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Old 11-03-2023, 09:23 PM   #351
MoonlightGraham
High School Varsity
 
Join Date: Sep 2022
April 7, 2025

You know about the Final Four already.


Code:
2024 PATRIOT LEAGUE AWARDS -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Player of the Year: SR PG Paul Craig Navy 9.7 PPG, 4.7 RPG, 7.3 APG 1.1 SPG, 0.1 BPG Freshman of the Year: FR SG Andre Bretz American 7.9 PPG, 3.5 RPG, 1.2 APG 0.6 SPG, 0.4 BPG Coach of the Year: DeAngelo Wille Colgate 24 - 12 (10 - 4) All-league 1st Team: C JR Elisha Brunelle Colgate 16.6 PPG, 7.0 RPG, 1.3 APG, 0.4 SPG, 0.3 BPG PF SR Elmer Tibbs Bucknell 7.2 PPG, 7.4 RPG, 1.0 APG, 0.5 SPG, 2.3 BPG SF JR Barney Sewell Bucknell 11.6 PPG, 7.2 RPG, 2.1 APG, 1.3 SPG, 0.1 BPG SG SR Steve Cao Holy Cross 17.7 PPG, 4.7 RPG, 2.1 APG, 1.0 SPG, 0.3 BPG PG SR Paul Craig Navy 9.7 PPG, 4.7 RPG, 7.3 APG, 1.1 SPG, 0.1 BPG All-league 2nd Team: C SR Kurt Ritchie Lafayette 4.8 PPG, 8.8 RPG, 2.0 APG, 0.4 SPG, 2.9 BPG PF SR Jeffrey Hampton Lafayette 9.6 PPG, 7.5 RPG, 1.2 APG, 0.4 SPG, 0.2 BPG SF JR Oscar Joseph Colgate 14.0 PPG, 5.9 RPG, 2.7 APG, 0.9 SPG, 0.1 BPG SG JR Kenton Lashley Lafayette 14.7 PPG, 3.7 RPG, 2.0 APG, 0.6 SPG, 0.3 BPG PG JR Kamari Stone Lafayette 7.9 PPG, 2.8 RPG, 3.8 APG, 1.1 SPG, 0.1 BPG All-freshman Team: C PF FR Bret Bryant Lafayette 1.6 PPG, 1.8 RPG, 0.6 APG, 0.2 SPG, 0.1 BPG SF FR Elton Griffin American 9.9 PPG, 4.2 RPG, 1.3 APG, 0.4 SPG, 0.3 BPG SG FR Andre Bretz American 7.9 PPG, 3.5 RPG, 1.2 APG, 0.6 SPG, 0.4 BPG PG FR Tracey Wacker American 2.5 PPG, 0.9 RPG, 1.2 APG, 0.1 SPG, 0.0 BPG

I think the positional designations cost us some All-League recognition. If you ask any Patriot League coach to name the ten best players in the conference, I'll guarantee you he'll put Micah Rodriguez on his list. I know I would.

Code:
2024 OVERALL AWARDS -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Player of the Year: SR PG Jeffrey Boyd Alabama 13.4 PPG, 5.8 RPG, 7.7 APG 2.1 SPG, 0.1 BPG Freshman of the Year: FR SG Porter Green California 15.3 PPG, 4.6 RPG, 2.3 APG 1.1 SPG, 0.1 BPG Coach of the Year: Graham Sims Lafayette 35 - 3 (13 - 1)
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Old 11-03-2023, 10:00 PM   #352
MoonlightGraham
High School Varsity
 
Join Date: Sep 2022
April 8, 2025

Code:
#8 LAFAYETTE TEAM INFO Current Performance -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team Prestige: 80 Record Vs 1-50: 7-2 Poll Rank: #8 Season Record: 35-3 Record Vs 51-100: 8-0 RPI Rank: #4 Conference Record: 13-1 Record Vs 101-200: 11-0 Home Record: 15-0 Record Vs 200+: 9-1 Team Stats CR NR Opp. Stats CR NR Margin CR NR -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Points 76.8 1 24 Points 63.7 4 41 Points 13.1 1 6 O.Reb 11.5 1 102 O.Reb 11.5 8 255 O.Reb -0.1 5 188 D.Reb 27.6 1 21 D.Reb 24.9 5 174 D.Reb 2.7 2 31 Rebounds 39.1 1 31 Rebounds 36.4 6 221 Rebounds 2.6 4 66 Assists 15.1 1 59 Assists 13.6 8 224 Assists 1.4 3 66 Steals 4.7 6 260 Steals 4.3 1 8 Steals 0.4 4 118 Blocks 4.4 3 63 Blocks 4.2 8 324 Blocks 0.2 6 123 Turnovers 12.1 1 22 Turnovers 14.7 2 74 Turnovers -2.6 1 27 Fouls 18.2 4 63 Fouls 17.9 8 324 Fouls 0.3 7 194 FG% .449 2 70 FG% .392 1 13 FG% .057 1 14 FT% .700 2 79 FT% .643 1 20 FT% .057 1 19 3P% .409 1 3 3P% .314 1 37 3P% .094 1 3 PPS 1.29 2 87 PPS 1.10 1 9 PPS .189 1 12 Adj. FG% .527 1 30 Adj. FG% .451 2 17 Adj. FG% .075 1 7

This year's Leopards did a lot of things well. We took care of the basketball. We rebounded well. We shot very well from three-point range. We played good defense. We're in the top 20 nationally in all the shooting margins, and our offensive and defensive efficiency are 14th and 15th, respectively.

Statistically, we're not noticeably better than we've been for several years. This year, we simply were better at winning.

Code:
#8 LAFAYETTE Averages Player Pos GP GS Min Pts Orb Reb Ast Stl Blk To Fls +/- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Kurt Ritchie C 38 38 31.5 4.8 1.5 8.8 2.0 0.4 2.9 1.2 1.7 11.4 Jeffrey Hampton PF 38 38 26.0 9.6 3.0 7.5 1.2 0.4 0.2 1.3 2.9 9.2 Kenton Lashley SG 38 38 25.4 14.7 1.3 3.7 2.0 0.6 0.3 2.2 2.4 9.7 Kamari Stone PG 37 37 25.3 7.9 0.6 2.8 3.8 1.1 0.1 1.3 2.2 9.4 Carl McGriff SF 38 38 23.1 9.7 1.6 4.3 1.4 0.6 0.2 1.6 2.2 9.6 Micah Rodriguez PG 38 1 22.1 14.0 0.8 1.9 1.7 0.4 0.1 1.7 2.1 5.6 Carter Todd C 38 0 17.6 4.5 1.3 4.4 0.7 0.4 0.3 0.9 1.5 5.2 Charles Allen SF 38 0 16.7 8.4 0.8 3.5 1.6 0.5 0.0 1.1 1.8 4.9 Bret Bryant PF 38 0 8.6 1.6 0.4 1.8 0.6 0.2 0.1 0.3 1.2 2.0 Duncan Sims PG 35 0 3.7 1.9 0.0 0.3 0.2 0.1 0.0 0.4 0.2 -0.4 Theodore Beckett PF 1 0 2.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 -1.0 Joseph Gonzales SG 9 0 1.9 0.3 0.0 0.1 0.1 0.0 0.0 0.4 0.0 -1.4 David Farrell C 9 0 1.8 0.1 0.3 0.7 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.2 0.7 Carlos Arreola SF 1 0 1.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0

Code:
#8 LAFAYETTE Totals Player Pos GP GS Min Pts Orb Reb Ast Stl Blk To Fls +/- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Kurt Ritchie C 38 38 1196 183 57 335 75 17 111 44 65 433 Jeffrey Hampton PF 38 38 987 363 115 284 44 15 8 48 109 349 Kenton Lashley SG 38 38 967 558 50 140 75 21 13 82 90 369 Kamari Stone PG 37 37 936 291 23 105 141 42 4 49 83 346 Carl McGriff SF 38 38 878 367 59 164 55 24 9 61 85 363 Micah Rodriguez PG 38 1 841 533 32 73 63 14 5 66 80 213 Carter Todd C 38 0 668 172 48 168 26 16 13 36 58 197 Charles Allen SF 38 0 635 321 32 133 61 19 1 42 68 188 Bret Bryant PF 38 0 327 60 17 67 24 9 4 12 44 76 Duncan Sims PG 35 0 131 66 0 9 8 3 0 15 8 -13 Theodore Beckett PF 1 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 -1 Joseph Gonzales SG 9 0 17 3 0 1 1 0 0 4 0 -13 David Farrell C 9 0 16 1 3 6 0 0 0 0 2 6 Carlos Arreola SF 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Code:
#8 LAFAYETTE Shooting Player Pos Fgm Fga Fg% Ftm Fta Ft% 3pm 3pa 3p% PPS -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Kurt Ritchie C 68 161 .422 40 65 .615 7 25 .280 1.14 Jeffrey Hampton PF 135 285 .474 91 140 .650 2 4 .500 1.27 Kenton Lashley SG 174 418 .416 95 115 .826 115 281 .409 1.33 Kamari Stone PG 91 186 .489 59 80 .738 50 107 .467 1.56 Carl McGriff SF 160 330 .485 38 57 .667 9 31 .290 1.11 Micah Rodriguez PG 176 418 .421 102 132 .773 79 190 .416 1.28 Carter Todd C 66 139 .475 40 70 .571 0 0 .000 1.24 Charles Allen SF 108 240 .450 41 68 .603 64 165 .388 1.34 Bret Bryant PF 19 49 .388 12 17 .706 10 31 .323 1.22 Duncan Sims PG 20 40 .500 10 10 1.000 16 29 .552 1.65 Theodore Beckett PF 0 0 .000 0 0 .000 0 0 .000 0.00 Joseph Gonzales SG 1 1 1.000 0 0 .000 1 1 1.000 3.00 David Farrell C 0 1 .000 1 2 .500 0 0 .000 1.00 Carlos Arreola SF 0 0 .000 0 0 .000 0 0 .000 0.00

The word that comes to mind when I look at these stats is "balance." If Lashley or Rodriguez weren't scoring, McGriff or Hampton or Allen or Stone almost always were. Seven or eight players were willing rebounders, and almost everyone would pass the ball.

Next, the Senior Tributes...and a Farewell.

Last edited by MoonlightGraham : 11-03-2023 at 10:03 PM.
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Old 11-03-2023, 10:05 PM   #353
MoonlightGraham
High School Varsity
 
Join Date: Sep 2022
2024/25 Farewell

MICAH RODRIGUEZ


I'm a bit surprised to be writing this one.

At the beginning of the year, the "experts" predicted Micah would be unlikely to leave school early. I checked the Pro Prospects list several times during the season, and Micah's name never appeared there.

Then, as soon as the confetti stopped falling from the ceiling of the Alamodome, Rodriguez announced he was entering the pro draft.

Code:
#3 PG Micah Rodriguez - Lafayette - Junior -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Height: 6-3 Weight: 199 High School: Dallas High School Hometown: Dallas, PA Attributes: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Type INS JPS FTS 3PS HND PAS ORB DRB PSD PRD STL BLK QKN STR JMP STA -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Current: 73 61 66 71 65 31 33 7 9 31 27 20 85 40 90 63 2023: 68 57 62 65 58 28 32 7 8 29 25 19 83 38 89 51 2022: 62 53 58 59 53 26 30 7 7 27 23 17 81 36 87 37 2021: 58 49 54 55 49 24 28 5 5 25 21 15 80 32 86 9 Potential: A B B B B D C F F D D D Health: Good Scholarship: Yes Status: Active Roster Academics: 38 Stat Averages: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Season G GS MIN PTS ORE REB AST TO A/T STL BLK PF -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2022 35 2 20.2 10.4 1.1 2.7 0.9 1.5 0.58 0.5 0.1 2.0 2023 36 0 18.9 11.6 0.8 2.1 1.4 1.2 1.14 0.6 0.1 1.9 2024 38 1 22.1 14.0 0.8 1.9 1.7 1.7 0.95 0.4 0.1 2.1 Career 109 3 20.5 12.0 0.9 2.2 1.3 1.5 0.95 0.5 0.1 2.0 Shooting Averages: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Season FGM FGA FG% FTM FTA FT% 3PM 3PA 3P% PPS +/- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2022 3.4 7.1 .476 2.1 2.8 .745 1.5 3.5 .419 1.45 7.06 2023 3.9 8.1 .486 2.0 2.6 .774 1.8 3.8 .467 1.44 7.42 2024 4.6 11.0 .421 2.7 3.5 .773 2.1 5.0 .416 1.28 5.61 Career 4.0 8.8 .455 2.3 3.0 .765 1.8 4.1 .432 1.37 6.67 Stat Totals: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Season G GS MIN PTS OREB REB AST TO STL BLK PF -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2022 35 2 707 363 40 95 30 52 16 2 69 2023 36 0 682 417 30 77 49 43 20 5 68 2024 38 1 841 533 32 73 63 66 14 5 80 Career 109 3 2230 1313 102 245 142 161 50 12 217 Shooting Totals -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Season FGM FGA FTM FTA 3PM 3PA +/- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2022 119 250 73 98 52 124 247 2023 141 290 72 93 63 135 267 2024 176 418 102 132 79 190 213 Career 436 958 247 323 194 449 727 Career Highs: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Type Pts OReb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO FGM FGA FTM FTA 3PM 3PA -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Season 27 4 6 5 3 1 4 9 19 8 10 5 10 Career 30 5 7 5 3 2 4 10 19 8 10 7 10 Awards & Achievements: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Season Award -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- All Player of the Game: 11 2021 High School: Rated *** and #245 overall by the FBCB scouting service. 2022 Freshman All-Conference (Patriot League) 2024 NCAA Champion

I wonder how many college players have scored over 1300 points in their careers while starting only three games? Micah thrived in his sixth man role, which was perfectly suited for his offense-first mentality.

Nominally a point guard, Micah could play anywhere on the perimeter. Unlike some high-volume shooters, he wasn't a ball hog; he took pride in his ability to make his teammates better.

Micah still isn't listed among the top 50 prospects. He might not hear his name called on draft night, and if he's not, he'll look to sign for someone as a free agent, or play overseas. Whatever happens, he'll always be a Lafayette legend, because of those free throws in the Alamodome on an April night.

Thanks for the memories, Micah.

Last edited by MoonlightGraham : 11-03-2023 at 10:39 PM.
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Old 11-03-2023, 11:28 PM   #354
MoonlightGraham
High School Varsity
 
Join Date: Sep 2022
2024/25 Senior Tribute

JEFFREY HAMPTON


Jeffrey was, admittedly, a third or fourth choice when we recruited him. We pursued Brendan Meehan avidly before he chose Lehigh. The former All-State player from Wisconsin developed more slowly than Meehan did, but by his senior year, he was every bit as productive a player as the one who got away.

Code:
#23 PF Jeffrey Hampton - Lafayette - Senior -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Height: 6-7 Weight: 230 High School: East High School Hometown: Wausau, WI Attributes: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Type INS JPS FTS 3PS HND PAS ORB DRB PSD PRD STL BLK QKN STR JMP STA -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Current: 80 35 39 41 25 42 100 45 31 14 17 25 32 95 44 44 2023: 71 33 37 39 23 38 93 40 28 13 16 22 31 91 43 34 2022: 65 32 36 38 22 36 87 37 26 13 16 20 30 88 42 26 2021: 60 31 35 37 21 34 82 34 24 12 15 18 29 85 41 18 2020: 52 29 33 35 19 32 74 30 22 10 13 16 29 79 37 0 Potential: A C C C D C A C D F F D Health: Good Scholarship: Yes Status: Active Roster Academics: 42 Stat Averages: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Season G GS MIN PTS ORE REB AST TO A/T STL BLK PF -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2021 26 0 3.6 0.6 0.3 0.8 0.0 0.2 0.20 0.1 0.0 0.3 2022 33 0 6.4 1.5 1.0 2.1 0.3 0.2 1.29 0.1 0.1 0.8 2023 36 36 25.6 7.8 3.3 7.2 1.3 1.2 1.09 0.2 0.3 2.6 2024 38 38 26.0 9.6 3.0 7.5 1.2 1.3 0.92 0.4 0.2 2.9 Career 133 74 16.6 5.3 2.1 4.8 0.8 0.8 0.92 0.2 0.2 1.8 Shooting Averages: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Season FGM FGA FG% FTM FTA FT% 3PM 3PA 3P% PPS +/- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2021 0.3 0.4 .636 0.0 0.2 .250 0.0 0.0 .000 1.36 -0.58 2022 0.4 1.2 .333 0.6 0.8 .808 0.0 0.1 .333 1.23 0.64 2023 3.0 6.8 .441 1.8 2.5 .700 0.0 0.3 .091 1.14 6.72 2024 3.6 7.5 .474 2.4 3.7 .650 0.1 0.1 .500 1.27 9.18 Career 2.0 4.4 .453 1.3 2.0 .677 0.0 0.1 .222 1.22 4.49 Stat Totals: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Season G GS MIN PTS OREB REB AST TO STL BLK PF -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2021 26 0 93 15 9 22 1 5 3 1 8 2022 33 0 212 48 33 69 9 7 4 3 26 2023 36 36 922 280 119 258 47 43 8 9 94 2024 38 38 987 363 115 284 44 48 15 8 109 Career 133 74 2214 706 276 633 101 103 30 21 237 Shooting Totals -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Season FGM FGA FTM FTA 3PM 3PA +/- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2021 7 11 1 4 0 0 -15 2022 13 39 21 26 1 3 21 2023 108 245 63 90 1 11 242 2024 135 285 91 140 2 4 349 Career 263 580 176 260 4 18 597 Career Highs: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Type Pts OReb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO FGM FGA FTM FTA 3PM 3PA -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Season 21 7 15 6 2 1 6 7 13 9 10 1 1 Career 21 7 15 6 3 1 6 9 14 9 10 1 1 Awards & Achievements: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Season Award -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- All Player of the Game: 4 2020 High School: Rated *** and #337 overall by the FBCB scouting service. 2020 High School: All-State (Wisconsin) 2024 NCAA Champion 2024 2nd Team All-Conference (Patriot League)

Never a great athlete, Jeffrey worked as hard as any player Graham Sims has ever coached. He developed into an effective secondary scorer and a particularly relentless rebounder for his size.

Jeffrey will graduate next month with a degree in mathematics. He plans to return to Wisconsin, where he's already been hired to teach at his high school alma mater and coach JV basketball.

Thanks for the memories, Jeffrey.
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Old 11-04-2023, 12:59 AM   #355
MoonlightGraham
High School Varsity
 
Join Date: Sep 2022
2024/25 Senior Tribute

KURT RITCHIE


Kurt had to wait until his junior year to earn a starting position, but that says more about the ability of Matt Robles than it does about Kurt's talent or readiness. Remember that Matt was a three-time All-Patriot League selection, its Player of the Year, and a professional draft pick.

Code:
#12 C Kurt Ritchie - Lafayette - Senior -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Height: 6-9 Weight: 240 High School: Hoboken High School Hometown: Hoboken, NJ Attributes: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Type INS JPS FTS 3PS HND PAS ORB DRB PSD PRD STL BLK QKN STR JMP STA -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Current: 39 38 30 23 45 19 23 68 94 24 23 72 31 82 49 86 2023: 38 34 29 23 37 17 20 66 91 22 22 64 30 80 49 80 2022: 36 32 27 22 34 16 18 59 80 21 21 56 28 76 47 69 2021: 34 31 26 21 31 15 16 53 71 20 20 49 26 72 45 58 2020: 32 29 24 21 29 15 14 47 61 18 18 41 25 62 41 30 Potential: D C D D C F D B A D D B Health: Good Scholarship: Yes Status: Active Roster Academics: 98 Stat Averages: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Season G GS MIN PTS ORE REB AST TO A/T STL BLK PF -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2021 34 1 12.9 1.5 0.5 2.8 0.6 0.5 1.25 0.2 0.5 0.9 2022 35 2 18.3 3.4 1.0 4.8 0.7 0.7 1.08 0.2 1.5 1.4 2023 36 36 33.9 5.1 1.8 10.8 1.6 1.5 1.08 0.3 3.4 1.9 2024 38 38 31.5 4.8 1.5 8.8 2.0 1.2 1.70 0.4 2.9 1.7 Career 143 77 24.4 3.8 1.2 6.9 1.2 1.0 1.70 0.3 2.1 1.5 Shooting Averages: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Season FGM FGA FG% FTM FTA FT% 3PM 3PA 3P% PPS +/- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2021 0.7 1.5 .460 0.1 0.6 .250 0.0 0.1 .250 1.04 -1.79 2022 1.4 2.7 .521 0.5 0.8 .630 0.0 0.3 .111 1.23 6.91 2023 1.9 3.9 .486 1.3 2.1 .618 0.0 0.2 .125 1.31 12.86 2024 1.8 4.2 .422 1.1 1.7 .615 0.2 0.7 .280 1.14 11.39 Career 1.5 3.1 .468 0.8 1.3 .580 0.1 0.3 .217 1.20 7.53 Stat Totals: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Season G GS MIN PTS OREB REB AST TO STL BLK PF -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2021 34 1 439 52 16 96 20 16 6 18 32 2022 35 2 639 118 34 169 26 24 7 54 48 2023 36 36 1221 184 65 388 57 53 12 123 67 2024 38 38 1196 183 57 335 75 44 17 111 65 Career 143 77 3495 537 172 988 178 137 42 306 212 Shooting Totals -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Season FGM FGA FTM FTA 3PM 3PA +/- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2021 23 50 5 20 1 4 -61 2022 50 96 17 27 1 9 242 2023 68 140 47 76 1 8 463 2024 68 161 40 65 7 25 433 Career 209 447 109 188 10 46 1077 Career Highs: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Type Pts OReb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO FGM FGA FTM FTA 3PM 3PA -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Season 15 4 17 4 3 8 4 6 10 5 9 1 2 Career 17 6 17 4 3 8 4 7 11 9 10 1 2 Awards & Achievements: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Season Award -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- All Player of the Game: 8 2020 High School: Rated *** and #442 overall by the FBCB scouting service. 2020 High School: All-State (New Jersey) 2023 1st Team All-Conference (Patriot League) 2024 NCAA Champion 2024 2nd Team All-Conference (Patriot League)

Has any Lafayette player more fully embraced the role of Blue Collar Man? Kurt never averaged five shots per game in any season. He made 206 shots in his career, and blocked 309. No Lafayette player has more career rebounds than Kurt's total of 988, and he's third all-time in the Patriot League. He shut down one opposing big man after another.

Kurt was also one of the most gifted students we've had. He will graduate with his degree in history, and he has applied for a Rhodes scholarship.

Thanks for the memories, Kurt.
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Old 11-04-2023, 01:10 PM   #356
MoonlightGraham
High School Varsity
 
Join Date: Sep 2022
May 1, 2025

The first round of head coach hiring has begun, and as I open Coach Sims' inbox, I see the one job offer that I will seriously consider.

Villanova has chosen to part ways with their head coach, James Glazier. And they've offered Graham the job.

Is this the time to make a move?

As of last month, Graham has accomplished everything he can at Lafayette. There's a national championship ring on his finger, and there will be a national championship banner hanging from the rafters of the Kirby Center next fall. He's taken the Lafayette basketball program from the lower ranks of college basketball to a position of national relevance.

Graham is 46 as the new season begins. He's still young enough to enjoy a decades-long run at Villanova. While the Wildcats haven't enjoyed as much success as Graham's Lafayette teams have achieved lately, they remain one of the elite programs in college basketball. Villanova's Prestige is barely higher (91 to Lafayette's 88), but their budget is considerably larger ($721K to $565K) and their Facilities score is much better (96 to 56). This is the job I created Graham to eventually have. He's the coach of the reigning national champions. There are lots of reasons why it's time for him to take the job at his alma mater.

