The Accidental Career of Guy West (CH2k8)

[waytofailself]

Re: The Accidental Career of Guy West (CH2k8)

42 points!!!!

Your frontcourt was dominant!

Congratulations on your first Title and that is a hell of a class you are hauling in!

I know what you mean about wanting to move up to a power conference, though. Now that I'm at a power conference, I do have some desire to move back down and "start over", so to speak, but I just don't know. Things started to get old at Princeton as I raped and pillaged every team I faced, for the most part. Same at USF. Though I always had good competition in the NCAAs, when 14+ games of your schedule are a predetermined conclusion, it gets harder and harder to have motivation to play.

Of course, the Colonial is quite a bit better than the Ivy League, though.

Thanks for the compliments. a) probably my favorite part of that NC game was not just the 42 points, but the number of players who had at least 4 or 5 assists. I've become a much better passer since switching to MOP. b) Strangely, the only teams I have ever won championships with in 2k games are mid-majors. This was the first time not via a "sim" dynasty (the other two were my first year at Wichata State in 2k8 and with Buffalo in 2k5). It's really big for me to win by playing though -- usually I don't stick with sports games this long.

As to your last point: I was seriously thinking of bailing if I had a chance. But no positions opening is VERY weird, so the choice was made for me. And I'd probably put the CAA on par with the WCC. One or two good teams who can put up a fight, a few other players that make it interesting, and the rest is a big walk.

[doncoryell]

Re: The Accidental Career of Guy West (CH2k8)

Congrats on the championship and going undefeated!

Now you are only 51 games away from the NCAA record winning streak!

[HarkTheSound]

Re: The Accidental Career of Guy West (CH2k8)

Glad to hear you liked the sliders I recommended. When exactly did you start using them? That's really impressive that you went undefeated even if it was just 20 or so game with those sliders. They can be pretty challenging!

[waytofailself]

Re: The Accidental Career of Guy West (CH2k8)

Congrats on the championship and going undefeated!

Now you are only 51 games away from the NCAA record winning streak!

Oy that makes my head spin. Oh UCLA. Thanks for the grats though!

Glad to hear you liked the sliders I recommended. When exactly did you start using them? That's really impressive that you went undefeated even if it was just 20 or so game with those sliders. They can be pretty challenging!

They are tough! But like I said before, I enjoy them because it allows me to vary the way I play more. The sliders I was using pretty much cut out the fast break entirely -- which I used to use a lot at Norfolk State. Three pointers were also a lot harder to hit on the old sliders, and team unity did not have much of an impact. So the switch seemed to help me a bit in the NCAAs. On the other hand, I can't just wholesale attack the basket or leave the CPU to help guard the perimiter. It kept me on my toes.

Look forward to seeing how I do with a full season of them. So far I have yet to need to tweak them, which is nice.

[waytofailself]

Re: The Accidental Career of Guy West (CH2k8)

2015-2016 Season Preview

Can they do it again?

It's never enough to just sit and celebrate in Philadelphia. The question was on everyone's mind almost as soon as Guy West got on the ladder to cut down the net. Drexel returns all but three players from last year's squad, but two of the players were starters and key contributors. Objectively speaking, the Dragons improved in the 1 and 2 spots. Perry McCarthy was a good floor leader but had problems with consistency. Joshua Peyton was a huge locker room presence who played fantastic defense, but lost his shooting touch at the end of last year.

But losing two Senior starters means Drexel will have to integrate new parts fast. Coach West could turn to his bench, but summer and fall practices have shown that some of West's recruits can play and play early. West has shown no fear of starting Freshmen, but one reason the Dragons were able to make such a huge run last year was due to their experience.

The Dragons definitely have more talent. The question is whether they can do it again.

