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Just wanted to get your thoughts on Lance Stemler and his choice to leave Bradley and go to Indiana. IMO I never thought he had the potential to start for Bradley, let alone Indiana. Seems as though he has been doing real well and Indiana has a chance to make the tournament. He averages 9 points in 25 minutes, not bad.
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Re: Lance Stemler
See my recent blurb on Lance...Originally posted by Les is More
Lance has actually gone as cold as ice and isn't getting as much playing time now in most games.
His reasons for leaving BU were of course somewhat complex, and I doubt anyone really knows the whole story, but I have reason to believe it was because he did not feel assured of more playing time.
I am not sure he left on the best of terms with the staff but who knows. -
A new premium article on the Indiana.Rivals site gives some insight into why Lance Stemler did so poorly down the stretch.
About a month before the end of the season, Lance sustained what was described as a "high ankle sprain", similar to what Jamar Smith had.
It is well known that this kind of an injury also involves a tear or stretching of the ligament between the two long bones of the lower leg, and both weight bearing and jumping causes the bones to shift laterally and strains the cartilege in the ankle joint.
It is a very stubborn injury and takes up to a couple months of very significant non-weight bearing or splinting with crutches.
With only a month to go in the season it was decided to let Lance play and then use the off season to get the ankle healed.
But the ankle still bothered Lance a lot, and his performances the rest of the season showed it.
Now Lance says his doctors are very worried about the ability for the ankle to heal at all, since the ligament is so lax that the bones are shifting.
Here is what Lance says to the Indiana interviewer:
"(Stemler suffered a high ankle sprain last month.)
Stemler didn't miss as much time as Ratliff, but it's looking as if Stemler's injury was most severe out of the two. Sampson said the junior forward will likely undergo surgery.
" the ankle is a lot worse than people thought,"
"I remember the day before we left for Chicago I could hardly move."...said Stemler
After starting the season as one of the better shooters on the team, Stemler saw his shot go flat and in turn he went cold from the outside........the ankle injury was to blame.
"As his ankle got worse, his shot got flatter. You could tell it. You'd like to be able to defend Lance a little more, but it was what it was."...said coach Sampson
"There was no one that was more frustrated or disappointed as Lance, but as a coaching staff and Tim Garl as well we knew that there was an explanation for Lance. Lance's courage and toughness the last month of that season I thought was incredible."
Lance will likely undergo surgery within the next couple months.Comment
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Wasn't Lance injured at some point during the season before he left BU? I thought that led to his lack of playing time.
A friend of mine was walking home one night and after the 2004-05 season ended and ran into Lance and Mike Rembert. He told me after telling them both he was a big fan and he wished they had both got more playing time, they both alluded to transferring soon because of the lack of time.
Too bad for both, cause they missed the Sweet 16 run. Also, Mike and Lance would have given us much needed additional size this year and probably gotten a ton of playing time. Ah well, hindsight is 20-20...Comment
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I think the present coaching staff did everything they could to try and make Lance and Mike Rembert happy, but of course nobody gets guaranteed playing time.
I also know the staff even tried to help them both in their efforts to leave and transfer, but I believe both left and were a bit unhappy.
But this kind of thing happens at every level from grade school to pro, players wanting to play more than the coaches can play them.
In the end, both Lance and Mike ended somewhere else, and still have a chance to excel, it's up to them.Comment
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I remember after one of the BU home games late in the season that Lance was on the hilltop, me and a friend went to Bellacino's to get something to eat. Lance was there with his family eating. In the game earlier that day, Lance had played a few minutes and missed a 3 pointer(airball), then missed a short shot in the paint and the coaches quickly pulled him for the rest of the game. Anyway that night during their dinner, as I was sitting at a table next to Lance's family, I could hear Lance and his Dad talking about how disappointed Lance was over his playing situation. I didn't hear them specifically talking about transferring, but you could tell he wasn't happy about his situation. At the time, I remember thinking that he would probably transfer after the year was finished. I also didn't think he would ever see much Playing time at Bradley.
I'm glad to see he got himself to a successful program and a chance to play in the NCAA tourney.DUBL R 1
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I'm giggling like a schoolgirl at my computer at your signature. That's funny stuff. Well played.Originally posted by Dubl R 1Comment
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Lance Stemler underwent surgery on his left ankle on Thursday.
If anyone wants to see the full premium article about Lance, his surgery, and the other injuries the Hoosiers have, let me know, but I just wanted to mention the part that was relevant to Stemler.Comment
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Lance might be a bit worried about his playing time next year.
He's already used his redshirt year, and his playing time diminished big time as the season dragged on.
Now they have tremendous scorers Jamarcus Ellis, Eric Gordon, and Jordan Crawford all coming in as guards and small forwards.
On a points/minutes played and FG%, Lance was among the lowest on the team.Comment
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Lance Stemler was really troubled down the stretch this past season with a severe ankle injury.Originally posted by tornado
About 3 1/2 months ago he underwent surgery, and I just read a few comments on the Indiana premium message board about Lance.
More than 3 months since surgery, and Lance is still rehabbing his left ankle. He is shooting during practices and open gyms, but cannot run, cannot actually play basketball, and is even shooting flat footed and not jumping.
His rehab will take him all the way through the summer, but he should hopefully be ready to go by the season's start.
He will indeed be battling for playing time as Indiana's incoming class of players include several freshman and newcomers who will secure decent playing time.
(Jamarcus Ellis, Jordan Crawford, and Eric Gordon taking shooting guard time)Comment
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Originally posted by tornado
What are the possibilities of Lance redshirting? And, is that even an option?
If not, I'm afraid his career is effectively over
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Actually from what I have read, Lance should be ready to play by November.
He absolutely cannot take a redshirt year, since he used that up during his very first season at Southwest Illinois Junior College.
Then his official freshman season was at BU, his sophomore season was back at SWIC, and his junior season was last year at IU.
He only has one more year and his eligibility is exhausted.
I rare, rare cases, the NCAA has granted a 6th year for the completion of 4 years of eligibility, but if he chose not to play this fall, he'd have to appeal it to the NCAA and wait probably 'til next summer and hope the NCAA awards him the extra year, but it is by no means a certainty.Comment
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