Valpo PPS Through 1/21/13

Stats are current as of 1/21/2013.  The first set of PPS is the overall season.  The second set of PPS is conference games only.  Some guys have really seen their time decrease since conference play has begun: Capobianco has lost 2 minutes/game, Boggs has gone down (due to injury) 9 minutes/game, Dority has dropped nearly 3 minutes/game, Coleman has lost 2 minutes/game.  Others have seen an increase in play time: Broekhoff up 1 minute/game, KVW up 2 minutes/game, Kenney up 3 minutes/game, and Bogan up 2 minutes/game.


Valpo's team score has improved dramatically since the start of Horizon League play.  The biggest reason for this is the assist/turnover ratio.  Overall Valpo has 269 assist vs. 303 turnovers, however, since the the start of league play Valpo has managed 90 assists to only 79 turnovers. 

Overall
Player	School	Minutes	+	-	PPS
Ryan Broekhoff	Valpo	614	1.19	0.28	0.91
Kevin Van Wijk	Valpo	466	1.28	0.40	0.88
Lavontae Dority	Valpo	265	0.98	0.45	0.53
Matt Kenney	Valpo	479	0.75	0.31	0.44
Ben Boggs	Valpo	375	0.62	0.27	0.35
Bobby Capobianco	Valpo	253	0.90	0.43	0.47
Erik Buggs	Valpo	542	0.60	0.32	0.28
Will Bogan	Valpo	485	0.41	0.23	0.18
Jordan Coleman	Valpo	351	0.71	0.36	0.35
Vashil Fernandez	Valpo	149	0.51	0.33	0.18
Valparaiso	Valpo	4025	0.83	0.32	0.51

For the season Ryan and Kevin are playing at all conference levels, their numbers are actually better then last year.  Ryan is looking more and more like an NBA prospect.  Both guys have stepped up their game another notch with the start of conference play.  This is really impressive by both players and by the coaching staff.  Opponents are keying in on these guys and it is not making any difference (yet).  Wright State put their focus on Broekhoff the other night and did a great job on him for the first 37 minutes.  The last 3 minutes saw Ryan go for 12 points, 3 rebounds, and an assist to finish with yet another double double (18/10).  While KVW was busy completing his HL Player of the Week with an 18 point performance of his own.

Conference Only
Valparaiso	School	Minutes	+	-	PPS
Ryan Broekhoff	Valpo	200	1.25	0.27	0.98
Kevin Van Wijk	Valpo	151	1.30	0.34	0.96
Lavontae Dority	Valpo	128	0.89	0.41	0.48
Matt Kenney	Valpo	163	0.85	0.28	0.57
Ben Boggs	Valpo	50	0.48	0.26	0.22
Bobby Capobianco	Valpo	73	0.74	0.52	0.22
Erik Buggs	Valpo	164	0.65	0.34	0.31
Will Bogan	Valpo	161	0.42	0.23	0.19
Jordan Coleman	Valpo	92	0.57	0.40	0.17
Vashil Fernandez	Valpo	18	0.67	0.33	0.34
Team	Valpo	1200	0.93	0.33	0.60

There are some very encouraging trends starting for Crusader fans:
* Will Bogan is starting to find his touch.  I tweeted Will the morning before the WSU game and told him I had him hitting 4 3 pointers all from the corners (he responded saying that'd be fine with him as long as they won)...he hit three all from the corners.  His shooting is coming back around.
* Matt Kenney has really responded to the increase in playing time in a positive way.  His turnovers are low and his production as been exactly what Valpo has needed for his role.
* Erik Buggs and WIll Bogan have done a great job defending opposing back courts.  McCallum and Calliste did not look at all like all conference players the other night.  In a league with many teams being driven by strong guard play these two have done great on the defensive end.
* Valpo is averaging nearly 3 points more per game since the start of conference play (I won't mention that they are giving up nearly 4 more points per game)

Game Wrap Up: Half a game

The Crusaders did me a favor tonight.  I took my 5 year old to the game hoping there would be no doubt by half time as to who would win this game.  Well, it was 43-16 at the half and we were both happy to head home!