There are also lots of reasons why he ought to stay. Coach Sims is a Lafayette icon. The board tells him his "performance is the stuff of legends." There's no Hot Seat for him at Lafayette. It's "Ice Cold." The thought of Graham spending another 25 years or so at Lafayette, possibly winning another national championship or two, is definitely appealing. By then, Lafayette might be the premier program in Pennsylvania by every measure. And Graham's son, Duncan, is playing for him. I'll almost certainly have to "cheat" and edit the database to bring Duncan to Villanova with his dad.

I'm wondering what I should do. I can see either choice being lots of fun to play. Do any of you have any suggestions?

Thanks,
MG
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Old 11-04-2023, 03:20 PM   #357
MoonlightGraham
High School Varsity
 
Join Date: Sep 2022
I asked two people who know me very well what I should do about Graham's job offer, and they gave me the same advice.

My wife and I have played D&D together (thanks, Critical Role), and she approached the situation from the perspective of character creation. She pointed out that Coach Sims seems to be a character who values loyalty. "I don't think he'd feel comfortable saying to Lafayette, 'Hey, winning the national championship was fun. Now I'm off to a bigger job. Good luck in the future.' " He might make the move a few years down the line, but not while his team is the defending national champion.

My daughter also voted for staying at Lafayette. Her main argument centered on Coach Sims' relationship with his son. She pointed out that Duncan probably picked Lafayette so he could play for his Dad for four years, not for one. Graham wouldn't leave Duncan at Lafayette and, potentially, have to coach AGAINST him.

I'm proud of the fact that the only editing I've done during this story includes adding high schools to the game and creating Duncan. Even Duncan's recruitment was legit; he could have ended up anywhere, I recruited him, and the algorithm picked Lafayette. Do I want to do the kind of editing it would take to turn one of Villanova's players into a clone of Duncan Sims?

"Basketball coach starts out at small school and ends up coaching elite program is a fun storyline. I had that in mind when I started this dynasty. "Basketball coach builds small program and decides to stay the first time his dream job opens up" is also a fun story arc. I think that's the one I'm going to follow this time.

Who knows? Villanova's job may open up again, at a time when it's easier for Graham to move on from Lafayette.

Last edited by MoonlightGraham : 11-14-2023 at 02:23 PM.
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Old 11-04-2023, 03:30 PM   #358
MoonlightGraham
High School Varsity
 
Join Date: Sep 2022
May 1, 2025

Micah Rodriguez was chosen with the 39th pick in the professional draft. Perhaps his draft stock might have risen with another year of college ball, but making the shots that won your team a national championship would be a nearly impossible act to follow. Good luck in the pros, Micah.

Code:
2024 Recruiting Rankings # Team Conference Best Player Rtg 5* 4* 3* 2* 1* -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 81. American Patriot League PG Buford Fassett *** 0 0 2 0 0 89. Holy Cross Patriot League SG Doyle Volz *** 0 0 2 1 0 92. Army Patriot League PG Wade Collier *** 0 0 1 2 2 109. Lehigh Patriot League PG Sam McKibben *** 0 0 1 3 1 118. Bucknell Patriot League C Romeo Warrick *** 0 0 2 0 1 138. Colgate Patriot League PF Courtney Perez *** 0 0 2 1 0 143. Lafayette Patriot League PG Paul Clough *** 0 0 2 0 0 276. Navy Patriot League PG Cory Ousley ** 0 0 0 1 4

Wow, they're not impressed with our recruiting class, are they? Seventh in the Patriot League, with schools ahead of us that have half our Prestige score? I think Paul Clough (Orange/Green) and Peter Prado (Red/Green) are better than the experts do. Perhaps we're being downgraded for not awarding our third scholarship.

The national championship raises our Prestige to 88. Teams with similar Prestige include Michigan State and Notre Dame (89), and Memphis (88). Villanova is at 91 now, and Duke is only 83.

We're getting a Facilities upgrade next year, which will raise our score from 56. It looks like our budget will remain at $565,500 this season.
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Old 11-04-2023, 03:39 PM   #359
MoonlightGraham
High School Varsity
 
Join Date: Sep 2022
May 1, 2025

Brown coach Gerald Doughty retired, and the Bears offered their head coaching position to Chris Kiger. We'll need to find a new Scouting Director this season.

The new man is Chris Hogue, who's taking his first collegiate position. His Scouting score is 75, which seems like a good return for a $110,000/year salary.

Last edited by MoonlightGraham : 11-04-2023 at 10:30 PM.
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Old 11-04-2023, 10:30 PM   #360
MoonlightGraham
High School Varsity
 
Join Date: Sep 2022
May 1, 2025

We enter the transfer rounds with two scholarships. In the opening round, we make offers to two players we like, but neither of them accepts. One of them, forward Robert Copeland, listed us as his second choice, but the school he preferred (Louisiana Tech) offered him, too.

Nobody expresses any interest in our program in Round Two, so we pass.

In Round Three, several players decide Lafayette might be worth looking at. We make an offer to Finn Mills, an Aussie power forward who's transferring from Tennessee Tech. Finn decides to join our program!

Code:
#55 PF Finn Mills - Lafayette - Sophomore -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Height: 6-11 Weight: 248 High School: Hometown: Maitland, Australia Attributes: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Type INS JPS FTS 3PS HND PAS ORB DRB PSD PRD STL BLK QKN STR JMP STA -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Current: 35 28 50 24 36 22 43 62 37 33 23 30 27 70 53 57 2024: 15 26 48 22 34 20 37 54 33 31 21 28 25 64 50 35 Potential: C D C D C D B B C C D C Health: Good Scholarship: Yes Status: Redshirting Academics: 67 Stat Averages: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Season G GS MIN PTS ORE REB AST TO A/T STL BLK PF -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2024 1 0 1.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.00 0.0 0.0 1.0 Career 1 0 1.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.00 0.0 0.0 1.0 Shooting Averages: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Season FGM FGA FG% FTM FTA FT% 3PM 3PA 3P% PPS +/- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2024 0.0 0.0 .000 0.0 0.0 .000 0.0 0.0 .000 0.00 4.00 Career 0.0 0.0 .000 0.0 0.0 .000 0.0 0.0 .000 0.00 4.00 Stat Totals: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Season G GS MIN PTS OREB REB AST TO STL BLK PF -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2024 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 Career 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 Shooting Totals -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Season FGM FGA FTM FTA 3PM 3PA +/- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2024 0 0 0 0 0 0 4 Career 0 0 0 0 0 0 4 Career Highs: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Type Pts OReb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO FGM FGA FTM FTA 3PM 3PA -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Season 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Career 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Awards & Achievements: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Season Award -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2023 High School: Rated ** and #676 overall by the FBCB scouting service. 2024 Transfered from Tennessee Tech

A former two-star recruit, Finn profiles as a traditional big man, a good rebounder and a solid post defender. He's already made considerable progress, which indicates a strong work ethic.
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Old 11-05-2023, 12:26 AM   #361
MoonlightGraham
High School Varsity
 
Join Date: Sep 2022
November 1, 2025

We began the recruiting season with three available scholarships. Guards Kenton Lashley and Kamari Stone and power forward Theodore Beckett are seniors.

Remember how much trouble we had recruiting players last year? I wondered how much impact winning a national championship might have on our recruiting.

Let's just say it seems to have had a very powerful impact.

Shooting guard Tod Quiroz is among the first players to express Very High interest in playing for us. I make Tod an offer as soon as I can, recruit him actively, and today he announces his commitment to Lafayette! Tod was courted by Villanova and Duke, but he remains true to his first love.

Code:
#33 SG Tod Quiroz -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Height: 6-5 Weight: 187 High School: Samuel J. Tilden High School Hometown: Brooklyn, NY GPA: 2.10 Test Score: 1010 Rating: *** Attributes: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Type INS JPS FTS 3PS HND PAS ORB DRB PSD PRD STL BLK QKN STR JMP STA -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Current: 8 83 40 68 8 38 26 15 11 56 21 12 83 57 86 61 Potential: F A D A F B D D D C D F Season Stats: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- PTS OREB REB AST TOS A/T STL BLK PFS -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 33.7 2.2 6.3 8.7 3.5 2.47 3.8 0.3 2.0 Shooting Averages: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- FGM FGA FG% FTM FTA FT% 3PM 3PA 3P% -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 14.6 25.6 .570 1.5 2.1 .732 3.0 5.4 .561 Recruiting Notes: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Qualified: Yes Committed to Lafayette Rankings: #79 Overall, #18 SG, East Region #15 Overall, East Region #4 SG High School Awards: All-State, Mr. Basketball (New York), All American Top 5 Schools: *Lafayette, Villanova, Duke

This Brooklyn native's high school statistics look like what happens when a gamer uses cheat codes on a console game. His jump shot is smooth as satin, with seemingly unlimited range. He's a very good passer, and, unlike many elite scorers, Tod takes pride in his defense.

Tod becomes the highest ranked recruit we've ever signed; Thomas Lucy was #83 in the class of 2020. Lucy scored almost 1400 points for us, won postseason honors in each of his three seasons on College Hill, and was the #32 selection in the 2023 draft. If Tod turns out to be the same kind of player, we'll be delighted.

Then, in the blink of an eye, Tod becomes the second highest-ranked player we've ever signed. Point guard Herschel Middlebrooks expressed Very High interest at first, but Coaches Sims and Lockhart convince him to become our very first four-star signee.

Code:
#35 PG Herschel Middlebrooks -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Height: 5-10 Weight: 157 High School: War Memorial High School Hometown: Parlin, NJ GPA: 2.65 Test Score: 1020 Rating: **** Attributes: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Type INS JPS FTS 3PS HND PAS ORB DRB PSD PRD STL BLK QKN STR JMP STA -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Current: 42 24 37 52 68 33 19 33 39 67 63 12 82 24 80 26 Potential: C C C C B C B D B A A D Season Stats: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- PTS OREB REB AST TOS A/T STL BLK PFS -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 14.1 1.8 5.2 5.7 2.9 1.97 3.6 0.3 2.2 Shooting Averages: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- FGM FGA FG% FTM FTA FT% 3PM 3PA 3P% -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 6.1 12.1 .506 1.4 2.2 .651 0.5 2.2 .209 Recruiting Notes: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Qualified: Yes Committed to Lafayette Rankings: #62 Overall, #18 PG, East Region #9 Overall, East Region #5 PG High School Awards: All-State, Mr. Basketball (New Jersey) Top 5 Schools: *Lafayette

Herschel is a pure point guard with a solid handle. He should be enough of an offensive threat to force teams to guard him honestly. But what makes him special is his defense. Herschel's quickness and court sense enable him to guard much larger players, and his lightning-fast hands gain him steal after steal. If we've scouted him accurately, Herschel is already as good a perimeter defender as Kenton Lashley.

I found two forwards I liked a lot. I couldn't choose between them. Then, I remembered that if I cut a walk-on, I would free up an additional scholarship. So I bid goodbye to a largely useless and unhappy player and made offers to both young men...who both commit to us today.

David Bowen is from the charming town of Urbana, Maryland. He's the top-ranked power forward in the East.

Code:
#24 PF David Bowen -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Height: 6-7 Weight: 237 High School: Urbana High School Hometown: Urbana, MD GPA: 2.82 Test Score: 1090 Rating: *** Attributes: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Type INS JPS FTS 3PS HND PAS ORB DRB PSD PRD STL BLK QKN STR JMP STA -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Current: 40 33 24 27 5 29 27 32 45 29 22 18 29 73 55 5 Potential: B C D D F B C A C C C C Season Stats: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- PTS OREB REB AST TOS A/T STL BLK PFS -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 13.1 3.2 15.0 2.5 2.4 1.04 1.2 1.3 2.4 Shooting Averages: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- FGM FGA FG% FTM FTA FT% 3PM 3PA 3P% -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 5.4 10.2 .529 2.3 5.8 .388 0.1 0.6 .091 Recruiting Notes: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Qualified: Yes Committed to Lafayette Rankings: #31 PF, East Region #46 Overall, East Region #1 PF High School Awards: All-State Top 5 Schools: *Lafayette

David is also a very good defensive end, and he brings a football player's mentality to the job of rebounding. He has soft hands and decent footwork, and could develop into an effective inside scorer. He's also a very good passer for a big man.

Our fourth and final recruit is Mike Wong, a three-star wing forward from Long Island.

Code:
#54 SF Mike Wong -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Height: 6-7 Weight: 213 High School: Hauppauge High School Hometown: Hauppauge, NY GPA: 2.65 Test Score: 1060 Rating: *** Attributes: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Type INS JPS FTS 3PS HND PAS ORB DRB PSD PRD STL BLK QKN STR JMP STA -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Current: 42 40 38 22 33 16 30 36 48 22 32 26 66 52 73 69 Potential: C D C D B D A B B D B C Season Stats: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- PTS OREB REB AST TOS A/T STL BLK PFS -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 11.6 3.0 10.6 2.8 1.8 1.60 3.4 0.7 2.5 Shooting Averages: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- FGM FGA FG% FTM FTA FT% 3PM 3PA 3P% -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 5.3 10.7 .493 1.0 2.2 .465 0.1 1.7 .061 Recruiting Notes: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Qualified: Yes Committed to Lafayette Rankings: East Region #42 Overall, East Region #13 SF High School Awards: None Top 5 Schools: *Lafayette

The recruiting experts like Mike a bit more than they do David Bowen. He hasn't been a high-volume shooter in high school, but he does almost everything else well. His height and wingspan allows him to be a disruptive defender who deflects more than his share of passes.

It's rare for me to have our recruiting done and dusted before pre-season camp begins. Perhaps those NCAA championship rings Graham Sims and Zane Lockhart wear when they visit a player's home make a big impression.
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Old 11-05-2023, 01:32 AM   #362
MoonlightGraham
High School Varsity
 
Join Date: Sep 2022
November 9, 2025

Here are the defending NCAA men's basketball champions:

Code:
#23 LAFAYETTE General Player # Pos Yr Ht Wt Sch Acd Status Hometown -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Porter Prado 2 C Fr 6-10 237 Yes 62 OK Blackwood, NJ Paul Clough 3 PG Fr 6-0 181 Yes 64 OK Hawthorne, NJ Kenton Lashley 10 SG Sr* 6-2 203 Yes 91 OK Savannah, GA Kamari Stone 11 PG Sr 6-2 208 Yes 68 OK Somerdale, NJ Duncan Sims 14 PG So 6-2 200 Yes 98 OK Easton, PA Theodore Beckett 15 PF Sr* 6-8 242 Yes 62 OK Satellite Beach, FL Charles Allen 20 SF Jr 6-3 207 Yes 30 OK Lincolndale, NY Carter Todd 22 C Jr 6-10 229 Yes 57 OK Hillside, NJ Carlos Arreola 25 SF So 6-5 236 No 42 Unhappy San Jose, CA Carl McGriff 33 SF Jr 6-8 239 Yes 88 OK Valhalla, NY David Farrell 42 C So 6-7 228 Yes 85 OK Lynchburg, VA Bret Bryant 44 PF So 6-10 232 Yes 98 OK Newark, NJ Henry Virgil 54 SG Fr 6-3 181 No 15 OK St Johnsville, NY Finn Mills 55 PF So 6-11 254 Yes 67 Redshirt Maitland, Australia

And here's how they did in preseason training:
Code:
#23 LAFAYETTE Training Results Player Ins Jps Fts 3ps Hnd Pas Orb Drb Psd Prd Stl Blk Qkn Str Jmp Sta -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Porter Prado 10 2 2 2 2 2 4 8 6 2 2 2 1 8 2 10 Paul Clough 2 2 2 4 4 4 2 2 2 8 8 2 2 4 4 40 Kenton Lashley 2 11 3 2 3 3 2 2 8 9 1 3 1 2 1 5 Kamari Stone 0 4 10 2 1 5 1 2 3 11 7 3 1 1 1 7 Duncan Sims 2 3 4 4 5 5 1 1 1 4 2 1 0 2 0 4 Theodore Beckett 0 1 1 1 2 1 1 1 1 5 1 1 1 2 0 7 Charles Allen 3 5 4 7 0 1 3 3 2 3 6 2 0 1 1 0 Carter Todd 11 1 0 0 1 1 6 8 6 1 1 6 0 3 1 10 Carlos Arreola 1 1 1 2 1 1 1 2 1 1 1 2 0 2 1 8 Carl McGriff 1 6 1 3 3 3 3 3 13 0 2 3 1 3 1 6 David Farrell 3 1 2 1 1 1 3 3 4 1 1 2 1 3 0 15 Bret Bryant 4 3 2 3 3 3 4 4 4 2 1 4 1 3 1 5 Henry Virgil 2 4 4 4 2 2 2 4 2 4 6 4 1 4 0 14 Finn Mills 3 1 1 1 2 1 4 5 3 1 1 2 0 0 1 11

Coach Graham Sims believes he has one of the nation's best guard tandems in Kenton Lashley and Kamari Stone.

Lashley, a fifth-year senior, is highly regarded as one of the best leaders in college basketball. Already one of the nation's best outside shooters, Lashley took thousands of shots during the off-season and worked just as tenaciously at his defense. K-Lash is also one of the NCAA's most dynamic dunkers.

Stone enters his senior year with 73 career starts at point guard. He is a fine passer and a reliable ballhandler who rarely turns the ball over. Smart and lightning quick, Kamari is an extremely good defensive player.

Junior Charles Allen is the "small forward" in Lafayette's three-guard lineup. Charles responded well to an increased role last season, and he appears poised to take another step forward in 2025/26. Look for him to provide a real threat from behind the three-point arc.

Carl McGriff returns to the starting five, but in a new role as the four. Last season, he distinguished himself as a "sneaky" offensive threat who punished teams who focused too much on the Leopards' explosive perimeter scorers. Carl can also be trusted to guard the other team's most dangerous big man.

Junior Carter Todd has paid his dues, and will start at center. He demonstrated the ability to score and rebound in a reserve role last year, and worked hard on his inside game during the preseason.

Last year's team had the nation's best sixth man in Micah Rodriguez, who turned professional a year early. There's nobody to take Rodriguez's place this season, but Coach Sims will have a solid nine-man rotation.

Sophomore Bret Bryant will be the primary backup at all three frontcourt positions. His best position is probably "basketball player," such is the variety of his talents.

Duncan Sims will probably always have to contend with trolls who believe his place on the team is solely the result of his status as Graham Sims' son. As a freshman, Duncan shot well enough to shut the trolls up, playing four minutes a game. Will he respond to the challenge of being the first guard off the bench?

If he can't, freshman Paul Clough will pass him in the rotation. Clough is a very similar player, without Sims' cash-money jumper. Clough's efforts to develop his stamina seem almost superhuman. Another freshman, big man Peter Prado, will also see quite a bit of the court.

Senior Theodore Beckett and sophomore David Farrell provide more frontcourt depth.

While it's never easy to defend a national championship, this year's Lafayette team should be able to give it a good shot. Lashley and Stone are Blue/Blue stars. Allen is a Green/Blue guy, while McGriff and Todd are solid Green/Green quality. That's a tough starting five.

The bench is deep and talented. Bryant, Sims, and Clough are all Yellow players now; Sims' potential is Blue and Bryant's and Clough's are Green. Prado is an Orange/Green player.

The Leopards open the season in the Top 25 for the first time; they're #23 in the first poll. Where will we be when the season ends?

Last edited by MoonlightGraham : 11-05-2023 at 01:33 AM.
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Old 11-06-2023, 12:07 PM   #363
MoonlightGraham
High School Varsity
 
Join Date: Sep 2022
November 16, 2025
@#23 Lafayette 82, George Washington 68

The largest crowd ever to watch a basketball game at the Kirby Center enjoys the raising of our 2025 NCAA championship banner and the awarding of the Leopards' national championship rings. Micah Rodriguez takes a night off from his professional club to receive his ring, and graduates Jeffrey Hampton and Kurt Ritchie are on hand, too.

They watch a solid performance by this year's Leopards. Charles Allen dominates in his first collegiate start: 24 points (5-12 from three), 10 rebounds, 5 assists. Carter Todd, also making his first career start, gives us a double double-double: 18 points, 10 rebounds. Kamari Stone passes out 7 assists.

Duncan Sims contributes 15 points and 3 rebounds in 15 minutes, and Bret Bryant adds 7 points and 8 rebounds in 24 minutes. It's a very satisfying performance to open the new season.
Record: 1-0.


November 18, 2025
@#22 Lafayette 88, Kansas State 75

The visitors make over half their shots, which is concerning, but we score even more productively than they do and claim another W.

Charles Allen shines again, with 26 points and 9 boards. Kenton Lashley becomes the third Leopard to post a double-double: 21 points, 10 rebounds. Bret Bryant posts 13 points and 6 rebounds in reserve duty, and Duncan Sims records 4 steals.
Record: 2-0.


November 20, 2025
@#22 Lafayette 68, Wake Forest 64

Behind 22 points from Kenton Lashley, we edge a tough ACC opponent at the Kirby Center.

Charles Allen scores 15 points, and Carter Todd adds 13 with 8 rebounds. Kamari Stone hands out 5 assists.
Record: 3-0.


November 22, 2025
@#22 Lafayette 76, William & Mary 73

The Tribe probably feel like they deserve a win, but a Kenton Lashley bucket with 20 seconds remaining snatches it from their hands. Lashley converted a fantastic pass from Kamari Stone, one of his 5 assists on the night.

Lashley finishes with 22 points. Carter Todd (18 pts/8 reb) and Charles Allen (17 pts/8 reb) are productive, and Bret Bryant collects 12 rebounds in 19 minutes.
Record: 4-0.


November 25, 2025
@#1 Notre Dame 81, #10 Lafayette 78

Graham Sims probably never thought a visit from Lafayette would fill Notre Dame's Joyce Center to capacity and be televised nationally.

Code:
Notre Dame 81, Lafayette 78 --------------------------------------------------------------- Lafayette (4-1, 0-0): Player Pos Min Fgm-a Ftm-a Off Reb Ast PF Pts Carter Todd C 21 1-2 5-6 1 4 1 5 7 Carl McGriff PF 31 1-6 3-6 1 4 0 2 5 Charles Allen SF 34 3-7 2-4 1 3 4 3 10 Kenton Lashley SG 33 12-20 0-0 1 7 2 4 35 Kamari Stone PG 35 2-11 0-0 0 2 6 2 6 Bret Bryant C 22 2-2 0-0 2 3 0 4 5 Duncan Sims SG 12 2-5 2-2 1 1 2 1 8 Paul Clough PG 1 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 0 0 Porter Prado C 6 0-0 2-2 0 0 0 1 2 Theodore Beckett PF 4 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 0 0 David Farrell PF 1 0-1 0-0 0 0 0 0 0 Turnovers: 12 (C.Todd 3, C.McGriff 1, C.Allen 2, K.Lashley 2, K.Stone 2, B.Bryant 1, P.Clough 1) Blocked Shots: 2 (C.McGriff 2) Steals: 4 (C.Todd 1, K.Lashley 1, B.Bryant 1, T.Beckett 1) 3P FGs: 18-41 (C.McGriff 0-1, C.Allen 2-5, K.Lashley 11-18, K.Stone 2-11, B.Bryant 1-1, D.Sims 2-5) Notre Dame (5-0, 0-0): Player Pos Min Fgm-a Ftm-a Off Reb Ast PF Pts Zachary Butler C 29 4-5 0-1 1 8 0 3 8 Jamal Jeter PF 30 5-8 4-9 2 3 3 4 15 Roosevelt Weber SF 24 4-8 4-4 2 5 7 4 12 Quentin Guidry SG 36 6-9 1-2 1 7 3 3 17 Thomas Carter PG 25 3-5 2-3 0 1 4 1 10 Waldo Cole PG 17 4-6 1-2 0 1 2 2 9 Gerald Todd SF 17 3-6 0-0 1 2 2 1 7 Chris Child C 14 0-3 1-2 1 6 0 0 1 Timothy Carpenter PF 7 1-3 0-0 3 5 0 0 2 Wiley Dietrich SG 1 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 0 0 Charles Bova PF 1 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 0 0 John Lucy SF 1 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 0 0 Turnovers: 15 (Z.Butler 1, J.Jeter 1, R.Weber 4, Q.Guidry 4, T.Carter 4, G.Todd 1) Blocked Shots: 4 (J.Jeter 2, Q.Guidry 2) Steals: 4 (R.Weber 1, Q.Guidry 1, T.Carter 1, W.Cole 1) 3P FGs: 8-15 (J.Jeter 1-1, Q.Guidry 4-6, T.Carter 2-3, W.Cole 0-1, G.Todd 1-3, C.Child 0-1) Player of Game: SG Kenton Lashley (LFYTE)

The Leopards fire off 41 threes, which is more than one per minute. That's a LOT of long-range gunning. One of those threes, made by Kenton Lashley, brings the visitors within a point, 79-78, with under a minute to play.

