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Post by cardfan on May 11, 2023 8:02:28 GMT -6
Bingo. Sparks was always going to IU. And Lewis being an IU grad was happy to facilitate that. (and it doesn't hurt us to have a coach known to HELP players like that. Recruits might pick us knowing they'll give us a really good year or two and move on. That still gives us a really good year or two and lather, rinse, repeat. I'd rather shut down the program than be IU's farm team. No, I don't want to be their farm team either. But, Lewis, in any situation where a kid wants to go to IU and IU is willing to take a look, is going to advocate for that player to go there. I think Sparks is a rare case, though. |
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Post by coastalcard on May 11, 2023 8:04:19 GMT -6
I say be an Independent Farm Team. That way we would have several schools pushing there "wannabes" at us for a year or two of competition.
We could be the Freshman or JV team for the B10. Our JV team against the MAC just might be our ticket.
This portal thing may actually make be our perpetual ticket to Cleveland!! Good to be a Ball State Fan.
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Sellers
May 11, 2023 8:08:50 GMT -6
Post by 00hmh on May 11, 2023 8:08:50 GMT -6
Sparks was gone in a few days because he already knew where he was going. That was a pre arranged marriege. Sellers is out sowing his seed Bingo. Sparks was always going to IU. And Lewis being an IU grad was happy to facilitate that. (and it doesn't hurt us to have a coach known to HELP players like that. Recruits might pick us knowing they'll give us a really good year or two and move on. That still gives us a really good year or two and lather, rinse, repeat. I really feel like the portal is even beginning to dilute talent at the highest level. Arizona/Michigan/Texas NEED a Jaylin Sellers now? He's really good, yes. But a 3rd team All MAC player is in that high of a demand? Why? Because those schools lost their depth in the portal, including some standouts, and kids like Sellers are getting high major chances now they would not have before. Could he star at that level? maybe? Could he be rotational? Maybe. Could he just be a depth piece and just get fill in minutes? Very possibly. Sellers is uber talented, but hasn't put it all together on a consistent basis yet. He's definitely an athlete on that level, but his overall game--not yet. That's spot on, every sentence. Exactly right that he had flashes of being an outstanding player. He never showed the ability to go 1 on 1 and beat forwards, or developed the handle he needed to play as a combo guard.
So he has to improve, but has a chance to fight for PT at a high major and MAYBE break out. Under the bright lights of a bigger conference!
He had that chance to improve and be dominant here, too. Then write his ticket next year. But. That big school is attractive for many reasons (including NIL) even if he doesn't really break out and reach his potential. |
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Post by 00hmh on May 11, 2023 8:13:54 GMT -6
I'd rather shut down the program than be IU's farm team. No, I don't want to be their farm team either. But, Lewis, in any situation where a kid wants to go to IU and IU is willing to take a look, is going to advocate for that player to go there. I think Sparks is a rare case, though. The MAC is very likely to be a AAA farm team. That is our new reality. Very unlikely to be exclusive to any one school, but I could perhaps see an occasional IU recruit being "referred" to a good coach with IU ties if he is a local kid.
IU and everybody else is now recruiting so much more nationally for their first level recruits, it has to be second level kids, with local ties. |
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Sellers
May 11, 2023 8:24:14 GMT -6
Post by 00hmh on May 11, 2023 8:24:14 GMT -6
I say be an Independent Farm Team. That way we would have several schools pushing there "wannabes" at us for a year or two of competition. We could be the Freshman or JV team for the B10. Our JV team against the MAC just might be our ticket. This portal thing may actually make be our perpetual ticket to Cleveland!! Good to be a Ball State Fan. You probably have it right about that role as a development tool for regional powers.
That perpetual ticket thing won't be any easier. Nothing magic about the water in Muncie. It will still be the case there will be a few haves in the MAC, more have nots. Ohio has a lot of schools and Michigan, plus NIU who are all B10 foot print.
NIU may appeal to the B12 footprint more. Buffalo and maybe Ohio U may have the edge of being attractive to East Coast schools?
In Sellers case his origin from the South seems to have given him chances there.
I think our success will depend more on transfers coming the other way, as kids want more PT, or a bigger role, and also to return near home after being recruited over in the B10 or elsewhere.
We saw that under Whitford with multiple good players returning home, or nearer to home, maybe with our West Coast transfer this year.
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Sellers
May 11, 2023 10:01:48 GMT -6
Post by purplecats on May 11, 2023 10:01:48 GMT -6
I say be an Independent Farm Team. That way we would have several schools pushing there "wannabes" at us for a year or two of competition. We could be the Freshman or JV team for the B10. Our JV team against the MAC just might be our ticket. This portal thing may actually make be our perpetual ticket to Cleveland!! Good to be a Ball State Fan. You probably have it right about that role as a development tool for regional powers.
That perpetual ticket thing won't be any easier. Nothing magic about the water in Muncie. It will still be the case there will be a few haves in the MAC, more have nots. Ohio has a lot of schools and Michigan, plus NIU who are all B10 foot print.