The Half Game
Valpo attacked the basket early and often in the opening half.  KVW could not be stopped, he currently has 18pt and 10 reb (as I check my I Pod for updates.  The Saints had no chance in this one as Valpo was too big, too fast, and too athletic.  As I type this it is 74-28 Valpo, time to get Shelton some PT.

I'm a bit troubled by
* Ryan Broekhoff's poor shooting so far this season.  He is a scorer so I'm not real worried, hopefully he is just getting the misses out of the way early on this year.

* Tommy Kurth's lack of good play.  I'm not sure if he is just still rusty from not playing last year or if what he is showing is what his skill set is.

* After seeing what Cleveland State did to Vandy and now watching Detroit battle with Notre Dame the Horizon League is really showing some depth.  McCallum and gang are good...real good.  The announcers said a decision on Eli Holman is coming soon.

* Speaking of announcers...I'm not sure who was announcing the VU game tonight, but I hope that will be his time.  A three pointer is not a touchdown or a homerun (props to the student who yelled that out in the game). 

I'm encouraged by
* Richie Edwards' has been playing well, taking better shots, and hitting his freethrows.  He really looked to move the ball tonight when he didn't have a good look.  Much improved over what I saw from the stands the first few games.

* Erik Buggs continues to have a coming out party.  He attacked the rim several times with nifty moves to get by multiple defenders, found teammates for open looks (a couple open threes that were missed early on), and even hit a three pointer.

Up Next
Valpo will welcome the Akron Zips to the ARC on Friday.  

Game Wrap Up: A coachable victory

Let me begin by stating that just about everyone was in preseason form tonight.  From the players to the video board operator to this blogger; everyone has room for improvement!

The Game
If you like nailbiters this game was just what you wanted to see.  In the last 1:02 there were 5 ties or lead changes.  The Crusaders lived at the line hitting converting on 26-39 attempts (would like to see this get a little better) while the Chargers made their living from behind the arc hitting 10-17 three pointers.  The biggest lead in the game was 8, a far cry from my predicted 40 point blowout!


Lets take a look at the final 1:02. With the score tied at 66, Valpo found themselves behind after a layup by Brandon Pritzl.  Valpo cut the lead to one after Kevin VanWijk split a pair of freebies (:43).  A turnover by Hillsdale was followed by a Ryan Broekhoff Centier Bank Three Pointer to give Valpo the two point advantage (:20).  When the Crusaders failed to help Erik Buggs when he got beat he comitted a foul and the layup was good by Tyler Gerber.  After Gerber hit his free throw to put the Crusaders down a point (:10), a nifty feed from Bogan to KVW led to a bucket and a foul.  KVW sank the free throw (:05) and the Crusaders held on to the 73-71 victory.

Needs Improvement
Allow me to make some first game observation.  These are things I am about to point out are things I will be watching for improvement or confirmation on Thursday.
*The new guys stuck out like a sore thumb tonight.  Their movement wasn't as crisp on the offensive end as I had hoped it would be.  Anytime more then one of them (Kurth, Bogans, Edwards) was on the court at the same time the offense really struggled.

*Will Bogan (more on him in the positive section) had tonight.  He was chasing on defense and his shot was off...way off. 

*Richie Edwards is a black hole on offense.  When he got it he was putting a shot up.  I like that he is not afraid or tentative with the ball, but occasionally working it back out or back around (he shoots the three like Cory Johnson) will create a better shot for himself or a teammate.

*Matt Kenney looks like his best fit should be coming off the bench as a 6th man.  There were several times in the first half where he did not help a teammate on the defensive end that led to a layup or a foul.  I'm also concerned that his outside jumper has appeared not to have improved.

*I really hope the team three point shooting improves (5-22).  Yikes!

