Where did Ezra end up for college?

Oh, I thought I posted that. He's at Kentucky, the centerpiece of the nation's third-ranked recruiting class.

Once Ezra has been through his first training camp, I'll post his player card so you can see how well he's developing.

August 1, 2031

As I wrote earlier, I'm approaching recruiting a bit differently from now on. Rather than collecting all the five-star recruits I can, and possibly stockpiling unhappy players who languish deep on my bench, I'm trying to create a team with a mixture of stars and supporting actors.

This recruiting season, we have three scholarships to offer. Forward Tony Ezell, center Clemens Schwaiger, and guard Blake Norton are seniors this year.

As I project our roster two years into the future, it appears we'll need at least one post player who will be good enough to make an impact his first year on campus. He will be our most important recruit, and I've found the player I want.


Chris Woolstenhulme is a local player whom we'd like very much to keep close to home. He's a lean, athletic big man who profiles as a productive scorer at the next level. His rebounding and post defense are not elite, but he doesn't neglect those areas of his game, either. Chris could pair effectively with a Blue Collar Man to form a balanced, effective post duo.

As you might expect, three other Big East powers are on Chris's top five list, and I'm sure they are all recruiting him, too. With three offers available, I can move quickly with this player. We offered him a scholarship in July, hoping his film would reveal the player we thought we'd see.

We've got an abundance of talented guards right now, and almost all of them will still be on campus when the players we're recruiting now will arrive. Even if Justice Stafford decides to turn pro after this season, we'll still have Ernest Adcock and Reed Weisberg, and we'll probably have Peter Segal and Michael Petit (unless one of them decide to transfer). We can, therefore, target a guard who fills a particular role, rather than one we need to project as a four-year starters.

Among the players who have expressed strong interest in playing for us is Trey Partridge, a three-star player from upstate New York.

We like Trey's ballhandling and passing, and he shows some promise as a shooter. He's named us as his first choice, too, and none of the other schools he likes have offered him.

Our third offer will probably go to another big man. The top-ranked center who has qualified academically is Savion Wells.

Savion is a multi-talented big man, a dangerous scorer who is comfortable operating more than a few feet from the basket. On the defensive end, the seven-footer has quite a bit to learn, but he has the potential to be outstanding.

Like most of the top players in New England, Savion can see himself playing for Boston College. It might be difficult to turn his attentions to us.

Villanova has had considerable success recruiting Canadian players. Kris DeMello is the most recent example of a group that also includes Charles Vancleave and Bruno Le Fleurquin. Will John David Collard be the next in this series?

John David possesses several of the qualities of the Blue Collar Man. He hits the boards hard, especially on the defensive end. He hasn't been a frequent shot blocker in high school, but his long frame and his willingness to work indicate his potential as a rim protector.

We decide to bring all four of these players to campus for a visit, and Coach Sims will visit all four of them at home. We can also afford to send Coach Wells to visit Woolstenhulme and one other domestic player.

I'm going to go ahead and offer Trey Partridge this month. What to do about the big men? I feel good about our chances of signing Woolstenhulme and Partridge, so I'm going to take a shot at Savion Wells. If Savion doesn't show more interest in us after a month, I'll shift the offer to John David Collard instead.

September 1, 2031

Oh, this is going to be tough.

Chris Woolstenhulme updates his list, which now includes Villanova, Georgetown, West Virginia, and Lafayette. We're still the only program who has offered him a scholarship. Have the other schools conceded Chris to us, or are we the only one who thinks he's this good?

Five teams have now made offers to Trey Partridge. St. Bonaventure, with a 78 prestige score, is the biggest rival for Trey's attentions. The other elite programs he listed last month have failed to reciprocate.

Then there's Savion Wells. He still lists us below Boston College, but the Eagles haven't made him an offer yet. Connecticut and St. John's have, but Savion seems to prefer us over those schools.

If BC had offered Savion, I would have pulled our offer and moved on. John David Collard is now mentioning Southern California and Brigham Young, but neither program has offered him.

I'm going to stick with Wells for another month. We can afford full recruiting efforts with all four of these players, so that's what we'll do.

October 1, 2031

I think we're very close to signing Trey Partridge. We are the only program left on his list.

Chris Woolstenhulme still lists five Top Schools. Lafayette, with their 95 Prestige, is the "weakest" program on his list. However, we're the only one who has made him an offer, so I feel good about landing him, too.

And then there's Savion Wells. He's basically saying "come and get me" to Boston College, who are still not offering him. The Eagles have three scholarships available, and one of their graduating seniors is a center. I can't imagine why they haven't made their move.

John David Collard has added Stanford to his list, but they haven't made him an offer. We still hold his top spot, and we haven't offered him, either.

Most top players will make their decisions on November 1 if they have the offer they want. I'll give Savion Wells one more month to make his decision. If Boston College swoops in with a late offer, he'll probably accept it. If that happens, I'll have to hope John David Collard doesn't snap at the first offer he gets.

Recruiting is so agonizingly fun.

November 1, 2031

As I expected, Trey Partridge announces his commitment to Villanova today. Recruiting Trey was a fairly safe move. He never expressed a desire to play anywhere else, and he isn't so highly regarded that other top programs were tempted to try to lure him away.

Trey is just outside the top 50 players at his position in the nation. At an Atlantic 10 school, he'd probably start for four years. At Villanova, he'll probably come off the bench, but he just might get an NCAA championship ring. It's good to have you aboard, Trey.