NIU may appeal to the B12 footprint more. Buffalo and maybe Ohio U may have the edge of being attractive to East Coast schools?
In Sellers case his origin from the South seems to have given him chances there.
I think our success will depend more on transfers coming the other way, as kids want more PT, or a bigger role, and also to return near home after being recruited over in the B10 or elsewhere.
We saw that under Whitford with multiple good players returning home, or nearer to home, maybe with our West Coast transfer this year.
Buffalo will definitely be fodder for the East Coast powers and maybe nationally because that has been their recruiting footprint. Ohio lost Sears to his home in Alabama and Van den Plas to Virginia because Dad and Bennet were close as Green Bay Teammates. Hard to deny when you stand up for someone's wedding and your kid fits the profile of UVA players that he might play for your former running mate. Kent, Akron and other Ohio schools are going to lose to P5 schools in their geographic area but will also gain from Dayton, St Bona and others in the space as well. |
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Sellers
May 11, 2023 10:18:25 GMT -6
via mobile
Post by rmcalhoun on May 11, 2023 10:18:25 GMT -6
"whats up man, I want to go somewhere in the south if it all possible. Thats what Im looking for but if I get an oppurtunity that can help my fam I gotta consider it" Nothing but love for coach lew and Ball State but Ya gotta get it when you can."
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Sellers
May 11, 2023 10:21:26 GMT -6
via mobile
Post by rmcalhoun on May 11, 2023 10:21:26 GMT -6
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Sellers
May 11, 2023 10:45:13 GMT -6
Post by 00hmh on May 11, 2023 10:45:13 GMT -6
Sellers being recruited as a role player floor spacing wing.
If he can improve ball handling and expand his role to drive to the basket and play with the ball he can be more than a college 3 and D player. Has to really lock down his opposite number.
He is undersized to have that role after college in the NBA, might play Euro with that limited resume.
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Post by someguy on May 11, 2023 10:50:38 GMT -6
This is a tough reality given the current transfer rules. The portal giveth and the protal taketh away. I would suggest mid-major schools benefit more from the transfers down from Power 5/6 than they loose from the transfers up to Power 5/6. I think the issue of Mid-Major to Mid-Major transfers are a bigger problem on the whole.
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Post by cardfan on May 11, 2023 11:00:11 GMT -6
"whats up man, I want to go somewhere in the south if it all possible. Thats what Im looking for but if I get an oppurtunity that can help my fam I gotta consider it" Nothing but love for coach lew and Ball State but Ya gotta get it when you can." I can understand that. These guys are good with playing for Lewis, but, if money is there to be had they gotta go for it. We just do not have the resources in place to compete with the bigger money out there. Just the way it is. As long as he doesn't go to a rival of ours.... |
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Sellers
May 11, 2023 11:18:06 GMT -6
via mobile
Post by 00hmh on May 11, 2023 11:18:06 GMT -6
This is a tough reality given the current transfer rules. The portal giveth and the protal taketh away. I would suggest mid-major schools benefit more from the transfers down from Power 5/6 than they loose from the transfers up to Power 5/6. I think the issue of Mid-Major to Mid-Major transfers are a bigger problem on the whole. I don't get that at all. Losing Sparks and Sellers, our two best in that class, is a huge problem. The help we get sometimes is substantial, but "offsets" loss of guards and forwards more often. We're not going to see the equal of Sparks transferring in. Sadly, it's the difficulty getting bigs which makes the difference for a MAC school. In conference or post season, without that it's a tough go. Lateral transfers we've done well enough replacing. In fact THAT is one area we may gain by filling specific needs with mid major talent searching for a better fit. |
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Sellers
May 11, 2023 12:13:10 GMT -6
Post by redbirdman on May 11, 2023 12:13:10 GMT -6
MAC basketball the 3 biggest cities should dominate in current situation & have for the past 10 years. Think size & media presence Buffalo,Akron & Toledo will dominate. Kent is probably 4th but really is not the dominant presence in either Cleveland or Akron. Our only chance of keeping a Sparks for four yrs is winning & being able to give him a sizeable NIL deal. NIL deal can only happen with a multi millionaire contributing. Not likely in Muncie.
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Sellers
May 11, 2023 12:14:52 GMT -6
Post by williamtsherman on May 11, 2023 12:14:52 GMT -6
Chris Jans "The Dentist"  ? That's not the most appealing tag for a coach. Who wants to go play for "The Dentist"? |
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Sellers
May 11, 2023 12:17:16 GMT -6
Post by williamtsherman on May 11, 2023 12:17:16 GMT -6
MAC basketball the 3 biggest cities should dominate in current situation & have for the past 10 years. Think size & media presence Buffalo,Akron & Toledo will dominate. Kent is probably 4th but really is not the dominant presence in either Cleveland or Akron. Our only chance of keeping a Sparks for four yrs is winning & being able to give him a sizeable NIL deal. NIL deal can only happen with a multi millionaire contributing. Not likely in Muncie. Well then I guess we can expect Chicago State to become the dominant power in the midwest. |
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