2018-19 MVC Freshmen

[tornado]

Bradley's had a lot of good freshmen the past few years - and I hope this year is no exception...

Here's a list of all the new freshmen - but if I missed anyone, lmk
I am gonna go out on a limb and highlight a few guys I think will get significant playing time...

Bradley: Ari Boya, Armon Brummett, Ja'Shon Henry, David Calloway
Drake: DJ Wilkins (RS), Liam Robbins, Matt Gray, Garrett Sturtz, Connor Gholston (RS), Luke Vaske
Evansville: Shamar Samuels-Givance, Jawaun Newton, DeAndre Williams, Will Becker
ISU: Rey Idowu, Abdou NDiaye
Indiana State: Cooper Neese (RS), DeAvion Washington, Blake Brinkmeyer, Tyeshon Martin
Loyola: Isaiah Bujdoso, Cooper Kaifes, Franklin Agunanne, Will Adcock
Missouri State: Jared Ridder (RS), Darian Scott (RS), Szymon W??jcik, Jan W??jcik
UNI: AJ Green
SIU: Darius Beane, Sam Shafer, Jimmy Beane, Amadou Fall, Dave Swedura,
Valparaiso: Daniel Sackey, Javon Freeman, Langston Stalling

[tornado]

There is talk at Evansville that their promising freshman DeAndre Williams will not be eligible this year but then virtually nobody else was recruiting the guy - so he may be like Copeland and Hawkins were at ISU - he may have to make grades for a year before getting cleared by NCAA

[tornado]

There is talk at Evansville that their promising freshman DeAndre Williams will not be eligible this year but then virtually nobody else was recruiting the guy - ....

so it is now official - Evansville has been informed by NCAA what apparently just about everyone else had already suspected....

DeAndre Williams has been deemed ineligible for 2018-19


Indiana State's Cooper Neese - a midseason transfer from last year - is still awaiting word on a waiver that could let him begin playing at the start of this season. Otherwise - as it stands currently - he would not be eligible until the end of 1st semester - roughly December 16

[Da Coach]

...
Indiana State's Cooper Neese - a midseason transfer from last year - is still awaiting word on a waiver that could let him begin playing at the start of this season. Otherwise - as it stands currently - he would not be eligible until the end of 1st semester - roughly December 16

The NCAA's decision on Indiana State transfer is in... they have denied Indiana State's request for a waiver that they hoped would have allowed Neese to suit up and play at the start of the season. In stead, he will have to wait until the semester break before he is eligible.

https://twitter.com/IndStMBB/status/1052218472829214722

I am not sure why Indiana State thought he should be eligible right away. He transferred from Butler in the middle of the first semester last year, and the NCAA rule requires all D1 transfers to sit out at least 2 full semesters. It seems like Indiana State was trying to get some special consideration in Neese's case, when there wasn't any.

[tornado]

He had a couple reasons to hold out hope...
First, the coach that recruited and signed him left Butler and they hired someone new (Lavall Jordan)

...but since he transferred in early October before he ever played a game - he was hopeful NCAA would consider it a transfer before the fall semester started

https://www.indystar.com/story/sports/high-school/2017/10/09/cooper-neese-transfers-indiana-state/748564001/

the first report of him making a decision to transfer was Sunday Oct. 8, 2017, at which time he said:
"He said he has not thought yet about a potential transfer spot"

then Monday morning he received his official release and minutes later on Monday - he....
"signed with Indiana State"

https://www.indystar.com/story/sports/high-school/2017/10/09/cooper-neese-transfers-indiana-state/748564001/

so he went from "has not thought yet about a potential transfer spot" to "signed with Indiana State" in a rather short period of time...

[Da Coach]

The NCAA doesn't grant waivers because a coach leaves. And if that was his reason, why did it take him almost 2 months into the school year before he decided he wanted to transfer?
The NCAA specifically requires transfers sit out 2 full semesters, and waivers are usually only granted in severe hardship cases like family medical issues, or when a school drops the kid's major. There simply wasn't anything even close in Neese's case.

[tornado]

well, we can speculate and guess what NCAA will do all we want but....

They have granted IMMEDIATE ELIGIBLITY on a number of other similar cases recently, so there's certainly reason for schools with such situations to have hope.

https://collegebasketball.nbcsports.com/2018/08/21/nc-state-pg-blake-harris-granted-immediate-eligibility/

https://www.toledoblade.com/sports/college/2018/09/28/Chris-Darrington-is-eligible-to-play-for-UT-men-s-basketball-team-this-season/stories/20180928179

https://bustingbrackets.com/2018/10/09/grand-canyon-basketball-washington-transfer-carlos-johnson-eligible-for-2018-19/

https://www.newsobserver.com/sports/college/acc/nc-state/article184619028.html

https://fightinghawks.com/news/2018/9/27/womens-basketball-transfer-alaina-jarnot-set-to-play-this-season.aspx

https://www.si.com/college-basketball/2018/10/13/auburn-transfer-mustapha-heron-granted-ncaa-waiver-eligible-st-johns

https://www.jconline.com/story/sports/college/purdue/womens-basketball/2018/08/10/lyndsey-whilby-granted-immediate-eligibility-play-purdue-women/961860002/

https://madison.com/wsj/sports/college/basketball/women/ncaa-grants-alex-luehring-eligibility-to-play-for-badgers-women/article_dc87c9a1-d74b-5430-b82d-fa097e0eff9f.html

plus a number of other schools like Indiana State have reason to hope for an NCAA waiver

https://twitter.com/TheSchiffMan/status/1052652859676868618

https://www.oregonlive.com/beavers/index.ssf/2018/09/oregon_state_lands_brigham_you.html

https://www.kansas.com/sports/college/wichita-state/article219749870.html

http://www.startribune.com/gophers-to-send-waiver-for-pittsburgh-transfer-marcus-carr-to-play-in-18-19/489997411/

http://www.pharostribune.com/sports/article_4ac785d2-caae-11e8-b513-dbd9a4146c06.html

[tornado]

interesting talk on Evansville freshman Will Becker...