Drexel Dragons 2015-2016 Roster (87 OVR)
#	NAME	POS	HT	WT	CLASS	HOMETOWN
11	Femi Ramsey (86)	C	6'10"	267	SR	Newark, NJ
50	Duncan Sow (79)	C	6'11"	255	JR	Detroit, MI
3	Kentrell Dean (78)	PG	5'11"	173	FR	Oshkosh, WI
2	Woody Morandais (78)	SG	6'6"	175	SO	Scranton, PA
20	Dez Braxton (77)	SG	6'4"	202	FR (RS)	Salinas, CA
25	Shannon Legans (77)	PG	5'10"	162	FR	Detroit, MI
43	Tracy Cottrill (75)	PF	7'0"	273	JR	Philadelphia, PA
13	Duncan Richard (74)	SF	6'7"	216	SR	Bethlehem, PA
21	Dallas Marsh (73)	SG	6'5"	206	JR	Trenton, NJ
24	Jorge Vassallo (72W)	SG	6'6"	199	SO	Ponce, Puerto Rico
23	Kyle Diakhate (72) (R)	SG	6'4"	197	FR	Dakar, Senegal
45	Gilbert McLaughlin (71W)	C	6'11"	259	JR	Rialto, CA
33	Tim Caldwell (70) (R)	PF	6'8"	210	FR	Reading, PA
22	Heshimu Padilla (69)	PG	6'1"	170	SO	Los Angeles, CA
32	D.J. Wilson (69W)	SF	6'6"	209	SO	Kingston, Jamacia
22	Josiah Love (63) (R)	C	6'10"	241	SO	Albequerque, NM

Starters

Femi Ramsey: He was the Most Outstanding Player of last year's Tournament. He is the cornerstone of the Drexel Dragons. He is a household name who passed up millions to return to college for one more season. With Peyton gone, this is Ramsey's team now, and he has already shown he is not afraid to take charge when needed. Ramsey is the best kind of star player: he is one who makes the players around him better.

Duncan Sow: Despite being pegged with middling potential as a recruit, Sow continues to grow his game. Sow is still the anchor of Drexel's defense, grabbing rebounds and disrupting shots left and right. His offensive game may not be as sophisticated as other Drexel big men, but Sow is the kind of player who just "gets **** done." West loves players who can do the dirty work, and Sow is a hard hat and lunch-pail kind of guy.

Woody Morandais: Some were confused by Morandais' development last season. After coming in with a lot of hype, Woody had some trouble getting into the flow of the offense. Obviously, Coach West likes what he sees in Morandais, because he is starting the Shooting Guard in Peyton's spot at Small Forward this year. If needed, Morandais is also an adept passer who can run the point, but his speed should be a boon both on the perimeter and the fast break.

Dez Braxton: An unknown commodity from last year as a Red Shirt, Braxton spent the year substantially improving his strength. He is a pure shooter with a great stroke, but also has a motor to move to the open spaces on the floor. Many are eager to see how he does on the court, but some are surprised to see him starting over a known commodity like Dallas Marsh or Duncan Richard. Coach West must really like what he sees.

Kentrell Dean: If Braxton is a surprise, than those not in the know must be in shock that Dean is starting at point over High School All-American Shannon Legans. But truth be told, Dean floored all observers in practice, showing he was a year or two ahead of where he was projected. He is blazing fast, a great passer, and can shoot from anywhere on the floor. His size could put him at a disadvantage on defense, but as long as he can stay in front of his man it should not be much of a problem. Dean can also slide to the 2 if need be, although he would have trouble guarding a lot of players in the NCAA at that position.

The Reserves

Shannon Legans: If Legans' pride is hurt by not being penciled in as the starter, he has not shown it. Instead, he said, "It's a good problem to have." Legans shows a maturity beyond his years and a game that befits the accolades he won in high school. He is a stout defender despite being a generous 5'10", and he has a complete offensive game. Legans can find his own shot all he wants, but also is great at squeezing passes into tight spaces at just the right area. Even if he is not starting, Legans will see a lot of floor time.

Tracy Cottrill: After having the benefit of two years of seasoning, Cottrill has come into his own. His defensive game is beginning to catch up to his offensive game, and he can be an explosive force on both sides of the ball. He is fast, has good hands, and is starting to become a student of the game. Before he used to rely on his size and athleticism to make play. He has come a long way.

Duncan Richard: Although Richard was able to fight his way off the bench last year, the same may not be true this season due to the talent Coach West brought in. But Richard knows his role on the team, and knows his length and shooting touch will be just as valuable off the bench as it would be in the starting lineup. Even if his Senior sees him further down the depth chart, Richard will still be heavily involved in the rotation.

Dallas Marsh: Although Marsh has improved over the past two seasons, the limitations in his game are beginning to become apparent. He will never be an elite shooter and never be an elite passer. He must be content with doing both well. A combo guard in the classic sense, Marsh will likely see his role reduced due to the number of new point guards brought in.

