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 Preview: Home Opener vs. Holy Cross College

The Crusaders return to Valparaiso to welcome Holy Cross College in their 2011-2012 home opener.  The Saints come in having lost their first two games (they play another between the time of this post and the game on Monday) to Bethel College and Andrews University.  Game time is 7:05pm on Monday night.

Get to know your opponent
The Saints have had a rough go of it early on falling to Bethel by a point and Andrews U. by 25.  A couple guys worth watching for Holy Cross are Yama Kader (6'1'' Junior Guard) and Tayler Williams (6'8'' Senior Forward).  Kader went off for 23 points (4-7 from 3pt range) while Williams posted a double double scoring 18 points and collecting 11 rebounds in the same game.  Other then these two there doesn't appear to be much scoring on the roster for the Saints.

Holy Cross College is quite young.  Founded in 1966, Wikipedia lists only four famous alumni.  Skip Holtz the son of Lou Holtz and head football coach at USF, Jeff Smoke an Olympic kayak racer, and Rudy Ruettiger from the movie Rudy were all listed.  One more interesting note about Holy Cross is that they require all Bachelor of Arts students go on a global immersion experience.

The Game
The Crusaders should find it pretty easy going in their home opener.  I suspect we will see a pretty one sided affair by early in the second half.  Some things I will be watching for include: will Will Bogan's solid play from GSU carry over, can the team hit a higher percentage of their 3 point shots, and has the second unit continued their gelling process?  Only three weeks left until the HL opener at Butler (who lost at Evansville by 3 in OT earlier today)!


Prediction
With the way the guys played Friday night in a 90 point effort, I will throw out a score of 79-55 as my prediction with Valpo coming out the victors.  I think the entire roster is going to see plenty of playing time.

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.

The newest Crusader: Will Bogan

All Valpo fans recently learned about the NCAA transfer loophole for graduating students seeking a Master degree in a program that their institution does not offer.  Shortly after losing Brandon Wood to Michigan State, the Crusader welcomed Will Bogan in from the University of Mississippi.  Like Wood, Bogan will be eligible to play immediately, but unlike Wood he will have two years of eligibility left.  You see, Bogan took full advantage of his time at Ole Miss completing his undergrad in three years!

Will took a few minutes of his time to answer some of my questions to help myself and all Valpo fans get a better understanding of the new guy on the team.

HC: How's the wrist? What kind of injury did you sustain?
Bogan: The wrist is all good now. I fractured a bone in my left hand.
HC: What led you to Valpo, besides the Master degree?
Bogan: Aside from the Master degree, I really liked the coaching staff, players, style of play. It seems like an all around good fit for me.
HC: Can you tell us a bit about yourself and your game? What should Valpo fans expect to see when Will Bogan is on the court?

Bogan: Valpo fans can expect to get a competitor who plays hard all the time and wants to win. I am a combo guard who can play the one or the two spot. They can expect to see a guy who plays defense along with a solid offensive skill set.
HC: We have a plethora of guards, should be some real good competition for playing time. What has Coach Drew told you about your role on the team?
Bogan: Coach Drew recruited me as a combo to play both on and off the ball.
HC: Valpo's roster is a bit undersized, any chance you can grow 7 or 8 inches by the fall?
Bogan: Haha I wish I could grow that much..I guess we are just going to have to get out and run and shoot a lot of 3's.
HC: What schools recruited you out of high school?
Bogan: Out of high school, I was recruited by Air Force, Stanford, Ole Miss, and a number of other mid majors. This second time around my decision came down to UC Davis, Utah, and Valpo.
HC: Any nicknames or pregame rituals you can let us in on?
Bogan: I do not really have any pregame rituals but if we get on a winning streak I will keep doing the same pregame routine..so I guess you could say I'm a little superstitious.
HC: So you're from Idaho, lot to do out there?
Bogan: I am from Idaho and I love it there. There is plenty to do.
HC: Anything else you'd like the Valpo fans to know about you?
Bogan: Something kind of ironic..my high school colors are the same as Valpo..I tried to get away from them but I just come right back haha. I'm excited to get there and do big things.


Bogan is listed as a 6'1'' guard.  Watching this video from his high school years, he seems to be a very capable scorer from anywhere on the court who should provide the Crusaders and Coach Drew with yet another threat from the outside.  I wonder if Hrvoje Vucic will give up his #3?Thanks Will for taking out some of your time to let us know a bit more about you.

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