2024-25 Roster

[HoosierPal]

1 hour ago, Aquinas said:

I will project Casey ahead of Anya, though it's potential vs experience at a lower level.

In his interview last night Schertz called Casey a Hybrid and Anya a Swing.  He said they both could play with Avila. 

[Aquinas]

It going to be fun watching this develop. 

[billiken_roy]

Just now, HoosierPal said:

In his interview last night Schertz called Casey a Hybrid and Anya a Swing.  He said they both could play with Avila. 

I could see the three of them taking all 80 available minutes and they Garner approximately 30-30-20 split of those minutes assuming Casey and Anya are both legit.   Imo playing 5 out they are gonna be better off defensively and rebounding if they are playing two legit bigs.  

[SLUMedBilliken15]

Can someone teach me what all the different positions (Hybrid, swing, etc)are in Schertz system and what each means? Thanks in advance. (Sorry if I missed this elsewhere)

[HoosierPal]

2 hours ago, SLUMedBilliken15 said:

Can someone teach me what all the different positions (Hybrid, swing, etc)are in Schertz system and what each means? Thanks in advance. (Sorry if I missed this elsewhere)

His terms are Creator, Shooter, Swing, Hybrid and Big. He also said last season ISU played primarily 2 Creators, a Shooter, a Swing and a Big. 
Obviously the  Big was Avila, likely Kent the Swing, guessing Conwell the Shooter and Swope and Bird Creators. 

But he said to close out games he relied on a two man game of Avila and Conwell. So maybe switch Swope and Conwell for Creator - Shooter?

[Aquinas]

2024 Billikens: Updated with Dylan Warlick, I identified him as a small forward.  I didn't find a 3pt%, though video shows him shooting 3s. I saw one site listing him as 6'6" and 215, also saw him listed as a power forward. I am always suspect of high school player's heights. I look forward to SLU posting the height/wt of the team, especially the freshman.

Gibson Jimerson 6’5” Sr, 215, Guard Wing, 36 Min, 16 Pts, 2.9 RB, 3Pt% 36, FT% 86, 2.1 Asst, .66 Stls, Billikens-A10

Robbie Avila 6’10”240 Jr, Center, 31 Min, 17 Pts, 7 RB, 3Pt% 39m FT% 81, 4.1 Asst, .67 Stls, Indiana State– Missouri Valley,
Shertz: Makes everyone around him better.

Isaiah Swope 5’10” 170, SR, Guard, 33 Min, 16 Pts, 3 RB, 3Pt% 36, FT% 74, 2.1 Asst, 1.3 Stls, Indiana State, Schertz His quickness and shooting are at elite levels and is one of the best scorers in all of college basketball.  

Larry Hughes II 6’4” 185 Jr, Guard, 23 Min, 7 Pts, 2.7 RB, 3 Pt% 35, FT% 77, 1.5 Asst, Billikens

Kellen Thames 6’5” 205, SO, Guard, 19 Min, 6 Pts, 3.7 RB, 3 Pt% 36, FT% 55, .8 Asst, .9 Stls, 1.2 Stls, Billikens

Josiah Dotzler 6’3” 185, SO, Guard, 4Min, 1 Pts, 0 RB, 3Pt% 18, FT% 60, .2 Asst, .3 Stls, Creighton – Big East, Schertz: I recruited him out of high school.

A J Casey 6’9” 221, JR, Forward, 9 Min, 2 Pts, 2 RB, 3Pt% 0, FT% 59, .3 Asst, .1 Stls, Miami – ACC,
Schertz: Can play with a big and operate as small ball 5. Defensively can guard 1-5.

Kalu Anya 6’8” 215, JR, Forward, 27 Min, 9.6 Pts, 7.4 RB, 3Pt% 27, FT% 51, 1.7 Asst, 1.2 Stls, Brown-Ivy League, Schertz: Can guard 1-5.