Chris Woolstenhulme also commits to us today. Chris is a Top 20 player nationally, ranked in the top five at his position, but he's only given four stars. That surprises me. However many stars Chris has, he'll have an opportunity to play from Day One.

While Chris was recruited by programs all over the country, he's always seen himself playing for Villanova. After all, his high school is almost outside Villanova's gates.



It won't take one of the nation's top basketball players half an hour to walk from his high school gym to the arena where he'll play his college ball.

We had a bit of good recruiting luck this year, too. Giving Savion Wells a chance to fall in love with Villanova worked out well, and he commits today, too. I'm still wondering how Boston College and UConn failed to offer a scholarship to Connecticut's Mr. Basketball, but he's ours now.

Savion isn't going to bully opposing big men into submission; there's a lot of finesse in his game. However, we have a freshman, Zach Cohen, who should be capable of doing a lot of heavy lifting in the post. Wells, Woolstenhulme, and Cohen should give us three talented big men whom we can rotate, matching them up against our opponents for best advantage.

Note: Both Woolstenhulme and Wells were added to the game through my Create-a-Recruit routine. Woolstenhulme is based on the Scoring Post archetype, and Wells is an Athletic Big.

I added about a dozen players to the recruiting pool. I created a simple system to assign the Create-a-Recruits to a geographical area. I roll a d20 and apply the result:

• 1: Foreign
• 2: Pacific Coast
• 3: Mountain States
• 4: Midwest
• 5: Southeast
• 6-7: Northeast
• 8-10: Virginia
• 11-13: Maryland and D.C.
• 14-16: New Jersey and Delaware
• 17-19: Pennsylvania
• 20: Backyard

There's definitely an Eastern bias built in, because I've lived all my life in that part of the country, and I know those teams and conferences better. It would be easy to load the recruiting classes with superstars who live within walking distance of Villanova and scoop almost all of them up, but that would get old quickly. This routine provides some randomness.

I rolled a 20 when I was creating Chris Woolstenhulme, so he landed in Villanova's backyard. The odds say the natural 20 won't happen very often. I rolled a 7 for Savion Wells. That's why I'm a bit surprised they both ended up at Villanova.

Most of the Create-a-Recruits turn out to be three- or four-star players. They're often ranked between #100 and #300. I hit some very good rolls for both Chris and Savion. I rolled even better for Ezra Love, whom Chas asked me to bring to life. :)

November 9, 2031

It's time to meet the players who will attempt to win their second straight NCAA tournament.

Goodness gracious, they did *work* in training camp!


Graham Sims will guide a deep and talented team in his sixth season as head coach at Villanova. All but one player returns from the team that won the 2031 national championship last April.

This year's Wildcats will be led by All-American forward Asher Wise. Returning for what will almost certainly be his final season on the Main Line, Asher has grown into the player we hoped he would be.

Wise's classmate, Kris DeMello, will start alongside him at the four. The Grimsby, Ontario product made great strides in his first season as a starter, and will enter the year as a fixture in our starting five. Kris, too, is expected to turn professional at the end of the season, and early mock drafts project him to join Wise among the top five picks.

Senior Clemens Schwaiger has waited patiently for his turn to start, and it's finally here. Clemens is a massive human being who hits the boards with authority, defends assertively, and has developed some inside scoring moves.

Everyone who likes Villanova basketball is rooting for Tony Ezell. His junior season was spoiled by a severe knee injury; before he got hurt, he was averaging 14 points a game as the team's indispensable sixth man. Easy E will reprise his role this year, giving us a weapon few other teams can match.

Sophomore Reed Weisberg is, simply, fun. The designation "shooting guard" was created for him. He performs this basketball task often and well, and from great distance. The presence of Weisberg, a member of the Big East All-Freshman team who averaged 15.1 PPG last season, keeps opponents from smothering Asher Wise with too much defensive attention.

Justice Stafford has emerged as the team's fifth starter from a pack of talented point guards. Nobody worked harder in camp than the junior from Virginia. He has developed into a classic point guard with a secure handle and top-tier passing ability.

It's hard to find playing time for both Blake Norton and Ernest Adcock. Norton, a senior, started his sophomore year and played well, but he fell victim to the potential of Stafford and, then, Adcock. Blake is the more reliable conductor, while Ernest is an extremely good on-ball defender.

A similar "problem" arises at the wing spots, too. Peter Segal, Michael Petit, and Noah Gardner are talented players who do things well. Segal is an especially good defender. Petit can shoot and score. Gardner hasn't developed as fully as we hoped he would, and that's making it difficult for us to get him onto the court.

Freshman big man Zach Cohen was the team's unquestioned star in pre-season conditioning. I hope he'll be patient, work hard, and learn from experienced players like Kris DeMello and Clemens Schwaiger while he waits his turn to contribute. He's good, and he should get better.

It says a lot when your best player improves more in camp than anyone else. Asher Wise and his teammates don't seem content with one national championship. Let's see if they can make it happen.

November 9, 2031

@Chas in Cinti: The word out of Lexington is that Kentucky's highly-touted freshman Ezra Love arrived at preseason training ready to work.


Ezra is a baller. When I created him, he got some very good rolls in categories a Blue Collar Man needs, and he made big strides in his first training camp. Ezra is already a force to be reckoned with as a rebounder, defender, and shot blocker.

Looking at Kentucky's roster, Ezra will very likely open the season in the starting five.