Gilbert McLaughlin: It was not Ramsey nor Cottrill nor Duncan Sow who led the NCAA in field goal percentage last year. It was Gilbert McLaughlin. The former walk-on has found his niche on the team and provides extra depth and injury insurance. Most of his points are on hustle plays off offensive rebounds, and his game as a whole is beginning to hit its cieling. Just the same, the Dragons are a much better team with McLaughlin in the line-up.

Jeorge Vassallo: Another walk-on wonder, Vassallo is a back-up role player who did not see much more than garbage time last season. He is injury insurance and can be inserted anywhere from the 1-3 position. Vassallo is a good defender whose game relies far more on attacking the basket -- which is a bit of a change of pace from the number of jump shooters Drexel has on the roster. Vassallo may not see much floor time this season at all.

Heshimu Padilla: Some questioned why Coach West did not red-shirt Padilla, but it makes sense from a numbers point. The Sophomore Junior-College transfer is ready to play now, and Coach West does not want to have 3 of his Point Guards in the same graduating class if he can avoid it. Padilla is an excellent shooter from beyond the arc, but he still has some trouble running Drexel's up tempo offense. It remains to be seen how much of an impact he has this season.

DJ Wilson: Last year he was a walk-on player that filled the end of the bench. He has improved on defense, but his offensive game still leaves plenty to be desired. Expect not much more than garbage minutes.

Kyle Diakhate: As expected, the Senegalese Freshmen is redshirted to help get him acclimated both to the American style of basketball and to the culture shock. So far Diakhate has been a tenacious defender in practice, but his shooting form needs a lot of work.

Tim Caldwell: Maybe boastings of Caldwell being the second coming of Kyle O'Quinn were premature. The potential is there, but it is going to take time and coaching for Caldwell to develop his game. He has a solid mid-range shot, but has trouble banging with the bigger bodies present in college basketball. Fortunately for the Dragons, they are set at Power Forward for at least the next two years and can afford to red shirt Caldwell.. They do not need to call on him immediately.

Josiah Love: Coach West wanted a big body, and that's what he got. Love is raw. He still needs to work on his footwork and get comfortable with having his back to the basket. However, the same was said about McLaughlin and Cottrill, and look at what West has done to them. The red shirt year will be good for Love.

2015-2016 Season Schedule

11/7 vs La Salle (81) (City 6 Challenge)
11/10 at South Florida (81)
11/15 at #14 Clemson (87)
11/20 at Arizona State (88)
11/22 Orange County Shootout (vs Cal Poly (76))
11/23 Orange County Shootout
11/25 Orange County Shootout
11/28 vs South Carolina (88)
12/5 at Towson (82)
12/7 at Norfolk State (85)
12/20 vs Vanderbilt (86)
12/29 at Notre Dame (84)
12/31 vs Houston (76)
1/2 vs James Madison (76)
1/5 at Hofstra (81)
1/9 vs VCU (77)
1/12 at George Mason (79)
1/16 vs Old Dominion (79)
1/19 vs Delaware (77)
1/23 at Georgia State (75)
1/26 vs Hofstra
1/30 at VCU
2/2 vs Northeastern (75)
2/6 vs UNC Wilmington (73)
2/9 at Old Dominion
2/13 at Northeastern
2/16 at Delaware
2/20 vs Georgia State
2/27 at William & Mary (75)
3/2 vs Towson

Once again the Dragons loaded up with out of conference opponents, although reports have emerged that a number of Power Conference teams refused Drexel's request to schedule a home-and-home due to the small size of the Daskalakis Center. However, Norfolk State will play host to Coach West in what should be another fiery affair, and Vanderbilt will travel to Philadelphia to avenge last year's downward spiral. Drexel will still get some good travel time early, and should be road tested in time for Conference play.

[VandyRedskins21]

Re: The Accidental Career of Guy West (CH2k8)

I'm really interested in how Braxton plays. I was checking out your legacy file from 2kshare and he looks has a lot of promise. Good luck this season

And always go Dores when we play y'all...

[waytofailself]

Re: The Accidental Career of Guy West (CH2k8)

I'm really interested in how Braxton plays. I was checking out your legacy file from 2kshare and he looks has a lot of promise. Good luck this season

And always go Dores when we play y'all...

Glad I put it up there for you to see.

I'm really like what I have seen out of Braxton so far though -- except for his free throw delivery. Yuck (not as bad as Dean's though, that's a flipping nightmare). Once I got his shot timing down and everything. To be honest, he does leave something to be desired on defense, but he's also a Freshman.