Lashley finishes with an assertive 35 points, but the top-ranked Fighting Irish keep the other Leopards under wraps. Still, there's no shame losing to the #1 team in the country by three points in their gym.

You might remember Jamal Jeter's name. He's the five-star player who qualified late and whom we recruited briefly before he signed with Notre Dame. He's thriving in South Bend, and I'm glad to see it.
Record: 4-1.


November 29, 2025
#10 Lafayette 74, @Delaware 47

We have no problem with the Blue Hens in our second straight road game.

With each passing game, I'm more delighted that Kenton Lashley decided to return to College Hill for his redshirt senior season. Tonight, he scores 24 points and grabs 7 rebounds. Charles Allen (15 pts) and Carter Todd (13 pts, 9 reb) continue to play well, and Carl McGriff (9 rebounds) makes his presence felt.

Bret Bryant makes a strong case for more playing time, with 7 points and 7 rebounds in only 16 minutes of action.

The victory is the 400th of Graham Sims' career. His record stands at 400-92, and he's one of three coaches to reach the 400 mark. Kenneth Burroughs of Southern California and Douglas Gillum of Kansas are the others.
Record: 5-1.

Last edited by MoonlightGraham : 11-06-2023 at 01:08 PM.
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Old 11-06-2023, 01:07 PM   #364
MoonlightGraham
High School Varsity
 
Join Date: Sep 2022
December 1, 2025
@#22 Lafayette 65, Hofstra 54

We've played better games than this one; we shoot poorly and have to come from behind to defeat a winless Hofstra team.

Kenton Lashley (21 points, 6 rebounds) plays well. Kamari Stone (14 points, 3 assists) isn't bad, either. Duncan Sims goes 2-4 from the free throw line, which wouldn't be remarkable if they weren't the first two misses of his collegiate career. Duncan made 19 straight before finally misfiring.

Bret Bryant starts in place of the slumping Carl McGriff, who has made only 25 percent of his shots. Bret scores 9 points and grabs 4 rebounds in his first career start.
Record: 6-1.


December 3, 2025
@#22 Lafayette 81, Seton Hall 53

We return to normal service tonight, romping over the visiting Pirates.

Kenton Lashley posts another double-double (17p/11r). Carl McGriff seems to enjoy coming off the bench, scoring 15 points, and Kamari Stone adds 13 with 5 rebounds and 4 assists.
Record: 7-1.


December 6, 2025
@#22 Lafayette 85, Lipscomb 50

A rampant Kenton Lashley hits 7 of 13 threes and scores 32 in another comfortable home win.

Carter Todd's 12-point, 14-rebound, 2-block double double and Duncan Sims' 15 bench points are also worth noting.
Record: 8-1.


December 13, 2025
@#9 Villanova 75, #12 Lafayette 68

New Villanova coach Jack Bender has the Wildcats playing with a snarl this season. All five Villanova starters score in double figures, and they come from behind to earn a well-deserved win at a sold-out Wells Fargo Center.

Charles Allen leads us with 22 points and 9 rebounds. Kenton Lashley has a rough day, shooting 4-15 from behind the arc, committing 4 turnovers, and scoring only 12 points.
Record: 8-2.


December 16, 2025
@#22 Lafayette 73, Fairfield 56

Kenton Lashley seems to take out a poor performance on his next opponent. He does so tonight, torching the visiting Stags for 28 points. Charles Allen (13 points) and Bret Bryant (12 points, 9 rebounds) provide quality assistance.

Duncan Sims is in a bit of a shooting slump. He misses all three of his three-point attempts; he's now 10-35 from behind the arc this season.
Record: 9-2.


December 19, 2025
@#25 Lafayette 88, Hartford 74

We defeat another visitor from Connecticut, as five Leopards score at least 10 points.

Charles Allen (17), Kenton Lashley (16), Carter Todd (13), Bret Bryant (11), and Duncan Sims (10) all hit double digits. Bryant adds 10 rebounds for good measure. Sims hits a pair of threes, so perhaps he'll shoot his way out of his slump.
Record: 10-2.


I won't keep updating this list regularly, because it will get tedious, but here are the winningest coaches in this universe:
Code:
Coach Wins Records # NAME SEASON RECORD CURRENT TEAM --------------------------------------------------------------- 1. Kenneth Burroughs 2025 407 Southern California 2. Douglas Gillum 2025 406 Kansas 3. Graham Sims 2025 405 Lafayette 4. Mervin Heron 2025 399 North Carolina


December 23, 2025
#18 Lafayette 68, @Louisville 56

The Leopards come from behind to win a game at a Big East opponent's place, which is always fun.

We combine a strong defensive effort with 21 points from Kenton Lashley, which is right on his average for the season. Kamari Stone's foul trouble leads to 26 minutes of action for Duncan Sims, and he steps up with 11 points, 4 rebounds, and a team-high 4 assists with only 1 turnover.
Record: 11-2.


December 25, 2025
@#18 Lafayette 96, Saint Joseph's 62

We make 65 percent of our shots, including 13-of-24 from three-point land, in a Christmas party hop against our near neighbors.

The Patriot League's leading scorer, K-Lash, drops 27, knocking down 6 of his 10 threes. Carter Todd plays Mr. Inside (21 points 7-for-9 from the field, 7-for-9 from the line, no threes) and Duncan Sims plays Mr. Outside (14 points, 4-for-5 from distance). New sixth man Carl McGriff adds 11 points.
Record: 12-2.

I said I wouldn't do this, but I'm doing it anyway...
Code:
# NAME SEASON RECORD CURRENT TEAM -------------------------------------------------------------- 1. Graham Sims 2025 407 Lafayette 2. Kenneth Burroughs 2025 407 Southern California 3. Douglas Gillum 2025 406 Kansas

Unless Graham opens up a meaningful lead on the field, I won't do it again. Incidentally, Coach Burroughs is 55, and Coach Gillum is 63.

Last edited by MoonlightGraham : 11-06-2023 at 01:08 PM.
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Old 11-12-2023, 08:40 PM   #365
MoonlightGraham
High School Varsity
 
Join Date: Sep 2022
January 3, 2026
@#18 Lafayette 83, La Salle 75


Another matchup against a member of the old Big Five ends the right way for us.

A pair of double-doubles, courtesy of Charles Allen (23p/11r) and Carter Todd (11p/11r) are the highlights, but there are other fine performances, too: 16p/4r/4a for Kenton Lashley; 15 points for Bret Bryant, who is thriving as a starter; 10 points for Duncan Sims.
Record: 13-2.


January 7, 2026
Code:
2025 Patriot League Standings TEAM CW CL Pct W L Pct RPI Prestige ------------------------------------------------------------ #16 Lafayette 0 0 .000 13 2 .867 16 88 Colgate 0 0 .000 9 3 .750 106 49 Bucknell 0 0 .000 9 6 .600 169 47 American 0 0 .000 8 8 .500 97 43 Lehigh 0 0 .000 7 5 .583 122 44 Navy 0 0 .000 6 8 .429 324 37 Army 0 0 .000 6 7 .462 328 42 Holy Cross 0 0 .000 5 7 .417 231 54

Senior center Elisha Brunelle leads another good Colgate team. Elisha is closing in on his 2000th career point, and he has a shot at 1000 career rebounds, too. Nobody in Patriot League history has ever achieved that double feat.

Holy Cross is probably better than their record indicates. They've played a tough non-conference schedule.


January 7, 2026
@#16 Lafayette 74, Virginia 66

Remember, in this universe the Cavaliers are nothing special. In fact, they're probably the worst team in the ACC. We don't shoot well, but we have enough to send the visitors home unhappy.

Carter Todd and Bret Bryant both encounter foul trouble and neither makes much of an impact, but Kenton Lashley does (21p/14r). So does Kamari Stone (14p/6a/0to), and Charles Allen adds 14 points. Carl McGriff (10 points) is assertive off the bench.
Record: 14-2.


January 10, 2026
@#16 Lafayette 71, Army 56

We open our Patriot League season with a home win against the Black Knights, powered by double-doubles from Carter Todd (16p/11r) and Charles Allen (10p/11r). Bret Bryant (13p/8r) nearly joins them.

But the Player of the Game is Kenton Lashley, who scores 23, grabs 6 boards, and hands out 4 assists. We hold their dangerous center, Irinei Federov, to 13 points, five below his average.
Record: 15-2 (1-0).


January 14, 2026
@#13 Lafayette 81, Lehigh 52

Winning big over a rival is always fun. Lots of Leopards join in the party tonight.

Kenton Lashley (22p/5r/4a) shows up again. He's hitting almost 48 percent of his threes this year, so his 6-for-11 performance tonight isn't as unusual as it might seem. K-Lash averages just under 11 three-point attempts a game, so it's not like he's making them with nobody trying to guard him.

It's Bret Bryant's turn for a double-double (13p/10r). Carter Todd scores 10 points, and so does Charles Allen (10p/7r). Carl McGriff, who seems to prefer coming off the bench this year, matches Allen's totals.
Record: 16-2 (2-0).


January 17, 2026
@#13 Lafayette 84, Colgate 65

A 25-point effort from Charles Allen, a point shy of his career best, sparks us to a victory over the Red Raiders. We unleash 41 threes and make 20 of them.

Kenton Lashley scores 14, and Bret Bryant just misses a double-double (11p/9r). Carl McGriff (7p/5r/5a), Paul Clough (career-high 11 points, 3-for-7 from three) play well off the bench.

Lafayette fans can be very classy. When Elisha Brunelle leaves the court at the end of the game, he receives a warm ovation from the Kirby Center crowd. Elisha scores 16 points and grabs 8 rebounds in his final visit to College Hill.
Record: 17-2 (3-0).


January 21, 2026
#12 Lafayette 90, @American 73

We move to #1 in the Mid-Major poll for the first time this season, and we confirm that ranking with a decisive performance in the nation's capital.

Kenton Lashley leads all scorers with 30 points, and Paul Clough contributes 16 points off the bench. The one piece of bad news comes from the trainer's room. During the first half, Kamari Stone caught an accidental elbow to the face. His cheekbone is fractured, and he'll be out for about two weeks.

Duncan Sims will move into the starting five, and Paul Clough will also receive more playing time while Kamari heals. Our first game without our conductor will be a tough test: away to a Holy Cross team who is also undefeated in the Patriot League.
Record: 18-2 (4-0).


January 24, 2026
#12 Lafayette 67, @Holy Cross 51

Charles Allen and Kenton Lashley take over, and won't let the Leopards lose. The junior forward nails 7 out of 14 treys, and the senior guard hits 5 of 10; Allen finishes with 27 points and Lashley 16.

Duncan Sims is understandably cautious in his first start, finishing with 7 points, an assist, and 2 turnovers.
Record: 19-2 (5-0).


January 28, 2026
@#8 Lafayette 85, Bucknell 68

The Bison hang tough for a half, trailing by only three points at the intermission before the home team pulls away.

Lots of Leopards enjoy productive games: Bret Bryant (career high 19 points; 4r/4a); Charles Allen (19p/6r/6a/2s); Kenton Lashley (17 points). Allen is named Player of the Game, but the honor could have gone to Duncan Sims. The sophomore guard scores 15 points, grabs 6 rebounds, and hands out 7 assists--all career highs--and doesn't commit a turnover.

Freshman big man Porter Prado, who's appeared in every game so far, twists his knee and sprains it. He'll be sidelined for about 8 days.
Record: 20-2 (6-0).


January 31, 2026
@#8 Lafayette 95, Navy 63

Tonight we put together our most complete performance of the season. We make 55 percent of our shots and 47 percent of our threes, win the rebounding battle decisively, and turn the ball over only 10 times.

The beat goes on for Charles Allen, who drops 36 on the Navy tonight. Charles tries 16 threes, makes 8 of them, and adds 13 rebounds for good measure. Carter Todd (14 points), Kenton Lashley (12), Carl McGriff (13), and Duncan Sims (10) all score in double digits.

We're pulling away from the field in the Patriot League, with a three-game lead over Colgate, Bucknell, and Holy Cross.
Record: 21-2 (7-0).

Last edited by MoonlightGraham : 11-12-2023 at 08:45 PM.
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Old 11-13-2023, 12:36 PM   #366
MoonlightGraham
High School Varsity
 
Join Date: Sep 2022
February 7, 2026
#7 Lafayette 86, @Army 64

A long break allowed Kamari Stone and Porter Prado to heal completely, and they're both back in uniform for our trip to West Point.

We get 61 points from the trio of Charles Allen (23), Kenton Lashley (21), and Carter Todd (17), and an odd stat line from Bret Bryant (6 points, 15! rebounds, 8!! assists, 2 blocks, 5?? turnovers). We shoot very well, which makes up for our sloppy, 19-turnover play. Only Kamari Stone (6a/1t) appears immune.
Record: 22-2 (8-0).


February 11, 2026
#7 Lafayette 83, @Colgate 69

Kenton Lashley is good at basketball. He scores 29 points, with 5 rebounds and 3 assists, as we dispatch the Red Raiders in Hamilton.

Kamari Stone (16p/7r/6a/2t) puts on a clinic for point guards, and when he's off the floor, Duncan Sims (6p/4r/3a) continues the demonstration. Throw in another 21 points from Charles Allen, and that's a winning formula.
Record: 23-2 (9-0).


February 14, 2026
#7 Lafayette 72, @Lehigh 71

It takes a little of Cupid's magic to maintain our 15-game winning streak.

Lehigh's Zane Goodall hits a jumper to tie the score at 71 with 20 seconds left. As the clock ticks down, John McKinnie is called for a foul on our Charles Allen before Charles can take a potential game-winning shot.

I like our chances here; there are 3 seconds on the clock, Charles has one-plus-the-bonus, and he's a 74% free throw shooter. Charles hits the first one and misses the second. A tense moment ensues as we let Lehigh's Jarek Kopecky get a good look at the basket, but the Czech wing's three-point attempt rims out.

Allen finishes with 19 points, and Carter Todd and Kenton Lashley add 15 apiece. Kamari Stone passes out 8 assists.

It looks like we've already clinched another Patriot League regular season title. Colgate's in second place, with a 7-4 conference record. I'm thinking about allowing some conference movement from now on.
Record: 24-2 (10-0).


February 18, 2026
@#6 Lafayette 57, Holy Cross 42

Both teams bear down on defense, and when someone gets a decent shot, they miss. It's one of those nights.

Kenton Lashley scores 18, going 4-for-12 behind the arc, and he's considered "productive" tonight. Carter Todd (14p/10r) completes his team-high fifth double-double, and Charles Allen scores 11 before fouling out.
Record: 25-2 (11-0).


February 21, 2026
@#6 Lafayette 73, American 45

Theodore Beckett gets to start on his Senior Night, alongside classmates Kenton Lashley and Charles Allen. Beckett plays 22 minutes, scoring a single point and grabbing four rebounds, while Lashley (21p/5r/4a) and Allen (17p/5r) treat the appreciative Kirby Center crowd to vintage performances. Carter Todd (12p/7r) plays well, too.

American spends the evening flinging threes (3-17) and giving us the basketball (22 turnovers).
Record: 26-2 (12-0).


February 25, 2026
@Bucknell 87, #5 Lafayette 71

Almost as soon as we achieve our highest-ever position in the polls, we lose to a good Bucknell team that earns a well-deserved victory.

Bucknell's talented junior center Rickey Benedetto scores 21 points and grabs 10 rebounds, and a senior sixth man named Joe Antonio is pure fire (21 points, 6-7 from the field, 4-4 from three). The Bison also do a very good job of defending everyone not named Kenton Lashley (24 points). The performances of Charles Allen (11p/9r) and Kamari Stone (7a/0t) also deserve mention.

I forgot to remove Theodore Beckett from the starting lineup, but I don't think that was the difference in this game. Beckett makes all 3 of the shots he took, scores 8 points, and nabs 4 rebounds.
Record: 26-3 (12-1).


February 28, 2026
#5 Lafayette 62, @Navy 57

We trail 20-15 at the end of a dreadful first half before remembering how basketball is played and grabbing victory from the Navy. Both teams shoot a wretched 34 percent from the field.

Kenton Lashley (14 points), Charles Allen (10), and Carter Todd (10) score in double figures for us. Navy's Brian Landis (25p/10r) plays like a boss, but his good work is undone by that of Rudolf Henry, who tries 12 threes and makes only one.
Record: 27-3 (13-1).
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Old 11-13-2023, 01:02 PM   #367
MoonlightGraham
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Join Date: Sep 2022
March 1, 2026
Patriot League Tournament, First Round
(1)#7 Lafayette 79, (8) Navy 65

A rematch with the Midshipmen turns out to be a much better game.

Kenton Lashley scores 28 points and Charles Allen adds 24. Kamari Stone finishes with 11, but his 8 assists and 1 turnover say much more about his impact on the contest.
Record: 28-3.


March 8, 2026
Patriot League Tournament Semifinal
(1) #7 Lafayette 80, (4) Holy Cross 62

"Balance" is the word I associate most with this fine performance by Coach Sims' boys. Carter Todd (18p/10r), Charles Allen (16p/4a/3s), Kamari Stone (16p/5a/1t), and Kenton Lashley (14p/5r) all fill the scoresheet very nicely. We commit only 9 turnovers and force the Crusaders into 25.
Record: 29-3.


March 13, 2026
Patriot League Tournament Final
(1) #6 Lafayette 100, (3) Colgate 66

Forgive me for almost hoping Colgate would win this one. I wanted to see Elisha Brunelle get a ticket to the Big Dance. Instead, his Red Raiders end up on the receiving end of the seventh 100-point game of Graham Sims' coaching career.

Kenton Lashley (27) and Charles Allen (24) combine for 51 points. Carl McGriff pitches in 16 off the bench, and Carter Todd (8p/10r) needed one more bucket for a double-double.

The Bubble Watch is interesting for Patriot League fans:
Code:
OVERALL BUBBLE WATCH Team Record RPI vs. 1-50 vs. 51-100 vs. 101-200 vs. 200+ SOS Projected ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Purdue 19-13 .562 (49) 2-8 11-4 2-1 3-0 36 In Butler 22-12 .567 (40) 2-6 1-0 9-6 10-0 70 In Furman 22-10 .553 (58) 1-3 1-1 9-3 11-3 158 In Oklahoma 22-8 .550 (67) 1-2 7-3 6-1 8-1 209 In UCLA 18-12 .567 (38) 2-6 1-3 11-2 4-0 41 In Bucknell 19-12 .556 (54) 2-3 3-4 8-2 6-3 71 In Iowa State 20-11 .549 (68) 1-5 4-3 5-1 10-1 116 In Bradley 20-13 .550 (65) 1-6 3-0 5-6 11-1 91 In Colgate 22-9 .545 (76) 0-2 3-3 11-2 8-1 157 Out Texas 20-10 .547 (72) 0-2 3-6 7-2 9-0 120 Out Mississippi Valley State 22-8 .544 (77) 0-0 2-4 8-3 11-1 252 Out Virginia Tech 17-12 .554 (56) 4-5 4-3 0-4 8-0 55 Out Penn State 18-13 .552 (61) 4-5 5-5 3-1 6-1 86 Out Davidson 22-9 .545 (75) 0-0 3-1 6-5 13-3 207 Out Creighton 20-11 .539 (86) 2-5 1-3 7-2 10-1 147 Out

Did Bucknell's win against us earn them an NCAA bid? Their other significant win was an 83-82 decision against Temple.
Record: 30-3.
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Old 11-13-2023, 02:48 PM   #368
MoonlightGraham
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Join Date: Sep 2022
March 15, 2026
We're drawn as the 3 seed in the East Region, where #3 Georgetown holds the top seed. Our bracket also contains Vanderbilt, a 5 seed this year.

Bucknell and Colgate both accept bids to the NIT. The Bison are the top seed in the NIT South, and the Red Raiders are the 2 seed in the NIT East.


March 19, 2026
NCAA East Region, First Round
(3) #7 Lafayette 80, (14) Dartmouth 58

The plucky Ivy League champions hang around for a while; we're up 29-26 at halftime. Our superior talent and depth make the difference in the end. The Big Green's best players are Yellow.

Kenton Lashley posts a double-double (19p/10r), although he doesn't shoot particularly well (5-16, 4-12 from distance). Four other Leopards score in double figures: Charles Allen (17p/6r), Carl McGriff (14p/9r), Carter Todd (13p/8r/2b), and Kamari Stone (10p/6a/1t).

Bucknell exits the NIT, losing 98-93 to Florida A&M. Colgate advances with a 77-66 victory over Sam Houston State.
Record: 31-3.


March 21, 2026
NCAA East Region, Second Round
(3) #7 Lafayette 85, (6) #22 Boston College 65

We're much more assertive in this game, shooting 55 percent overall and 48 percent from long range, while shutting the Eagles down on defense.

Kenton Lashley is determined to make his collegiate career last as long as possible. Today, he drills 8 of 11 threes and scores 32 points, grabs 8 rebounds, and makes 2 steals. Carter Todd (15p/11r) supports him with a double-double, and Kamari Stone adds 14 points and 7 assists, with only 2 turnovers. Stone bruises his hip, however, and he's currently listed as day-to-day (85%). There is no way on earth this proud, competitive senior won't play next week.

Coach Sims again meets the board's expectations with a trip to the Sweet Sixteen.

Colgate loses its NIT game to Penn State, 78-72, despite a 24-point performance by Elisha Brunelle in his last game in Colgate colors.
Record: 32-3.


Friday, March 27
NCAA East Region Semifinal...the Sweet Sixteen
(3) #7 Lafayette 80, (2) #8 Alabama 78

Pankraz Hindert's left corner three bounces harmlessly away, and we edge a very good Crimson Tide team to advance to the regional final.

Kenton Lashley continues to shine, scoring 23 points and dishing out 7 assists. Charles Allen adds 16, and Carter Todd posts another double-double: 18 points, 12 boards.

We'll face California in the Elite Eight. Georgetown was upset by 9-seed Memphis, who then fell to the Golden Bears.
Record: 33-3.


