Coach Schertz and Others on the Radio 1/12

[Taj79]

An interesting take on the entire college situation occurred on ESPN today.  It all centered on Bill Belichick taking over at North Carolina.  Jeff Saturday(a UNC grad) made an interesting statement whereby Belichick would only coach and recruit but he would have people hired to run the NIL and portal ends of the business.  I think this is the answer and you see it with Adrian Wojnarowski at Bonaventure and Andrew Luck going back to Stanford.  Also, Wilbon and Kornheiser talk about how there will be a need for general managers at schools to run it right and not burden the respective coaches with it.  Another answer floated might be revenue sharing but I doubt there will be much revenue to go around in Billiken land.  But a school like Maryland, that plays crap football but has football just the same, would be looking at something ridiculous if that happened there with their Big Ten revenue.  If divided equally today, I heard the figure was $140k per athlete this year! (Don't know if that is just the men or both men and women).  

[HoosierPal]

Dec 29, Coach Schertz with Tom Ackerman

Loved seeing his son score his first college points, (after two turnovers ).  [Team has 11 managers plus the 3 walk-ons.]  Coach talked about the managers a lot.  Managers probably left the gym at 2 am after last night's game.    

Team flies to NY tomorrow morning.  This afternoon is tape session from last night and watch a little of Fordham.  They will then have a walk through.  Some of the guys who didn't play much will get a little bit of work.  Looking forward to Rose Hill gym. 

Coach:  SLU isn't in the top mix of the A10 yet.  First four, at Fordham, St. Joe, St. Bonnie and then at VCU.

Coach: In hindsight, William Woods was a better game than we needed coming out of break.  Thought Robbie left a few plays on the table.  He would agree with that.  Did a good job facilitating.  Gibson came out hunting his threes, being aggressive. 

Avila had a career high of 4 steals.  6 boards, game high 6 assists.

Pikaar has incredible mobility.  WW was aggressive to the rim, and that matchup was good for Pikaar.  Probably effected 5 or 6 other shots besides his blocks.  Still has to figure out the offense.  Did have a great pass to Robbie for an assist.  Has to get stronger.  Anyone can bring physicality to the game, no matter your build.  Max can bring it to the paint.  He and Warlick 'won the game' for us.

Warlick:  Schertz recruited him for ISU, but didn't get him  When Wyoming coach left, he was available.  He isn't outstanding in any category, but he wins.  You can't quantify it, or put your finger on it, but he just wins.  He didn't start practicing until November.  He is still getting into shape.  The upside of our injuries is that the three freshmen are getting playing time.

Injury update:  Swope, working through the inflammation.  Will know more today.  Had trouble with his knee in the fall and it continues.  Trying a different procedure on the knee after break.  Believes Swope will find a way to play in NY.  Thames working through both the hip flexor and cramps.  Strained hip flexor against Chicago State.  He tried to play at Illinois State, but couldn't go.  Doesn't know how many minutes he will be able to go in the near future.  Coach will be shocked if he plays against Fordham.  AJ is back, practiced two or three days before Xmas, then again after break.  He is working his way back into shape.  He is in the mix with Max and Kilian for minutes, depending on match-ups.

https://www.audacy.com/podcast/sports-on-a-sunday-morning-2f4a4/episodes/josh-schertz-on-billikens-win-key-players-and-upcoming-game-02f25

 

 

[willie]

Pistol. What compensation/ scholarship money do managers receive?

[cheeseman]

1 minute ago, willie said:

Pistol. What compensation/ scholarship money do managers receive?

If they still do what they did a few years ago then they get a half schollie

[Pistol]

6 hours ago, willie said:

Pistol. What compensation/ scholarship money do managers receive?

 

6 hours ago, cheeseman said:

If they still do what they did a few years ago then they get a half schollie

I think it has changed since my day, when we had one full scholarship available for the head manager. We had 3 in 1 class, so we split it 3 ways for 2 years.