Kobe Johnson 6’3”, SR, Guard, 26 Min 6 Pts, 2 RB, 3pt% 28, FT% 79, 2.2 Asst, .55 Stls, West Virginia

Kilian Brockoff 6’9” 225, SO, Center, 8 Min, 3 Pts, 1.5 RB, 3pt% 38, FT% 57, .3 Asst, UC Santa Barbara – Big West, (From Germany)
  

Freshman:

Max Pikaar 6’11” 205, FR, Power Forward, Double/Double, 3Pt% 40, FT% ?  Netherlands - Sunrise Christian Academy (Kansas) Schertz – Can handle, pass and shoot at the highest levels Defensively can guard 1 – 4.

Amari McCottry 6’6” 215, FR, Guard Wing, 22 Pts, 9 RB, St. Thomas More, 247 3 star, Schertz: His size, skill and explosiveness are all at the very highest level.

Dylan Warlick 6’5” 210, FR, Small Forward, 20 Pts, 11 RB, Edmond North High, Edmond OK, 247 Rivals - 3 star, physical player
 

[RUBillsFan]

3 hours ago, Aquinas said:

2024 Billikens: Updated with Dylan Warlick, I identified him as a small forward.  I didn't find a 3pt%, though video shows him shooting 3s. I saw one site listing him as 6'6" and 215, also saw him listed as a power forward. I am always suspect of high school player's heights. I look forward to SLU posting the height/wt of the team, especially the freshman.

Gibson Jimerson 6’5” Sr, 215, Guard Wing, 36 Min, 16 Pts, 2.9 RB, 3Pt% 36, FT% 86, 2.1 Asst, .66 Stls, Billikens-A10

Robbie Avila 6’10”240 Jr, Center, 31 Min, 17 Pts, 7 RB, 3Pt% 39m FT% 81, 4.1 Asst, .67 Stls, Indiana State– Missouri Valley,
Shertz: Makes everyone around him better.

Isaiah Swope 5’10” 170, SR, Guard, 33 Min, 16 Pts, 3 RB, 3Pt% 36, FT% 74, 2.1 Asst, 1.3 Stls, Indiana State, Schertz His quickness and shooting are at elite levels and is one of the best scorers in all of college basketball.  

Larry Hughes II 6’4” 185 Jr, Guard, 23 Min, 7 Pts, 2.7 RB, 3 Pt% 35, FT% 77, 1.5 Asst, Billikens

Kellen Thames 6’5” 205, SO, Guard, 19 Min, 6 Pts, 3.7 RB, 3 Pt% 36, FT% 55, .8 Asst, .9 Stls, 1.2 Stls, Billikens

Josiah Dotzler 6’3” 185, SO, Guard, 4Min, 1 Pts, 0 RB, 3Pt% 18, FT% 60, .2 Asst, .3 Stls, Creighton – Big East, Schertz: I recruited him out of high school.

A J Casey 6’9” 221, JR, Forward, 9 Min, 2 Pts, 2 RB, 3Pt% 0, FT% 59, .3 Asst, .1 Stls, Miami – ACC,
Schertz: Can play with a big and operate as small ball 5. Defensively can guard 1-5.

Kalu Anya 6’8” 215, JR, Forward, 27 Min, 9.6 Pts, 7.4 RB, 3Pt% 27, FT% 51, 1.7 Asst, 1.2 Stls, Brown-Ivy League, Schertz: Can guard 1-5.

Kobe Johnson 6’3”, SR, Guard, 26 Min 6 Pts, 2 RB, 3pt% 28, FT% 79, 2.2 Asst, .55 Stls, West Virginia

Kilian Brockoff 6’9” 225, SO, Center, 8 Min, 3 Pts, 1.5 RB, 3pt% 38, FT% 57, .3 Asst, UC Santa Barbara – Big West, (From Germany)
  

Freshman:

Max Pikaar 6’11” 205, FR, Power Forward, Double/Double, 3Pt% 40, FT% ?  Netherlands - Sunrise Christian Academy (Kansas) Schertz – Can handle, pass and shoot at the highest levels Defensively can guard 1 – 4.

Amari McCottry 6’6” 215, FR, Guard Wing, 22 Pts, 9 RB, St. Thomas More, 247 3 star, Schertz: His size, skill and explosiveness are all at the very highest level.