*The video board is nice (more in the positives) but when the opponent commits an offensive fouls someone is going to have a seizure if they look at the board's special effects.

The Positives
Despite all the things I just listed there were plenty of positives as well.
*Ryan Broekhoff is really good.  His offense was outstanding and his rebounding and shot blocking was superb.

*Kevin VanWijk provided Valpo with a legit inside scoring presence in this game.  He also hit some big clutch free throws in the last minute of the game.

*Will Bogan had some nifty passes that led to some easy hoops for VanWijk and Buggs.

*Speaking of Erik Buggs he was clearly still our best option at the point.  He defended well and even attacked the hoop enough to make Hillsdale leave a defender on him.

*The guys really played the passing lanes well.  Team rebounding was once again a strength in this game.

*The video board was awesome.  I love the in game stats, the loudness meter, and nearly all of the special effects. 

Up Next
Valpo will wrap up their preseason with a game against Augustana on Thursday night.  

Valparaiso Crusader's 2011-2012 Team Preview

Valparaiso University Crusaders

23-12 overall      12-6 conference               Lost in first round of the CIT to Iona

What Valpo lost:

Cory Johnson (graduated), Michael Rogers (graduated), Howard Little (graduated), Brandon Wood (transferred), Coach Homer Drew (retired)

What Valpo gained:

Ben Boggs (transfer from Virginia Tech), Will Bogan (transfer from Ole Miss), Richie Edwards (JUCO transfer), Dino Jakolis (freshman), Vashil Fernandez (freshman), Coach Bryce Drew (promoted)

Roster Breakdown (*indicates my projected starter):

Hrvoje Vucic, Jr/So, 7’1’’ Center: Valpo fans are looking for Vucic to become a regular contributor this season.  His height could provide a real presence on defense for a Valpo team that hasn’t had a true center in the starting lineup in some time.  While I don't think he will be a starter, I do believe we will see much more of Hrvoje this year.  Vuch answered some questions and spoke about his goals for the upcoming season recently for SectionEE.

*Erik Buggs, Sr/Jr, 5’10’’ Point Guard: Buggs does a nice job running the point for the Crusaders.  He had a nice assist to turnover ratio last season.  I think Erik will get the first crack at the starting point position.  However, Buggs was an offensive liability last season though, if he can’t find a way to attract a defender expect to see his minutes decrease with the depth VU has at the guard position.  More on Buggs and his aspirations for the upcoming season here.

Tommy Kurth, Jr/So, 6’1’’ Guard: Kurth sat out all of last season with injury.  I'm not real familiar with Kurth, so I will just say I think he will need to work hard in practice to grab some of the important game minutes with the depth we have at the guard position.

*Jay Harris, So, 6’1’’ Guard:  A combo guard who can light it up from long range.  Harris hasn’t met a shot he doesn’t like.  Last year he had some trouble with the turnover as he adjusted to life at a D1 program, but was playing much better by year's end.  I expect Harris to stretch the defense and take another big step towards fulfilling his potential.  Jay will start for the Crusaders but only as long as turnovers don't plague him like they did for most of last year.

Matt Kenney, Jr, 6’3’’ Guard: A big guard who has played quality defense and has found ways to contribute on the offensive end.  He is a true hustle player with great hops who I think will step right into the role that Howard Little played last season (good rebounder and defender).  We would like to see Kenney’s shooting percentage from range improve this season (16%).

*Ryan Broekhoff, Jr, 6’6’’ Shooting Guard: A lanky guard who can fill it up from the outside.  Broekhoff will probably be the focus of many opposing defenses.  One of the best shooters in the conference look for Broekhoff to lead the Crusaders in points per game this year.  Ryan is also a very good rebounder and led the team in blocked shots (19) last season.

*Kevin Van Wijk, Jr, 6’8’’ Power Forward: Van Wijk biggest challenge is his own health.  If healthy, I suspect Van Wijk will have another good season for VU.  A banger in the paint who isn’t afraid to rough it up with opposing big men, Van Wijk brings a tough guy attitude to the team.  An area for KVW to work on would be defending without fouling.  A healthy Van Wijk would go a long way in helping the Crusaders find success this season.

