Re: 2024 Offseason

by up7587 Mon Mar 25, 2024 10:36 pm

@ThePortalReport wrote:Kent State (D1) transfer Voncameron Davis has heard from the following schools, he told @ThePortalReport:

Virginia Tech
Gonzaga
Loyola Chicago
Florida Gulf Coast
Portland
+ Others

First time I have seen the Pilots mentioned as contacting a player in the portal this season.

by DoubleDipper Tue Mar 26, 2024 12:10 am

up7587 wrote:First time I have seen the Pilots mentioned as contacting a player in the portal this season.

The staff may want to talk to this young Aussie...

by DoubleDipper Tue Mar 26, 2024 12:15 am

up7587 wrote:
@ThePortalReport wrote:Kent State (D1) transfer Voncameron Davis has heard from the following schools, he told @ThePortalReport:

Virginia Tech
Gonzaga
Loyola Chicago
Florida Gulf Coast
Portland
+ Others

First time I have seen the Pilots mentioned as contacting a player in the portal this season.

Davis put up 9 points in 19 minutes against UP season before last.

I believe Kent St. will be coming to the Chiles Center this coming season...

by DoubleDipper Wed Mar 27, 2024 11:33 am

DoubleDipper wrote:So, with two medical redshirts and an added covid year, Chris, who will be 24 years-old next month, will add some needed maturity to a very young team and will complete his college playing career at Portland seven years after graduating from high school.

I was trying to remember another UP player who enjoyed seven years of eligibility...It was Mikey Henn!

Mikey played in all 21 games at UP during the COVID shortened 20-21 season and started in 20 of those contests.

At 6-8/225, Henn game to UP as a grad-student after spending time at UC Davis and Cal Baptist, but he wasn't done after leaving UP, and went on to play at two more schools, Denver and Penn State before "retiring" from college basketball. Mikey was able to enjoy March Madness in the Tournament while at UC Davis and Penn St.

A fun guy to be around, Mikey earned an MBA and a post-grad certificate in real estate, and I believe he is now playing professional ball in Japan.

by DoubleDipper Wed Mar 27, 2024 3:00 pm

DoubleDipper wrote:
brooke_PPFan@proton.me wrote:Vucinic leaving, too.
Tells me he wants to head down to California, "or someplace warm."

I don't know if any California schools are talking to V, but I understand Portland State is recruiting him hard to join former Pilot Hayden Curtiss on the Vikings squad. Neutral

by up7587 Wed Mar 27, 2024 3:19 pm

@ThePortalReport wrote:Portland (D1) transfer Yuto Yamanouchi-Williams has heard from the following schools, he told @ThePortalReport:

Hawaii
UC Riverside
Chattanooga
Wyoming
Portland State
UNC Charlotte
Liberty
Wofford
Oral Roberts
Montana
Valparaiso
Cornell
Utah Valley

by DoubleDipper Wed Mar 27, 2024 4:06 pm

Of all the former Pilots in the portal, I believe Yuto has the most upside (yes, even more than Juanse), and when healthy, will make a good team even better.

by NoPoNeighbor Wed Mar 27, 2024 10:32 pm

DoubleDipper wrote:
brooke_PPFan@proton.me wrote:Vucinic leaving, too.
Tells me he wants to head down to California, "or someplace warm."

Hopes to transfer his UP credits and finish out his time in America by "graduating from college."

Does not care if it's a D1 or D2 school but would like to get more playing time.

Who knows? He may end up at the University of North Dakota.

I can't blame Vucinic for leaving. Legans really doesn't seem to like playing "traditional" big men, regardless of how they perform. Just about every time Vucinic got a little bit of run, he made a positive impact on the game. And then he wouldn't see the court of the rest of the night, or even for an entire game. Watch what he did in his limited minutes in the home game against Gonzaga. He was a force while he was in there! 12 minutes. 5-for-5 from the field for 10 points. 4 rebounds, including 2 offensive boards. (In the same game Dengit played 30 minutes and scored 5 points on 2-for-7 shooting.) Then two games later Vucinic played 4 minutes while Dengit was out there for 38.

I like Dengit and really hope he stays at UP. He is a Legans-style big guy. Vucinic is a more traditional, back-to-the-basket big, and no matter how effective he is Legans isn't going to play him consistently enough for him to get rolling.

I thought about this a lot while watching St. Mary's play in the WCC tournament. If Saxen had been on UP's roster, Legans wouldn't have ever played him enough for him to develop into an all-conference player. Now imagine if Vucinic had been on St. Mary's roster from day one. He would have developed into a starter and a star over a few years in Bennet's system. Or imagine Vucinic coming in as a freshman under Coach Reveno. He would have blossomed over time, in the same vein as van der Mars.