March 29, 2026
NCAA East Region Final...the Elite Eight
(9) #18 California 94, (3) #7 Lafayette 83

Our season ends at the hands of a California team that is getting hot when it matters most. Here's the full box score:
Code:
California 94, Lafayette 83 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Lafayette (33-4, 13-1): Player Pos Min Fgm-a Ftm-a Off Reb Ast PF Pts Carter Todd C 34 2-11 2-5 5 11 0 2 6 Bret Bryant PF 18 2-5 0-0 1 5 0 5 5 Charles Allen SF 24 4-8 0-0 0 5 2 5 11 Kenton Lashley SG 36 8-14 4-4 4 6 3 3 24 Kamari Stone PG 35 4-8 2-3 1 3 2 1 14 Duncan Sims SG 19 2-5 2-2 0 2 3 1 7 Carl McGriff PF 18 3-6 5-7 1 6 2 4 12 Porter Prado PF 9 1-1 2-2 0 0 0 1 4 Theodore Beckett SF 5 0-1 0-0 0 0 0 0 0 David Farrell PF 1 0-0 0-0 0 1 1 0 0 Turnovers: 20 (C.Todd 2, K.Lashley 3, K.Stone 6, D.Sims 6, C.McGriff 2, P.Prado 1) Blocked Shots: 2 (C.Todd 1, B.Bryant 1) Steals: 3 (C.Todd 1, K.Lashley 1, K.Stone 1) 3P FGs: 14-26 (C.Todd 0-1, B.Bryant 1-2, C.Allen 3-5, K.Lashley 4-7, K.Stone 4-8, D.Sims 1-1, C.McGriff 1-2) California (26-9, 12-6): Player Pos Min Fgm-a Ftm-a Off Reb Ast PF Pts David Terry C 30 3-6 2-3 2 6 0 3 8 Luitpold Baden PF 30 3-7 3-5 2 10 3 1 9 Mauricio Ortega SF 31 7-16 2-3 1 3 2 3 18 Porter Green SG 12 0-3 2-4 1 3 0 4 2 Erich Stelly PG 30 7-8 2-2 1 1 3 0 17 Sylvester Sealy PF 12 1-2 2-2 0 3 0 2 4 Winfred Jordan SG 29 7-16 2-2 0 2 3 3 18 Jon Shank C 8 2-3 2-2 2 2 0 2 6 Rodney Brubaker SF 13 2-4 3-3 2 3 1 2 7 Emile Rendon SF 2 1-1 0-0 0 1 0 0 3 Josue Ramirez SG 2 0-1 0-0 1 1 1 0 0 Trevor Lopez PG 1 1-1 0-0 0 0 0 0 2 Turnovers: 12 (D.Terry 2, L.Baden 1, M.Ortega 2, P.Green 3, S.Sealy 1, W.Jordan 2, R.Brubaker 1) Blocked Shots: 5 (D.Terry 1, L.Baden 1, S.Sealy 2, J.Shank 1) Steals: 9 (E.Stelly 6, W.Jordan 1, R.Brubaker 1, J.Ramirez 1) 3P FGs: 6-25 (D.Terry 0-2, M.Ortega 2-5, P.Green 0-3, E.Stelly 1-2, W.Jordan 2-10, R.Brubaker 0-1, E.Rendon 1-1, J.Ramirez 0-1) Player of Game: PG Erich Stelly (CAL)

The Golden Bears force a gazillion turnovers tonight, as they have all season long. They're averaging 10.3 steals per game and causing their opponents to turn the ball over 19.0 times per game, placing second in the nation in both categories. Oddly enough, Erich Stelly, who bedevils us with 6 steals tonight, only averages one theft per game.

Coach Sims has a chance to embrace the seniors--Theodore Beckett, Kamari Stone, and Kenton Lashley--one last time as he removes them from the game in its closing seconds. Kenton, in particular, is overcome by the emotions he feels as his illustrious Lafayette career draws to a close.
Record: 33-4.

Last edited by MoonlightGraham : 11-13-2023 at 02:50 PM.
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Old 11-13-2023, 03:17 PM   #369
MoonlightGraham
High School Varsity
 
Join Date: Sep 2022
April 5, 2026
Here's a first for Graham Sims and Lafayette. One of our recruits, Tod Quiroz, appears in the High School All-American Game!

Code:
West 86, East 84 ---------------------------------------------------------- East: Player Pos Min Fgm-a Ftm-a Off Reb Ast PF Pts Jasper Herring C 10 0-0 0-0 0 3 0 4 0 Jeffrey Thai PF 29 5-9 0-0 2 9 2 4 10 Stephen Gagliano SF 35 4-11 0-0 3 8 4 2 8 Edward Brown SG 26 7-11 0-0 3 4 2 3 16 Ernest McKenzie PG 34 8-14 1-1 2 7 3 3 20 Tod Quiroz SG 16 2-2 0-0 0 0 4 2 5 Bobby Judd PG 6 3-5 0-0 0 1 2 1 6 Henry Olivo C 30 7-10 2-2 1 7 4 2 16 Angelo Moritz SF 4 0-1 0-0 1 2 0 0 0 Judson McCulloch C 10 1-2 0-0 0 2 0 0 3 Turnovers: 27 (J.Thai 8, S.Gagliano 7, E.Brown 5, E.McKenzie 2, T.Quiroz 3, B.Judd 1, H.Olivo 1) Blocked Shots: 2 (J.Thai 2) Steals: 8 (J.Herring 1, E.Brown 1, E.McKenzie 3, T.Quiroz 1, H.Olivo 2) 3P FGs: 7-13 (S.Gagliano 0-1, E.Brown 2-4, E.McKenzie 3-4, T.Quiroz 1-1, B.Judd 0-1, A.Moritz 0-1, J.McCulloch 1-1) West: Player Pos Min Fgm-a Ftm-a Off Reb Ast PF Pts Rico Alonso C 33 6-9 5-7 2 7 1 2 17 Mateo Sanz PF 26 2-7 0-0 1 3 1 4 4 Brian Rex SF 37 6-19 1-2 3 6 5 1 13 Rolland Coates SG 36 11-17 2-5 4 5 4 1 26 Morris Boyce PG 35 1-7 2-4 1 3 1 2 5 James Clary PF 16 2-3 1-2 1 4 1 0 5 Cary Bullen SF 11 3-5 2-2 0 0 0 1 8 Albert Wilkerson PG 6 4-5 0-0 0 0 0 1 8 Turnovers: 16 (M.Sanz 2, B.Rex 2, R.Coates 4, M.Boyce 5, J.Clary 1, C.Bullen 1, A.Wilkerson 1) Blocked Shots: 1 (M.Boyce 1) Steals: 11 (B.Rex 3, R.Coates 5, M.Boyce 2, A.Wilkerson 1) 3P FGs: 3-10 (M.Sanz 0-1, B.Rex 0-4, R.Coates 2-2, M.Boyce 1-3) Player of Game: SG Rolland Coates (West)

Tod played well in the East's narrow defeat, with the exception of those three turnovers. Rolland Coates, the game's MVP, is a Wisconsin signee.


April 5, 2026
North Carolina defeats San Diego State, 53-52, in overtime to win the national championship. It's the second national title for the Tar Heels and their coach, Mervin Heron.


April 5, 2026
It's time for the Patriot League season awards...

Code:
2025 PATRIOT LEAGUE AWARDS -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Player of the Year: SR SG Kenton Lashley Lafayette 21.2 PPG, 4.9 RPG, 2.6 APG 0.8 SPG, 0.1 BPG Freshman of the Year: FR SG Sam McKibben Lehigh 9.7 PPG, 3.3 RPG, 1.9 APG 1.0 SPG, 0.1 BPG Coach of the Year: Graham Sims Lafayette 33 - 4 (13 - 1) All-league 1st Team: C SR Elisha Brunelle Colgate 17.5 PPG, 7.3 RPG, 1.3 APG, 0.9 SPG, 0.3 BPG PF SO Bret Bryant Lafayette 6.9 PPG, 6.8 RPG, 2.0 APG, 0.5 SPG, 0.5 BPG SF SR Barney Sewell Bucknell 14.8 PPG, 7.8 RPG, 2.1 APG, 1.8 SPG, 0.2 BPG SG SR Kenton Lashley Lafayette 21.2 PPG, 4.9 RPG, 2.6 APG, 0.8 SPG, 0.1 BPG PG JR Luis Rawls Bucknell 14.2 PPG, 3.9 RPG, 6.0 APG, 1.5 SPG, 0.2 BPG All-league 2nd Team: C SR Irinei Fedorov Army 18.9 PPG, 5.5 RPG, 1.4 APG, 0.4 SPG, 3.2 BPG PF JR Brian Landis Navy 13.4 PPG, 6.6 RPG, 1.1 APG, 0.4 SPG, 0.8 BPG SF JR Charles Allen Lafayette 15.7 PPG, 5.6 RPG, 2.1 APG, 1.0 SPG, 0.1 BPG SG SR James Nowlin Bucknell 9.4 PPG, 4.0 RPG, 2.6 APG, 2.0 SPG, 0.1 BPG PG SR Trevor Tibbetts Lehigh 10.0 PPG, 3.0 RPG, 6.4 APG, 0.6 SPG, 0.1 BPG All-freshman Team: C FR Noble Furman Navy 2.2 PPG, 1.7 RPG, 0.3 APG, 0.1 SPG, 0.4 BPG PF SF FR Joseph Earle Colgate 4.5 PPG, 2.1 RPG, 0.9 APG, 0.5 SPG, 0.4 BPG SG FR Sam McKibben Lehigh 9.7 PPG, 3.3 RPG, 1.9 APG, 1.0 SPG, 0.1 BPG PG FR Buford Fassett American 8.6 PPG, 1.5 RPG, 3.1 APG, 1.3 SPG, 0.2 BPG

Kenton Lashley deserves this one. You'll read more about him in a heartfelt Senior Tribute.

I'm glad to see Bret Bryant make the first team, but I'd have had no problem with Brian Landis and him switching spots.

I'm sad about the omission of Kamari Stone, however. Luis Rawls was a better scorer, and Trevor Tibbetts had more assists, so it makes sense...but still.

It's Graham Sims' seventh Patriot League COY award.
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Old 11-13-2023, 03:59 PM   #370
MoonlightGraham
High School Varsity
 
Join Date: Sep 2022
April 5, 2026

Code:
#6 LAFAYETTE TEAM INFO Current Performance -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team Prestige: 88 Record Vs 1-50: 4-3 Poll Rank: #6 Season Record: 33-4 Record Vs 51-100: 7-1 RPI Rank: #11 Conference Record: 13-1 Record Vs 101-200: 14-0 Home Record: 16-0 Record Vs 200+: 8-0 Team Stats CR NR Opp. Stats CR NR Margin CR NR -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Points 78.7 1 21 Points 64.4 2 47 Points 14.3 1 4 O.Reb 11.2 2 112 O.Reb 10.0 6 98 O.Reb 1.3 2 80 D.Reb 25.6 5 118 D.Reb 24.8 4 159 D.Reb 0.8 3 105 Rebounds 36.9 3 103 Rebounds 34.8 3 122 Rebounds 2.1 3 84 Assists 16.1 2 35 Assists 12.5 1 93 Assists 3.6 1 12 Steals 5.3 4 188 Steals 4.8 1 37 Steals 0.5 3 118 Blocks 2.0 7 290 Blocks 3.3 7 215 Blocks -1.3 7 297 Turnovers 12.4 1 36 Turnovers 15.6 2 31 Turnovers -3.2 1 12 Fouls 18.2 4 60 Fouls 17.9 8 326 Fouls 0.4 6 197 FG% .452 2 54 FG% .423 6 102 FG% .029 2 47 FT% .683 2 156 FT% .640 1 13 FT% .043 2 41 3P% .408 1 4 3P% .305 1 17 3P% .103 1 2 PPS 1.35 1 15 PPS 1.19 5 66 PPS .156 1 21 Adj. FG% .559 1 4 Adj. FG% .480 4 104 Adj. FG% .079 1 3

Another year in which the underlying margins support our record. This year's Leopards didn't rebound quite as well as last year's did, but otherwise, we keep doing the things we need to do to win...especially at the Kirby Center.

Code:
#6 LAFAYETTE Averages Player Pos GP GS Min Pts Orb Reb Ast Stl Blk To Fls +/- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Kenton Lashley SG 37 37 31.4 21.2 1.8 4.9 2.6 0.8 0.1 3.0 2.7 13.9 Kamari Stone PG 34 34 31.0 7.6 1.0 3.1 4.7 1.4 0.1 1.6 2.4 10.4 Carter Todd C 37 37 28.9 10.5 2.5 7.2 1.5 0.5 0.6 1.6 2.9 12.0 Charles Allen SF 37 37 27.5 15.7 1.5 5.6 2.1 1.0 0.1 2.1 2.9 12.6 Bret Bryant PF 37 29 27.5 6.9 2.2 6.8 2.0 0.5 0.5 1.2 2.9 11.1 Carl McGriff PF 37 6 20.3 6.3 1.1 3.6 0.9 0.4 0.2 1.0 1.7 7.2 Duncan Sims SG 37 3 18.5 6.3 0.4 2.4 1.7 0.5 0.0 0.9 1.5 4.7 Porter Prado C 36 0 7.4 2.2 0.6 1.9 0.3 0.1 0.1 0.5 0.6 0.4 Theodore Beckett PF 33 2 5.5 0.7 0.3 1.1 0.2 0.1 0.2 0.1 0.6 0.2 Paul Clough PG 32 0 5.2 2.0 0.1 0.5 0.6 0.3 0.1 0.4 0.3 0.7 Henry Virgil SG 12 0 2.0 0.8 0.0 0.5 0.1 0.1 0.0 0.1 0.2 -0.3 David Farrell C 10 0 1.8 0.6 0.0 0.5 0.1 0.1 0.0 0.1 0.4 -0.5

Code:
#6 LAFAYETTE Totals Player Pos GP GS Min Pts Orb Reb Ast Stl Blk To Fls +/- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Kenton Lashley SG 37 37 1160 783 65 183 95 28 2 112 100 514 Kamari Stone PG 34 34 1055 259 33 105 159 47 3 56 82 352 Carter Todd C 37 37 1068 388 92 266 56 17 23 59 107 445 Charles Allen SF 37 37 1019 580 56 206 78 37 3 78 106 466 Bret Bryant PF 37 29 1016 255 81 251 75 19 20 45 107 411 Carl McGriff PF 37 6 750 233 41 134 35 14 9 36 63 265 Duncan Sims SG 37 3 684 232 15 88 64 18 1 35 55 174 Porter Prado C 36 0 268 79 20 68 9 2 5 18 20 15 Theodore Beckett PF 33 2 183 23 9 37 6 4 5 3 20 8 Paul Clough PG 32 0 167 63 4 15 18 8 2 13 9 23 Henry Virgil SG 12 0 24 10 0 6 1 1 0 1 2 -3 David Farrell C 10 0 18 6 0 5 1 1 0 1 4 -5

Code:
#6 LAFAYETTE Shooting Player Pos Fgm Fga Fg% Ftm Fta Ft% 3pm 3pa 3p% PPS -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Kenton Lashley SG 253 509 .497 98 121 .810 179 372 .481 1.54 Kamari Stone PG 86 232 .371 50 71 .704 37 128 .289 1.12 Carter Todd C 146 293 .498 96 156 .615 0 2 .000 1.32 Charles Allen SF 185 429 .431 79 111 .712 131 316 .415 1.35 Bret Bryant PF 95 204 .466 24 39 .615 41 107 .383 1.25 Carl McGriff PF 79 181 .436 66 107 .617 9 30 .300 1.29 Duncan Sims SG 74 176 .420 40 44 .909 44 119 .370 1.32 Porter Prado C 25 64 .391 23 39 .590 6 21 .286 1.23 Theodore Beckett PF 7 15 .467 9 16 .563 0 0 .000 1.53 Paul Clough PG 21 44 .477 8 16 .500 13 32 .406 1.43 Henry Virgil SG 3 6 .500 2 4 .500 2 4 .500 1.67 David Farrell C 2 5 .400 2 4 .500 0 0 .000 1.20

Last season, only one Leopard played at least 1000 minutes: Kurt Ritchie, who played nearly 1200. This year, five did.

Next: the Senior Tributes.
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Old 11-13-2023, 05:21 PM   #371
MoonlightGraham
High School Varsity
 
Join Date: Sep 2022
2025/26 Senior Tribute

THEODORE BECKETT


Theodore joined us after spending a season as a walk-on at Florida. We gave him a scholarship, he worked hard, and he got into almost every game as a senior.

Code:
#15 PF Theodore Beckett - Lafayette - Senior -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Height: 6-8 Weight: 242 High School: Satellite Senior High School Hometown: Satellite Beach, FL Attributes: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Type INS JPS FTS 3PS HND PAS ORB DRB PSD PRD STL BLK QKN STR JMP STA -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Current: 11 13 39 13 43 19 30 34 76 52 17 38 42 83 39 89 2024: 11 12 38 12 41 18 29 33 75 47 16 37 41 81 39 82 2023: 11 11 37 11 39 17 28 32 74 45 16 36 40 79 39 74 2022: 10 11 36 11 38 17 27 31 71 43 16 35 39 76 38 62 2021: 9 10 35 10 36 16 26 30 58 32 16 34 38 73 38 49 2020: 7 10 33 10 33 16 24 26 50 30 14 30 37 67 36 21 Potential: F F C F C D C D B A F D Health: Good Scholarship: Yes Status: Active Roster Academics: 62 Stat Averages: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Season G GS MIN PTS ORE REB AST TO A/T STL BLK PF -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2021 4 0 1.8 0.5 0.0 0.5 0.0 0.0 0.00 0.0 0.0 0.3 2024 1 0 2.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.00 0.0 0.0 0.0 2025 33 2 5.5 0.7 0.3 1.1 0.2 0.1 2.00 0.1 0.2 0.6 Career 38 2 5.1 0.7 0.2 1.0 0.2 0.1 2.00 0.1 0.1 0.6 Shooting Averages: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Season FGM FGA FG% FTM FTA FT% 3PM 3PA 3P% PPS +/- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2021 0.3 0.5 .500 0.0 0.0 .000 0.0 0.0 .000 1.00 -1.00 2024 0.0 0.0 .000 0.0 0.0 .000 0.0 0.0 .000 0.00 -1.00 2025 0.2 0.5 .467 0.3 0.5 .563 0.0 0.0 .000 1.53 0.24 Career 0.2 0.4 .471 0.2 0.4 .563 0.0 0.0 .000 1.47 0.08 Stat Totals: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Season G GS MIN PTS OREB REB AST TO STL BLK PF -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2021 4 0 7 2 0 2 0 0 0 0 1 2024 1 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2025 33 2 183 23 9 37 6 3 4 5 20 Career 38 2 192 25 9 39 6 3 4 5 21 Shooting Totals -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Season FGM FGA FTM FTA 3PM 3PA +/- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2021 1 2 0 0 0 0 -4 2024 0 0 0 0 0 0 -1 2025 7 15 9 16 0 0 8 Career 8 17 9 16 0 0 3 Career Highs: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Type Pts OReb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO FGM FGA FTM FTA 3PM 3PA -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Season 8 1 4 2 1 1 1 3 3 3 4 0 0 Career 8 1 4 2 1 1 1 3 3 3 4 0 0 Awards & Achievements: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Season Award -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2021 High School: Rated * and #1649 overall by the FBCB scouting service. 2021 Walked on at Florida 2022 Transfered from Florida 2024 NCAA Champion

Theodore's statistics won't open many eyes. Kenton Lashley regularly took more shots in a single game than Theodore did in his career. But everyone connected with the Lafayette basketball program understands how important the big man from the Sunshine State truly was. Theodore was a superb defensive player. His efforts in practice honed the skills of a succession of Lafayette big men, including Kurt Ritchie and Carter Todd.

As a high school senior, the experts believed there were over 1600 basketball players better than Theodore in his class. Five years later, he's wearing an NCAA championship ring on his finger, and he'll be graduating with a degree in economics. He'll work for a year while he prepares his applications for graduate school.

Thanks for the memories, Theodore.
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Old 11-13-2023, 05:33 PM   #372
MoonlightGraham
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Join Date: Sep 2022
2025/26 Senior Tribute

KAMARI STONE


When I recruited Kamari, I described him as an "orchestrator," the kind of guard who runs his team's offense and distributes the ball to his high-scoring teammates. He wanted to play for Lafayette very badly, and we gave him the opportunity to do so. I'm so glad we did.

Code:
#11 PG Kamari Stone - Lafayette - Senior -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Height: 6-2 Weight: 208 High School: Sterling High School Hometown: Somerdale, NJ Attributes: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Type INS JPS FTS 3PS HND PAS ORB DRB PSD PRD STL BLK QKN STR JMP STA -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Current: 27 39 78 59 69 67 9 25 24 70 57 22 97 48 63 83 2024: 27 35 68 57 68 62 8 23 21 59 50 19 96 47 62 76 2023: 25 32 60 56 60 54 7 21 19 48 43 17 96 45 62 68 2022: 24 31 56 53 55 49 7 20 18 43 40 16 95 42 61 53 2021: 22 29 52 49 49 43 7 18 16 37 36 14 94 36 58 23 Potential: D C B C B B F D D B C D Health: Good Scholarship: Yes Status: Active Roster Academics: 68 Stat Averages: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Season G GS MIN PTS ORE REB AST TO A/T STL BLK PF -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2022 35 0 7.2 2.4 0.2 0.7 0.7 0.4 1.77 0.3 0.1 0.9 2023 36 35 27.2 5.4 0.6 3.0 2.9 1.4 2.00 0.8 0.0 2.2 2024 37 37 25.3 7.9 0.6 2.8 3.8 1.3 2.88 1.1 0.1 2.2 2025 34 34 31.0 7.6 1.0 3.1 4.7 1.6 2.84 1.4 0.1 2.4 Career 142 106 22.7 5.8 0.6 2.4 3.0 1.2 2.84 0.9 0.1 1.9 Shooting Averages: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Season FGM FGA FG% FTM FTA FT% 3PM 3PA 3P% PPS +/- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2022 0.6 1.5 .412 0.9 1.1 .842 0.3 0.9 .333 1.67 0.94 2023 1.6 4.1 .384 1.6 1.8 .848 0.8 2.1 .360 1.34 7.67 2024 2.5 5.0 .489 1.6 2.2 .738 1.4 2.9 .467 1.56 9.35 2025 2.5 6.8 .371 1.5 2.1 .704 1.1 3.8 .289 1.12 10.35 Career 1.8 4.3 .413 1.4 1.8 .773 0.9 2.4 .364 1.35 7.09 Stat Totals: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Season G GS MIN PTS OREB REB AST TO STL BLK PF -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2022 35 0 252 85 7 25 23 13 9 2 30 2023 36 35 978 195 21 109 104 52 30 1 78 2024 37 37 936 291 23 105 141 49 42 4 83 2025 34 34 1055 259 33 105 159 56 47 3 82 Career 142 106 3221 830 84 344 427 170 128 10 273 Shooting Totals -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Season FGM FGA FTM FTA 3PM 3PA +/- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2022 21 51 32 38 11 33 33 2023 56 146 56 66 27 75 276 2024 91 186 59 80 50 107 346 2025 86 232 50 71 37 128 352 Career 254 615 197 255 125 343 1007 Career Highs: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Type Pts OReb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO FGM FGA FTM FTA 3PM 3PA -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Season 18 3 7 8 4 2 6 6 12 6 8 5 11 Career 20 3 7 8 4 2 6 6 12 9 10 5 11 Awards & Achievements: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Season Award -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- All Player of the Game: 8 2021 High School: Rated *** and #463 overall by the FBCB scouting service. 2024 NCAA Champion 2024 2nd Team All-Conference (Patriot League)

Quick and tenacious, Kamari was a relentless on-ball defender. He developed into the secure ball-handler I hoped he would become, with an assist/turnover ratio as good as any point guard we've had here. His stats were never dazzling, and that's probably why he was only named to an all-conference team once.

Kamari will leave Lafayette ranked second all-time in assists, 15 dimes behind Ben Miele. He owns two of the five highest single season totals in that category. He's also fifth in steals, and he'd have had to turn the ball over 47 more times to appear on the career list in that category. That was Kamari Stone, in a nutshell.

Kamari has already made arrangements to play professionally in Germany, and he thinks he might like to pursue an MBA when his playing career ends.

