a 65-29 halftime advantage and coast home from there, in a game against our local rival from the Ivy League. Savion Wells scores 20 points, claims 5 rebounds, blocks 3 shots, and makes 3 steals. Connor Baxter makes it two straight games with exactly 20 points, adding 6 assists. Mason Reynolds has a double-double (17p/12a/6r); he's now had two different varieties of doubles this year. Chris Woolstenhulme just misses one (15p/9r). Record: 9-1. December 26, 2034 @#6 Villanova 100, Buffalo 58 Scoring in triple digits again, we win in decisive fashion on Boxing Day at the Pavilion. Eldon Castanon wins the PotG award, on the strength of 14 points, 5 assists, 3 rebounds, 3 steals, and 0 turnovers. The award could have gone to Mason Reynolds (19p/7r/7a/1t), or Savion Wells (21p/7r/1s), or Chris Woolstenhulme (12r/6a/2b). We shoot a gaudy .633/.526/.737 and hold the Bulls to 36 percent shooting. Happy holidays, indeed. Record: 10-1. December 30, 2034 @#6 Villanova 101, #25 Virginia 76 Another 100-plus scoring night sends us into the New Year, as we defeat a ranked Virginia team at the Wells Fargo Center. The Cavaliers enter the game with an 11-1 record, just like ours. Again, a variety of contributions from Mason Reynolds is a big reason why. He combines 20 points, 11 rebounds, 4 assists, and 2 steals, while committing a single turnover. Savion Wells has a double-double of his own (18p/10r). Chris Woolstenhulme (14p/7r/3b/2s) plays well at both ends of the floor, and freshman Max Bennett scores a career-best 13 points in 15 minutes. Virginia center Trystan Maddox, whom we recruited heavily, scores 13 and rebounds 12. Record: 12-1. Last edited by MoonlightGraham : 02-05-2024 at 02:38 PM. |
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02-05-2024, 10:14 AM
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#596 |
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High School Varsity
Join Date: Oct 2000
Location: Cincinnati, OH
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Thanks for adding the additional player... adds a bit for me at least...
__________________
Email: [email protected] |
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02-05-2024, 04:56 PM
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#597 | |
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High School Varsity
Join Date: Sep 2022
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Quote:
You're welcome! I'm happy to do it. I enjoy following the players you request, too. |
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02-07-2024, 08:36 AM
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#598 |
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High School Varsity
Join Date: Sep 2022
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January 3, 2035
Code:
At first glance, it looks like the Big East schedule will be another series of heavyweight bouts, one after another. However, after peeking at our rivals' non-conference schedules, it's fair to ask how good some of them really are. We've played more good teams than any of the other ranked Big East teams. We lost to a South Carolina team that's now 11-3. We beat Texas (14-2), Lafayette (14-2), Virginia (11-3), and a 9-3 Vanderbilt team who have lost to three opponents with an aggregate record of 35-4 and beat a team with 11 wins. The only bad team we've faced is Davidson (3-11). January 3, 2035 #3 Villanova 77, @South Florida 48 Sunny Florida treats us well, and we open 2035 with a victory that again features relentless defense. USF has only 16 points at halftime. The Bulls have no answer for Chris Woolstenhulme (16p/9r/3b), and while they hold Mason Reynolds to 10 points, they lose track of Connor Baxter (15p/6a). Eldon Castanon adds 11 points. Record: 13-1 (1-0). January 7, 2035 @#7 Georgetown 65, #3 Villanova 56 We lose a rock fight to the Hoyas, a game no basketball purist would want to watch. We make only 4 of 22 three-point tries, and we only make 17 baskets all night. Savion Wells leads us with 14 points. Connor Baxter finishes with 11, and Eldon Castanon has 10. Both teams miss a lot of shots. We're outrebounded 50-41; Mason Reynolds leads us with 10. Let's hope this is a one-off, and not what we're going to see throughout the Big East season. Record: 13-2 (1-1). January 10, 2035 #5 Villanova 82, @Notre Dame 66 Much better! Chris Woolstenhulme's 18-point, 13-rebound double-double keys a greatly superior performance out in South Bend. Chris is supported by Mason Reynolds (19p/5r/3a), Eldon Castanon (10p/4a/3s), and especially sixth man Charlie Lambert (13p/9r/3b). Eldon has slotted into the lineup seamlessly after spending a year redshirting, and Charlie is playing the sixth man role in a very Woolstenhulmian manner. Record: 14-2 (2-1). January 17, 2035 @#3 Villanova 84, #12 Pittsburgh 64 Pitt has built a very solid young roster, with several players we know well; we recruited some of them when they were high school seniors. We have to play well to beat them, and we do. Chris Woolstenhulme shoots a perfect 10-for-10 from the free throw line, accounting for most of the 14 points he combines with 5 rebounds, 2 steals, and a block. Mason Reynolds (11p/8r/7a), Eldon Castanon (11p/5r/5a) and Charlie Lambert (13p/8r) make varied contributions. Connor Baxter scores 19 to tie Pitt big man Charles Cunningham for top honors. Record: 16-2 (3-1). |