Evansville has only 3 eligible players over 6-5, and Becker was being counted on for help right away...
The only other two big men they have (Chatkevicius & Kuhlman) have been marginally productive (5 pts/5 reb & 2 pts/1 reb) neither is very mobile...with head coach McCarty saying he wants a high tempo running offense....
plus Chatkevicius is said to be possibly going to miss some early games as well (?suspended)- so they may be playing very small in the post at times...

But Becker missed their Hoopfest with a report of knee issues, however...
now there's word that his knee problems may be far more severe than expected and that he may not play for a while - maybe not this year...
One comment on the Evansville board stated has left school.

They are being picked 10th in the MVC by most everyone...so we all expected a rebuilding year anyway...

[tornado]

.. they have denied Indiana State's request for a waiver ....

Illini transfer Mark Smith just got a waiver to play at Missouri right away

Tykei Greene, who enrolled at Loyola then transferred to Manhattan also got a waiver to play this year

[egib52]

Illini transfer Mark Smith just got a waiver to play at Missouri right away

Tykei Greene, who enrolled at Loyola then transferred to Manhattan also got a waiver to play this year

The NCAA is ridiculous! How is there any kind of competitive equality when they just pick and choose who gets waivers. What is the point of having any rules?

[tornado]

interesting talk on Evansville freshman Will Becker...

Evansville has only 3 eligible players over 6-5, and Becker was being counted on for help right away...
The only other two big men they have (Chatkevicius & Kuhlman) have been marginally productive (5 pts/5 reb & 2 pts/1 reb) neither is very mobile...with head coach McCarty saying he wants a high tempo running offense....
plus Chatkevicius is said to be possibly going to miss some early games as well (?suspended)- so they may be playing very small in the post at times...

But Becker missed their Hoopfest with a report of knee issues, however...
now there's word that his knee problems may be far more severe than expected and that he may not play for a while - maybe not this year...
One comment on the Evansville board stated has left school.

They are being picked 10th in the MVC by most everyone...so we all expected a rebuilding year anyway...

The Evansville Courier Press has the coverage on this issue...

sure enough - FRESHMAN Will Becker - even before he has ever played a game or even been healthy enough to scrimmage...
IS RETIRING FROM BASKETBALL -
really a tough break for the kid after playing basketball much of his entire life...

The article says he will lose his scholarship...
but you have to wonder why the heck this was ever allowed to happen?
Clearly they knew he had bad knees - and the kid was fully committed to Binghamton last fall but backed out of his Letter of Intent so he could sign at Evansville.
But if his knees are that bad - how could they not know?

https://www.courierpress.com/story/sports/college/evansville/2018/10/31/injuries-force-evansville-basketball-freshman-becker-retire/1816521002/

it's not like this kid's knee problems were a secret....

https://www.sentinelcolorado.com/sports/preps/boys-basketball/boys-basketball-george-washington-tips-smoky-hill-42-41-5a-great-8/

https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/smoky-hill-senior-will-becker-grimaces-in-pain-holding-his-news-photo/926804864

[Da Coach]

The paragraph of that article is:

https://www.courierpress.com/story/sports/college/evansville/2018/10/31/injuries-force-evansville-basketball-freshman-becker-retire/1816521002/

With his departure, the Aces dropped down to nine scholarship players and two walk-ons for the upcoming season. They will host an exhibition game at 1 p.m. Saturday against visiting New Mexico Highlands, a D-II school coached by former UE standout Craig Snow.
The regular season tips off Thursday, Oct. 8 at Illinois.
The regular season tips off Thursday, Oct. 8 at Illinois.

Pat Hickey actually does a great job covering Evansville. So I am sure he knows that their season didn't start October 8. It's just an unfortunate mistake.

[tornado]

The NCAA doesn't grant waivers because a coach leaves.....

Missouri State still trying to get waivers from NCAA for immediate eligibility
on three of their transfers - Tyrik Dixon from Middle Tennessee, Nevada transfer Josh Hall and South Florida transfer Tulio Da Silva.

Missouri State's Tyrik Dixon & Tulio Da Silva - both players who were signed by coaches that were then fired.....have RECEIVED their waivers and are reportedly now eligible
...so maybe now NCAA is taking that fact into consideration
This is especially rewarding to Da Silva who had already burned his redshirt year - and Dixon left MTSU when Kermit Davis left and came to Missouri State

[tornado]

The Evansville Courier Press has the coverage on this issue...

sure enough - FRESHMAN Will Becker - even before he has ever played a game or even been healthy enough to scrimmage...
IS RETIRING FROM BASKETBALL -
really a tough break for the kid after playing basketball much of his entire life...

The article says he will lose his scholarship...
but you have to wonder why the heck this was ever allowed to happen?
Clearly they knew he had bad knees - and the kid was fully committed to Binghamton last fall but backed out of his Letter of Intent so he could sign at Evansville.
But if his knees are that bad - how could they not know?
https://www.courierpress.com/story/s...re/1816521002/


it's not like this kid's knee problems were a secret....
https://media.gettyimages.com/photos...re-id926804864
https://www.sentinelcolorado.com/spo...41-5a-great-8/
https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/n...hoto/926804864

Will Becker - an Evansville freshman last season who quit the team and announced he was retiring from competition & ending his basketball career
due to bad knees - now announces he will play basketball for DII University of Colorado-Colorado Spgs. Guess his knees weren't as bad as everybody thought.