Coach Schertz on the Radio 4/28 Press Box w/Frank

[HoosierPal]

Coach Schertz, Sports on a Sunday Morning with Kevin Wheeler  3/9

Great way to finish for the seniors.  Senior night can go either way.  Sometimes guys get too emotional and can't play their best.  Gibson is leaving an incredible legacy.  Some of his numbers won't ever be challenged in modern day basketball.  His loyalty to the university and the city is the greatest part of his legacy.  He could have left but he didn't.  It would have been easy for him to leave.  Regardless of what happens next week this group has laid some good seeds about culture, resilience and how we do it together.  And Gibson has held lay that foundation.

It is hard now for freshmen to play.  Top 10 teams in country, freshmen aren't playing all that much.  Five freshmen on top 10 teams are averaging double digit minutes, and three are on Duke. Game has gotten older.  Players are staying in college longer as they can make more money in college than in foreign pro leagues.  Seniors, Kobe and Isaiah, have come in and made an impact.  Shots Swope has made at end of games is remarkable.  Kobe doesn't get same acclaim, but he does so many things to drive winning.  Those three seniors + Robbie have had to be an iron group.  They have never complained about their minutes. 

A10 Tourney, team needs to take care of the ball.  We have had trouble, in spurts.  Have to value the ball.  Biggest flaw we have is turnovers.  Duquesne does lead the league in forcing turnovers, so they had a part of our problem, but we had to be better.  21 assists were great  Made some big time free throws.  We have a small margin of error.  We have enough, if we take care of the ball, to beat anyone in the A10.

Fundamentals of the game haven't changed.  Eliminate losing by taking care of the basketball, sprinting inside your defense, protect the rim without fouling, take great shots, don't allow second chance rebounds...all are controllable.  Lock into the controllables.  In elimination time, there is pressure to perform at your peak.

LINK ADDED:  https://www.audacy.com/podcast/sports-on-a-sunday-morning-2f4a4/episodes/kevin-wheeler-josh-schertz-on-slu-basketball-gibson-jimersons-legacy-a-10-tournament-3a622

[billikenbill]

Listening to the replay of the Billiken coach’s show on the Varsity app. Love hearing Schertz talk hoops. Best part starts at the 15 min. mark if you want to save some time.

[billikenbill]

Listening to Schertz on Ackerman and he says Bills will accept an NIT bid if offered. That’s the only post-season event they’ll participate in.

[SluSignGuy]

Also said that Swope was really only practicing once a week for the last few months due to health.

[billikenbill]

48 minutes ago, SluSignGuy said:

Also said that Swope was really only practicing once a week for the last few months due to health.

As maddening as Swope could be at times with the turnovers, I hate to see the curtain drop on the Swope Show. What a clutch player.

[almaman]

between the 2 seems we have enough medical expertise & facilities within walking distance of the bell tower with SLU Wash u

[HoosierPal]

April 13 Sports on a Sunday Morning, Coach with Tom Ackerman

Still actively recruiting.  Trying to put the finishing touches on the roster.  Hope he can finish the roster by mid to late April.  Looking to add a couple of pieces. 

Otieno - when SLU prepared for Q, Schertz noted his offensive rebounds.  6'8" to 6'9".  True center offensively but can step out and shoot, not at Robbie level.  He can guard 3-5.  Great D versatility.  He blocks shots.  He can play with Robbie but can also play without.

Jones - NIU didn't have a great year but he was terrific.  Got hurt in first minute of last game and went from 1st to 3rd in MAC league scoring.  107 assists and 77 TO.  Great playmaker at 6'5".  + offensive rebounder as a guard.

Green -  Schertz recruited him in 2022 in AAU ball.  Saw him 20 some times.  But he was top 60 player, so ISU wasn't going to get him.  A smaller guard, but an incredible shooter.  All Rookie Big East first year.  Stepped away in 2nd year at X.  Got a redshirt year already.  Can handle the ball and get his shot anytime.  Small guards have to shoot off the dribble and have range.   Has similar qualities to Swope.

Brown - 6'3" guard.  At UMBC, let the league in scoring and rebounds.  21.4 and 9.6.  35% or better from 3.  + defender.  Very versatile.  Tough as Dylan Warlick.

Thames:  Doctors are working through what he is dealing with.  Some diagnosis but nothing confirmed.  Not yet to figuring out the next steps.  This is not life threatening.  But at what level can he continue to play?  Hopefully will be in uniform but he will be part of the team even if not in uniform.  "I would have looked a lot smarter last year if he had continued to play."

Trying to spread the ball handling around next season and not concentrate on Robbie/Swope for less turnovers. 

[willie]

After listening to Schertz this morning I went out and bought tickets to the final 4. Sure made them sound like All Americans. If they are half as good as he made them sound we will be pretty good. 

[HoosierPal]

Coach on the Press Box with Frank, 4/28.

Coach feels he has addressed his concerns with the portal class.  We won't know until they get here, but we needed an infusion of playmaking, shooting, speed and physicality inside.  You recruit People first and Players second.  Tougher aspect to know players in the portal.  HS recruits, you spend a year + with them. They now talk to as many players and/or former teammates with portal players.  How many opinions can you get on the player.  You have to get this right.  You have to get the Person right.  If you get the person wrong, it won't work.  What wins is the team that is the most connected and that wants to be bigger than themself. 