Thanks for the memories, Kamari.
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Old 11-13-2023, 05:52 PM   #373
MoonlightGraham
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Join Date: Sep 2022
2025/26 Senior Tribute

KENTON LASHLEY


Kenton Lashley was ranked among the top ten basketball players in the high school Class of 2021. Superbly talented and extremely intelligent, Kenton signed with North Carolina. He played very little, and he entered the transfer portal at the end of the season. Kenton could have chosen to play anywhere in the country.

He chose to play for Lafayette.

Code:
#10 SG Kenton Lashley - Lafayette - Senior -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Height: 6-2 Weight: 203 High School: Beach High School Hometown: Savannah, GA Attributes: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Type INS JPS FTS 3PS HND PAS ORB DRB PSD PRD STL BLK QKN STR JMP STA -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Current: 43 84 84 80 43 39 36 28 72 75 22 32 83 41 98 84 2024: 41 73 81 78 40 36 34 26 64 66 21 29 82 39 97 79 2023: 38 63 71 76 37 33 31 23 56 55 20 26 81 38 97 75 2022: 37 60 68 75 36 32 30 22 54 52 19 25 80 36 97 70 2021: 36 57 65 72 35 31 29 21 52 48 18 24 79 34 96 65 2020: 34 51 59 68 33 29 27 19 48 40 16 22 78 30 95 55 Potential: C A B B C C C D B B D C Health: Good Scholarship: Yes Status: Active Roster Academics: 91 Stat Averages: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Season G GS MIN PTS ORE REB AST TO A/T STL BLK PF -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2021 4 0 1.8 0.5 0.0 0.3 0.0 0.5 0.00 0.3 0.0 0.0 2023 36 35 29.9 13.6 1.1 3.5 2.5 2.6 0.98 0.8 0.1 2.9 2024 38 38 25.4 14.7 1.3 3.7 2.0 2.2 0.91 0.6 0.3 2.4 2025 37 37 31.4 21.2 1.8 4.9 2.6 3.0 0.85 0.8 0.1 2.7 Career 115 110 27.9 15.9 1.4 3.9 2.3 2.5 0.85 0.7 0.2 2.6 Shooting Averages: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Season FGM FGA FG% FTM FTA FT% 3PM 3PA 3P% PPS +/- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2021 0.3 0.3 1.000 0.0 0.0 .000 0.0 0.0 .000 2.00 -1.25 2023 4.2 10.0 .418 2.5 3.1 .795 2.8 7.4 .380 1.36 9.92 2024 4.6 11.0 .416 2.5 3.0 .826 3.0 7.4 .409 1.33 9.71 2025 6.8 13.8 .497 2.6 3.3 .810 4.8 10.1 .481 1.54 13.89 Career 5.0 11.2 .449 2.5 3.0 .810 3.4 8.0 .430 1.42 10.74 Stat Totals: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Season G GS MIN PTS OREB REB AST TO STL BLK PF -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2021 4 0 7 2 0 1 0 2 1 0 0 2023 36 35 1077 490 41 126 90 92 27 5 104 2024 38 38 967 558 50 140 75 82 21 13 90 2025 37 37 1160 783 65 183 95 112 28 2 100 Career 115 110 3211 1833 156 450 260 288 77 20 294 Shooting Totals -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Season FGM FGA FTM FTA 3PM 3PA +/- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2021 1 1 0 0 0 0 -5 2023 150 359 89 112 101 266 357 2024 174 418 95 115 115 281 369 2025 253 509 98 121 179 372 514 Career 578 1287 282 348 395 919 1235 Career Highs: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Type Pts OReb Reb Ast Stl Blk TO FGM FGA FTM FTA 3PM 3PA -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Season 35 9 14 7 4 1 7 12 23 8 11 11 18 Career 35 9 14 7 4 2 8 12 23 10 11 11 18 Awards & Achievements: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Season Award -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- All Player of the Game: 37 2020 High School: Rated ***** and #9 overall by the FBCB scouting service. 2020 High School: All-State (Georgia) 2020 High School: Mr. Basketball (Georgia) 2021 Transfered from North Carolina 2023 2nd Team All-Conference (Patriot League) 2024 NCAA Champion 2024 2nd Team All-Conference (Patriot League) 2025 1st Team All-Conference (Patriot League) 2025 Conference Player of the Year (Patriot League)

Three years later, Kenton had helped lead his team to a national championship, averaging nearly 15 points per game. He was about to graduate from Lafayette with a degree in history. Many players in Kenton's position would turn professional at that point in their careers, but Kenton made another choice.

He chose, once again, to play for Lafayette.

Kenton worked hard to improve his game, and came out of camp with an absolutely lethal jumper. He used it often and well. Kenton scored 783 points as a senior, the most a single player has scored here. His 179 three-point baskets are the second most in NCAA history. Kenton's total of 1833 points is the third highest in Lafayette history, four points more than Herbert Song, and he scored them in three seasons rather than four.

It's possible that no Lafayette player has been more respected by his teammates than Kenton was, and few have made the impact on the wider campus that Kenton has. He'd like to play professional basketball, and he has a decent shot at getting drafted to do so. If he's not, he'll try his hand as a free agent. I'm not betting against him, are you?

Kenton Lashley chose Lafayette, and we're all glad he did.

Thanks for the memories, Kenton.

Last edited by MoonlightGraham : 11-13-2023 at 05:53 PM.
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Old 11-13-2023, 06:20 PM   #374
MoonlightGraham
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Join Date: Sep 2022
April 11, 2026

Wonderful news! Kenton Lashley was chosen with the #59 pick--the penultimate pick--in the pro draft. Good luck to him as he prepares to battle for a roster spot.

How does our recruiting class stack up?


Code:
2025 Recruiting Rankings # Team Conference Best Player Rtg 5* 4* 3* 2* 1* -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 18. Lafayette Patriot League PG Herschel Middlebrooks *** 0 0 4 0 0 69. Bucknell Patriot League SG Andrew Hermes *** 0 0 3 1 0 84. American Patriot League SF James Squire *** 0 0 2 0 1 100. Colgate Patriot League C Michael Briggs *** 0 0 2 2 1 117. Holy Cross Patriot League SF David Clark *** 0 0 2 1 0 187. Army Patriot League SF Jed Skae *** 0 0 1 0 2 213. Lehigh Patriot League SF Nathaniel Linden *** 0 0 1 0 2 324. Navy Patriot League SF Aaron Jones * 0 0 0 0 2

Extremely well!

Herschel Middlebrooks was a four-star player when we recruited him. He was the #62 player in his class, and I thought that ranking always earned you four stars. Somewhere on his way to Easton, he lost a star. I'm okay with that. He's still the top gun in the most highly ranked class Graham Sims has ever signed.

James Squire and Michael Briggs are both listed in the top 200. We took good looks at both of them, and I think they'll both be very good Patriot League players.

Our prestige has climbed to 91! It's the same as Villanova's and three points lower than Pitt's. Our facilities score went up to 65, so the board kept the promise they made last year. They're promising to improve it again by next season, too.

Graham levels up again this year, too. I decide to once again distribute his points evenly. Here's how he's looking now:

Code:
COACH DETAILS Graham Sims - Head Coach - Lafayette -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Age: 47 High School: St. Stephen's & St. Agnes School Hometown: Alexandria, VA Alma Mater: Villanova Current Level: 12 Career Record: 428 - 95 Recruiting: 97 Scouting: 73 Offense: 77 Defense: 93 Coaching History: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Season Team Position W L CW CL Postseason -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2025 Lafayette Head Coach 33 4 13 1 Loss in NCAA Elite Eight 2024 Lafayette Head Coach 35 3 13 1 NCAA Champion 2023 Lafayette Head Coach 32 4 12 2 Loss in NCAA Sweet Sixteen 2022 Lafayette Head Coach 30 5 12 2 Loss in NCAA Round of 32 2021 Lafayette Head Coach 29 5 11 3 Loss in NCAA Round of 32 2020 Lafayette Head Coach 28 7 13 1 Loss in NCAA Sweet Sixteen 2019 Lafayette Head Coach 30 5 14 0 Loss in NCAA Round 1 2018 Lafayette Head Coach 34 4 13 1 Loss in NCAA Final Four 2017 Lafayette Head Coach 31 5 13 1 Loss in NCAA Sweet Sixteen 2016 Lafayette Head Coach 28 7 12 2 Loss in NCAA Round of 32 2015 Lafayette Head Coach 27 6 14 0 Loss in NCAA Round of 32 2014 Lafayette Head Coach 27 6 12 2 Loss in NCAA Round of 32 2013 Lafayette Head Coach 26 7 12 2 Loss in NIT Round 2 2012 Lafayette Head Coach 20 13 10 4 Loss in NCAA Round 1 2011 Lafayette Head Coach 18 14 7 7 Loss in CIT Round 2 Awards & Achievements: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Season Award -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2025 Conference Coach of the Year (Patriot League) 2025 Patriot League Champion 2024 National Coach of the Year 2024 NCAA Champion 2024 Patriot League Champion 2023 Patriot League Champion 2022 Conference Coach of the Year (Patriot League) 2022 Patriot League Champion 2021 Patriot League Champion 2020 Conference Coach of the Year (Patriot League) 2020 Patriot League Champion 2019 Conference Coach of the Year (Patriot League) 2019 Patriot League Champion 2018 Patriot League Champion 2017 Patriot League Champion 2016 Conference Coach of the Year (Patriot League) 2016 Patriot League Champion 2015 Patriot League Champion 2014 Conference Coach of the Year (Patriot League) 2014 Patriot League Champion 2013 Conference Coach of the Year (Patriot League) 2013 Patriot League Champion Job Movement: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Season Move -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2011 Hired by Lafayette (Head Coach)

We need to offer raises to two of Graham's assistants to keep them on board. Recruiting whiz Zane Lockhart wants a $20K/year raise, to $170,000; lead scout Chris Hogue wants $10K/year more, which will put him on $120,000. I think that's money well spent, so I agree to their requests.

I have limited conference movement turned on, and only one change occurss. We're returning to the Patriot League again. Middle Tennessee State will move from the Sun Belt to the Southern Conference, trading places with Elon. We're returning to the Patriot League again.
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Old 11-14-2023, 03:38 PM   #375
MoonlightGraham
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Join Date: Sep 2022
May 1, 2026

This email appeared in Graham Sims' inbox today:

We have been following your progress and have decided it is time to offer you the chance to return to your alma mater as the head coach. Our prestige is currently 91. Last season our team budget was $721,250. We are a member of the Big East Conference. Last season our record was 24-9. Our last recruiting class was ranked #31. Will you lead us to greatness? We expect you to:

Reach the Final Four.


*****

A year ago, Villanova hired a veteran coach named Mark Pulliam. Coach Pulliam was in his early sixties; I don't recall his exact age. Now I can't look it up, because Coach Pulliam has announced his retirement.

Villanova has offered its head coaching job to Graham again.

I considered what to do, and this time Graham will take the Villanova job.

In terms of gameplay, I'm ready for a new challenge. I was hoping the conference movement feature might kick in and move Lafayette to a bigger conference; I really wanted to see Lafayette move up to the Big East. Lafayette's program has outgrown the Patriot League. Its prestige is 91; the next highest Patriot League programs are Holy Cross at 55 and Colgate at 52. The gap between "the best" and "the rest" of the Patriot League is much, much greater than that in any other conference. It's not much fun playing the bully. I think I'll like the challenge of coaching a team that will be competitive in a power conference.

Now, what will I do with Duncan Sims? This is more of a storyline question than a gameplay question.

Duncan has been a good player at Lafayette, but he's not been a star. He developed into a valuable reserve as a sophomore, and he'll compete for a starting job as a junior. Duncan is good enough to make the Villanova roster, but he certainly wouldn't give the Wildcats a real advantage if I "traded" him for a player of relatively equal ability.

Leaving Duncan at Lafayette while Graham moves to Villanova would be a possibility, but I don't like the way that feels, plot-wise. There have been coaches whose sons played for other teams. Jim Boeheim had a son playing for him at Syracuse while another played at Cornell. Tubby Smith coached his son G.G. at Georgia and left him there when he took the job at Kentucky. There, he coached another son, Saul, against G.G.'s Georgia team in 1997/98. But, while there's historical precedent for it, I've decided I don't want Graham to coach against Duncan.

So I'm going to play Great Basketball Deity. Duncan Sims will transfer to Villanova this summer and sit out the 2026/27 season. I'll redshirt a Villanova player and turn him into Duncan. He'll complete his career playing for his dad.

To me, the Dynasty Forum is all about storytelling. That's the chapter of this story I'd like to write.

So it turns out that the profile I posted above will be a portrait of Graham Sims' career at Lafayette College. The next chapters of his story will be written at his alma mater.
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Old 11-14-2023, 03:59 PM   #376
MoonlightGraham
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May 1, 2026

Lafayette replaced Graham with Douglas Richbourg, age 44, who had coached at Bucknell since the 2018/19 season. Coach Richbourg, who has also been the head coach at Coppin State and St. Francis (PA), has a career record of 254-221.

Graham brought his coaching staff with him to Villanova, but almost immediately, his coaching assistant, Nathan Bailey, accepted the head coach's position at St. Francis (PA).

I hire Dario Ferreira to replace Coach Bailey. Coach Ferreira is 51, and he's followed a winding path to the Main Line; he was an assistant at six different schools before landing the head job at St. Francis (NY). The native of Norton Shores, Michigan posted a record of 63-65 in four seasons there.

Here's a look at the new Villanova coaching staff:

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Old 11-14-2023, 06:32 PM   #377
MoonlightGraham
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Join Date: Sep 2022
May 1, 2026

It just so happens that Villanova has a scholarship available to offer in the transfer portal. With just a touch of basketball magic, guard Duncan Sims has transferred from Lafayette to join his father.

Code:
#14 PG Duncan Sims - Villanova - Junior -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Height: 6-3 Weight: 200 High School: Wilson Area High School Hometown: Easton, PA Attributes: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Type INS JPS FTS 3PS HND PAS ORB DRB PSD PRD STL BLK QKN STR JMP STA -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Current: 40 57 90 70 53 47 12 27 20 54 28 11 68 34 61 63 2025: 53 28 23 18 16 6 43 52 21 33 12 36 34 53 58 27 Potential: C B A A B B D D D B C F Health: Good Scholarship: Yes Status: Redshirting Academics: 98

The younger Sims was a valuable member of the rotation at Lafayette last year, and he might have been the starting point guard had he chosen to return. He'll spend his redshirt year working on his game, and he'll compete for playing time in a deep and talented backcourt in 2027/28.
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Old 11-15-2023, 08:01 AM   #378
MoonlightGraham
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Join Date: Sep 2022
November 1, 2026

Our first recruiting class at Villanova will consist of two players. The graduating seniors are a big man and a guard, but at first, I thought we'd recruit two post players. We seem to have a lot of wing players on our roster.

Then I took a closer look, and I discovered we have a couple of tall players with "big man" skills who are listed at small forward. That gives us the option of recruiting a perimeter guy instead.

We had recently been able to attract a slightly higher caliber of player to Lafayette in Graham's last year or two there, but the list of players who are interested in playing for Villanova still reflects a higher standard.

This year's class features a number of very talented post players. There are two bigs we're very interested in, and both of them like us, too. Jimmy Cahoon is a 7'0" center from Levittown, PA, about 25 miles from campus. He's the #6 player in the class, and the #3 center. Jimmy has been a tremendous scorer at the high school level (37.3 PPG), but he's a relatively indifferent rebounder and defender. While it might be fun to watch Jimmy break the scoreboard, I want to infuse the Villanova program with the same DNA that made us so successful at Lafayette.

That's why I prefer Avery Sullivan. We made him our #1 recruiting priority from the start, and he becomes the first commitment of the Graham Sims era at Villanova.

Code:
#53 C Avery Sullivan -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Height: 6-10 Weight: 232 High School: Dwight Morrow High School Hometown: Englewood, NJ GPA: 2.88 Test Score: 1230 Rating: ***** Attributes: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Type INS JPS FTS 3PS HND PAS ORB DRB PSD PRD STL BLK QKN STR JMP STA -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Current: 62 33 28 14 20 20 45 62 69 32 24 56 25 82 23 26 Potential: B C D D B F C A A B C B Season Stats: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- PTS OREB REB AST TOS A/T STL BLK PFS -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 20.3 2.8 12.2 1.7 2.0 0.85 2.0 3.1 3.1 Shooting Averages: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- FGM FGA FG% FTM FTA FT% 3PM 3PA 3P% -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 8.4 14.7 .571 3.4 5.8 .586 0.1 0.5 .111 Recruiting Notes: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Qualified: Yes Committed to Villanova Rankings: #3 Overall, #2 C, East Region #2 Overall, East Region #2 C High School Awards: All-State Top 5 Schools: *Villanova, Boston College, Kentucky, Kansas

Avery is certainly no slouch offensively, but his dedication to doing the dirty work in the paint makes him special. He rebounds aggressively and takes pride in playing stalwart defense and blocking shots.

Incidentally, Avery had Lafayette on his original Top Five list. He's the first five-star talent to truly consider signing there out of high school.

Jimmy Cahoon signs with Georgetown, so we'll be watching Avery battle him for the next few years in the Big East.

There's also a highly-rated wing player from northern Virginia who's wanted to play for Villanova for years. Kelley Van Houten is a big guard who can, and will, guard one through four. He's also shown the ability to score in high school, and he might develop into a very good shooter at the next level.

Code:
#30 SG Kelley Van Houten -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Height: 6-4 Weight: 198 High School: Potomac Falls High School Hometown: Potomac Falls, VA GPA: 3.09 Test Score: 1110 Rating: *** Attributes: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Type INS JPS FTS 3PS HND PAS ORB DRB PSD PRD STL BLK QKN STR JMP STA -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Current: 35 51 53 47 22 32 8 36 43 39 18 16 88 59 65 44 Potential: C A C B D D F C A B C D Season Stats: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- PTS OREB REB AST TOS A/T STL BLK PFS -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 19.9 0.8 4.8 5.6 3.7 1.50 1.2 0.3 2.9 Shooting Averages: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- FGM FGA FG% FTM FTA FT% 3PM 3PA 3P% -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 8.6 16.8 .513 1.1 1.8 .600 1.6 4.6 .348 Recruiting Notes: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Qualified: Yes Committed to Villanova Rankings: #80 Overall, #23 SG, Southeast Region #21 Overall, Southeast Region #7 SG High School Awards: None Top 5 Schools: *Villanova, Pittsburgh

We like Kelley a lot; he's a DMV guy just like his head coach. Graham has helped a number of three-star wing players turn into future pros. Will Van Houten be the next one?

Last edited by MoonlightGraham : 01-07-2024 at 01:41 PM.
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Old 11-15-2023, 10:50 AM   #379
MoonlightGraham
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Join Date: Sep 2022
November 8, 2026

Let's meet Coach Sims' first Villanova team:

Code:
Player # Pos Yr Ht Wt Sch Acd Status Hometown -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Devin Guzman 1 PG Jr* 6-0 182 Yes 64 OK Daly City, CA Corey Hicks 3 SG Fr 6-3 199 Yes 92 OK Riverside, NJ Bradley Christmas 4 SF Sr 6-5 223 Yes 44 OK Indiana, PA Douglas Dinkins 11 SF Fr 6-7 215 Yes 48 OK Silver Spring, MD Richard Pray 13 SF So 6-3 182 Yes 70 OK Glen Burnie, MD Duncan Sims 14 PG Jr 6-3 201 Yes 98 Redshirt Easton, PA Mark Jones 20 PF Fr 6-8 207 No 36 OK Valdosta, GA Jacob Allen 21 PG So 5-10 173 Yes 33 OK Franklinville, NY Bruno Le Fleurquin 22 SF Jr 6-8 210 Yes 53 OK Kapuskasing, Canada Caleb Blaney 25 SF So 6-9 227 Yes 21 Unhappy Ramsey, NJ Charles Vancleave 30 PG Jr 6-2 188 Yes 84 OK Cap-de-la-Madeleine, Canada Jose Blanco 31 C Jr 6-9 227 Yes 54 OK Newark, NJ Tommie Johnson 35 C Sr 6-10 232 Yes 66 OK Pasadena, MD Joshua Parkin 42 C Fr 6-9 205 Yes 53 OK North East, MD Joseph Buford 54 PF Fr 6-5 234 No 53 OK Nazareth, PA

How did they do in preseason training?
Code:
#15 VILLANOVA Training Results Player Ins Jps Fts 3ps Hnd Pas Orb Drb Psd Prd Stl Blk Qkn Str Jmp Sta -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Devin Guzman 1 3 1 2 4 4 1 1 0 5 0 1 1 1 1 4 Corey Hicks 2 4 6 8 2 2 2 4 4 6 6 2 2 4 3 10 Bradley Christmas 4 5 1 9 3 5 11 7 14 4 1 7 1 2 0 0 Douglas Dinkins 4 2 4 6 2 2 2 8 4 6 8 2 1 4 1 10 Richard Pray 4 4 2 1 2 3 4 2 2 4 6 2 0 2 1 14 Duncan Sims 2 3 4 4 4 4 1 1 1 3 1 1 0 2 1 8 Mark Jones 2 2 2 0 0 0 6 4 6 2 2 4 2 6 2 10 Jacob Allen 2 11 8 11 4 2 1 2 1 9 6 3 1 1 0 8 Bruno Le Fleurquin 9 2 0 2 2 2 9 9 3 11 6 2 1 3 1 9 Caleb Blaney 2 2 3 3 2 1 1 1 2 2 3 1 1 2 1 4 Charles Vancleave 3 5 0 1 0 4 3 3 2 11 0 1 1 2 0 10 Jose Blanco 2 1 3 0 0 1 5 4 7 1 1 3 1 3 1 8 Tommie Johnson 2 1 1 1 4 1 3 6 14 3 7 9 1 3 1 8 Joshua Parkin 2 6 2 2 4 0 2 6 4 2 2 8 3 10 2 18 Joseph Buford 2 2 4 0 4 2 6 4 6 2 2 2 0 6 0 16

Two starters from Mark Pulliam's only Villanova team are safe bets to return to their roles in Graham Sims' first starting five.

Senior center Tommie Johnson averaged 11 points and almost 8 rebounds per game last season. Already a formidable post defender, Tommie worked on his game in camp and is now truly elite. His arsenal of post moves is good, and opponents have to guard him.

His classmate, Bradley Christmas, will start once again at forward. He's improved his shooting percentages each year, and Coach Sims will look to him to take another step forward this season. Bradley averaged 11.6 points last season, and he's a very good rebounder for a mid-sized wing (6.8 RPG). He can defend big men, despite his 6'5" height.

Sophomore Jacob Allen started at point guard last season. He's a fairly secure ballhandler, but he lacks a pure point's knack for distributing the ball. He'll move to shooting guard, while junior Devin Guzman takes over the responsibility for running Coach Sims' offense. Guzman, a transfer from Stanford, has played only 17 minutes in his collegiate career, but I believe his ballhandling, passing, and defensive abilities should enable him to handle the demands of Big East play. Meanwhile Allen, a very good shooter, will be free to do the things he does best. He improved his shot significantly during preseason practice.

The fifth starter will be Bruno Le Fleurquin, a 6'8" junior forward. BLF was a Top Ten recruit as a high school senior in Quebec, and he's paid his dues as a rotation player. Now he'll be one of the focal points of the team.

Freshman guard Corey Hicks will be the first man off the bench. He has exciting potential as a long-range shooter. Big man Jose Blanco and guard Charles Vancleave, both juniors, will also get significant playing time off the bench. Youngsters Richard Pray, Caleb Blaney, Joshua Parkin, and Douglas Dinkins will share the minutes that remain.

The Villanova roster contains players recruited by two other coaches, so it's a bit challenging to know exactly what kinds of players they are. There's some talent available, based on the color ratings I see on the roster. Johnson and Le Fleurquin are Blue/Blue players. Allen, Guzman, and Blanco are Green/Blue, while Christmas is double Green. Hicks and Pray are Yellow/Blue. So is Duncan Sims, who is redshirting.