[cgeldmacher]

On 12/29/2024 at 11:37 AM, HoosierPal said:

Warlick:  He isn't outstanding in any category, but he wins.  You can't quantify it, or put your finger on it, but he just wins.  He didn't start practicing until November.

Based upon the little I have seen so far, I totally agree with this.  Warlick seems like the kid that will get that important rebound that's needed at the end of a game just because he's more aware and wants it more, ala Goodwin.  He's been sneaky good with finding guys on passes for easy baskets.  He's been making shots.  If this season isn't resulting in a post season appearance, I would rather he gets a lot of playing time, if not starts, the rest of the way.

[slu72]

Thames report is discouraging for him and the team. He was playing really well. 

[HoosierPal]

Coach Schertz and Tom Ackerman, January 5.

Team is understanding the level of togetherness needed, and establishing an identity.  Have to keep working and get better.  Defense has improved.  At ISU they were #1 defensive team in the Valley.  You can't be good offensively if you are bad defensively.  So much of defense is a nuance that most people don't see.  Canceling ball screens, ball pressure, getting back in transition, rotation on defense, none of these appears in the box score. No external love but internally the team understands. 

Starters are grinding it out.  Everyone worries about minutes played.  Schertz job is to win the game in front of him and not worry about the next game.  Starting five is playing at a high level.  Each understands their function.  He would like to have better bench performance.  Thames has had very limited practice time.  He isn't back.  It will take a while to come back.  Avila is now playing like he did last year.  it took him time to come back from his injury.  The young guys have to step up and play well enough to absorb minutes.  Bench was a -26 in St. Joe game.  Needle has to stay at least neutral from bench .  We don't rest guys just to rest guys.  Those guys (starters) are in condition to play 40.  Has to develop the bench.  Kellen certainly capable of playing heavy minutes when he returns.

Monday is first Coach's Show with Rammer.  [EDIT;  IT HAS BEEN CANCELED ON MONDAY.] St B game coming up.  Impressive wins against VCU and at Fordham.  We play St. B and then fly out to play VCU.

[MusicCityBilliken]

2 hours ago, HoosierPal said:

 

Defense has improved.  

Nov & Dec I was very critical of the defense.  Can't say that now with the Fordham & St. J's game.

One thing that impressed me during the St J's game was at least 5 or 6 times St J's had to heave a shot with shot clock ready to go off. Hope they can continue this intensity throughout the remainder of the season. 

Concerning the bench, I am a little uncomfortable CJS approach, but he's the coach.

[HoosierPal]

After 3 hours of shoveling snow, I went back and looked at the -26  +/-of the bench against St. Joe.

Thames 11 minutes, -13

McCottry 2 minutes, -2

Brockhoff 4 minutes, -8

Pikaar 3 minutes, -3

Warlick, 0 and 0

Coach is looking for bench players who can at be at least neutral +/- 

[willie]

I think you need to have more than 2 or3 minutes to have an impact on the game. 

[Bay Area Billiken]

53 minutes ago, willie said:

I think you need to have more than 2 or3 minutes to have an impact on the game. 

Also, a player needs to be able to practice.

I hope Kellen Thames can return to his pre-cramping, pre-hip flexor form. When healthy, he is a budding star.  

[HoosierPal]

Coach Schertz and Tom Ackerman, KMOX Sports Open Line, Sunday 1/12.

Avila is back, looking like himself the past 2-3 weeks.  Return to form and return to play are two different things.  He is back in form.  He had missed a total of 8+ weeks of practice when he came back.  He knows the playbook, but he had to adjust to his teammates as well as the team adjusting to him.  He had a career high of 3 blocks v St. B, and tied Johnson for Assists in the game.

St B was a very physical team.  That game stretched us in our physicality and toughness.  

Tom A- How has the group responded to all the accolades coming their way?  Coach - we talk about outside noise but we focus on internal standards.  Focus is on inside the locker room.  The only way to remain on top of the A10 is to put our head down, prepare as well as we can, get better every day.  Everyone is chasing us.  VCU and Richmond will be two different types of test.  Outside noise is incredibly fluid.