November 10, 2031
Travelers Invitational Semfinal
#1 Villanova 75, Cleveland State 67
After twenty minutes, it looks like the Vikings are about to pull off a shocking upset over the #1 team in the nation. And even after we settle into the game and begin to turn it around, the underdogs from the Horizon League manage to keep it close.

Asher Wise encounters early foul trouble; he eventually fouls out after only 12 minutes of action. Kris DeMello shoots 17 times and makes only 4, but he does grab 10 rebounds. Reed Weisberg plays well, with 16 points and 7 rebounds, Justice Stafford scores 11, and Tony Ezell and Peter Segal come off the bench to score 10 points each.

The best part of the game is the return to action of Tony Ezell. We've missed you, boss.
Record: 1-0.


November 12, 2031
Travelers Invitational Final
#1 Villanova 71, Tulane 62
Asher Wise drills 6 of 9 three-point tries en route to a 24-point night, and we ride our star to a Travelers Invitational championship over Tulane, who upset San Diego State in the first round.

Kris DeMello also plays much better, notching a 16p/10r double-double with 2 blocks on the side. Clemens Schwaiger (8p/10r/2b) plays well against the Green Wave's good young pivotman, Chris Kinder. Justice Stafford finishes with 8 assists and 1 turnover.

On the other side of the ledger, Reed Weisberg can't find the range from behind the arc (1-for-10), but he manages to score 12 points by making twos and free throws.
Record: 2-0.

November 16, 2031
@#1 Villanova 94, Penn State 48
Coach Thomas Liang brings his Nittany Lions to the home of his mentor, Graham Sims, and the teacher teaches the student another lesson.

The top six players in the Wildcat rotation--the starters, plus Tony Ezell--all have either 10 points or 10 rebounds. The big guys reach double figures in rebounds and the others in points. Asher Wise (25) and Justice Stafford (17) are the high scorers. Kris DeMello blocks 3 shots, Clemens Schwaiger 2.

Zach Cohen plays 12 minutes and fills them with action: 7 points, 7 rebounds.

In Lexington, Kentucky's Ezra Love starts at center, scores 6 points and claims a game-high 10 rebounds in his first collegiate game. I probably won't highlight every one of Ezra's games, but I'll always check out how he does so I won't miss a big moment.
Record: 3-0.


November 21, 2031
@#1 Villanova 114, Davidson 69
It's former Villanova assistant Dario Ferreira's turn to bring his team to the Pavilion, and the Wildcats break the school record for points in a single game.

Kris DeMello's 25-point, 12-rebound, 3-block performance sets the tone. Asher Wise (24p/4r/4a/3s), Reed Weisberg (15p), Justice Stafford (11p/7a/3s), and Tony Ezell (11p/4r) also acquit themselves well.

We shoot .532/.882/.632 (FG/FT/3P). It's one of those wonderful nights when everything drops.
Record: 4-0.


November 25, 2031
@#1 Villanova 82, Pennsylvania 57
Kris DeMello commits 4 turnovers, but that's the only flaw in an otherwise outstanding performance from the junior center (20p/9r/2b/2s) against a Big Five opponent.

Reed Weisberg (19p) Asher Wise (12p) and Tony Ezell (10p) also score in double figures, while Clemens Schwaiger pulls in 11 rebounds. Ernest Adcock plays 25 minutes in relief of foul-plagued Justice Stafford, and he responds with 6 points, 3 assists, and 5 steals.
Record: 5-0.


November 29, 2031
@#1 Villanova 85, Canisius 55
First half score: Villanova 35, Canisius 34.
Second half score: Villanova 50, Canisius 21.

The Golden Griffins' senior star, Randall Rice, scores 21 points and captures 10 rebounds, but a whole den of Wildcats make similarly impactful contributions. Kris DeMello (18p/10r/3a/4b) plays like a future lottery pick. So does Asher Wise (15p/8a/7r). Justice Stafford hands out 8 assists. Zach Cohen grabs 8 rebounds in 13 minutes. This isn't all that unusual for the freshman center; he's averaging 10.4 minutes and 5.6 rebounds per game.
Record: 6-0.

Love Watch: Ezra Love is listed at PF, but he's started all four games at center for the undefeated, #5 ranked Kentucky Wildcats. Ezra, a powerful 6'9" and 246 pounds, has traded positions with nominal center Jeremiah Allen, who's 6'9", 208 pounds.

Ezra has made 13 of his 20 field goal attempts. He's averaging 24.0 minutes, 8.8 points, 6.5 rebounds, and 1.5 blocks per game. Pro scouts have their eyes on him; he's considered the #10 professional prospect in all of college basketball.

December 3, 2031
With each passing year, Lafayette demonstrates that their excellence is not dependent on Graham Sims' presence. Coach Sims built the Lafayette program into a "high major team in a mid major conference," but five years after his departure, the Leopards are still among the toughest teams in the nation.

They reinforce that impression again tonight, standing toe to toe with a Villanova team that enters the game undefeated, with an average victory margin of 25 points.

Joshua Dent is a full-grown man. He's a junior, and we had him on our call list until we saw how clearly his sights were set on playing for Lafayette. I don't think I've seen a 20/20 double-double in this dynasty until tonight, and we're in our 21st season.

Reed Weisberg must have heard me mentioning how much better his shoot tool is than anything else in his toolkit. He proves tonight that he can rebound, too. And, while Kris DeMello obviously takes exception to a visiting player dominating the post in his house, his 19-point, 8-rebound, 6-block, 2-steal performance doesn't exactly look like submission.