Most of them were highly-regarded recruits. Christmas and Le Fleurquin were five-star high school seniors. Allen was a high four-star recruit, while Hicks, Dinkins, Pray, Blaney, and Johnson also earned four stars from the experts. Le Fleurquin is being touted as a possible first round pick in the pro draft, should he decide to leave school a year early.

Coach Sims won lots of games with players like these at Lafayette. Can he do the same in the Big East? We're about to find out.

Last edited by MoonlightGraham : 11-15-2023 at 10:51 AM.
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Old 11-15-2023, 11:28 AM   #380
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November 15, 2026
@#15 Villanova 55, William & Mary 45

We don't shoot the ball well, but our defense does a very good job of locking down the Tribe as Graham Sims enjoys a victorious Villanova debut at the Finneran Pavilion. He's greeted warmly by the crowd, who remember him fondly as a walk-on from the Class of 2001.

Tommie Johnson scores 7 points and grabs 7 rebounds, but he also blocks 5 shots and earns Player of the Game honors. Jacob Allen leads all scorers with 13 points, and Bradley Christmas ekes out a double-double (10p/10r).

We commit only 6 turnovers, but new point guard Devin Guzman has 4 of them, canceling out his 3 assists. And Bruno Le Fleurquin can't find his shooting range, going 4-for-16 from the floor.

Coach Sims catches up with Justice Daniels, whom he recruited as a high school senior. Justice scores 7 points and claims 5 rebounds tonight.
Record: 1-0.


November 18, 2026
@#12 Villanova 89, Fordham 74

Tommie Johnson demonstrates why professional scouts believe he'll hear his name called on Draft Night, filling the scoresheet beautifully (22p/8r/4a/3b). TJ gets scoring support from Bruno Le Fleurquin (18p/8r), Jacob Allen (13 points), and reserves Corey Hicks (11 points) and Jose Blanco (10 points).

Devin Guzman looks much more comfortable tonight (9p/5a/1t). We give the Rams a few too many good looks at the basket, but we score the ball enough to make up for it.
Record: 2-0.


November 22, 2026
@#12 Villanova 65, Virginia 29

It's still hard for me to get my mind around how bad Virginia is in this universe. They opened their season at Lafayette, and the Leopards routed them, 77-45, in the first game of the post-Graham Sims era.

Today, the Cavaliers make only 7 baskets (7-46) and a single three-pointer (1-12). They don't shoot foul shots well, either (14-28). We're sloppy, too, but it doesn't matter when your opponent is playing so badly.

Bruno Le Fleurquin and Jacob Allen are the only two players on the court who appear to be the least bit interested in scoring points. They finish with 19 each. Tommie Johnson retrieves more than his share of all those missed shots, amassing 12 rebounds.

Another former Lafayette recruit, Colton Laliberte, is the most accurate shooter among the 'Hoos today. Colton took two shots and made one of them.

Charles Vancleave twists his knee, and he'll miss about a week.
Record: 3-0.


November 27, 2026
@#9 Villanova 69, Loyola-Maryland 54

Bradley Christmas has his way with the Greyhounds today, scoring 14 points and pulling down a career-high 16 rebounds as we close out an undefeated month. Jacob Allen scores 10, with 4 rebounds and 2 steals. We shoot terribly from behind the arc (4-for-23), with Tommie Johnson inexplicably letting fly 6 times and making one.

Loyola's defensive game plan seems to call for their players to foul Jose Blanco every time he attempts to shoot. Jose sinks 10 of his 13 free throws, and leads all scorers with 16 points.
Record: 4-0.

Meanwhile, at Lafayette: Coach Douglas Richburg's Leopards are 3-3, including a brutal 3-game losing streak that saw them go down to California, Michigan State, and Cornell in order. Charles Allen is averaging 23.0 PPG, and Carter Todd averages a double-double (13.5 PPG/10.5 RPG).

Last edited by MoonlightGraham : 11-15-2023 at 11:32 AM.
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Old 11-15-2023, 02:00 PM   #381
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December 2, 2026
@#9 Villanova 76, Bucknell 60

We rebound from a 36-30 halftime deficit to beat the visiting Bison, but it's a Pyrrhic victory. Bradley Christmas painfully dislocates his knee, and he'll be out of action until after the holiday that shares his name.

Bruno Le Fleurquin (21p/8r) leads the way for us, with quality assistance from Devin Guzman (13p/5a/2t), Jacob Allen (13p/4r) and Jose Blanco (12p/9r). Blanco will join the starting five in Christmas' absence.
Record: 5-0.


December 4, 2026
#9 Villanova 74, @Colgate 49

Welcome to the starting lineup, Jose Blanco!

The big man from Weequahic High scores 22 points and snares 10 boards in his first collegiate start. Bruno Le Fleurquin adds 18 more, and Jacob Allen contributes 10. Tommie Johnson (7p/9r) helps Blanco lock down the interior for us.
Record: 6-0.


December 10, 2026
@#12 Villanova 72, Radford 46

We drop three spots in the polls, probably as a result of our mediocre 115 RPI. Then we take out our frustration on the Highlanders.

Jose Blanco and BLF evenly divide 34 points between themselves. Jacob Allen and Devin Guzman similarly split 8 assists. Blanco and Tommie Johnson pull down 8 rebounds each.
Record: 7-0.


December 12, 2026
@#12 Villanova 73, Northwestern 64

We finally face another opponent from another Level 5 conference, and we defeat them in a scrappy, hard-fought contest.

The double-double styling of Tommie Johnson (15p/10r) and the timely scoring of BLF (17p/7r) are keys to our victory. Jose Blanco (10p/8r) and Jacob Allen (10p/4r) also play well.
Record: 8-0.


December 18, 2026
#10 Villanova 83, @Evansville 48

A pleasantly balanced team effort pays off with a big road win.

Four Wildcats score in double figures: Bruno Le Fleurquin (17 points), Jose Blanco (16 points, 10-12 from the line), Jacob Allen (11 points) and Tommie Johnson (10p/12r). Devin Guzman mans the controls with a steady hand (8p/4a/0t).
Record: 9-0.


December 19, 2020
@#10 Villanova 74, Butler 60

The scheduling algorithm doesn't see a problem with having a team play in Indiana one night and returning home to play another school from Indiana the next night. Apparently the players and coaches in this universe are immune to fatigue, because Coach Sims and the Wildcats appear none the worse for wear in a nice victory over the Bulldogs.

It's going to be difficult to tell Jose Blanco he's no longer a starter once Bradley Christmas heals. He leads a trio of Wildcats with double-doubles, combining 19 points with 10 rebounds. BLF (13p/14r/4a) and Tommie Johnson (12p/12r) complete our domination of the frontcourt. Blanco and Johnson block two shots each. Devin Guzman supplies the scorers with 6 assists.
Record: 10-0.


December 22, 2026
@#9 Villanova 78, American 66

Jacob Allen drops a season-high 20 on the Eagles in the Wildcats' last game of 2026. Bruno Le Fleurquin scores a dozen before leaving the game with an injury, and Jose Blanco is good for 10 more. BLM and Jose nab 7 rebounds each.

We shoot very well: 57 percent from the field; 54 percent (7-13) from three; 79 percent from the line.

Bruno's painfully twisted knee will need about a week to heal. Fortunately, we won't play again until January 6, and by then both he and Bradley Christmas should be back to full strength.
Record: 11-0.


Meanwhile, at Lafayette: On November 28, St. Joseph's breaks the Leopards' seemingly endless winning streak at the Kirby Center. The angry Leopards don't lose again until December 30, when Brown beats them by a single point. Now 9-5, Lafayette has returned to the Mid Major poll, at #10.

Charles Allen (20.9 PPG/7.9 RPG) continues to make his claim for Patriot League Player of the Year. Carter Todd (12.9 PPG/10.9 RPG) and Bret Bryant are also playing well. So is freshman Tod Quiroz (10.2 PPG/3.5 APG).
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Old 11-15-2023, 02:27 PM   #382
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January 6, 2027

Code:
2026 Big East Conference Standings TEAM CW CL Pct W L Pct RPI Prestige ---------------------------------------------------------------- #4 Georgetown 0 0 .000 13 0 1.000 7 96 #14 Rutgers 0 0 .000 12 0 1.000 6 81 #5 West Virginia 0 0 .000 12 0 1.000 27 87 #9 Syracuse 0 0 .000 11 0 1.000 38 73 #10 Villanova 0 0 .000 11 0 1.000 56 91 #23 Pittsburgh 0 0 .000 11 2 .846 129 94 Marquette 0 0 .000 9 2 .818 308 65 Cincinnati 0 0 .000 8 3 .727 32 66 Providence 0 0 .000 8 4 .667 153 76 Louisville 0 0 .000 7 5 .583 115 78 Connecticut 0 0 .000 6 6 .500 21 63 Seton Hall 0 0 .000 6 6 .500 98 57 St. John's 0 0 .000 6 6 .500 103 67 Notre Dame 0 0 .000 5 6 .455 68 91 DePaul 0 0 .000 4 8 .333 133 61 South Florida 0 0 .000 4 7 .364 282 65

Five undefeated teams. Six ranked teams. The Big East is loaded this year. The 18-game conference slate will provide Coach Sims with a challenge that surpasses any he's encountered before.

And, for nostalgia's sake, here's how the Patriot League looks on the eve of conference play:

Code:
2026 Patriot League Standings TEAM CW CL Pct W L Pct RPI Prestige ---------------------------------------------------------- Holy Cross 0 0 .000 11 5 .688 31 55 Lafayette 0 0 .000 10 5 .667 126 91 Army 0 0 .000 10 6 .625 184 43 American 0 0 .000 7 7 .500 118 43 Bucknell 0 0 .000 5 8 .385 70 52 Navy 0 0 .000 4 8 .333 243 37 Lehigh 0 0 .000 3 11 .214 346 46 Colgate 0 0 .000 2 11 .154 275 54
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Old 11-15-2023, 03:36 PM   #383
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January 6, 2027
#10 Villanova 88, @Connecticut 69

Point guard Devin Guzman achieves career highs in points (19) and assists (6) to spark the Wildcats to victory in Coach Sims' Big East debut.

Bradley Christmas returns to action as the sixth man tonight, scoring 13 points in 21 minutes, and Tommie Johnson notches another double-double (14p/10r). Richard Pray also ends up in double figures, scoring 10 off the bench--equaling the combined output of Jose Blanco and Bruno Le Fleurquin.
Record: 12-0 (1-0).


January 9, 2027
@#14 Rutgers 87, #10 Villanova 67

Jacob Allen's 24 points aren't enough to overcome a balanced and effective performance from the Scarlet Knights. BLF scores 14, and Bradley Christmas adds 8 with 10 rebounds.

We make only 9 of our 31 three-point attempts, but we'd have needed more than that to turn this one into a victory.
Record: 12-1 (1-1).


January 13, 2027
#11 Villanova 64, @Cincinnati 53

A much better defensive effort, plus 20 points from Bruno Le Fleurquin, returns us to the winning side of the ledger.

Bradley Christmas scores only 2 points in his return to the starting lineup, but he finds other ways to help: 6 rebounds, 6 assists. Tommie Johnson outplays Cincy's big men (11p/9r/4b). Devin Guzman adds 10 points.
Record: 13-1 (2-1).


January 16, 2027
#11 Villanova 67, @Louisville 55

Bruno Le Fleurquin steps up with 18 points and 5 rebounds as the Wildcats hand Louisville their first conference loss.

Jacob Allen (12), Jose Blanco (12), and Devin Guzman (11) join BLF in double digits, and we make 53 percent of our shots while limiting the Cardinals to 36 percent.
Record: 14-1 (3-1).


January 20, 2027
@#8 Villanova 66, DePaul 53

Starting guards Devin Guzman (16) and Jacob Allen (14) combine for 30 points, and we keep the Blue Demons from getting their offense going before a big crowd at the Finneran Pavilion.

DePaul makes only 15 of 46 shots, while we're particularly accurate from long distance (8-for-17). Allen and Guzman both shoot 3-for-6. Tommie Johnson scores 11 points, while BLF finishes with 11 rebounds.
Record: 15-1 (4-1).


January 22, 2027
@#8 Villanova 84, Seton Hall 66
The Wells Fargo Center falls silent late in the second half when Tommie Johnson falls heavily to the court, hitting his head on the floor. The senior center is strapped to a backboard, but he regains consciousness and moves his extremities as he's carried to an ambulance. Johnson is diagnosed with a severe concussion, and our medical staff believe he'll be out of action for at least six weeks. He could possibly return for the Big East tournament.

Johnson had been playing a wonderful game, scoring 21 points and grabbing 9 rebounds. Jose Blanco, who will replace him in the lineup, adds 19 more, and BLF posts 14 points and 10 rebounds. Devin Guzman hands out a career-high 9 assists, and Jacob Allen scores 13 points.

The victory feels good, but losing TJ feels worse.
Record: 16-1 (5-1).


January 27, 2027
#6 Villanova 75, @Notre Dame 69

Bradley Christmas stuffs the scoresheet (15p/7r/5a) and Jose Blanco plays big (19p/9r) as we come from behind to beat the Fighting Irish at the Joyce Center.

Bruno Le Fleurquin (10p/10r) and Devin Guzman (12 points) also distinguish themselves.

With our victory, we move into a tie with Georgetown for the Big East lead. Louisville also has a 6-1 conference record, but we beat the Cardinals earlier this month.
Record: 17-1 (6-1).


January 30, 2027
#14 West Virginia 70, @#6 Villanova 59

Full credit to the Mountaineers for playing the best defense we've seen all year. We commit 14 turnovers and shoot 19-for-62.

Jose Blanco leads the Wildcats with 15 points, and Devin Guzman scores 11 with 6 assists. Bruno Le Fleurquin collects 11 rebounds, but he also shoots 1-10. Bradley Christmas has 10 rebounds and 8 points.
Record: 17-2 (6-2).

As the month closes, let's look at the standings.

Code:
2026 Big East Conference Standings TEAM CW CL Pct W L Pct RPI Prestige ----------------------------------------------------------------- #2 Georgetown 7 1 .875 20 1 .952 12 96 Louisville 7 1 .875 14 6 .700 30 78 #12 Rutgers 6 2 .750 18 2 .900 3 81 #10 Villanova 6 2 .750 17 2 .895 33 91 Notre Dame 5 3 .625 10 9 .526 21 91 #11 West Virginia 5 3 .625 17 3 .850 26 87 Providence 5 3 .625 13 7 .650 74 76 Marquette 5 3 .625 14 5 .737 120 65 Pittsburgh 4 4 .500 15 6 .714 104 94 Syracuse 3 5 .375 14 5 .737 41 73 Connecticut 3 5 .375 9 11 .450 22 63 Seton Hall 2 6 .250 8 12 .400 172 57 DePaul 2 6 .250 6 14 .300 80 61 South Florida 2 6 .250 6 13 .316 93 65 Cincinnati 1 7 .125 9 10 .474 79 66 St. John's 1 7 .125 7 13 .350 126 67

And, over in the Patriot League, the beat goes on for the Leopards:

Code:
2026 Patriot League Standings TEAM CW CL Pct W L Pct RPI Prestige -------------------------------------------------------------- #24 Lafayette 7 0 1.000 18 5 .783 66 91 Holy Cross 5 2 .714 16 7 .696 46 55 American 4 3 .571 11 10 .524 141 43 Navy 4 3 .571 9 11 .450 203 37 Colgate 4 3 .571 6 14 .300 276 54 Lehigh 3 4 .429 7 15 .318 324 46 Bucknell 1 6 .143 7 14 .333 168 52 Army 0 7 .000 10 13 .435 256 43
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Old 11-17-2023, 11:13 AM   #384
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February 3, 2027
@#10 Villanova 72, Cincinnati 66

Our post players feast on the Bobcats, both big men posting double-doubles tonight.

Jose Blanco (10p/11r/2b) and Bradley Christmas (12p/11r/6a) give Cincinnati's post players fits, despite giving up quite a bit of size. Christmas, in particular, is undersized for his role at 6'5" and 225 pounds or so.

They're two of five double figure scorers for us, joined by Bruno Le Fleurquin (11p), Jacob Allen (12p/5r/3a) and reserve Richard Pray (13 points in 15 minutes).
Record: 18-2 (7-2).


February 6, 2027
South Florida 67, @#10 Villanova 65

Bobby Judd's basket with 11 seconds remaining gives the Bulls, who are now 3-6 in Big East play, a big road win at the Wells Fargo Center. The winning points are two of 24 scored, off the bench, by their dynamic freshman guard.

We play sloppy basketball, committing 19 turnovers, and allow South Florida to get back into the game after we lead by 11 points with 15 minutes remaining.

Jacob Allen leads us in scoring with 15 points. Bradley Christmas adds 11 with 9 rebounds, Devin Guzman hands out 6 assists, and BLF pulls in 11 rebounds.
Record: 18-3 (7-3).


February 10, 2027
@#19 Villanova 82, Providence 72

We return to our winning ways, pulling away from the Friars in the second half at Finneran Pavilion.

Jose Blanco (20p/7r) and BLF (19p/6r/4a) are the biggest stars, and Devin Guzman adds 13 points and 4 helpers.

We're tied with Rutgers for third place in the league. In a battle for the top spot, Georgetown goes to Louisville and thrashes the Cardinals, 89-61.
Record: 19-3 (8-3).


February 13, 2027
#19 Villanova 70, @Syracuse 65

I admit it; it's actually fun to go into a conference game--especially a road game--and realize we'll have to play our best to win. Of course, it helps that we have a real chance to make that happen, like we did today at Syracuse.

Jacob Allen nets 21 to lead all scorers. Bradley Christmas (15p/6r) and Bruno Le Fleurquin (11p/7r) provide quality assistance.

We're especially accurate from three-point distance (9-for-17), and that makes the difference today.
Record: 20-3 (9-3).


February 17, 2027
#15 Villanova 87, @Marquette 79

The Golden Eagles are in the middle of the Big East pack, hoping to earn a spot in the NCAA tournament field. A win against us would have helped, but we do enough to earn another away victory.

Marquette simply has no answer for Jose Blanco, who rips them for a career-high 28 points and 11 rebounds. Bruno Le Fleurquin is also dominant, with 21 points and 12 boards. Jacob Allen (15 points) and Devin Guzman (6 assists) also play well.

Again, I'm not thrilled with our 19 turnovers, but especially good shooting (50% from the floor and from three-point range) bails us out.
Record: 21-3 (10-3).


February 20, 2027
@#15 Villanova 72, Connecticut 58

We win another marquee matchup at the Wells Fargo Center, overcoming a miserable night of shooting threes (2-for-18) with indomitable post play from Jose Blanco and BLF.

Jose scores 27 points, giving him 55 in two games. Bruno scores 20, and pulls down 17 rebounds, a career high.
Record: 22-3 (11-3).

Code:
2026 Big East Conference Standings TEAM CW CL Pct W L Pct RPI Prestige ----------------------------------------------------------------- #2 Georgetown 12 2 .857 25 2 .926 8 96 Louisville 12 2 .857 19 7 .731 17 78 #7 Rutgers 11 3 .786 23 3 .885 6 81 #15 Villanova 11 3 .786 22 3 .880 28 91 #17 West Virginia 8 6 .571 20 6 .769 29 87 Notre Dame 8 6 .571 13 12 .520 34 91 Marquette 7 7 .500 16 9 .640 114 65 Pittsburgh 7 7 .500 18 9 .667 61 94 Syracuse 6 8 .429 17 8 .680 44 73 Connecticut 6 8 .429 12 14 .462 43 63 South Florida 5 9 .357 9 16 .360 78 65 Providence 5 9 .357 13 13 .500 116 76 St. John's 4 10 .286 10 16 .385 103 67 DePaul 4 10 .286 8 18 .308 95 61 Seton Hall 3 11 .214 9 17 .346 137 57 Cincinnati 3 11 .214 11 14 .440 83 66

Look at this battle for the Big East title! Isn't this fun? We'll host Georgetown and Rutgers before the season ends, so our championship destiny is in our own hands.

I'll break here, rather than at the end of the month, because it feels right to end this chapter on a more dramatic note.
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Old 11-17-2023, 11:33 AM   #385
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I just noticed a very cool coincidence!

The coaches who are trading the #1 and #2 places at the top of the career wins leaderboard are both graduates of Villanova University.

Let's take a look at the illustrious career of Douglas Gillum, Villanova '84, before he hangs up his whistle and I can't retrieve his coaching page.

Code:
COACH DETAILS Douglas Gillum - Head Coach - Kansas -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Age: 64 High School: Crawfordsville Senior High School Hometown: Crawfordsville, IN Alma Mater: Villanova Current Level: 13 Career Record: 450 - 97 Recruiting: 78 Scouting: 100 Offense: 100 Defense: 82 Coaching History: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Season Team Position W L CW CL Postseason -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2025 Kansas Head Coach 32 3 15 1 Loss in NCAA Round of 32 2024 Kansas Head Coach 30 6 12 4 Loss in NCAA Round of 32 2023 Kansas Head Coach 34 6 12 4 NCAA Champion 2022 Kansas Head Coach 29 7 13 3 Loss in NCAA Sweet Sixteen 2021 Kansas Head Coach 21 11 12 4 Loss in NCAA Round 1 2020 Kansas Head Coach 37 2 15 1 Loss in NCAA Championship Game 2019 Kansas Head Coach 26 7 12 4 Loss in NCAA Round 1 2018 Kansas Head Coach 25 8 12 4 Loss in NCAA Round of 32 2017 Kansas Head Coach 26 7 12 4 Loss in NCAA Round 1 2016 Kansas Head Coach 31 5 13 3 Loss in NCAA Final Four 2015 Kansas Head Coach 28 6 13 3 Loss in NCAA Round of 32 2014 Kansas Head Coach 27 8 12 4 Loss in NCAA Round of 32 2013 Mississippi State Head Coach 30 5 14 2 Loss in NCAA Round of 32 2012 Mississippi State Head Coach 31 3 14 2 Loss in NCAA Round of 32 2011 Mississippi State Head Coach 22 9 9 7 Loss in NCAA Round 1 Awards & Achievements: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Season Award -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2025 Conference Coach of the Year (Big 12 Conference) 2025 Big 12 Conference Champion 2024 Big 12 Conference Champion 2023 NCAA Champion 2022 Big 12 Conference Champion 2021 Big 12 Conference Champion 2020 Conference Coach of the Year (Big 12 Conference) 2020 Big 12 Conference Champion 2019 Big 12 Conference Champion 2017 Big 12 Conference Champion 2016 Conference Coach of the Year (Big 12 Conference) 2016 Big 12 Conference Champion 2014 Big 12 Conference Champion 2013 Conference Coach of the Year (Southeastern Conference) 2013 Southeastern Conference Champion 2012 Conference Coach of the Year (Southeastern Conference) 2012 National Coach of the Year 2012 Southeastern Conference Champion Job Movement: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Season Move -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2014 Hired by Kansas (Head Coach) 2014 Quit job with Mississippi State to pursue a higher position 2011 Hired by Mississippi State (Head Coach)

Coach Gillum's ability to scout his opponents is unmatched. He's also widely known as an offensive guru, a master of shot selection whose teams regularly average 80 points per game and make almost half their shots.

His record of 11 conference championships ranks second among all NCAA coaches, behind Graham Sims' 13. To be fair, Coach Gillum's titles have all been won in two of the best conferences in the country: the SEC and the Big 12.
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Old 11-17-2023, 02:40 PM   #386
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While I was looking around at the different stats/numbers the game generates, I became curious about how Villanova's facilities and budget stack up to the rest of the Big East.