Dylan Warlick 6’5” 210, FR, Small Forward, 20 Pts, 11 RB, Edmond North High, Edmond OK, 247 Rivals - 3 star, physical player
 

I realize it doesn't mean much in the NIL / transfer portal era, but I like having a roster that is balanced across the classes.  Schertz has done that & hopefully it sets us up for a sustained run of success if we can retain players that are worth retaining.

Seniors - 3 (Jimerson, Swope, Johnson)

Juniors - 5 (Avila, Casey, Anya, Thames, Hughes)

Soph - 2 (Dotzler, Brockhoff)

Freshman - 3 (Pikaar, McCottry, Warlick)

[Taj79]

Going to be intersting to re-examine this list after next year's portal pillage.  Both for us and against us.

[almaman]

jeezeezjeezus let's enjoy next 10 months first. this will b in my 12?years MBMing by far most active hot stove type ramblings all summer long. can't wait for that alone. & really no matter how much bad luck hard being gills fan et al seems unlikely we won't dance. it should be instant greatest show on turf season. even the A-10 commish could not straight face say it's a tough conference. assume we will have usual SOS so 28 wins seems very likely. then if we lose first round then we can batten the hatches. & name 5 coaches real quick u would rather have than Coach after the pillaging?

[Bills By 40]

On 5/17/2024 at 2:52 PM, Old guy said:

This is correct to some extent, but not a good argument. We did not go against anyone after being eliminated during the A10 tournament. ISU played and beat every team that went against them in the  NIT, with the exception of the last game. Their team did play and win against A10, ACC,  Big 12, and similar level teams during the NIT.

It is a good argument because those P5 NIT matchups represent 5 of their 39 games played. They had two P5 games in the non-con meaning 7 of their 39 games played were against upper level competition - everything else was MO Valley or lesser. 
 

Less than 18% of all games played were against upper level competition and the team went 4-3 in those games. 

[Brighton]

On 5/23/2024 at 8:42 PM, Taj79 said:

Going to be intersting to re-examine this list after next year's portal pillage.  Both for us and against us.

Such a ray of light as usual.

[Billiken Rich]

27 minutes ago, Brighton said:

Such a ray of light as usual.

The pot calling the kettle a troll?

[Brighton]

15 minutes ago, Billiken Rich said:

The pot calling the kettle a troll?

I could say the same for you and DOC.

[slufan13]

Coming soon, my rankings of the top 10 and bottom 10 posters on this site. 

[HoosierPal]

Stu's article on the roster and what is next is linked below.  Squad reports this week for physicals and then starts in the gym next week.  Schertz said in a previous interview he believes two players will have obligations for their national teams, so they will miss part of the off season.

https://www.stltoday.com/sports/college/slu/with-slu-roster-complete-josh-schertz-will-bend-his-system-to-fit-talent/article_8d76e928-1ce6-11ef-9b65-3f6c81e1b6dd.html?utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter&utm_campaign=user-share

For me two interesting points.  First, if you expect a duplicate of last year's Sycamore's, you won't see it.

“It will look different than Indiana State in the sense that the personnel is different. We’ll probably be better in some areas and not quite as good at other things. I look at bending the system to the strength of the players with some things being non-negotiable. But you have to be open to discovering a team.”

Second, he prefers a tight rotation. 

Who will fit into the rotation in 2024-25 remains to be seen. Schertz did not rely much on his bench at Indiana State and philosophically seems to prefer a tight group.

“We really played six players significant minutes, and everyone else was spot minutes,” he said. “I would like to have more depth than that, but one thing you can do is play too many guys. If you have 10, you can do that. I had that much more in 22-23. But it’s harder for guys to get in a rhythm that way. I like it when your best players are out there the most. It’s best in terms of chemistry to have a top five, six, seven and everybody else. Then they’re not complaining about not playing because it’s pretty obvious.”

[DOC]

On 5/28/2024 at 9:32 AM, Brighton said:

I could say the same for you and DOC.

Hey, when did they let you start posting more than once a day?