If I stick around with Drexel long enough, I would bet Braxton would be drafted as an underclassman.

[HarkTheSound]

Re: The Accidental Career of Guy West (CH2k8)

Glad I put it up there for you to see.

I'm really like what I have seen out of Braxton so far though -- except for his free throw delivery. Yuck (not as bad as Dean's though, that's a flipping nightmare). Once I got his shot timing down and everything. To be honest, he does leave something to be desired on defense, but he's also a Freshman.

If I stick around with Drexel long enough, I would bet Braxton would be drafted as an underclassman.

I downloaded your file too and toyed around with your team; your Point Guards are hell on wheels! One of em (I think it's Dean) has 96 speed!...ridiculous. Would love to have that on my VCU team right now. Good luck this season!

[doncoryell]

Re: The Accidental Career of Guy West (CH2k8)

You are correct. That was the UCLA squad during the Bill Walton years and coached by the "Wizard of Westwood", John Wooden.

Looks like a brutal OOC schedule with key road games against 14th ranked Clemson and Arizona State plus home games against Vanderbilt and South Carolina.

What are the Dragons' team ratings?


Legendary Coach of UCLA, John Wooden

[waytofailself]

Re: The Accidental Career of Guy West (CH2k8)

I downloaded your file too and toyed around with your team; your Point Guards are hell on wheels! One of em (I think it's Dean) has 96 speed!...ridiculous. Would love to have that on my VCU team right now. Good luck this season!

Yeah, that surprised me. Leggans, Morandais, and Braxton all have good speed, but Dean is in a class by himself. I already loved to run the break with my guys. Now I have point guards that can keep up with my wings.

Looks like a brutal OOC schedule with key road games against 14th ranked Clemson and Arizona State plus home games against Vanderbilt and South Carolina.

What are the Dragons' team ratings?

Yeah, it's going to be rougher on the road this year. I'll be surprised if I go undefeated. Not to mention, there are some good teams in the Tournament I'm in as well, although there is no guarantee I will face them. Clemson should be a very good early test, that's for sure.

As for team ratings:

Overall: 87
Offense: 85
Defense: 86
Shooting: 89
Rebounding: 86
Coach: 86

During games I have seen it raise as high as 90 OVR, 89 OFF, 90 DEF.

[waytofailself]

Re: The Accidental Career of Guy West (CH2k8)

2015-2016 Pre-Season Top 25

Another year, another chance for teams to shoot for glory. After last year's upside down tournament run by the Drexel Dragons, teams across the Power Conferences must be looking to restore order. A few of the early favorites missed out entirely on last year's NCAAs but look poised to do a lot of damage, while last year's National Champion is nowhere to be found.

NCAA Hoops Preseason Rankings - AP Top 25 - Updated: Oct 1, 2015
RK	TEAM (VOTES)
1	Louisville
2	Kansas
3	Oregon
4	LSU
5	Purdue
6	Arizona
7	NC State
8	Missouri
9	Marquette
10	North Carolina
11	Washington State
12	West Virginia
13	UCLA
14	Clemson
15	Wisconsin
16	Oklahoma
17	Oklahoma State
18	Ohio State
19	Iowa
20	Georgia Tech
21	Ole Miss
22	Utah State
23	Memphis
24	Indiana
25	Michigan State

Louisville was in great position to make a run through the tournament last year, but Rick Pitino's squad returns to make due on last year's failed promise. Kansas looks to do the same, but with new pieces. Meanwhile, Oregon and LSU look like teams primed to avoid the NCAA Bubble entirely and bull their way through the regular season this year, while Purdue's excellent recruiting in the Midwest over the past few years finally seems to be paying off.

As for the defending National Champions? Surely Drexel received votes, but for some reason critics are not sold on the team after going undefeated last season. The Dragons will have an opportunity to show their skills to critics with a tough early season schedule -- the bread and butter of any Mid-Major looking to gain continued respect.

2015-2016 Preseason All-Americans

There is plenty of truth in waiting to count chickens, but teams who have the coffer the fullest tend to have the best shot of making a sustained run for the long haul. And based on how the Associated Press voted, it looks like there is one team that head and shoulders above the rest: the Louisville Cardinals (listed stats are from 2014-2015 season).