Ben Boggs, Jr, 6’4’’ Guard: Boggs brings another shooter to the lineup for Coach Drew.  Here is more on our Virginia Tech transfer.  He may start come Horizon League season if he doesn't end up red shirting.

Will Bogan, Jr, 6’1’’ Guard: A combo guard with some real scoring ability.  Great court vision and the willingness to put his teammates first make him even more dangerous.  Bogan comes in through the graduation transfer rule from Ole Miss.  Read more from Bogan in our interview with him here.

*Richie Edwards, Jr, 6’8’’ Power Forward: Edwards comes to Valpo after a stellar two year career at JUCO Hillsborough C.C.  He has a nice mid range jumper and is a good rebounder.   Edwards will undoubtedly see big minutes in the front court.

Dino Jakolis, Fr, 6’4’’ Guard/Small Forward:  Still awaiting his name to show up on the official roster.  Jakolis is a big guard with a nice jump shot.   Jakolis comes to Valpo from prep school LaLumiere where he played against very good competition on a regular basis.  For more on Jakolis check out our interview here.  Dino will need to really prove his value with the team being very deep at his position.  A year learning the D1 game and a chance to work out with his coaches and teammates to put on some muscle weight and Dino will be a solid contributor come next year.

Vashil Fernandez, Fr, 6’11’’ Center:  Fernandez comes in with very raw basketball skills.  The big man is full of potential. I suspect Fernandez to see plenty of time on the court this season as he should be able to establish himself on the defensive end of the court immediately.  Rebounding, shot blocking, and offensive put backs will get Fernandez through and establish him as an up and coming player in the Horizon League.  For more on Fernandez click here. With his big body, Vashil could find himself in the starting lineup at some point this season.

Griffyn Carpenter, Fr, 6' Guard: A walk-on to the team this year, Carpenter comes from a small local high school in Triton.  He has led his teams on deep state tournament runs the past couple of years.  Carpenter is a great shooter and could see some playing time to help stretch the opposing defense.  Griffyn answered some questions for us earlier in the Summer, read it here.

Bryce Drew, Head Coach: Drew has made his impact felt immediately.  Getting a verbal commitment from a highly ranked local kid is something that Valpo hasn’t been able to do in sometime.  Fans are looking forward to a new era in Crusader hoops.  It should be interesting to see which starting Coach Drew has settled on come the middle of January.  He has a lot of solid players and could go with just about any combination of 8 or 9 guys.

Team Strengths:

Valpo should once again be one of the deepest teams in the HL this year, especially at the guard position.  VU boasts several tall bodies, a luxury not seen here in some time, so defending the paint should be a strength.  Valpo has been a very good shooting team, expect that to continue.  Last year VU held a slight rebounding edge over their opponents, with new big bodies, I expect team rebounding to be another strength of this year’s club.  Coach Drew should also have the ability to go big or small with his lineups depending on matchups. 

Team Weaknesses:

Many new faces could cause the team some issues when it comes to gelling on the court as a group.  I expect by the time league play begins any issue with this will most likely be resolved.  Along with all the new players is a new head coach who may or may not bring an entire different style of play.  While we have some tall guys we don’t have a lot of girth.  An opposing big man with some weight and muscle could push our bigs around if help doesn’t come quick enough.

How Valpo will fare in the Horizon League this year:

I suspect Valpo will finish in the top half of the league again this year.  I think this team is one year away from doing some special things.  I will pick Valpo to finish 4^th in the league this season and host a HL tournament game.  The team could surprise Horizon League opponents and this writer if they manage to gel as a productive unit.  I think another visit to the CIT or CBI is in line for this season, which is not a bad thing.