I'm thinking about finding out whether Zach Cohen can maintain his production if he starts. Zach is averaging 12.5 points and 15.2 rebounds per 30 minutes, so even if that rebounding rate falls off some, he'll still be really good.
Record: 7-0.


December 6, 2031
@#1 Villanova 60, Creighton 50
Asher Wise's effectiveness is limited by foul trouble, but Reed Weisberg picks up the scoring slack as we win a hard-fought game against the Blue Jays.

The first half looks like a game of college basketball. We take a 39-32 lead into the break. The second half turns into an ugly slugfest that sees the two teams combine for 39 points.

Weisberg scores 22 points, sinking 4 of 8 threes. We only score 21 baskets, but 14 of them are assisted; Justice Stafford contributes 6 of these. Kris DeMello scores 8 points and claims 11 rebounds.

Tony Ezell tweaks his knee, and just to be safe, we'll let him sit out until he's fully healed. It's the same knee he tore up last winter.
Record: 8-0.


December 9, 2031
@#1 Villanova 69, Columbia 53
First year Zach Cohen scores 12 points in his first start, helping us to a victory over the visiting Lions of the Ivy League.

Asher Wise turns in another signature performance (15p/7r/6a/3s). I'm thoroughly enjoying watching Asher do what he does. Kris DeMello, who averages exactly 10 rebounds per game, finishes with exactly 10 rebounds. Reed Weisberg contributes a balanced 8 points and 8 boards. We don't shoot well, but we win this one with solid defensive play.

I thought I had buried Tony Ezell far enough down the depth chart, but the AI coach finds him and gives him 10 minutes of playing time. Fortunately he didn't hurt himself any worse.
Record: 9-0.


December 13, 2031
#1 Villanova 62, @Delaware 61
You read that right. We have Kris DeMello to thank for this very, very narrow victory.

The Blue Hens have two chances to win this one at the end of the game. The first time, DeMello blocks Joe Jesse's shot at the rim, and when the Blue Hens regain possession, Ernest Adcock ties up the ballhandler and forces a jump ball. The possession arrow goes to the home team, giving them another chance. Again, the Blue Hens try to pound it into Jesse on the low block. Again, DeMello turns his shot back. Bradley Martin grabs the ball, shoots, and misses. Crisis averted.

DeMello finishes with 11 points, but more significant are his 8 blocked shots. A dude named Larry Vanegas, who played at Villanova a decade ago, rejected 9 or more shots five times in his career, but Kris's output is the highest by a 'Nova player since Larry protected the Wildcats' rim.

Reed Weisberg leads us with 18 points. Justice Stafford contributes 5 assists (non-remarkable) and 11 rebounds (remarkable). We consider how lucky we are on the ride back home from Newark.
Record: 10-0.


December 20, 2031
#1 Villanova 79, @Princeton 77
Several teams, in several different sports, have been nicknamed the Cardiac Cats. This month, this moniker fits the Villanova breed of cat very well.

With 46 seconds left, we trail Princeton, 75-74. That's when Asher Wise makes a steal and starts the fast break. The Tigers get back and defend, we go into our half-court offense, and we get the ball in Justice Stafford's hands. That's a good thing. Justice locates Reed Weisberg for a catch-and-shoot three. Villanova 77, Princeton 74.

We set an aggressive trap for the Tigers and execute it well. Stafford steals the ball, and the Tigers foul him. Justice is shooting 73 percent from the line this year, and he makes both ends of a one-and-one. Princeton manages to cut the lead to two in the last moments of the game, but Stafford's assist-steal-free throw sequence ends up being the difference-maker.
Record: 11-0.


Love Watch: Kentucky finishes December with a 13-0 record and the #3 spot in the polls, behind us and a resurgent Georgetown.

Ezra Love has started every game so far. He's part of a three-man rotation in the post, along with juniors Jeremiah Allen and Tim Hanrahan. Ezra plays the fewest minutes of the three, averaging 22.4 per game. He's quite a productive player, though; he's shooting .548 from the floor (23-for-42), scoring 4.8 points per game, and averaging 6.4 rebounds.

He's almost a statistical twin for our Zach Cohen, except that Ezra blocks more shots (1.2 per game, to Zach's 0.3).

January 6, 2031
There are seven ranked teams in the Big East right now. Four of us are unbeaten. It's shaping up to be another very competitive season in our conference.

One of those top seven teams isn't West Virginia. The Mountaineers are very young, struggling through the growing pains of freshmen that aren't quite ready for the Big East. But they're still West Virginia, and they're still dangerous.


January 8, 2032
@#1 Villanova 72, Syracuse 66
Trailing the Orange by five points at halftime, we settle down and play Villanova basketball for the remaining 20 minutes. That enables us to take care of a pesky Syracuse team.

It's clear that our opponents try to do everything in their power to stop Asher Wise from beating them. However, that emphasis can leave lots of room for players like Reed Weisberg, who smites the Orange for 25 points, knocking down 5 triples. And Wise still manages to score 17 of his own.

Kris DeMello scores 12, Zach Cohen pulls in 12 rebounds, and Justice Stafford hands out 8 assists.
Record: 12-0 (1-0).


January 10, 2032
#1 Villanova 86, @Marquette 55
Our Big East schedule is rather lopsided. We have only two away games in January, and in the first of these, we win big against the hapless Golden Eagles.

All-action Asher Wise (23p/10r/3a) leads the way, with lots of assistance from Reed Weisberg (16p/10r), Kris DeMello (17p/6r/3b), Justice Stafford (11p/5a/4s), and Ernest Adcock (10 points in 16 minutes).
Record: 13-0 (2-0).