Some coaches develop players and give them playing time to develop. When it comes to more traditional centers, Legans has a pattern of squandering those guys' potential by leaving them on the bench. That's my observation, anyway.

by Pilot14 Thu Mar 28, 2024 10:00 am

NoPoNeighbor wrote:Some coaches develop players and give them playing time to develop. When it comes to more traditional centers, Legans has a pattern of squandering those guys' potential by leaving them on the bench. That's my observation, anyway.

I, personally, disagree on this front. V was given chances at the beginning of each of his 3 seasons. He was a starter to begin this season (and last). These opportunities led me to believe the staff had high hopes for him and his development and did try to provide him opportunities and just didn't see it and that is when his minutes were cut. It's clear that they've lacked a traditional big for years and I think they would have loved for V to blossom and provide them with big minutes it just didn't happen. To this point, I also thought V was fairly frustrating to watch. Was not strong at the catch point or with the ball, not an effective rebounder or defender for his size, etc.

But, who knows. As stated, it's clear that they've not been able to find a real big in these last 3 years and it has hurt them so here's hoping that maybe they can find a solution here.

(P.S. - Ali seemed to really start to be settling in and giving some good minutes prior to his dismissal. Bummer)

by MisterNoone Thu Mar 28, 2024 7:48 pm

Facts don’t care so much about feelings in regards to HC not liking traditional bigs (Ref: post regarding Vucinic)

By the numbers for Vucinic
Game 1: 21 minutes 9 pts/4 rebounds started
Game 2: 13 minutes 7 pts/8 rebounds started
Game 3: 17 minutes 2 pts/7 rebounds Didn’t start
Game 4: 13 minutes 0 pts/3 rebounds didn’t start
Game 5: 27 minutes 17 pts/3 rebounds started
Game 6: 17 minutes 9 points/7 rebounds started
Game 7: 6 minutes 0 points/2 rebounds started (foul trouble)
Game 8: 18 minutes 13 points/4 rebounds started
Game 9: 14 minutes 2 points/1 rebound started
Game 10: 16 minutes 10 points/5 rebounds didn’t start
Game 11: 6 minutes 2 points/1 rebound did not start
Game 12: 9 minutes 0 points/1 rebounds did not start
Game 13: 11 minutes 6 points/2 rebounds started
Game 14: 19 minutes 6 points/4 rebounds started
Game 15: 19 minutes 2 points/8 rebounds started (last season start)

0.38 points/minute over first 15 games
0.27 rbds/minutes over first 15 games

Based on 30 minutes/game of coach liked traditional bigs and played a normal rotation for what they deemed to be a quality player. If Vucinic played 30 minutes per game based on first 15 games (average per minute numbers were actually better during conference than first 15, but didn’t make a difference for playing time).
11.4 points/game
8 rebounds/game

3 players averaged more than 30 minutes per game with 1 just shy of 29.

Rebounds leader 7.3 per game (Tyler Harris: 33.8 mpg)
No one else that played at or near 30 minutes per game averaged more than 4.5 rpg who played entire season.

Points leaders averaged between 32-35.5 minutes per game ranging between 12.1-16.9 ppg (3 people in that group)

Koroma at 9.7 averaged 18.6 mpg (took as many shots in his 12 games as Vucinic did in 29.

Then Gorosito at just shy of 29 mpg averaged 8.6 ppg

Vucinic had the highest FG% by quite a bit at 59%

Bottom line. Poster indicating that HC really doesn’t like traditional style bigs is on point. Bol shot 77 3s on the season of which most were in the back 2/3 of the season at 28.6%. Your 7’ center shooting that many at a fairly unremarkable percentage says a lot about what HC wants from a big. Worst 3 point percentage (9th overall) of anyone on team taking more than 50 3s on the season. HC wants his bigs to play like guards even if they shouldn’t be taking shots at a high clip from range.

Can’t blame the guy for leaving when his numbers supported more playing time and his defense against his position he did quite well.

I imagine as well as have heard there are quite a number more planning on moving on. Time shall tell.

by Pilot14 Thu Mar 28, 2024 9:32 pm

Ya, I mean, Tanner Groves started every game and played 30+ minutes/game for Legans at EWU. Believe Vucinic also dealt with injuries throughout the season?

My point, I guess, is that I don’t think there is an aversion to or a philosophy against a traditional big man. More that they’ve not succeeded in finding or acquiring a good one that they’ve been able to rely on for good minutes. And yes, that’s on them and has hurt them. So, don’t disagree that the presence of a traditional big would help- the challenge becomes obtaining one.

by NoPoNeighbor Thu Mar 28, 2024 10:30 pm

Thank you for doing that excellent statistical analysis, MisterNoone. It proves that Vucinic was sadly undervalued and underutilized by UP's coaching staff. Same story last year with Joey St. Pierre. I don't understand why they recruit those kinds of guys if they aren't interested in giving them a legitimate chance.