Homer unabridged

Former Valparaiso University Head Coach Homer Drew spent some time on the phone with me answering questions and discussing his career, both past and present.  We all heard the questions asked during the press conference, and frankly I was a little disappointed.  I guess maybe the reporters save the good questions for their one on one interviews.  I had a long list of questions for Homer, and he took the time to answer a few of them with well thought out responses.  We touched on a variety of topics; games from this past season, events from years past, his new position, along with a few fun questions mixed in.  Lets get to it.


HC:  You guys had some real good wins at home last season, Butler, CSU, and Missouri State, are the three that come to mind.  Which game do you think the team played their most complete game of the season?


Homer:  Missouri State by far.  We were able to get the lead and hold the lead.  Our offense and defense were both clicking.  Then to have Dick Vitale and the national tv audience just made it that much more special.


HC: At the end of the year the team went through a bit of a rough stretch of games.  After beating Missouri State, you guys fell to Green Bay and then really took a beating at home versus Loyola.  Was it fatigue, poor execution, a combination of things? 


Homer:  We played a lot of games in a short amount of time and we weren't real healthy during that stretch.


HC: Thoughts on the bracket-buster being held in February during the stretch run of conference play?

"Don't like it!"

Homer: Don't like it!  It needs to be held earlier in the year.  Where it is at now in February is right in the middle of conference play.  It is how we do in conference that determines whether or not mid majors make the tournament.  They need to make the bracket buster earlier.


HC: Which player in the H.L. was the toughest to game plan for last season?  Erik Buggs said his toughest defensive assignment of the year was Norris Cole, so I would imagine he is near the top of the list. 


Homer:  Norris Cole, he was very challenging due to him being such a good ball handler.  A guy like that is so hard to double team because you have to bring another defender from so far away.  The other would be Matt Howard from Butler.  He was just so tenacious and strong.

HC: I heard a rumor that you didn't want the floor named after you but that the people who donated the money wouldn't have done so otherwise.  It has to be quite an honor to have your home court named after you. 


Homer: I did not want the floor named after me, but agreed to it for the players.  

HC: On that note, have you ever had anything else named after you? Maybe a sandwich or a newborn baby or a pet?

Homer:  (laughs) No, but I've been called a few names.


HC: Will “The Miracle on Union Street,” when VU beat Notre Dame 71-68 in overtime in 1988, be known as the game that put VU Basketball on the map forever or is it “The Shot” game?


Homer:  "The Miracle on Union Street" put us on the map nationally. "The Shot" was international!  I was getting notes and emails and messages from all over the world after that happened.  The game after that was an overtime win against Florida State.  That game would have made bigger news had it not been for "The Shot".  We've had other big wins as well Seton Hall, Ohio St., Penn St. were all good wins along the way.


Sidenote: Probably my favorite part of the interview was when Homer started telling me about the loss to Rhode Island in the Sweet 16.

Homer:  I'll never forget it.  We were down by 3 with 1:12 left to play. I just new that if we could get this next defensive stop we were going to win this game.  Their back up guard drove into the lane and Bill Jenkins jumped and had his arm outstretched really high in the air.  Their guy hit that awkward nearly impossible shot.  If he misses that shot it would've been a great finish.


HC: What are the difficulties that come with setting up a competitive schedule for a mid-Major school like VU so that when tourney time comes around the committee members take notice?  


Homer:  It is really difficult to get home games.  We've played schools like Duke and North Carolina in the United Center, but it is even difficult to get the better mid majors to do home and homes with us.  We are getting more of these though.  We have Oakland and Bowling Green coming, so we are getting better at getting these on the schedule.

Valpo Players in the community

HC: You and your players spend quite a bit of time in the community so please tell us what has the Valparaiso community meant to you and to your players, many of whom aren't from around here? 

Mike Rogers working with the kids

Homer:  We like to give back.  We want the players to realize how blessed they've been by God for allowing them to have the talents and abilities that they have.  We've done reading programs in schools, bagged groceries for cancer, and participated in heart walks.