January 14, 2032
@#1 Villanova 86, #25 Louisville 59
We make short work of a ranked Cardinals team at the Pavilion, with balance being the key ingredient in our winning formula.

Five Wildcats finish with at least 10 points, led by Asher Wise's 20 and Reed Weisberg's 18. Justice Stafford's 11 assists mark a career high for him, and he adds 3 steals. Tony Ezell supplements 11 points with 3 blocks, and enjoys a special moment when he scores his 1000th career point.
Record: 14-0 (3-0).


January 17, 2032
#1 Villanova 79, @West Virginia 57
The Mountaineers are enduring a season much like Georgetown's 2030/31 campaign. Several members of coach Joseph Owens' successful team from the year before have graduated or turned professional, so they are no longer available. Still, I didn't expect to be leading West Virginia, 50-29, going into halftime.

We push the pace more than I'm used to doing against the Mountaineers, finishing the game with 72 field goal attempts. Reed Weisberg (21 points), Kris DeMello (19) and Asher Wise (19) lead our scorers.

I've begun choosing our starting center based on our opponent. Against teams with potent inside scorers, I give the start to Clemens Schwaiger. Zach Cohen gets the nod when I want a bit more offense. Clemens gets the task of controlling WVU's productive big man, Rusty Lollar, and he holds Lollar to 9 points--7 below his average. Meanwhile, Clemens hauls in a game-high 13 rebounds, and Zach grabs 7 more off the bench.
Record: 15-0 (4-0).


January 21, 2032
@#1 Villanova 89, Providence 58
The Friars played very well in November and December, but they're struggling in Big East competition. We handle them with no problems at the Pavilion tonight, but we do it in unusual fashion.

Besides Asher Wise (18p/4a/6r/3s), who does all the Asher Wise things, none of our usual scorers put up big numbers. The Friars seem content to let Justice Stafford shoot, so he does. He scores 18 points, dishes out 4 assists, and wins Player of the Game recognition.

Peter Segal comes off the bench with guns blazing, knocking down 4 triples and scoring 14 points in 11 minutes. Reserve point guard Ernest Adcock hands out 5 assists. Kris DeMello pulls down 9 rebounds and blocks 3 shots.
Record: 16-0 (5-0).


January 24, 2032
@#1 Villanova 89, #3 Georgetown 75
The Hoyas are back this year, their roster replenished by a strong recruiting class. They enter the game with only one loss, away to #7 Notre Dame. Those realities make this a big win for us.

We force the Hoyas into 23 turnovers, which helps us mitigate the effects of their excellent shooting (51 percent overall, 48 percent from three-point range). Meanwhile, five of our guys score in double figures (Reed Weisberg 17, Tony Ezell 16, Kris DeMello 14, Asher Wise 13, Justice Stafford 10). Justice also dishes out 11 assists.

One of Georgetown's starting big men, Nick Dishman, is out with an injury, and our pairing of DeMello and Zach Cohen outplay their young star, Jacody Hinton. All in all, it's a very pleasing night at the Wells Fargo Center.
Record: 17-0 (6-0).


January 28, 2032
@#1 Villanova 91, South Florida 75
For 20 minutes, South Florida makes this a very competitive game. It's tied at 35 going into the intermission. The Bulls, however, discover that fouling Reed Weisberg is not a good defensive strategy. The sophomore has made 89 percent of his free throws over the course of his career, and he sinks 11 of 12 tonight to help us pull away.

Reed finishes with a game-high 23 points, taking only two shots that would be worth two points if they went in, and missing both of them. Tony Ezell drops in 21, Asher Wise 15. Point guards Justice Stafford, Blake Norton, and Ernest Adcock combine for 14 assists, with 7 coming from backup Ernest tonight. Clemens Schwaiger, getting the start at center, amasses 12 rebounds.
Record: 18-0 (7-0).


January 31, 2032
@#1 Villanova 68, DePaul 36
Basketball purists would not appreciate this game, a dull, slow-paced slog that features very little action.

The one example of quality basketball play is the long-range shooting of Reed Weisberg. Reed fires 13 threes, making 6 of them. His 22 points easily lead all scorers. Clemens Schwaiger notches his second double-digit rebound game in a row with 11.

Our schedule is about to become more challenging, as seven of our remaining ten Big East games will be played on the road. Trips to Cincinnati and Rutgers will be stern tests, and so will a home date with Notre Dame.
Record: 19-0 (8-0).

Love Watch: Third-ranked Kentucky (19-1) keeps rolling on, with a loss at #7 Tennessee the only blemish on their record. Ezra Love is certainly doing his part. The freshman big man's statistics aren't eye-popping--he averages 4.8 points and 6.7 rebounds per game--but he's started every game for a very, very good team. Ezra leads the team in blocked shots. He's a very efficient shooter, making 52 percent of his field goal attempts and 73 percent of his free throws.

February 4, 2032
@Cincinnati 85, #1 Villanova 83
Our string of 25 consecutive victories ends when the Bearcats' Lowell Law hits a three with 10 seconds remaining. It's the only shot Law, a junior guard, takes all night.

We have a chance to respond, but Justice Stafford's three-point attempt rims out.

Asher Wise is magnificent in defeat, scoring a career-best 34 points and grabbing 8 rebounds. Kris DeMello adds 18 points and 4 blocks, and Reed Weisberg scores 14. Clemens Schwaiger leads us with 10 rebounds and blocks 3 shots.
Record: 19-1 (8-1).