On NIL $, it is like shopping with a budget.  He sat with AD May and came up with the budget.  Money has moved in-house.  Expects the House settlement to go through.  Studied all the NBA teams and how they distributed the salary cap:  how much best player and starters were paid, how much are players 6-9 paid.  Created a model and figured out %.  Started with the SLU returners.  What to allocate to them first.  Then freshmen, how much.  Remaining money for portal players.  How much % for each in the portal.  Can go up and down %, but if you do go up, have to cut $ from another player.  School has been very supportive with funds, plus May has committed $ outside of the school funds.  $ Number will go up each year.  No scholarship players next year will play for free.  Freshmen get pretty much a fixed amount.  "Many times The Best Get is the one you already have." 

Q Jones:  NIU team wasn't great. Will play with and without the ball.  Hurt his finger last game, and lost the scoring MAC title.

P Otieno:  Looking for O Rebounds and shot blocking.  Can guard inside, and can play with Avila.

Brown:  At UMBC, lead league in scoring. Started at BC.  Terrific on O glass.  Good cutter.  Can make 3's.

Green:  Has been recruiting him since HS.  Wired to score.  Good defender.  Terrific with the ball.  A Playmaker.

Dunlap:  6'8" (still growing), can really shoot.  Hurt early last season.  He was playing 17 mpg for St. John's before getting hurt.  Doesn't look like it, but he really guards well.  A great catch and shoot.

Sharma:  6'6"  Has a chance to make 100 3's.

Avila:  never worried he would leave.  He lead the nation in made 3's and assists for Bigs.  Bigs have the highest value on the portal market. He will admit the past season wasn't what he wanted.  

Thames:  so far all good.  Nothing "scary" where he can't play.  The docs think there is a pathway for him to play.  Will be trying some things this summer.  He is back doing workouts. When he was right he was 15/7 guy.  He could be a game changer for us.

 

[Cowboy]

17 hours ago, HoosierPal said:

 

Thames:  so far all good.  Nothing "scary" where he can't play.  The docs think there is a pathway for him to play.  Will be trying some things this summer.  He is back doing workouts. When he was right he was 15/7 guy.  He could be a game changer for us.

 

-that would be great on many levels

[slubillikens43]

I pretty much know nothing about Thames' situation other than that he couldn't play, but what do they mean they think there is a pathway? He is doing workouts, etc. What is keeping him from playing even 10-15 minutes/game, the fact that he would be going harder at game speed?

[cheeseman]

5 hours ago, slubillikens43 said:

I pretty much know nothing about Thames' situation other than that he couldn't play, but what do they mean they think there is a pathway? He is doing workouts, etc. What is keeping him from playing even 10-15 minutes/game, the fact that he would be going harder at game speed?

Not sure I have all specific medical issue but it has something do with how his body processes the stuff that builds up from exertion.  His body is not processing it the way it should so he develops cramps that literally makes him debilitated to the point he cannot walk without pain or do any physical activity.  

[billikenfan05]

5 minutes ago, cheeseman said:

Not sure I have all specific medical issue but it has something do with how his body processes the stuff that builds up from exertion.  His body is not processing it the way it should so he develops cramps that literally makes him debilitated to the point he cannot walk without pain or do any physical activity.  

I’ve said it before but the problem is there’s no clear threshold for when a cramp attack will kick in. It’s not like a minutes restriction of 10 minutes would help because there’s no telling if he gets one on the first possession or goes a full 10 minutes. 

[VeniceMenace]

7 hours ago, slubillikens43 said:

I pretty much know nothing about Thames' situation other than that he couldn't play, but what do they mean they think there is a pathway? He is doing workouts, etc. What is keeping him from playing even 10-15 minutes/game, the fact that he would be going harder at game speed?

Holding for the latest health condition analysis from Old Guy.

[Billikenbooster]

Please, don’t encourage him

[Old guy]

@VeniceMenace The stuff that generally builds up in the muscles and causes the cramps is lactic acid, and the name of the medical condition is lactic acidosis. In cramps the lactic acidosis is localized to a muscle or muscles, not generalized (generalized lactic acidosis is usually a life end condition), the lactic acid just cannot be removed fast enough from the affected area and manifests as cramps. There are a large number of conditions, some of them genetic, that manifest through localized lactic acidosis and cramps. I am pretty certain that they have no idea what is causing the build up in Thames' case. 05 is correct saying that you cannot predict how long he can play in a given day before the cramps bring him down. I also know that Schertz likewise has no idea about what is causing the cramps. Thames is a good player that will play and continue playing until the cramps bring him down, same old story.

[gobillsgo]

Can we all at least agree that relying on Thames to be any sort of contributor would be foolish?  I hope he’s somehow able to play a role on this team, but if I have to hear next spring Thames being out was a reason we stunk again, I might lose my mind.  Go into the season expecting he won’t play, and any actual contribution is house money. 

[3star_recruit]

4 minutes ago, gobillsgo said:

Can we all at least agree that relying on Thames to be any sort of contributor would be foolish?  I hope he’s somehow able to play a role on this team, but if I have to hear next spring Thames being out was a reason we stunk again, I might lose my mind.  Go into the season expecting he won’t play, and any actual contribution is house money. 

We struggled last year because there wasn't anybody of similar quality behind Thames.  Barring injury, I don't think that's an issue this year.  If Thames is playing 20 min a game  and has to go out again, we've got a capable player behind him.

[Dr. Holly Hills]

6 hours ago, gobillsgo said:

Can we all at least agree that relying on Thames to be any sort of contributor would be foolish?  I hope he’s somehow able to play a role on this team, but if I have to hear next spring Thames being out was a reason we stunk again, I might lose my mind.  Go into the season expecting he won’t play, and any actual contribution is house money. 

It appears that CJS and staff have attempted to recruit over him (for a lack of better term) with the guys they have brought in, so we are not in the same old boat.  Me personally, I seem to be a little higher on Dunlap and Jones than others on this board.  Time will tell, I guess.