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02-07-2024, 11:50 AM
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#599 |
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High School Varsity
Join Date: Sep 2022
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January 20, 2035
@#3 Villanova 81, #14 Connecticut 49 I'm expecting to rout a UConn team that enters the game with a perfect 5-0 mark in Big East play, but that's what happens. We delight a big crowd at the Wells Fargo Center with an extremely well-played game. Our defense holds the Huskies to .276/.286/.688 shooting, which makes winning a lot easier. We are on point offensively, too, with five double-figure scorers. Player of the Game Savion Wells scores 12 points, claims 8 boards, and rejects 3 shots. He also scores the 1000th point of his Villanova career. Connor Baxter leads our scorers with 13, adding 6 rebounds and 4 assists. Chris Woolstenhulme (12p/10r/2b), Eldon Castanon (11p/7r) and Charlie Lambert (11p/9r/3b) make an impact, too. Record: 17-2 (5-1). January 24, 2035 #3 Villanova 88, @Cincinnati 71 Another big game from big Savion Wells (23p/13r) powers us to victory over the Bearcats. Mason Reynolds (16p/8r/5a/2b/3s) turns in another of his trademark scoresheet-packing performances. Chris Woolstenhulme posts his fourth double-double of the year (16p/10r). He's tied with Reynolds in that category, one behind team leader Wells. Connor Baxter continues to play well (15p/6r). We stay on the heels of Louisville in the Big East race. The Cardinals are ranked #2 behind a West Virginia team that's holding on to the #1 position, despite two Big East losses. Record: 18-2 (6-1). January 27, 2035 @#3 Villanova 79, Syracuse 72 It's Eldon Castanon's turn to be the star. He scores 19 points, with 6 rebounds, 4 assists, and a steal. Eldon's backcourt mate, Connor Baxter, scores only 4 points, but he hauls down 6 rebounds and makes 4 steals. Mason Reynolds scores 16, Savion Wells contributes 18, and Charlie Lambert adds 10. Record: 19-2 (7-1). Code:
A shakeup at the top of the polls brings us back to the top spot. I can't help feeling like there's another loss in our future; we face West Virginia, Louisville, and Georgetown in February, and although we'll play them all at home, running that gauntlet without a misstep will be tough. Lafayette has put together another very good team, led by a pair of juniors-- center Dani Geisler and shooting guard Chris Willman--whom pro scouts rate very highly. January 31, 2035 @#1 Villanova 89, Notre Dame 73 Eight Wildcats score at least 7 points tonight, and we complete a sweep of two games against the Fighting Irish. The high man is Mason Reynolds (18p/6r/3a). Savion Wells completes another double-double (14p/10r), and Eldon Castanon (8p/8r) doesn't miss by much. Charlie Lambert (12) and Connor Baxter (11) score in double digits. Record: 20-2 (8-1). We're now at the halfway point of the Big East schedule. Code:
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02-08-2024, 09:59 AM
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#600 |
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High School Varsity
Join Date: Sep 2022
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February 3, 2035
@#1 Villanova 80, Marquette 64 Savion Wells continues to demonstrate why pro teams covet him. Tonight he scores 23 points to lead a group of four Wildcats in double figures as we beat Marquette at the Wells Fargo Center. Wells also leads the team with 11 rebounds. Mason Reynolds finishes with 18 and 9. Eldon Castanon, who's a very good rebounder for a 6'3" guard, hauls in 9 with 6 assists and 2 steals. Chris Woolstenhulme and Connor Baxter each score 12 points. It's a very solid win that demonstrates our team's balance. Record: 21-2 (9-1). February 7, 2035 Code:
Cardarion Cross and Mason Reynolds both play exceptionally good games, demonstrating their own interpretations of perimeter play. Cross emphasizes creativity tonight, and Reynolds features physicality. However, it's Ralph Pitzer who makes the difference. He's an excellent shot blocker for a 6'8" player, and his presence frustrates us all night long. I'd like to think we'll see the Mountaineers again this spring. Maybe we'll have something different to show them. Record: 21-3 (9-2). February 10, 2035 #1 Villanova 99, @Seton Hall 72 We don't shoot exceptionally well from long range (9-for-27), but we do almost everything else right as we avenge our loss against the hapless Pirates. I'll simply paste our half of the box score, so you can see how many Wildcats contributed in how many ways to our victory: Code:
Record: 22-3 (10-2). February 14, 2035 #2 Villanova 89, @St. John's 63 Mason Reynolds' 26 points account for the margin of victory in today's trip to the borough of Queens. He's supported well by Connor Baxter (17p/7a/5r), Savion Wells (14p/12r), and Chris Woolstenhulme (10p/7r/3b). Max Bennett makes good use of 16 minutes of playing time, scoring 7 points and handing out 4 assists. We barely exceed our season's field goal percentage (.493 to .491), which ranks third in all of Division I. Record: 23-3 (11-2). Last edited by MoonlightGraham : 02-08-2024 at 10:28 AM. |
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