We're now tied with Notre Dame for the Big East lead, which makes the Fighting Irish's upcoming visit to the Main Line even more important.


February 7, 2032
#1 Villanova 96, Louisville 73
Louisville's struggles in Big East play continue, as we return to our winning ways with a decisive victory in the Bluegrass State.

Our outside shots aren't falling (5-for-16 from three), so we focus on getting the ball to the big guys close to the basket. Asher Wise (22p/8r/6a) can get to the rim, and that's where Kris DeMello (18p/11r/3b) does his best work. Tony Ezell (15p/5r) also finds lots of room to operate.
Record: 20-1 (9-1).


February 11, 2032
#1 Villanova 86, @Rutgers 68
We get the better of a symmetrical scoreline against the Scarlet Knights at their place.

15 points and 6 assists in 22 minutes from Reed Weisberg earn him a PotG award. Tony Ezell (13 points), Asher Wise (11p/9r/3s), and Zach Cohen (10p) also reach double figures. Kris DeMello blocks 6 shots. Peter Segal splashes 3 triples in 4 tries in 9 minutes of action.

Meanwhile, South Florida surprises Notre Dame, 55-53, in South Bend. The Irish fall into a second-place tie with Georgetown, returning us to the top of the table.
Record: 21-1 (10-1).


February 14, 2032
#1 Villanova 101, @Seton Hall 77
Reed Weisberg makes 8 three-pointers tonight, a career high, and scores a season-best 29 points as we sink the Pirates.

Weisberg adds 3 steals, and Tony Ezell (17p/7r), Asher Wise (17p/5r/5a), and Kris DeMello (16p/2b) are their usual productive selves. Clemens Schwaiger's ability to fetch missed shots has earned him the full-time gig as our starting center. The big German grabs 11 boards tonight, extending possessions 5 times with offensive rebounds.
Record: 22-1 (11-1).


February 18, 2032
Notre Dame hands us our second loss of the season. Both losses have come by two-point margins.

This time, a buzzer-beater by Ahmed Sexton stuns the capacity crowd at Finneran Pavilion into silence, so soon after Reed Weisberg's game-tying three made it explode with joy.

The crowd applauds Asher Wise off the floor, recognizing the fight he put up tonight. They understand how few more times they'll get to see Asher play, and they want him to know how much they love him. They sense that Kris DeMello's collegiate career might also end soon, and they show him their appreciation for his hard work--demonstrated tonight with 7 blocked shots.

The result creates a three-way tie atop the Big East standings, including Notre Dame, Villanova, and Georgetown. And, it also gives the Fighting Irish the edge in a head-to-head tiebreaker.
Record: 22-2 (11-2).


February 21, 2032
#1 Villanova 79, @Connecticut 57
We travel up to New England and lay the wood to our hosts, strangling their offense and picking up a resounding victory.

Asher Wise posts another emphatic double-double: 27 points and 11 rebounds. Clemens Schwaiger (11p/10r) does the same trick, but his features a perfect 5-for-5 night shooting the basketball.

For the second straight game, we record 14 blocked shots. Kris DeMello again provides 7 of these, and Schwaiger gets 4. No Graham Sims-coached team has ever rejected more in a single game, not even when Samuel Davis patrolled the paint for Lafayette back in the 'teens.

Reed Weisberg scores only 8 points--half his season's average--but among them is his 1000th career point.
Record: 23-2 (12-2).


February 25, 2032
@#1 Villanova 79, Marquette 50
Tony Ezell achieves a career high in points and a season high in rebounds as we roll over an overmatched Marquette team.

The senior goes 11-16 from the free throw line, providing a good portion of his 27 points. He also corrals 8 rebounds. Reed Weisberg adds 18 points and 3 steals, Justice Stafford has 7 rebounds and 7 assists, and Asher Wise contributes 11 points and 6 boards.
Record: 24-2 (13-2).


February 28, 2032
@#1 Villanova 93, Pittsburgh 69
Coach Sims sees to it that a player who stays for four seasons always starts his Senior Night game, the final appearance he makes at Finneran Pavilion. Tonight, the men of the hour are Clemens Schwaiger, Blake Norton, and Tony Ezell.

Schwaiger, the only regular starter in his class, is burdened with foul trouble and finishes with 4 points and 6 rebounds. Ezell, who usually stars as our sixth man, scores 10 and rebounds 6. Norton, who surrendered some playing time to the dynamic young point guards we've recruited, scores 6 points,
hands out 5 assists, and makes 3 steals.

It's also almost certainly the last home game for Asher Wise, and he goes out in spectacular style. The junior, who is predicted to be one of the very first players drafted if he joins this year's pro draft, scores a career-high 35 points. Asher goes 8-for-9 from three-point distance.

Kris DeMello, another junior Wildcat who is expected to pass up his final season of eligibility, scores 9 points and blocks 4 shots. And Reed Weisberg, a sophomore whom we'll all enjoy watching next year, finishes with 19 points and 7 rebounds.

Notre Dame stumbles in an away game at Cincinnati, so we're now tied with Georgetown for the Big East Lead. We hold the advantage in head-to-head competition.
Record: 25-2 (14-2).

Love Watch: The beat goes on for #5 Kentucky and their freshman big man, Ezra Love. Ezra has started all 28 games for the 26-2 'Cats. He averages 4.7 points, 7.1 rebounds, and 1.2 blocks per game, and while he's been in a bit of a shooting slump lately, he's still shooting over 46 percent from the field and 75 percent from the line. Ezra has more assists than turnovers, and he's UK's second best player by plus-minus.