Code:
TEAM FAC BUDGET STAFF RECRUITING Cincinnati 79 $543,875 $350,325 $193,550 Connecticut 100 $547,219 $242,963 $242,963 DePaul 68 $539,906 $275,270 $264,636 Georgetown 100 $765,000 $479,555 $285,445 Louisville 85 $602,062 $400,131 $201,931 Marquette 67 $568,750 $221,554 $347,206 Notre Dame 74 $703,219 $459,712 $243,507 Pittsburgh 100 $747,500 $498,333 $249,167 Providence 57 $594,750 $396,500 $198,250 Rutgers 54 $633,750 $406,492 $227,258 Seton Hall 53 $538,750 $359,167 $179,583 South Florida 77 $568,750 $375,080 $193,670 St. John's 85 $561,844 $244,913 $316,931 Syracuse 93 $613,719 $326,971 $286,749 Villanova 94 $721,250 $445,000 $276,250 West Virginia 95 $686,250 $369,059 $317,191

We have the third largest budget in the conference, behind Georgetown and Pitt, just ahead of Notre Dame. Those four schools also spend more than we do on staff salaries.

Our facilities rank fifth, behind the perfect scores achieved by UConn, Georgetown, and Pitt, and just a notch behind West Virginia.

Who's the highest-paid assistant coach in the Big East?

Pitt is paying two of their assistants salaries in the $200,000/year range. Both of them rate out at a perfect 100 in their specialties.

The Panthers' lead scout, Carl Drummond, earns $197,763/year. Coach Drummond spent six years as an assistant at North Carolina before he was hired for the head job at Grambling State. He was fired in 2022 after four years, and Pitt hired him for his current position in 2025.

Recruiting coordinator John Abney earns even more, pulling in $203,450/year. Coach Abney was the lead recruiter for 4 years at Kentucky, and after the Wildcats fired him in 2026 he was out of work until the Panthers hired him in 2022.

Zane Lockhart is our highest-paid assistant, earning $170,000/year for his work as Graham Sims' recruiting specialist.

Last edited by MoonlightGraham : 11-17-2023 at 02:41 PM.
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Old 11-21-2023, 12:08 PM   #387
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February 24, 2027
#11 Villanova 71, @Pittsburgh 67


The Wildcats come from behind to earn a big road win. We take the lead for the final time on an electrifying dunk by Bruno Le Fleurquin with 56 seconds remaining.

Bradley Christmas posts a double-double (12p/13r), and Devin Guzman leads the 'Cats with 14 points. BLF finishes with 8 points and 11 boards.

Graham Sims evens his lifetime record against his talented contemporary from Pitt, Blaine Boyd: 2 wins, 2 losses.
Record: 23-3 (12-3).


February 27, 2027
#3 Georgetown 76, @#11 Villanova 63

Charles Muller, a junior forward who averages 21 PPG, hits for 24 against us and leads the powerful Hoyas to a victory that puts them one step closer to a Big East title.

Bradley Christmas leads us with 16 points and 7 assists, and BLF adds 14. Jose Blanco pulls down 11 rebounds and Devin Guzman scores 10 points.

Georgetown and Louisville are both 14-2 in conference play, while we and Rutgers are two games back at 12-4.
Record: 23-4 (12-4).


March 3, 2027
@#11 Villanova 56, #10 Rutgers 55

This one deserves a full box score.

Code:
Villanova 56, Rutgers 55 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Rutgers (24-5, 12-5): Player Pos Min Fgm-a Ftm-a Off Reb Ast PF Pts Ernest Stackhouse C 30 6-11 1-4 2 3 0 3 13 Phil McAfee PF 33 1-3 3-7 1 13 1 3 5 David Wright SF 29 2-9 9-11 3 6 1 3 13 Sanford White SG 23 6-10 0-0 1 5 3 2 14 Charles Hintz PG 33 1-4 0-1 0 3 6 2 2 Gordon Martineau SG 16 0-1 0-0 0 3 0 1 0 Rufus Solomon SF 15 0-7 0-0 1 1 0 0 0 Tony Angeles SG 3 0-3 0-0 0 0 0 0 0 Chris Cutler PF 13 3-4 0-0 1 3 0 3 6 Noe Svoboda PF 1 0-0 0-0 0 1 1 0 0 Odis Kenner PG 3 1-1 0-0 1 1 0 1 2 Turnovers: 16 (E.Stackhouse 1, P.McAfee 7, D.Wright 4, C.Hintz 2, R.Solomon 2) Blocked Shots: 5 (E.Stackhouse 2, P.McAfee 1, C.Hintz 1, C.Cutler 1) Steals: 6 (P.McAfee 2, D.Wright 1, S.White 1, C.Hintz 1, R.Solomon 1) 3P FGs: 2-14 (P.McAfee 0-1, S.White 2-6, C.Hintz 0-3, G.Martineau 0-1, T.Angeles 0-2, C.Cutler 0-1) Villanova (24-4, 13-4): Player Pos Min Fgm-a Ftm-a Off Reb Ast PF Pts Jose Blanco C 25 3-5 3-3 2 8 0 4 9 Bradley Christmas PF 35 2-8 2-4 2 6 1 3 7 B. Le Fleurquin PF 33 3-13 2-5 3 13 3 3 8 Jacob Allen SG 27 3-7 6-6 0 2 3 3 15 Devin Guzman PG 26 2-4 0-0 2 4 1 4 5 Corey Hicks SG 17 1-6 0-0 0 1 1 1 3 Richard Pray SF 12 4-6 0-0 0 2 1 0 8 Joshua Parkin C 16 0-3 0-0 0 2 0 1 0 Charles Vancleave PG 8 0-1 1-2 0 1 0 0 1 Tommie Johnson C 1 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 0 0 Turnovers: 16 (J.Blanco 3, B.Christmas 2, B.Le Fleurquin 2, J.Allen 2, D.Guzman 3, R.Pray 1, J.Parkin 2, C.Vancleave 1) Blocked Shots: 2 (B.Le Fleurquin 1, J.Parkin 1) Steals: 4 (J.Blanco 1, J.Allen 1, R.Pray 2) 3P FGs: 6-21 (B.Christmas 1-6, J.Allen 3-5, D.Guzman 1-3, C.Hicks 1-5, R.Pray 0-1, C.Vancleave 0-1) Player of Game: SG Jacob Allen (VLNV)

It wasn't the classic the scoreline might indicate. Both teams squander chances to either (1) put the game away or (2) seal a come-from-behind victory.

For example, after we commit a shot clock violation, Jose Blanco fouls Phil McAfee on a shot that would never have gone in, and McAfee makes both free throws to tie the score at 55.

Bradley Christmas celebrates his Senior Day by sinking a game-winning free throw with five seconds left. Since this is that kind of game, Bradley misses one first, turning up the pressure to epic levels.

Unfortunately, Tommie Johnson can't fully enjoy his last appearance at Finneran Pavilion. He dresses for the game and makes a one-minute cameo, simply so the crowd can applaud him twice more.
Record: 24-4 (13-4).


March 6, 2027
#11 Villanova 61, @ St. John's 48

We finish the regular season with a victory over a lack-luster St. John's team, with four players scoring in double figures.

Jose Blanco (14p/15r) is the biggest star, but Bruno Le Fleurquin (12p/11r) isn't far behind him. Jacob Allen (game-high 15p) and Bradley Christmas (10p/7r/4b) round out the balanced attack. Devin Guzman keeps the scorers happy with 6 assists.
Record: 25-4 (14-4).


Meanwhile, at Lafayette: The team Coach Sims assembled is still dominating the Patriot League. The Leopards finish the season 13-1 in the conference, winning it by four full games. They're 25-6 overall, ranked #20 in the latest poll.
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Old 11-21-2023, 03:34 PM   #388
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March 11, 2027
Big East Tournament Quarterfinal

(2) #10 Villanova 63, (7) Syracuse 62
We earn a bye to the quarterfinal, where we face a Syracuse team that is a very, very good seven seed and escape by a single point...thanks to an unexpected hero.

Sophomore wing Richard Pray is in the game at crunch time because Bruno Le Fleurquin has already fouled out. We trail, 62-61 as the clock ticks down. Pray takes a pass from Jacob Allen and drives the left baseline. He misses the shot, but he's fouled, and with two tenths of a second remaining, Richard drains both free throws to punch our ticket to the conference semifinal.

Allen leads us with 15 points, while Bradley Christmas notches his fifth double-double of the season (13p/10r). Jose Blanco pulls down 11 rebounds, and Devin Guzman hands out 5 assists.

It's a sloppy game, with both teams shooting in the vicinity of 40 percent, and we do enough to win...thanks to a player who sees the court for only four minutes.
Record: 26-4.


March 12, 2027
Big East Tournament Semifinal
(2) #10 Villanova 64, (3) Louisville 49

We suffocate the Cardinals on defense, holding them to 22 points in the first half, and comfortably advance to the tournament final.

Six Wildcats score between 8 and 13 points. BLF (13p/10r) would have been a good PoG shout, but Jose Blanco (13p/9r/2b) edges him out. I'm proud of our 10-for-19 marksmanship from behind the three-point arc.

We'll have a rematch with Georgetown in the championship game, as the Hoyas rout Notre Dame, 88-54, in the other semifinal.
Record: 27-4.


March 13, 2027
Big East Tournament Final
(1) #3 Georgetown 80, (2) #10 Villanova 77


This one hurts.

Code:
Georgetown 80, Villanova 77 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Villanova (27-5, 14-4): Player Pos Min Fgm-a Ftm-a Off Reb Ast PF Pts Jose Blanco C 41 0-7 2-2 2 10 2 1 2 Bradley Christmas PF 37 6-13 0-0 3 12 1 3 14 B. Le Fleurquin SF 18 3-3 1-3 1 2 1 4 7 Jacob Allen SG 31 5-11 2-2 1 2 3 3 16 Devin Guzman PG 37 4-6 0-0 1 1 4 1 12 Corey Hicks SG 16 2-3 1-2 0 0 2 3 6 Richard Pray SF 17 2-6 0-0 0 2 0 2 4 Tommie Johnson C 16 5-6 2-2 1 4 1 1 13 Joshua Parkin C 5 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 1 0 Charles Vancleave PG 5 1-2 0-0 0 0 0 1 3 Caleb Blaney PF 1 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 0 0 Turnovers: 19 (J.Blanco 1, B.Christmas 3, J.Allen 3, D.Guzman 1, C.Hicks 1, R.Pray 4, T.Johnson 3, C.Vancleave 3) Blocked Shots: 4 (B.Christmas 1, R.Pray 1, T.Johnson 1, J.Parkin 1) Steals: 4 (J.Allen 1, D.Guzman 1, C.Hicks 1, R.Pray 1) 3P FGs: 13-22 (B.Christmas 2-4, J.Allen 4-7, D.Guzman 4-4, C.Hicks 1-2, R.Pray 0-2, T.Johnson 1-1, C.Vancleave 1-2) Georgetown (31-3, 15-3): Player Pos Min Fgm-a Ftm-a Off Reb Ast PF Pts Dwayne Ecker C 39 2-6 0-0 2 7 0 2 4 Herschel Findlay PF 32 2-2 2-2 2 12 3 3 6 Charles Muller SF 41 15-28 5-7 1 3 3 1 40 Louis Dicarlo SG 38 7-16 1-2 3 6 4 2 19 Manual Fort PG 38 1-5 2-2 2 4 7 4 4 William Bogard SG 9 1-1 0-0 1 2 0 0 2 Neal Deason PG 5 0-3 0-0 0 0 0 0 0 Terrence Jones PF 13 0-0 0-0 1 1 0 1 0 Jeffrey Thai PF 6 1-2 2-2 1 1 1 1 4 Peter Henry SG 3 0-1 1-2 0 0 0 0 1 Turnovers: 13 (D.Ecker 1, H.Findlay 4, C.Muller 2, L.Dicarlo 2, M.Fort 2, T.Jones 1, P.Henry 1) Blocked Shots: 8 (D.Ecker 5, H.Findlay 1, M.Fort 1, T.Jones 1) Steals: 5 (C.Muller 1, L.Dicarlo 2, M.Fort 2) 3P FGs: 9-23 (C.Muller 5-10, L.Dicarlo 4-11, M.Fort 0-1, N.Deason 0-1) Player of Game: SF Charles Muller (GTOWN)

We're ahead, 69-63, with 1:50 remaining when Bruno Le Fleurquin steps to the line to shoot one-and-one. I feel very good about our chances at this point. But BLF bricks the first free throw, and the Hoyas have a lease on life.

They take it. Charles Muller, who has already scored 34 points tonight, ends up making a contested three to tie the score at 70 and send the game to overtime. The Hoyas then do what excellent teams do, taking control of the game and lifting the tournament trophy.

Muller finishes with 40 points, the most a player has ever scored against a Graham Sims-coached team. This is the 100th loss of Graham's career, against 455 victories.
Record: 27-5.

Meanwhile, at Lafayette: The #19 Leopards roll through the Patriot League tournament, winning three games by an aggregate score of 263-188. Charles Allen scores 38 points in the championship game, an 86-57 dismantling of Bucknell. They take a 27-6 record into the NCAA tourney.

Last edited by MoonlightGraham : 11-21-2023 at 03:35 PM.
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Old 11-28-2023, 04:37 PM   #389
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March 14, 2027
NCAA tournament bids go out today, and we're given the 3 seed in the East Region. Eight Big East teams--half the conference--are invited to the Big Dance. None of the remaining eight teams are invited to the NIT.

Lafayette is the 10 seed in our region. If both of them keep winning, Graham's present team will face his former team in the Sweet Sixteen.


March 19, 2027
NCAA East Region
(3) #6 Villanova 86, (14) Central Connecticut State 72

The Blue Devils enter the game with a 22-11 record, and it's clear from the opening tip that they know how to play basketball. Forward Charles Sitton and reserve guard Richard Rodriguez spur CCSU to a 47-40 halftime lead.

We reel off a 15-2 run to open the second half and take control from there, but it never seems as easy as the final score might indicate.

Tommie Johnson isn't ready to take his Villanova jersey off for the last time. He leads all scorers with 20 points. Bruno Le Fleurquin (19 points) Jacob Allen (17), Bradley Christmas (16), and reserve Jose Blanco (10) join TJ in double figures. Johnson and Blanco each have 9 rebounds, and Devin Guzman hands out 6 assists.

Lafayette beats Nevada, 80-66. Charles Allen (24p/10r) is superb, but Carter Todd gets hurt very early in the game and might not be ready to face Tennessee in two days.
Record: 28-5.


March 21, 2027
NCAA East Region, Second Round
(3) #6 Villanova 61, (6) #21 Wake Forest 55

The Demon Deacons have played solid defense all season long. They do so again today, limiting us to 36.7% shooting and 4-for-14 from three-point range. We rely on our own defensive intensity to squeeze out a win and advance to the Sweet Sixteen.

Bruno Le Fleurquin is the one Wildcat they can't seem to stop; he continues his strong play with 19 points and 10 rebounds. Tommie Johnson records a double-double too--13 points, 10 rebounds--and he adds 7 blocked shots. Jose Blanco nearly joins him: 9 points, 11 rebounds.

Everyone in Lafayette's locker room knows what a victory over a powerful Tennessee team could mean, and they defeat the #4 ranked Vols, 75-67. Once again, the star is Charles Allen, who pours in 30 points.

So it will be Villanova vs. Lafayette, meeting in the Sweet Sixteen.
Record: 29-5.

Last edited by MoonlightGraham : 11-28-2023 at 08:18 PM.
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Old 11-28-2023, 09:05 PM   #390
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March 25, 2027
NCAA East Region Semifinal...the Sweet Sixteen
(3) #6 Villanova 93, (10) #19 Lafayette 74

The NCAA Tournament committee might not have set the brackets to create a possible Villanova-Lafayette matchup, but I'm sure they aren't disappointed when events play out this way.

Every player who appears in tonight's game has been coached by or recruited by Graham Sims. A number of them won an NCAA championship with him. Some pundits wondered if Coach Sims would wear his championship ring for tonight's game. His reply was very simple: "I never wear it on the court."

Bruno Le Fleurquin's jumper from the left wing gives Villanova a 49-46 lead at the end of a wide-open first half. After intermission, both coaches make adjustments. Douglas Richbourg and Graham Sims have faced each other a dozen times or so; remember, Coach Richbourg came to Lafayette from Bucknell.

The game remains close well into the second half. Charles Allen hits a jumper to bring Lafayette within four points, 73-69, with seven minutes left, and then both defenses trade stops for nearly two minutes before Tommie Johnson rebounds a Corey Hicks miss and dunks it. Johnson's basket, along with an epidemic of foul trouble in the Lafayette backcourt, opened the floodgates, and Coach Sims and the Wildcats rode the wave to victory.

Code:
Villanova 93, Lafayette 74 --------------------------------------------------------- Villanova (30-5, 14-4): Player Pos Min Fgm-a Ftm-a Off Reb Ast PF Pts Tommie Johnson C 34 4-8 0-0 4 10 2 2 8 Bradley Christmas PF 33 4-8 5-6 0 7 2 3 16 B. Le Fleurquin SF 33 7-14 4-6 5 10 2 1 18 Jacob Allen SG 26 7-10 2-3 0 0 4 4 20 Devin Guzman PG 32 2-8 5-6 3 4 4 3 10 Jose Blanco PF 23 3-10 3-3 0 3 2 3 9 Corey Hicks SG 9 2-3 0-0 1 3 1 2 6 Richard Pray SF 4 1-1 2-2 0 0 1 2 4 Joshua Parkin C 2 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 0 0 Charles Vancleave PG 4 0-0 2-2 0 0 1 0 2 Turnovers: 16 (T.Johnson 4, B.Christmas 1, B.Le Fleurquin 3, J.Allen 3, D.Guzman 3, C.Hicks 1, C.Vancleave 1) Blocked Shots: 3 (T.Johnson 1, B.Le Fleurquin 1, J.Blanco 1) Steals: 10 (T.Johnson 3, B.Le Fleurquin 3, J.Allen 1, J.Blanco 1, R.Pray 1, C.Vancleave 1) 3P FGs: 10-21 (B.Christmas 3-7, J.Allen 4-7, D.Guzman 1-4, C.Hicks 2-3) Lafayette (29-7, 13-1): Player Pos Min Fgm-a Ftm-a Off Reb Ast PF Pts Bret Bryant C 30 2-5 3-4 1 10 6 0 8 Carl McGriff PF 33 3-7 1-4 4 7 2 2 7 Charles Allen SF 34 8-16 2-4 2 6 2 3 24 Tod Quiroz SG 15 3-6 0-0 0 1 2 4 9 Paul Clough PG 11 0-2 0-0 0 0 0 5 0 H. Middlebrooks SG 22 2-2 3-4 1 3 3 4 9 Porter Prado C 25 4-7 0-0 0 2 2 1 9 Caleb Hamilton PG 15 1-5 2-2 0 0 1 1 5 Finn Mills C 3 0-0 1-2 0 0 0 1 1 Henry Virgil SG 11 0-2 2-2 0 2 0 1 2 Turnovers: 23 (B.Bryant 1, C.McGriff 2, C.Allen 4, T.Quiroz 1, P.Clough 2, H.Middlebrooks 6, P.Prado 5, C.Hamilton 1, H.Virgil 1) Blocked Shots: 1 (H.Middlebrooks 1) Steals: 7 (C.Allen 1, T.Quiroz 4, H.Middlebrooks 1, H.Virgil 1) 3P FGs: 14-32 (B.Bryant 1-2, C.McGriff 0-1, C.Allen 6-12, T.Quiroz 3-5, P.Clough 0-1, H.Middlebrooks 2-2, P.Prado 1-3, C.Hamilton 1-4, H.Virgil 0-2) Player of Game: SF Bruno Le Fleurquin (VLNV)

We move on to the East Region Final, and we'll have to manage without BLF. After the game, he's diagnosed with a broken foot. Bruno has played himself into the first round of almost everybody's mock draft. Has he played his final game in a Villanova uniform?
Record: 30-5.
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Old 11-29-2023, 08:31 AM   #391
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March 27, 2027
NCAA East Region Final...the Elite Eight
(3) #6 Villanova 69, (4) #10 Kansas 64

The three winningest coaches in our universe are all assigned to the NCAA tournament's East Region this year.

Mervin Heron's North Carolina team are seeded first, but they go out at the hands of Syracuse--once again, a very dangerous tournament team carrying a high seed. The Orange then meet Douglas Gillum's Kansas Jayhawks, who beat them, 80-66, in the Sweet Sixteen.

Coach Gillum enters the game with a career record of 457-100. Coach Sims' record at tipoff is 458-100. And, remember...both coaches are Villanova alums.

We lead by 11 at the half, and by 15 with five minutes left...but a 16-4 run by the Jayhawks makes it a three-point game with eight seconds left. Devin Guzman's free throws make the score 69-64, and Brian Rex's last shot is no good.

Jose Blanco, who returns to the starting five in Bruno Le Fleurquin's absence, is the star, scoring 25 points and grabbing 12 rebounds. Tommie Johnson (11p/10r) notches a double-double too, Guzman scores 10 points, and Jacob Allen hands out 6 assists.

The Villanova board challenged Coach Sims to take the Wildcats to the Final Four this season. That's exactly what he's done!
Record: 31-5.

Last edited by MoonlightGraham : 11-29-2023 at 08:33 AM.
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Old 11-29-2023, 08:49 AM   #392
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April 3, 2027
NCAA Semifinal...the Final Four
#6 Villanova 75, #11 Illinois 62

We move one step closer to Coach Sims' second national championship with a victory over Illinois that features far fewer dramatic moments than either of our previous two wins.

Villanova maintains a double-digit lead for 32 of the game's 40 minutes. We make just under half our shots, while holding the Fighting Illini to 36 percent shooting. Once again, two of our players achieve double-doubles: Jose Blanco (20p/11r) and Bradley Christmas (15p/15r), who adds 4 assists and 2 blocked shots to earn PoG honors. Jacob Allen scores 14.

Georgetown and Stanford meet in the other national semifinal. Somehow Georgetown is assigned to the West Region while Stanford represents the South. The Hoyas prevail, 84-68, so it will be an all-Big East national final. We'll face a Georgetown team that has beaten us twice already, the last time in the Big East tournament championship game.
Record: 32-5.
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Old 11-29-2023, 09:35 AM   #393
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April 5, 2027
NCAA National Championship Game


Code:
Georgetown 71, Villanova 63 --------------------------------------------------------- Villanova (32-6, 14-4): Player Pos Min Fgm-a Ftm-a Off Reb Ast PF Pts Tommie Johnson C 35 8-12 1-1 3 7 0 2 18 Jose Blanco PF 36 2-10 2-3 6 13 3 5 6 Bradley Christmas SF 35 4-7 1-3 3 8 0 2 12 Jacob Allen SG 28 5-13 0-0 1 4 2 3 14 Devin Guzman PG 28 1-6 6-8 0 4 5 3 8 Corey Hicks SG 17 1-6 0-0 1 2 1 1 2 Richard Pray SF 9 0-1 0-0 1 1 3 1 0 Joshua Parkin C 5 1-1 0-0 0 0 0 0 3 Charles Vancleave PG 5 0-1 0-0 0 1 0 0 0 Caleb Blaney PF 1 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 0 0 Turnovers: 20 (T.Johnson 2, J.Blanco 3, B.Christmas 5, J.Allen 5, D.Guzman 1, C.Hicks 1, R.Pray 2, J.Parkin 1) Blocked Shots: 5 (T.Johnson 5) Steals: 1 (J.Allen 1) 3P FGs: 9-28 (T.Johnson 1-2, B.Christmas 3-6, J.Allen 4-9, D.Guzman 0-4, C.Hicks 0-4, R.Pray 0-1, J.Parkin 1-1, C.Vancleave 0-1) Georgetown (37-3, 15-3): Player Pos Min Fgm-a Ftm-a Off Reb Ast PF Pts Dwayne Ecker C 33 3-5 0-0 3 7 1 2 6 Herschel Findlay PF 28 1-3 2-2 2 6 2 4 4 Charles Muller SF 35 9-25 6-6 2 7 0 3 25 Louis DiCarlo SG 31 4-10 4-4 0 5 1 2 13 Manual Fort PG 33 2-9 9-10 3 5 1 4 13 William Bogard SG 13 3-3 0-0 1 2 2 1 7 Neal Deason PG 7 1-2 0-0 0 1 3 1 2 Terrence Jones PF 12 0-3 1-2 2 5 0 0 1 Jeffrey Thai PF 6 0-1 0-0 1 1 0 2 0 Richard Callihan C 1 0-1 0-0 0 0 0 0 0 Turnovers: 8 (C.Muller 5, M.Fort 1, W.Bogard 1, T.Jones 1) Blocked Shots: 8 (D.Ecker 4, H.Findlay 1, T.Jones 3) Steals: 6 (L.DiCarlo 3, W.Bogard 1, N.Deason 1, T.Jones 1) 3P FGs: 3-17 (C.Muller 1-5, L.DiCarlo 1-7, M.Fort 0-3, W.Bogard 1-1, T.Jones 0-1) Player of Game: PG Louis DiCarlo (GTOWN)

An exceptionally good Georgetown team defeats us in a game worthy of a national championship. Until we begin to foul in the closing minutes to try to get the ball, it's never more than a four-point game.

