The Accidental Career of Guy West (CH2k8)

[VandyRedskins21]

Quote: Originally Posted by waytofailself

Oops. Didn't realize I had made the wording ambiguous. I coached an All-American, not recruited. Edited. Hopefully this coming season I'll be able to recruit some All-Americans though, especially considering I have a whopping 5 scholarships to give out and all of my PGs are seniors.

Oh my bad. I read that too fast..

[waytofailself]

Femi Ramsey Declines to Enter Name into NBA Draft

After a strong showing in the NCAA Tournament, many analysts were beginning to label Femi Ramsey as a fast riser on draft boards. Although he is considered by many to be a very good NBA prospect, many thought he was still a year or two away at the beginning of the season. Under the tutelage of Coach West, Ramsey saw a dramatic increase in his performance.

When asked about his decision to stay, Ramsey commented, "I want to play in the NBA one day, but that's something I'll be able to do later. We're starting to put something special together here at Drexel, and I want to be around to see how far we can go."

Ramsey's return ensures that Coach West will have his young, strong front line intact for next season. The question is whether or not they can catch lightning in a bottle again and storm through the NCAAs.

[SouthCar8]

Like I said in your other thread can't wait for more updates in this one. Really made me feel like its real. Guy West's attitude is fearless too love it haha

[waytofailself]

Quote: Originally Posted by SouthCar8

Like I said in your other thread can't wait for more updates in this one. Really made me feel like its real. Guy West's attitude is fearless too love it haha

Thanks, glad you enjoy this. And with NCAA Football being a bit of a bugged out mess lately (to put it kindly) I'll be getting more into this once I catch up on the games I need to update football wise.

But I've got plenty to post here as well.

[kcarr]

What are you using for sliders? you seem to have good challenging games

[Bubsi]

Just read this from page one, while letting some ABL games play out in my new Legacy, which you have inspired me to write up. So, as a noob to all this, where do you get your Box Score Tables from? Thanks in advance, and seriously dude, nice writing.

[imerson259]

Since your NCAA 12 is laggy I'd love to see more of Coach West!

[dxdude2004]

WOO! Just got to the end of page #22. Coach West needs to come back!!!

(as an insight, I started a closed legacy with St. Francis. We run up-tempo and and play a hardcore defense haha. Currently crushing Fairfield 71-53 with 5 minutes left in the game.)

[waytofailself]

For those who ask...

[waytofailself]

2014-2015 Season Preview

The world got served notice, but this year there's a new question: are these guys for real?

Coach Guy West, CAA Player of the Year Femi Ramsey and Co. look to answer just that. After over a decade of irrelevance, Drexel exploded onto the map with an Elite Eight run that surprised everybody -- maybe even the Dragons themselves. Even in Philadelphia, talks have continued to increase of making a permanent shift to calling the teams the "City Six." And with Drexel returning all of its key contributors from their historic 2013-2014 season expectations are running high at the Daskalakis Center.

Last year got everyone's attention with a deep NCAA run and a CAA crown, but the Dragons know that this is a new year. And even if the sky is the limit, things can go crashing down in a hurry if the squad rests on their laurels. But Coach West has managed to assemble a marquee schedule, at least for a mid-major. To make another run at the post season, the Dragons will have to take care of business during the regular season.

But they will have plenty of opportunities to show they are legit. Now the question is: are they?

Experienced Dragons Back in Action

If there is one benefit of Ramsey choosing to forgo the NBA Draft this year, it is that Coach West is not left to reinvent the wheel. The Dragons made their living on exploiting the middle and passing lanes in order to open up spaces on the wings and behind the 3 point line. True, the Dragons have added a few new pieces to their roster. But at the same time Drexel is going to be relying on the same players they did last season.

2014-2015 Drexel Dragons Roster
#	NAME	POS	HT	WT	CLASS	HOMETOWN
11	Femi Ramsey (82)	C	6'11"	264	JR	Neward, NJ
31	Joshua Payton (75)	SF	6'6"	220	SR	Yonkers, NY
50	Duncan Sow (75)	C	6'11"	258	SO	Detroit, MI
2	Woody Morandais (75)	SG	6'5"	182	FR	Scranton, PA
20	Dez Braxton (73) (R)	SG	6'2"	194	FR	Salinas, CA
13	Duncan Richard (72)	SF	6'7"	212	JR	Bethlehem, PA
43	Tracy Cottrill (72)	PF	7'0"	260	SO	Philadelphia, PA
21	Dallas Marsh (70)	SG	6'5	204	SO	Trenton, NJ
45	Gilbert McLaughlin (69W)	C	6'11"	249	SO	Rialto, CA
24	Jorge Vassallo (68W)	SG	6'5"	193	FR	Ponce, Puerto Rico
30	Perry McCarthy (67)	PG	6'0"	160	SR	Philadelphia, PA
32	D. J. Wilson (66W)	SF	6'5"	217	FR	Kingston, Jamaica
10	Raymond Burnette (61)	PG	5'11"	175	SR	Bridgeport, CT

Starters

Femi Ramsey: The man, the legend. Ramsey is both the Dragons anchor man on defense and primary offensive weapon. He dictates game plans and already has NBA ready talent. Drexel is a totally different team without him on the floor, and if there is a goal for Ramsey this year it is to not be as aggressive on defense and to avoid foul trouble. The Dragons will go as far as he can lead them.