March 3, 2032
#1 Villanova 64, @Syracuse 58
Both teams roll up their sleeves for a gritty, classic Big East battle, which we win for two reasons. Not necessarily listed in order of importance, they are:

1. We shoot 37 free throws, making 25. Syracuse shoots only 10, and even though they make all of them, that's a big advantage for us. Needless to say, their crowd is most unhappy.

2. We have Asher Wise, and they do not. Asher's torrid streak continues, as he drops 30 on the Orange tonight.

Tony Ezell scores 13, including 9-of-12 from the charity stripe. Kris DeMello blocks 5 shots, and Justice Stafford assists on 5 baskets.
Record: 26-2 (15-2).


March 6, 2032
@St. John's 76, #1 Villanova 70
Oh, dear.

We fall behind, 44-34, at the half, while a raucous crowd at the Carnesecca Arena roars wildly. Graham Sims makes some adjustments that bring the Wildcats to within a point, 59-58, with seven and a half minutes to play. The Johnnies' shoulders seem to slump a bit at this point. No doubt they've seen the Wildcats grab hold of a game like this one and blow it apart.

But St. John's flips the script tonight. They reel off a short run that gives them back a seven-point lead. Again, we claw our way back, and a Reed Weisberg three-point dagger cuts the Johnnies' lead to 69-67. Kris DeMello delivers a huge rejection on St. John's next possession, and it appears we have momentum on our side. There's under a minute left now.

Asher Wise misfires on a three that would have tied the game. That's our last chance. The Red Storms the court, celebrating an upset victory they'll remember for the rest of their lives.

Reed Weisberg finishes with 25 points, and Justice Stafford passes out 11 assists.
Record: 26-3 (15-3).



March 13, 2032
Big East Tournament Quarterfinal
(3) #1 Villanova 88, (11) Seton Hall 62
"That three seed stings a little bit," Tony Ezell says in the locker room before our quarterfinal matchup with Seton Hall. Then, the senior scores 11 points and grabs 8 rebounds, playing a key role in our victory over the Pirates.

Tony is one of five 'Cats in double figures, led by Reed Weisberg with 24. Justice Stafford adds 13 points to his 11 assists, and Kris DeMello pulls in 16 rebounds to go with 10 points. Asher Wise rests his shooting arm a bit, taking only 9 shots and scoring 13 points.

The four top seeds all advance to the semifinals.
Record: 27-3.


March 12, 2032
Big East Tournament Semifinal
(2) #6 Notre Dame 74, (3) #1 Villanova 64
We squander a 37-30 halftime advantage and exit the Big East tourney at the hands of the Fighting Irish.

Tony Ezell buries his head in a towel as he sits on the bench at the end of the game, his shoulders visibly shaking. He scores 15 points, leading us in scoring in his final Big East tournament contest. Reed Weisberg finishes with 14; Justice Stafford 13 and 5 assists; Asher Wise 10 and 5 rebounds.
Record: 27-4.


March 13, 2032
Georgetown defeats Notre Dame, 85-71, to win the Big East tournament. Senior Boyce Hutton scores 25 for the Hoyas, and freshman DeQuinn Baldwin adds 19.

March 14, 2032
We're the first team announced when the field for this year's NCAA tournament is announced. This year, we're off to the West Region, seeded first.

The other top seeds are Notre Dame, Kentucky, and Georgetown.

Eight Big East teams are off to the Big Dance: the seven who have at least 20 wins, and the 19-12 Pitt Panthers.


March 18, 2032
NCAA West Region, First Round
(1) #2 Villanova 98, (16) North Texas 62
There's no drama here, as we rout a North Texas team who finished the season with an 11-23 record and made the team through an upset victory in the Sun Belt Conference tournament.

Tony Ezell delivers a magisterial performance, with 25 points and 6 rebounds off the bench. Reed Weisberg scores 18 points and pulls down 7 rebounds. Kris DeMello provides a robust 14-point, 13-rebound double-double. Asher Wise emphasizes his role as a playmaker, providing 6 assists and scoring 12 points.

Next up is Florida State, who bounced Vanderbilt out of the tourney.
Record: 28-4.


March 19, 2032
NCAA Region, Second Round
(1) #2 Villanova 76, (9) Florida State 71
We hold the ACC's leading scorer, Charles Williams, to 15 points--seven below his average--as we win a close one against the Seminoles. Had Charles, a senior who's scored nearly 2000 points in his career, hit his average, we'd be going home.

We endure a night of poor shooting, making only 7 of our 30 three-point tries. We also turn the ball over 16 times. We're lucky to win this one.

Reed Weisberg, the only shooter who can find the range, finishes with 22 points. Asher Wise (13) and Tony Ezell (12) also score in double figures.

Justice Stafford contributes 7 assists, and we get 11 rebounds from Clemens Schwaiger.

Lafayette, the 7 seed in the Midwest Region, is eliminated from the tournament by 2-seed Kansas, 81-69.
Record: 29-4.


March 25, 2032
NCAA West Region Semifinal...the Sweet Sixteen
(1) #2 Villanova 96, (4) #18 Alabama-Birmingham 71
The Wildcats flash their claws again tonight, ripping a good UAB team in the Sweet Sixteen.

We get between 14 and 20 points from five players, led by Reed Weisberg's 20. Senior Blake Norton, who knows each game he plays might be his last in Villanova colors, fires in 14.