Pilot14 says that the challenge will be in obtaining a good traditional big man. I am worried that that challenge is becoming self-inflicted. What traditional big man is going to want to come to Portland, after seeing how this staff leaves those players sitting on the bench?

by MisterNoone Fri Mar 29, 2024 7:42 am

Pilot14 wrote:Believe Vucinic also dealt with injuries throughout the season?

Vucinic wasn’t injured at all this season. If I were to really guess at what the issue was: think he is a traditional style big who wasn’t willing/okay with being something he wasn’t (guard forward big that Legans likes).

That’s okay, but hope his last stop lands in a spot that will embrace what he “is” and not what he is not.

by DoubleDipper Tue Apr 09, 2024 9:12 pm

DoubleDipper wrote:
brooke_PPFan@proton.me wrote:Vucinic leaving, too.
Tells me he wants to head down to California, "or someplace warm."

Who knows? He may end up at the University of North Dakota.

Haha, I am hearing Weber St. in Ogden, Utah is pursuing V and he has already taken a visit there...not quite North Dakota. Razz

by up7587 Tue Apr 09, 2024 9:26 pm

DoubleDipper wrote:
DoubleDipper wrote:
brooke_PPFan@proton.me wrote:Vucinic leaving, too.
Tells me he wants to head down to California, "or someplace warm."

Who knows? He may end up at the University of North Dakota.
Haha, I am hearing Weber St. in Ogden, Utah is pursuing V and he has already taken a visit there...not quite North Dakota.

Ogden UT, elev. 4300'.
Mean Daily minimum degree F: Nov 31; Dec 23; Jan 21; Feb 24; Mar 33

by DoubleDipper Wed Apr 10, 2024 7:59 am

So, I wake up to the news that longtime Kentucky coach John Calipari has left Lexington for SEC rival Arkansas and a five-year deal?!! Wow!

Adolph Rupp must be turning over in his grave...

And Tara Vanderveer has retired from Stanford?

Is there any other big world news I've missed? Shocked

by up7587 Wed Apr 10, 2024 10:34 am

I've been hearing about Calipari for a couple days. Rumors are that he's buddy with an Arkansas billionaire, the CEO of Tyson Foods. In addition to a huge salary, there's a guarantee of a large NIL of a few million each year.

BTW, did any PilotNation members buy a PowerBall ticket at the Plaid Pantry on Columbia Blvd for last Saturday's drawing?

by up7587 Wed Apr 10, 2024 3:42 pm

With WSU hiring Coach Riley from Eastern WA, several EWU players have hit the portal in the last few days. However, I am not seeing any WSU players hitting the portal. Perhaps a wait and see for the new coach.

by up7587 Fri Apr 12, 2024 11:06 am

Other than some former PU players, most WCC transfers have not signed with a new school yet, at least as reported by Verbal Commits. That includes all of the former UP players in the portal.

by DoubleDipper Fri Apr 12, 2024 11:29 am

As of a couple of days ago, V was the only player known to have taken a visit, and that was to Weber State.

by up7587 Wed Apr 17, 2024 9:32 am

Matija Svetozarevic transferred from UP after one year in 2022 and went to Hawai'i. In two years there he appeared in 15 games for a total of 30 minutes. According to Verbal Commits, he is in the portal again.

by up7587 Wed Apr 17, 2024 9:36 am

Ethan Price, a big forward who started every game for three years at Eastern Washington, will visit Chiles next year with the WSU Cougars. He transferred, following Coach Riley.

by up7587 Wed Apr 17, 2024 9:44 am

Oldguyfan wrote:We need at least one more Big besides Bol.

Seems the staff agreed.

by DoubleDipper Wed Apr 17, 2024 10:44 am

up7587 wrote:Ogden UT, elev. 4300'.
Mean Daily minimum degree F: Nov 31; Dec 23; Jan 21; Feb 24; Mar 33

V commits to Weber St.

WeberHQ Brett Hein wrote:Portland senior center Vasilije Vucinic has signed to Weber St.

He stands to bolster WSU's scoring options from the 5 as he takes a larger role than he had for the Pilots.

by up7587 Wed Apr 17, 2024 11:00 am

DoubleDipper wrote:V commits to Weber St.
WeberHQ Brett Hein wrote:Portland senior center Vasilije Vucinic has signed to Weber St.

He stands to bolster WSU's scoring options from the 5 as he takes a larger role than he had for the Pilots.

Weber St. had two centers this past year. Alex Tew, 6'11" 250#, has been there 3 years and started the last 2 years. He averaged 23 min/game with 7 pts and 4 rebs. Handje Tamba, 6'11" 230#, was there 2 years, played in 56 games averaging 10 min/game and less than 2 pts and 2 rebs. He is in the portal.