VCU still plays with same intense defense.  They missed a buzzer shot at St. Bonnie, or they would be 3-0.  As good a team as we have played this year and the hardest environment.  

Our defense in general has made a big jump.  Lot's of invisible plays that don't get box score credit are happening.  You do these plays only if you are committed to success.  Commitment to invisible plays that drive winning have taken a leap.

Thames brings a level of energy and athleticism that we don't have on this team.  Coach got emotional with his reverse dunk.   Always has a smile on his face.  Whatever we get from him, it is a bonus.  His situation is pretty stable - he can play in short bursts. We will manage that the best we can. Situation hasn't changed. 

Leave tomorrow for Richmond and stay until Saturday night.

[BLIKNS]

Thanks for sharing... was wondering if we would stay in Richmond

[BILLS324]

I am sure this has been talked about a lot but I have been checked out the last couple of weeks with family issues. What is exactly going on with Thames health wise?

[cheeseman]

10 minutes ago, BILLS324 said:

I am sure this has been talked about a lot but I have been checked out the last couple of weeks with family issues. What is exactly going on with Thames health wise?

A similar issue as Thatch had.  

[BILLS324]

44 minutes ago, cheeseman said:

A similar issue as Thatch had.  

I was thinking it sounded a lot like Thatch.

[HoosierPal]

3 hours ago, cheeseman said:

A similar issue as Thatch had.  

 

2 hours ago, BILLS324 said:

I was thinking it sounded a lot like Thatch.

I went back and looked up the Thatch medical issue.  He was diagnosed with a form of myalgia or an isolated myopathy.  He said it was a form of muscle fatigue and pain in his legs.   These articles state that at first, his legs got sore, then they hurt, then he couldn’t run.  After he recovered, we all remember that he tore his ACL ending his basketball career.  Others can determine if this is the same as Thames' condition.

https://www.stltoday.com/sports/college/slu/after-medical-woes-last-year-slus-thatch-ready-to-contribute-on-court-and-on-campus/article_65bd0149-3bbe-5c41-8844-8f2208333436.html

https://www.ksdk.com/article/sports/college/slu/slu-basketball/mysterious-condition-keeps-slus-fred-thatch-sidelined/63-5e7fdf06-6dba-4464-8c0e-1eaaa22e14d0

https://www.stltoday.com/sports/college/slu/after-repeated-injuries-acl-tear-ends-fred-thatch-jr-s-slu-basketball-career/article_07811e2b-8944-5506-9705-3d53a8a44d7d.html

[RiseOfTheBillikens]

Cramp U

[cheeseman]

4 hours ago, HoosierPal said:

 

I went back and looked up the Thatch medical issue.  He was diagnosed with a form of myalgia or an isolated myopathy.  He said it was a form of muscle fatigue and pain in his legs.   These articles state that at first, his legs got sore, then they hurt, then he couldn’t run.  After he recovered, we all remember that he tore his ACL ending his basketball career.  Others can determine if this is the same as Thames' condition.

https://www.stltoday.com/sports/college/slu/after-medical-woes-last-year-slus-thatch-ready-to-contribute-on-court-and-on-campus/article_65bd0149-3bbe-5c41-8844-8f2208333436.html

https://www.ksdk.com/article/sports/college/slu/slu-basketball/mysterious-condition-keeps-slus-fred-thatch-sidelined/63-5e7fdf06-6dba-4464-8c0e-1eaaa22e14d0

https://www.stltoday.com/sports/college/slu/after-repeated-injuries-acl-tear-ends-fred-thatch-jr-s-slu-basketball-career/article_07811e2b-8944-5506-9705-3d53a8a44d7d.html

First, I never said he had what Thatch had I said he has something similar.  Second, the end result is basically the same as it applies to his playing - short stints with a recurring of cramping.