Duncan Sow: The Sophomore F/C is a far more rugged defender who brings a power game to complement Ramsey's speed. The two combined to make one of the most formidable front courts in the country, and both Ramsey and Sow can match up with almost anyone in the country. A Freshman All-American last year, Sow should not have problems facing a sophomore slump.

Joshua Payton: If Ramsey is the talent pushing the Dragons forward, then Payton is the team's heart and soul. The Senior captain sets the tone with his relentless defense but almost makes opponents pay with his dagger like shooting from beyond the arc. He makes everyone else on the starting 5 better and makes teams pay for focusing on defending the paint.

Perry McCarthy: The Senior JC transfer came in a raw distributor last year and benefited from West allowing him to play to his style of basketball. But with a year of D1 ball under his belt, McCarthy has worked hard to improve his game. He enters the year a better defender, but that's not all. He also has put in significant hours at the gym to change his jump shot to a much faster delivery. It shows promise -- especially since he is shorter than most defenders he faces.

Woody Morandias: Although the Dragons return all five of their starters, Morandias breaks into the starting line up as a better defender than Duncan Richards despite being a true freshman. He has a developing jump shot and 3 ball, but overall can only be described as a streaky shooter at this stage in his career. Still, he shows promise, and his overall speed makes him the kind of player Coach West craves.

The Reserves

Tracy Cottrill: After missing nearly the whole first half of the season with an injury, Cottrill responded with an outstanding 2nd half. Despite coming off the bench, he was a key cog in Drexel's big rotation. And what's better? Cottrill went through a growth spurt this summer and is now a 7' tower of terror. He already used his length to his advantage, but having a whole season to play and train should help him further reach his potential.

Duncan Richard: He may have been relegated to the bench, but Richard will still see a lot of playing time. If there was one weakness from last year, it was that there were very few jump shooters who came off the bench for West's squad. Richard brings both experience and a strong perimeter game to make sure there is little drop off when the starters need a breather.

Dez Braxton (R): If the team was not so full of players at the wing position, Braxton would be getting big minutes this year. He is a pure jump shooter who can knock down threes all day. But he would have to ride the pine behind Payton, who is a far superior defender. Braxton will have some big shoes to fill starting next year.

Dallas Marsh: Many fans will remember him for the shot he didn't hit against Texas Tech, but the combo guard proved he earned his minutes through strong performances in both the CAA and NCAA tournaments. His offensive game continues to develop, but Marsh is still a stout defender who can also distribute the ball.

Gilbert McLaughlin: Last year's walk on wonder comes back pretty much the same player he was last year. Expect him to spell the big three from off the bench. Although he is not nearly as good of a defender, McLaughlin proved surprisingly efficient around the rim and gave a good scoring boost off the bench. If Ramsey, Sow, or Cottrill gets injured there will be some drop off -- but not as much as pundits might expect.

Jeorge Vassallo: Despite being one of the brightest prospects from Puerto Rico, many people were surprised to see Vassallo not receive a single scholarship offer from a Division I school. Instead of opting to go to a school where he might get more immediate playing time, this slasher SG/SF opted to develop his game from off the bench. Expect him to get some solid playing time his first year at the end of the rotation.

Raymond Burnette: As the #3 option at point guard, Burnette probably will not see much action unless there is an injury. Unfortunately, last year he struggled playing in West's fast paced offense -- but as a holdover from the prior, much lower paced Drexel regime that is not a huge surprise.

DJ Wilson: A walk on player who will only get much time on the floor during blow outs.

2014-2015 Season Schedule

11/4 vs Temple (83)
11/10 Palm Tree Shootout Round 1 vs UTEP (71)
11/11 Palm Tree Shootout Round 2
11/13 Palm Tree Shootout Round 3
11/15 at San Diego State (83)
11/19 at #19 USC (86)
11/24 vs Norfolk State (83)
11/28 at Old Dominion (81)
12/1 vs Gonzaga (85)
12/3 at Kentucky (85)
12/14 vs Holy Cross (77)
12/24 at Vanderbilt (86)
12/28 vs. George Mason (80)
12/31 at William & Mary (73)
1/ 4 vs James Madison (73)
1/7 vs UNC Wilmington (74)
1/11 at Towson (80)
1/14 at Delaware (81)
1/18 vs Georgia State (73)
1/21 vs Northeastern (74)
1/25 vs VCU (77)
1/28 at Hofstra (81)
2/1 at Northeastern
2/4 at UNC Wilmington
2/8 at William & Mary
2/11 vs Delaware
2/15 at VCU
2/22 at Georgia State
2/25 vs Old Dominion

The Dragons start their season off with the newly established City 6 Challenge -- where each Philadelphia team will face a city opponent to start the year on a rotating schedule to ensure inner city competition. After that Drexel's schedule will do a great job of showing whether they have taken the next step or were merely a hot March team. With road games at Kentucky, USC, SDSU and Vanderbilt, the Dragons will have no shortage of big time opponents on their tournament resume.