Hoyas coach Wallace Hastings has the services of three A-level stars: high-scoring wing Charles Muller; huge (7'3") center Dwayne Ecker; all-purpose lead guard Louis DiCarlo. All three play well, but none of them is insanely good tonight. Muller, who gashed us for 40 in the Big East final, scores 25, and we feel like we defend him fairly well (he shoots 9-for-25 and commits 5 turnovers). Ecker is outplayed by our Tommie Johnson, but he still manages to block 4 shots. DiCarlo is named the Player of the Game, on the strength of a 13-point, 5-rebound, 3-steal game.

The Hoyas are probably the best defensive team in the nation. They force 20 turnovers and commit only 8 themselves. They attempt 24 free throws and make 22 of them. Do those things, and you'll almost certainly win.

For us, Tommie Johnson and Bradley Christmas acquit themselves well in their final collegiate games, with the exception of Christmas's 5 turnovers. In fact, none of our guys play that badly. Georgetown is simply a very good team, and a deserving national champion.
Record: 32-6.
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Old 11-29-2023, 09:46 AM   #394
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April 5, 2027

The Big East yearly awards don't feature any Villanova players. There are 16 teams in the conference--twice as many as there are in the Patriot League--and some of these teams are very good.

Code:
2026 BIG EAST AWARDS -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Player of the Year: SO PG Thomas Abbott Marquette 11.9 PPG, 4.9 RPG, 8.0 APG 1.0 SPG, 0.2 BPG Freshman of the Year: FR SG Lonnie Almaraz Marquette 10.0 PPG, 4.4 RPG, 2.1 APG 0.8 SPG, 0.1 BPG Coach of the Year: Joseph Owens Louisville 25 - 11 (14 - 4) All-league 1st Team: C SR Larry Avent West Virginia 12.4 PPG, 6.5 RPG, 1.4 APG, 0.5 SPG, 3.5 BPG PF JR Clarence Silva Syracuse 16.0 PPG, 7.2 RPG, 1.6 APG, 0.5 SPG, 1.0 BPG SF JR Jamal Jeter Notre Dame 22.5 PPG, 6.6 RPG, 1.9 APG, 0.4 SPG, 0.8 BPG SG SR Waldo Cole Notre Dame 10.9 PPG, 2.8 RPG, 7.6 APG, 1.4 SPG, 0.2 BPG PG SO Thomas Abbott Marquette 11.9 PPG, 4.9 RPG, 8.0 APG, 1.0 SPG, 0.2 BPG All-league 2nd Team: C JR Don Jones West Virginia 6.8 PPG, 8.9 RPG, 1.0 APG, 0.6 SPG, 3.3 BPG PF JR Jerry Garay Providence 14.1 PPG, 6.9 RPG, 1.9 APG, 0.3 SPG, 0.4 BPG SF SR David Wright Rutgers 16.5 PPG, 6.2 RPG, 1.5 APG, 1.0 SPG, 0.4 BPG SG JR Andrew Cornejo Pittsburgh 16.7 PPG, 6.4 RPG, 4.6 APG, 1.0 SPG, 0.5 BPG PG SR Charles Hintz Rutgers 9.0 PPG, 4.3 RPG, 8.5 APG, 1.2 SPG, 0.1 BPG All-freshman Team: C FR Frederick Frizzell Cincinnati 5.0 PPG, 4.3 RPG, 0.9 APG, 0.4 SPG, 0.2 BPG PF FR Timothy Colson Notre Dame 3.8 PPG, 3.6 RPG, 0.8 APG, 0.3 SPG, 0.1 BPG SF FR Kenneth Teets Connecticut 6.2 PPG, 2.8 RPG, 0.9 APG, 0.4 SPG, 0.8 BPG SG FR Lonnie Almaraz Marquette 10.0 PPG, 4.4 RPG, 2.1 APG, 0.8 SPG, 0.1 BPG PG FR Chris Harris Notre Dame 8.8 PPG, 2.5 RPG, 3.0 APG, 0.6 SPG, 0.2 BPG

Lafayette's Charles Allen is the Patriot League Player of the Year, and a first team All-Patriot League selection. He is joined in the first team by Carter Todd and Bret Bryant. Graham's successor, Douglas Richburg, is the conference's Coach of the Year.

So, while I'm at it, I'll take a look at the national awards, too...
Code:
2026 OVERALL AWARDS -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Player of the Year: JR PF William Anglin North Carolina 21.4 PPG, 8.8 RPG, 2.5 APG 0.5 SPG, 2.7 BPG Freshman of the Year: FR SG John Ferland East Tennessee State 13.3 PPG, 7.4 RPG, 3.1 APG 1.4 SPG, 0.3 BPG Coach of the Year: Lincoln Cohen UTEP 30 - 6 (14 - 2) All-league 1st Team: C JR Jose Macpherson Memphis 13.6 PPG, 11.4 RPG, 1.7 APG, 0.9 SPG, 0.8 BPG PF JR William Anglin North Carolina 21.4 PPG, 8.8 RPG, 2.5 APG, 0.5 SPG, 2.7 BPG SF SR Charles Allen Lafayette 21.7 PPG, 7.9 RPG, 2.5 APG, 1.4 SPG, 0.3 BPG SG JR Richard Manzo Miami 27.8 PPG, 6.5 RPG, 2.3 APG, 1.5 SPG, 0.3 BPG PG SR Sheldon Robinson Memphis 12.5 PPG, 4.0 RPG, 7.6 APG, 2.5 SPG, 0.1 BPG All-league 2nd Team: C SR Daniel Cummings Portland 20.3 PPG, 10.1 RPG, 1.7 APG, 0.6 SPG, 0.6 BPG PF SR Johnie Smith Georgia 22.5 PPG, 6.9 RPG, 1.6 APG, 0.4 SPG, 2.8 BPG SF SR Jere Falcon George Washington 23.4 PPG, 5.3 RPG, 2.2 APG, 1.7 SPG, 0.3 BPG SG SR Phil Wallace Utah 23.7 PPG, 3.7 RPG, 2.1 APG, 1.7 SPG, 0.2 BPG PG SR Scotty Peterson Utah 9.7 PPG, 4.8 RPG, 9.3 APG, 1.9 SPG, 0.2 BPG All-league 3rd Team: C SR Carter Todd Lafayette 12.4 PPG, 9.9 RPG, 1.6 APG, 0.5 SPG, 1.3 BPG PF SR Allen Schmidt Arizona 17.2 PPG, 7.7 RPG, 1.4 APG, 0.4 SPG, 3.9 BPG SF JR Jamal Jeter Notre Dame 22.5 PPG, 6.6 RPG, 1.9 APG, 0.4 SPG, 0.8 BPG SG SO Thomas Gervais Florida 21.8 PPG, 3.7 RPG, 2.6 APG, 2.7 SPG, 0.1 BPG PG SO Thomas Abbott Marquette 11.9 PPG, 4.9 RPG, 8.0 APG, 1.0 SPG, 0.2 BPG All-freshman Team: C FR Rico Alonso Oklahoma State 10.1 PPG, 6.6 RPG, 1.3 APG, 0.9 SPG, 0.4 BPG PF FR Brian Cazares Kansas 8.1 PPG, 6.5 RPG, 1.1 APG, 0.9 SPG, 2.1 BPG SF FR Cary Bullen Stanford 9.9 PPG, 5.1 RPG, 1.6 APG, 0.8 SPG, 0.4 BPG SG FR John Ferland East Tennessee State 13.3 PPG, 7.4 RPG, 3.1 APG, 1.4 SPG, 0.3 BPG PG FR Gregory Kuntz Valparaiso 8.2 PPG, 3.0 RPG, 3.5 APG, 1.1 SPG, 0.1 BPG

Massive congratulations to Charles Allen and Carter Todd, the first All-Americans to play for Lafayette. Coach Sims can rightfully claim part of the credit for their achievement.

Last edited by MoonlightGraham : 11-29-2023 at 09:49 AM.
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Old 11-29-2023, 10:13 AM   #395
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April 5, 2027

Code:
#6 VILLANOVA TEAM INFO Current Performance -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Team Prestige: 91 Record Vs 1-50: 11-5 Poll Rank: #6 Season Record: 32-6 Record Vs 51-100: 4-0 RPI Rank: #6 Conference Record: 14-4 Record Vs 101-200: 13-1 Home Record: 15-3 Record Vs 200+: 4-0 Team Stats CR NR Opp. Stats CR NR Margin CR NR -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Points 71.7 10 107 Points 62.0 2 18 Points 9.7 5 22 O.Reb 11.9 5 57 O.Reb 9.7 5 77 O.Reb 2.3 5 39 D.Reb 26.0 8 105 D.Reb 23.2 3 52 D.Reb 2.8 5 24 Rebounds 37.9 6 66 Rebounds 32.9 2 50 Rebounds 5.1 2 16 Assists 15.4 11 59 Assists 13.7 3 230 Assists 1.7 9 66 Steals 4.7 15 280 Steals 5.6 8 148 Steals -0.9 13 247 Blocks 4.1 7 73 Blocks 4.8 15 343 Blocks -0.7 11 227 Turnovers 13.7 10 160 Turnovers 15.2 6 58 Turnovers -1.5 6 74 Fouls 16.7 2 12 Fouls 18.7 9 257 Fouls -2.0 2 53 FG% .446 11 85 FG% .400 3 19 FG% .047 4 20 FT% .680 9 156 FT% .704 13 317 FT% -.024 11 263 3P% .389 4 23 3P% .337 3 140 3P% .052 4 20 PPS 1.27 7 110 PPS 1.13 4 22 PPS .143 4 22 Adj. FG% .512 9 79 Adj. FG% .462 4 32 Adj. FG% .050 4 25

I inherited a very good team at Villanova. This year's roster contained a core of players who can play the kind of basketball Graham Sims wants them to play. That's one reason why I made the move to Villanova when I did. As I fill the program with my own recruits, I'll try to craft a team with the same DNA as the one I built at Lafayette.

Look at the difficulty of Villanova's schedule. We played 16 games against teams ranked in the top 50. An 11-5 record against teams that good is a significant accomplishment. Georgetown went 15-2 (!!) against the best competition, and Louisville (9-8) was the only other Big East team to play more than .500 ball against Top 50 opponents.

In contrast, Lafayette played only five games against the Top 50, and went 2-3. The Leopards went 13-3 against teams ranked from 101-200, and 12-1 against the bottom-dwellers. We only played four teams from the bottom tier all year long.
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Old 11-29-2023, 12:06 PM   #396
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Join Date: Sep 2022
April 7, 2027

Code:
#6 VILLANOVA Averages Player Pos GP GS Min Pts Orb Reb Ast Stl Blk To Fls +/- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Bruno Le Fleurquin SF 35 35 31.4 13.5 2.4 8.2 1.9 0.8 0.5 1.9 2.7 9.4 Bradley Christmas PF 33 30 30.7 9.1 2.5 7.5 2.5 0.4 0.7 2.0 2.6 7.0 Devin Guzman PG 38 38 30.4 8.0 1.1 2.9 4.4 0.5 0.1 1.9 2.6 9.4 Tommie Johnson C 27 23 29.4 10.1 3.3 7.5 1.5 0.6 2.1 1.6 1.8 13.2 Jose Blanco PF 38 26 28.9 12.3 2.4 7.6 1.4 0.3 0.7 2.1 2.3 7.3 Jacob Allen SG 38 38 26.0 12.3 0.3 2.2 2.1 1.1 0.1 2.0 2.3 8.1 Corey Hicks SG 38 0 15.7 4.5 0.5 2.2 1.1 0.6 0.1 1.0 1.3 2.1 Richard Pray SF 38 0 9.3 3.7 0.6 1.4 0.8 0.6 0.2 0.8 1.0 0.7 Joshua Parkin C 31 0 6.8 1.2 0.2 1.3 0.3 0.0 0.4 0.4 0.7 0.0 Charles Vancleave PG 37 0 5.3 1.6 0.1 0.7 0.4 0.1 0.0 0.6 0.4 -0.1 Caleb Blaney PF 28 0 3.8 0.9 0.1 0.5 0.1 0.0 0.0 0.5 0.3 -1.8 Douglas Dinkins SF 7 0 1.4 0.3 0.0 0.6 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.1 -0.4 Mark Jones PF 1 0 1.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 1.0 0.0 0.0 2.0

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#6 VILLANOVA Totals Player Pos GP GS Min Pts Orb Reb Ast Stl Blk To Fls +/- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Bruno Le Fleurquin SF 35 35 1098 474 85 286 67 28 16 67 93 330 Bradley Christmas PF 33 30 1013 301 83 248 84 13 23 67 86 231 Devin Guzman PG 38 38 1155 305 41 112 166 20 5 72 98 359 Tommie Johnson C 27 23 793 273 88 203 40 16 58 42 48 357 Jose Blanco PF 38 26 1097 467 90 288 52 13 26 80 86 277 Jacob Allen SG 38 38 987 469 13 84 79 40 5 76 88 308 Corey Hicks SG 38 0 597 170 19 83 42 21 3 37 51 79 Richard Pray SF 38 0 354 140 22 53 29 21 6 32 39 27 Joshua Parkin C 31 0 210 38 7 41 8 0 13 13 23 -1 Charles Vancleave PG 37 0 197 60 3 25 16 4 1 22 13 -2 Caleb Blaney PF 28 0 107 25 3 14 4 1 0 14 7 -49 Douglas Dinkins SF 7 0 10 2 0 4 0 0 0 0 1 -3 Mark Jones PF 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 2

Code:
#6 VILLANOVA Shooting Player Pos Fgm Fga Fg% Ftm Fta Ft% 3pm 3pa 3p% PPS ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Bruno Le Fleurquin SF 190 425 .447 94 162 .580 0 3 .000 1.12 Bradley Christmas PF 102 229 .445 38 50 .760 59 140 .421 1.31 Devin Guzman PG 99 246 .402 56 81 .691 51 147 .347 1.24 Tommie Johnson C 98 207 .473 62 82 .756 15 45 .333 1.32 Jose Blanco PF 156 343 .455 155 222 .698 0 1 .000 1.36 Jacob Allen SG 153 329 .465 56 82 .683 107 240 .446 1.43 Corey Hicks SG 58 148 .392 20 34 .588 34 100 .340 1.15 Richard Pray SF 57 120 .475 22 29 .759 4 16 .250 1.17 Joshua Parkin C 16 36 .444 5 7 .714 1 1 1.000 1.06 Charles Vancleave PG 18 41 .439 15 20 .750 9 27 .333 1.46 Caleb Blaney PF 8 15 .533 8 13 .615 1 2 .500 1.67 Douglas Dinkins SF 0 0 .000 2 2 1.000 0 0 .000 2.00 Mark Jones PF 0 0 .000 0 0 .000 0 0 .000 0.00

"Balanced" is the first word that comes to mind when I look at these stats. Six players averaged at least 8.0 PPG, and none averaged more than 13.5. Three Wildcats averaged between 7.5 and 8.2 RPG. This kind of statistical distribution doesn't earn players postseason honors, but it took us to the national championship game.

Other things that jump off the page at me:
  • Jose Blanco shot a lot of free throws.
  • Jacob Allen improved his shooting greatly over the year, and he should probably shoot more threes.
  • Devin Guzman and Corey Hicks need to work on their jumpers, or stop shooting so much.
  • We're going to miss the all-around play of graduating seniors Bradley Christmas and Tommie Johnson. I won't write full Senior Tributes for them, since I only coached them for a single year, but I want to acknowledge how important their contributions were to this year's successes.
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Old 11-29-2023, 12:17 PM   #397
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April 10, 2027

We wait until Draft Day for an announcement from Bruno Le Fleurquin. Will he be returning to school for his senior season, or will he try his luck in the pro draft?

When the news arrives, it's good news for us. BLF decides to remain a Wildcat. Did his broken foot affect his decision?

Bradley Christmas goes undrafted, but he's planning to try his luck as a free agent. Tommie Johnson hears his name called in Round Two; he is the 47th player chosen.

Jamal Jeter, whom we briefly recruited at Lafayette before he signed with Notre Dame, is the #3 pick. Charles Muller, our friendly nemesis from Georgetown, goes at #5.

Lafayette's Carter Todd is the first pick in Round Two (#31). I'm surprised that Charles Allen is undrafted. I wonder how often that happens to a first team All-American?
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Old 11-29-2023, 12:38 PM   #398
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April 10, 2027

Code:
2026 Recruiting Rankings # Team Conference Best Player Rtg 5* 4* 3* 2* 1* ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1. West Virginia Big East C Chris Evan ***** 3 2 1 0 0 4. Georgetown Big East C Jimmy Cahoon ***** 1 3 0 0 0 6. Pittsburgh Big East SG Lamar Gibson **** 0 4 0 0 0 19. Villanova Big East C Avery Sullivan ***** 1 0 1 0 0 20. Rutgers Big East PG Daniel Mattos **** 0 3 0 0 0 26. Marquette Big East SF Ellsworth Williams ***** 1 0 1 1 0 29. St. John's Big East PF David Landry **** 0 1 2 0 0 36. Syracuse Big East PG Samuel Robison ***** 1 0 3 0 0 37. Louisville Big East SG Charles Godwin **** 0 1 3 0 0 53. DePaul Big East PG Chris Rhodes **** 0 1 1 0 0 54. Notre Dame Big East PG Nathaniel Pettus ***** 1 0 0 0 0 55. Cincinnati Big East PF Hal Parsons **** 0 1 2 0 0 65. Providence Big East PG Antonio Glasser **** 0 1 1 0 0 89. Seton Hall Big East C Berry Warren **** 0 1 0 0 0 196. South Florida Big East SF Devin Aldrich *** 0 0 1 0 0 202. Connecticut Big East PG Victor Davis *** 0 0 2 0 0

Here's the good news: We have the #19 recruiting class in the nation.
Here's the bad news: We have the #4 recruiting class in the Big East.

West Virginia's class is fronted by Chris Evan, the #1 recruit in the nation, but he's far from the only star in their top-ranked group. Two other incoming Mountaineers, big man Booker Brent and muscular wing Charles Dennis, are five-star recruits, and all three are the reigning Mr. Basketball in their state. Veteran coach Joseph Strickland is working recruiting magic in Morgantown.

Center Jimmy Cahoon is Georgetown's prize recruit. He was high on Villanova as a high school senior, and we basically chose Avery Sullivan instead. I wonder if we've made the correct choice?

Pitt doesn't have a five-star player in their class, but their haul of four four-star guys is led by super-athletic guard Lamar Gibson.

Avery Sullivan, the #3 player in the Class of 2027, arrives on campus as a Green player with Blue potential. He's almost exactly as good as our scouting reports said. Our other new recruit, high three-star guard Kelley Van Houten, is an Orange/Green guy. Once again, we scouted him fairly accurately.

Marquette's Ellsworth Williams, the #12 player in the nation, Notre Dame's Nathaniel Pettus (#14), and Syracuse's Samuel Williams (#23), are the other five-star recruits who will join Big East teams this coming season.

Lafayette recruited the #25 class in the nation, led by two four-star players: PG Garth Hartsfield and PF Jack Herold.

Last edited by MoonlightGraham : 11-29-2023 at 01:03 PM.
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Old 11-29-2023, 02:38 PM   #399
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May 1, 2027

Zane Lockhart's name had started to come up when people discussed assistant coaches who might be ready to head their own programs. I try to keep Zane on the Main Line by giving him a raise, but he accepts the head coaching job at Eastern Kentucky.

Coach Lockhart is the seventh of Graham's former assistants to hold head coaching positions. Six of them still have top jobs.

Code:
COACH CURRENT TEAM CAREER RECORD Donn McClinton Massachusetts 53-98 Thomas Liang Siena 50-72 Gregg Woods Albany 43-54 Chris Kiger Brown 26-35 Nathan Bailey St. Francis-PA 23-8 Zane Lockhart Eastern Kentucky new hire Steven Manion Hawaii* 62-89 *currently a Recruiting Coordinator

None of them have managed to replicate their mentor's success over time. The jury is still out on Coach Bailey, who had a fine first season at St. Francis. Best of luck, Coach Lockhart. History suggests you might need it.

Now I need to find a new Recruiting Coordinator. The Villanova board suggests I keep our staff budget below $504,000, which gives us over $200,000 to spend.

There are a number of very attractive coaches on the market, including some who have been head coaches at top-tier programs. I make offers to seven or eight of these coaches, and I end up landing the one I wanted most.

Mississippi State has been one of the most successful programs in my universe. The Bulldogs won the NCAA championship in 2018 and 2020, and have made it to the Final Four three other times. They've been coached by legends like Douglas Gillum (2010-2014) and James Berube (2014-2023). Coach Berube's successor, Galen Rock, retired a few weeks ago. The new Bulldogs head man brought in his own staff, which means coaches like Edward Volkman are looking for work. I give Coach Volkman $205,000 reasons to come to Villanova, and he accepts the job.

Coach Volkman is 33 years old, and he's already a Level 10 coach with maxed out Recruiting and Scouting skill. For those reasons, he's probably not destined to stay with Coach Sims for long; he's a future head coach in the making. But, for now, he'll be able to hone his craft beside the career wins leader in this dynasty. (That does feel good to write.)

In other coaching news: Vanderbilt's Stephen Rubalcaba decides it's time to hang up his whistle. The Commodores can shop on High Street for their new coach, and they hire Daniel Chouinard away from Illinois. Coach Chouinard, 53, arrives in Nashville with a 436-125 career record and one national championship on his resume.
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Old 11-29-2023, 02:56 PM   #400
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May 1, 2027

We learn that SF Douglas Dinkins has decided to transfer from our program. I feel a little bad for Douglas. A very solid, four-star player who ranked in the top 100 nationwide, he was recruited to Villanova by my predecessor. I had a hard time finding playing time for him; he's good, but he wasn't better than Bradley Christmas or Bruno Le Fleurquin, and his lack of interest in playing defense (D potential) makes him a less-than-perfect fit for our style. I'll play a guy like that, but only if he can score the ball like Joe Lien or Byron Shores. Douglas ends up signing with Michigan, and I wish him well in the Big Ten.

When I look at the list of players who are entering the portal, I don't see anyone who has much interest in playing for us. I spot the distinctive name of Herschel Middlebrooks, whom Coach Sims signed for Lafayette before he took the Villanova job. I offer Herschel a chance to play for Graham, but he turns it down and will instead play against us for West Virginia.

We don't end up signing any transfers, so I'll have an additional scholarship to offer a Class of '28 recruit.
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