HC: Coach, I worked at Opportunity Enterprises one summer and I remember you brought the team through there.  The clients there talked about that day for weeks after that.

Homer:  Yes, thank you for reminding me about that!  That was a great time, those are amazing people over there.

HC: What do you want people to think about the VU program and what you’ve done for it during your illustrious career?  What do you feel is your legacy at Valpo?

Homer:  The type of people that we've had and the players that have come through who have helped make Valpo what is today.  We've had guys come in as freshmen who are unsure and don't have a lot of confidence and see them leave here as graduating seniors with a degree and the confidence that they are going to succeed.

HC:  You've had over 80 players become teachers and coaches and over 30 go on to play professionally.  Which of those stats are you most proud of?

Homer:  All of the above.  To have those guys leave here and do something they are passionate about makes me real proud.

HC: How does it feel as a Father to see your sons follow your footsteps into coaching at the college level? Was it more fun to coach Bryce as a player or to coach alongside him and Scott on the VU staff?

Homer:  Wonderful question.  It was fun to have him on the court.  I could always trust Bryce to handle the ball and make good decisions.  It was a blessing to have them on the coaching staff.  I got a chance to spend a lot of extra time with my sons that many dads do not get.

HC: I heard there is something happening at the ARC just before Thanksgiving.  Can you let me in on what is going down?

Homer:  Coaches vs. cancer tournament is having us a host site.  The teams competing in the event haven't been worked out just yet.

HC: Will you be at the home games this winter or will you try to stay away for a while? 

Homer:  I will be at Baylor and Valpo games. 

HC:  I suppose you’ll have to be there shaking hands with the alums in the Crusader Club as part of your new position.


Homer:  Yes, part of my new position is public relations so you'll be seeing me around.

HC: Will we be seeing you doing some tv analyzing this season for someone like CBS or ESPN? 

Homer:  In the fall, maybe with Comcast or one of the others that you mentioned.  Not sure with who just yet.  

Will we see a Homer Drew/Dick Vitale broadcasting team?

HC:  Have you been working on any catchy sayings like “Diaper Dandy (sensational freshman)”, “Wilson Sandwich (when a player gets the blocked back in their face)”, or “Cream Puff Delight (coach who plays an easy schedule)”?

 Homer: (laughs) No, no I haven't gotten quite the far along in the process yet.


We ran out of time before I could get to a few of my remaining questions.  But I will say this, Homer is going to be great at this public relations/fundraising position the university has put him in.  His voice has a hypnotic calming to it.  Thanks again to Homer Drew for taking 15 minutes of his busy schedule to answer my questions and for 22 years of doing his part to make the city and university of Valparaiso a better place! Feel free to post your comments here or join in the discussion ValpoFanZone.  If you'd like to be alerted when a new post is ready just put your email address in the space above this post and click submit!

 

Getting to know Erik Buggs

This past week, Valparaiso point guard Erik Buggs took some time after studying for his finals to answer a few questions for me.  This past season Erik took over the starting point guard role and was the floor general and defensive stopper for the Crusaders.  Buggs started 34 of the 35 games this season, led the team in rebounding in two games (Norther Colorado, Ball State), was tied for the team lead in assist per game (3.1), and had the highest assist to turnover ratio at 1.9.  Erik gives a little insight into what it takes to succeed at Valpo, the Iona game, his goals after college, and much more.  Lets get to the interview!

Hank Curry (HC): How do you feel about your performance this year as a whole?  Watching all your home games from the stands and on the internet when you guys were away it seemed to me that as the year progressed you slowly got a little more aggressive on the offensive end.  Not so much by taking more shots, but by attacking the rim.  Is this fair to say?  Did the coaches encourage you to shoot/attack more as the season wore on?

Erik Buggs (Buggsy): I am pretty pleased with our performance this year, I obviously am disappointed because of the run that Butler went on further strengthens my belief that we could have made a run in the Big Dance in March. I definitely tried to step up on offense towards the end of the year instead of being so passive, attacking only made our offense better for everyone.