Preseason First Team All-American
PG: Darien Grundy, Ohio State | SR | 87 OVR | 14.4 ppg | 2.2 rpg | 3.4 apg | 1.1 spg | 0.0 bpg
SG: B.A. Brittian, Louisville| SR | 89 OVR | 17.3 ppg | 4.4 rpg | 3.6 apg | 1.3 spg | 0.0 bpg
SF: Taylor Mulligan, Louisville| SR | 86 OVR | 12.0 ppg | 6.8 rpg | 1.3 apg | 1.7 spg | 1.2 bpg
PF: Kevan Crawford, Kansas| SR | 86 OVR | 11.1 ppg | 5.1 rpg | 0.3 apg | 1.2 spg | 1.1 bpg
C: Femi Ramsey, Drexel | SR | 86 OVR | 19.7 ppg | 7.4 rpg | 1.7 apg | 0.6 spg | 2.0 bpg

Except for possibly the Point Guard position, there is little controversery over the five members of the First-Team. All of them have proven themselves on the court and could easily take their talents to the NBA this season. Expect similar statistical dominance again from players like Ramsey & Grundy -- who will be called upon to carry their team.

Preseason Second Team All-American
PG: Wade Bonner, Arizona | SR | 88 OVR | 8.4 ppg | 3.9 rpg | 4.9 apg | 1.9 spg | 0.0 bpg
SG: Bracey Conn, Louisville | SR | 87 OVR | 11.3 ppg | 4.2 rpg | 3.0 apg | 1.1 spg | 0.7 bpg
SF: Arzelle Hammond, Utah State | SR | 84 OVR | 11.9 ppg | 4.0 rpg | 0.8 apg | 1.0 spg | 0.3 bpg
PF: Brody Wong, Louisville | SO | 85 OVR | 6.2 ppg | 3.5 rpg | 0.1 apg | 0.7 spg | 1.0 bpg
C: Dedrick Ozier, NC State | SO | 83 OVR | 9.4 ppg | 5.5 rpg | 2.0 apg | 0.5 spg | 1.7 bpg

And now we have a little more room for debate. Unquestionably, Wong and Ozier are going to be terrific players, but it may be a year too early to crown either of them All-Americans. Meanwhile, Arzelle Hammond had a good, but not great, regular season before exploding in the NCAA Tournament. Is performance for one month enough to credit him with an award for the projected best players over a season? Time will tell.

[Knickerbocker91]

Re: The Accidental Career of Guy West (CH2k8)

Poll voters are stupid. Drexel unranked? When is the last time a National Championship team has gone into the next season unranked?

[jasontoddwhitt]

Re: The Accidental Career of Guy West (CH2k8)

Dang, four of Louisville's five starters made All-America. They look to be the team to beat this year. As for Drexel not making the preseason Top 25...guess you'll just have to prove them wrong and go undefeated again. lol

[waytofailself]

Re: The Accidental Career of Guy West (CH2k8)

November 7, 2015
vs
So Long & Thanks for All the Swish
W: LaSalle 40 Drexel 96

LaSalle decided to be generous and allow this game of the City Six Challenge to switch venues so Drexel could celebrate winning their National Championship at home. The Dragons repaid the favor by crushing the Explorers. The game was not competitive from the start. Femi Ramsey put on an aerial display of dunks, and the Dragons lit up their Philly brethren from beyond the arc early. LaSalle could never get on track, and they could not keep up with Drexel's freshmen trio of Kentrell Dean, Shannon Legans, and Dez Braxton running the break.

When asked after the game if Drexel was being unsportsmanlike running up the score, Coach West responded, "We pulled our starters with 10 minutes left in the game, but I also wanted to give the home fans a show and let them get to know all our new faces." Could this have something to the Dragons feeling jilted by the AP and looking to get their attention BCS style? No one on the team would say. But the Dragons mean business, and they look like they picked up exactly where they left off last year.

*Ed Note: For the sake of time and getting things posted, I'm going to start trying to do some shorter write ups when they are warranted and save larger ones for key games.

[waytofailself]

Re: The Accidental Career of Guy West (CH2k8)

Dang, four of Louisville's five starters made All-America. They look to be the team to beat this year. As for Drexel not making the preseason Top 25...guess you'll just have to prove them wrong and go undefeated again. lol

And I just double checked, and it gets nastier. Their other starter is an 80 overall Freshman. Yikes.