Turner ready for new era of Racer basketball--Racer Basketball
10: Jordan Davis, Wisconsin to Illinois State
After finding some success in the transfer portal during his first season at the helm, Illinois State head coach Ryan Pedon has picked up another home-run player heading into year two with Wisconsin transfer Jordan Davis. The La Crosse, Wisconsin, native averaged 5.1 PPG and 3.5 RPG this past season and played an integral role for the Badgers, managing 18 starts over 35 appearances at about 21 MPG. The 6-foot-4-inch junior instantly slots into a starting position with the Redbirds ahead of the season and should garner the consistent playing time needed to further develop his game.
Oh .. and he’s not the only Power-6 addition that Pedon has added this offseason with the signing of former Illinois 7-footer Brandon Lieb.
By Sam Vecenie5h ago
Two players who helped themselves most
Ben Sheppard | 6-foot-6 wing | Belmont | Ranking: No. 39
Even with everything I said earlier, it’s worth noting the combine is more important for some players than for others. Typically, the ones it matters most for are the guys who haven’t exactly been seen a ton by high-level decision-makers throughout the season. I would bet just about every team got eyes on Sheppard at Belmont this past season, but I’d also bet that precious few important front-office personnel did.
Sheppard was really good in the first game, scoring 10 points and playing incredibly fundamentally sound basketball. He cut at the right times and was a step ahead of his opponents in terms of his decision-making. He knocked down a couple of 3s, important for a player who profiles as a 3-and-D guy. But Sheppard was superb in the second game, scoring 25 points on just 10 field goal attempts and clearly looking like a standout.
Teams don’t always look for the same things the public does in a setting like this. The points are nice, but with how first-round picks have started to sit out the event in recent years, evaluators are looking for skills that translate more into a role player capacity. Do you make the right decision? Do you profile to make life easier for the stars around you? Can you defend? Can you cut and pass? Do you have feel for the game?
Even if Sheppard hadn’t scored 25 points in the best performance of the event in the second game, I thought his first game actually poised him to be a winner. But then, he blew the second game out of the water and was the best on-court. The issue for Sheppard is that he didn’t measure particularly well, coming in at 6-5 with a 6-7 wingspan and an 8-4 standing reach that makes him more of a two guard size than a true wing. Still, it wouldn’t stun me if teams late in the first round gave Sheppard a genuine look. At the very least, he is poised to strongly be in the mix to get a guaranteed contract, whereas coming into the event he was seen by scouts more as a curiosity in terms of how his game would translate to a higher level. First impressions matter, and Sheppard aced his for those who hadn’t seen him in-person previously.
(Top photo of Ben Sheppard: Kamil Krzaczynski / NBAE via Getty Images)
Where will Belmont basketball's Ben Sheppard be selected in the NBA Draft?--The Tennessean
Madlena Gerke Joins UE Women’s Basketball--gopurpleaces.com
Turner knows her Racers need to start racing--Racer Basketball
Ben Krikke, Iowa
Successfully recruiting the transfer portal is as much about fit as anything else. And while there were several strong fits this offseason, few look as perfect as Ben Krikke at Iowa. Krikke was not the most highly touted transfer in the portal this offseason, but he did put up excellent numbers at Valparaiso. The three-time All-MVC performer averaged 19.4 points, 5.9 rebounds, and 2.1 assists per game this past season while shooting nearly 60 percent on 2s.
Krikke is not on the same level as some of Iowa’s past frontcourt stars, but his game fits like a glove. The Hawkeyes consistently boast an elite offense that prioritizes shooting around a star big who can operate with space in the low-post and create for others. Krikke won’t have a Luka Garza-type impact inside but look no further than how Filip Rebraca performed this past season as proof of how Fran McCaffery utilizes his bigs. Krikke shows mid-range touch and is great at the foul line; if that develops into a reliable 3-point shot over the offseason, the fit will be even clearer.
Defense is the concern for Krikke, but defense is always the weaker end of the floor for Iowa. Krikke helps ensure the offense will still hum along at a high level.
Manyang commits to Valparaiso--The Victory Bell
Schwieger finds right fit at Valparaiso--The Victory Bell
Abdur-Rahim adds Williams to USF staff--Racer Basketball
Turner adds third 2024 commitment--Racer Basketball
Honorable Mention: Kyron Gibson – UT-Arlington to Drake
In his first season as a D-I player, the 6’1 guard led the Mavericks with 11.2 ppg and 3.9 apg, shooting 36% from three-point range. Gibson had a 12-assist game against UTRGV, as well as 22 points versus Cal Baptist. He’s another backcourt addition to Drake, who lost several guards this offseason.
Thomas ready to make impact for Racers--Racer Basketball