Buggs on the attack

HC: What part of your game will be working on this Summer?  It is no secret that teams sagged pretty off of you, daring you to shoot.  Is it safe to assume that the mid-three point range jumper will be high on your agenda this Summer?  People argue that Valpo's biggest need this off season is to bring in a big guy that can play with his back to the rim, I think it is you becoming more of an offensive threat.  Thoughts?

Buggsy: Next year with guys leaving I definitely feel like I need to step it up more on offense. This year I was really passive and that’s not the type of player I usually am. Last year I was uncomfortable shooting with my first year being back, next year to make my teammates better I need to shoot so that I become a threat and it opens up the court for my teammates to make plays.



Buggs guarding Moore

 HC: You are the defensive stopper on the team.  I love watching you hound the opposing team's point guards and forcing them into bad passes or 5 second violations.  In my opinion it seems like defense is all desire.  What is your secret to being so successful on the defensive end?  Who was the tougher player you had to defend this year in a one on one?

Buggsy: Defense is all about heart and desire. I always take it personal when my guy scores on me or I miss a rotation assignment. I think me taking it personal makes my drive to play defense that much more intense, I also feel like I’m letting my teammates down when I give up points on defense. By far the best player I have defended this year would be Norris Cole, he just has a great feel for the game.

HC: At the end of the year the team went through a bit of a rough stretch of games.  After beating Missouri State (I felt this was the team's best performance of the year), you guys fell to Green Bay and then really took a beating at home versus Loyola.  Was it fatigue, poor execution, a combination of things?

Buggsy:  I think it was a combination of fatigue and guys being out injured. Mainly we just had an opportunity that we let slip through our fingers. Things like that happen in life though and you got to learn to bounce back from it. Experience always makes for a great lesson in life and this will be something that helps us for this upcoming year.

HC: Besides Valpo, what team(s) do you think will be at the top of the conference next year?  I hate to say it, but I'm picking Detroit to be the top seed this next season.

Buggsy: The great thing about the Horizon is that you have so many competitive teams. There is no question that once again Butler will be the hunted but every team has a chance to take the Horizon League.

HC: It was pretty disappointing when Valpo was passed over by the NIT and instead had to go into the CIT.  What was the attitude of the team when you guys learned you'd be hosting a CIT game?  Iona was a decent team, but watching the game from the stands it looked like you guys weren't prepared (I realize you only had a couple days to get ready) and really didn't have much desire.  Please tell me I'm wrong here!

Buggsy: We were quite prepared to take on Iona, it was just one of those games where we couldn’t seem to find the bucket and they couldn’t seem to miss. Its always disappointing expecting to be playing somewhere and not get what you were expecting.

HC: What kind of leadership role, on and off the court, will you look to assume next year?  You'll be one of the old vets next year so I'm sure you'll have the young guys looking to you for direction.

Defense

Buggsy: I sort of stepped into a leadership role last year and this year I will be in basically the same role. We have a lot of experience on this team so leadership won’t be lacking at all on this team.

HC: What is the most valuable information you could give to a player coming to Valpo for their first season regarding the team, Coach Drew, what do they need to have a better chance of succeeding at Valpo?

Buggsy: To have a good career at Valpo a player just needs to play and practice like its their last. A player with the drive to get better and the motivation to win fits in our system. We are all about having a family atmosphere at Valpo and that makes it hard to let others down. We all expect the best effort out of each other, so giving all the effort that you can give is all that we ask for here.

HC: Any nicknames (Buggsy perhaps?) or pregame rituals you can share?

Buggsy: Lol well Buggsy was one or Buggy. I have a lot of nicknames so its hard to keep up with them. Rituals before the game I just like to put on my music and zone out before the game.

HC: What's your major at VU?  What is your dream job after graduating?

Buggsy: I either want to go into coaching or I want to be a Behavioral Analyst for the FBI
 

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