Justice Stafford's 11 assists give him a career total of 508. Only two Villanova players have handed out more, and if Justice returns for his senior season, he should own the career record by Christmas.

Our victory extends a nice streak for Graham, whose teams have won at least 30 games for ten consecutive seasons. The first four came at Lafayette. This is the thirteenth 30-win season in Graham's career.
Record: 30-4.


March 27, 2032
NCAA West Region Final...the Elite Eight
(1) #2 Villanova 90, (2) #12 Stanford 62
Elite Eight matchups aren't supposed to look like this.

Tonight's game is over before halftime. It's 47-24, Villanova, at the break; very little of this game is shown on TV, as the network cuts to a closer contest. So Wildcats fans have to stream the action as Reed Weisberg nails 6 threes en route to 22 points. He's ably supported by Kris DeMello (15p/8r/3b), Justice Stafford (14p/7r/7a), and Tony Ezell (11p/8r).

Determined not to let Asher Wise beat them, the Cardinal hold him to 9 points on 4-10 shooting. As a team, however, we shoot .526/.600/.706 (FG/3P/FT), assisting on 21 of our 33 made field goals.

We're champions of the West, and we're off to the Final Four!
Record: 31-4.


[b]April 3, 2032
NCAA National Semifinal: the Final Four

We advance to the championship game with a narrow victory over the Tar Heels.

"If we lose that game, it's on me," declares Asher Wise, whose late basket and free throws--our final four points of the night--don't make him forget his otherwise tough night, shooting-wise.

As usual, Asher does other things to help us win, and several of his teammates step up to make sure their seasons didn't end one game short of the final. Reed Weisberg defies UNC's attempts to deny him the ball with room to shoot, and knocks down more than half the threes he shoots. Justice Stafford touches the paint again and again, setting up Tony Ezell for easy buckets near the rim or kicking it out to Weisberg.

Meanwhile, Kansas defeats Memphis, 69-48, so we'll face the Jayhawks in Monday's championship game. It will be Villanova's fourth trip to the final, and Graham Sims' fifth.
Record: 32-4.


April 5, 2032
NCAA Championship Game
One of tonight's finalists would become the first program to win three national championships. It turns out to be the Kansas Jayhawks.

Coach Joshua Williams wipes tears of joy from his face as he lifts the championship trophy. At age 66, Coach Williams might have coached his final game. If he has, he'll retire with 513 wins to his credit, none bigger than this one. Coach Williams becomes the sixteenth coach to lead his team to a national championship.

We lead by as many as 11 points in the first half, and as many as 10 in the second half. But, each time, the Jayhawks battle back.

Tony Ezell deserves a better final chapter to his Villanova basketball story. Plagued by foul trouble, he plays only 12 minutes and misses five of the six shots he attempts. Clemens Schwaiger, too, would like to rewrite his personal script; he fouls out with 5 points, 3 blocked shots, and 3 rebounds.

It's almost certainly the last dance for Asher Wise, and he makes it a memorable one. So, too, for Kris DeMello, who turns back 6 Jayhawk shots in his likely swan song. We hope this isn't the end of the road for Justice Stafford, and that another season of double-doubles lies ahead for him in a Villanova jersey.

It's been a fun ride, and I'm sorry it's over.
Record: 32-5.

April 5, 2032

Two Villanova commits play for the East All-Stars in the high school All-American game.
Savion Wells and Chris Woolstenhulme play well, but their East team is routed by the West.

As expected, Asher Wise and Kris DeMello enter the professional draft. We're delighted to learn that Justice Stafford has decided to return for his senior year.


Asher Wise further cements his status as a Villanova legend, becoming the first two-time All-American in Wildcat history.

Seton Hall star Gernot Schornick edges Asher for the first team at the national and conference levels. It's hard to argue with that choice. Schornick had a fantastic season.

I do, however, wish to register my disappointment that Reed Weisberg didn't earn Big East honors. No offense to David Jones, but I'd trade him for Reed (16.8 PPG, 4.8 RPG) anytime.

April 5, 2032

This year's team was one of the highest-scoring Villanova squads in history. We were extremely accurate shooters, and I like the fact that such a large number of our baskets were assisted. Our margin stats once again reflect our status as one of the toughest teams in the nation.

Our offensive efficiency was 112.5, fourth in the nation. Georgetown (119.2) was crazy good by this measure, and the Kansas team that beat us in the national final came in at 114.7.

We ranked seventh in defensive efficiency, at 89.9. Kansas (88.1) and Georgetown (89.1) were once again just a bit better.


My rosters tend to be deep, and I tend to use fairly large rotations. Twenty-four Big East players averaged more minutes per game than our leader, Kris DeMello. Occasionally, this prevents Villanova players from finishing at the top of statistical leader boards. Asher Wise, for example, finished fifth in the league in scoring; the four players ahead of him averaged three more minutes per game than he did. Asher finished second among qualifiers in points per 30 minutes.

Justice Stafford was second in the Big East in assists. Reed Weisberg placed seventh in scoring. Kris DeMello was seventh in rebounding and third in blocked shots.



Reed Weisberg's 131 threes are the third highest single season total in school history. Only Asher Wise, who hit 142 last year, and Jacob Allen, who finished the 2030/31 season with 141, have made more.

I'll provide the historical setting for a few other notable accomplishments in the Farewells and Senior Tributes, which are up next.

2031/32 Farewell

KRIS DeMELLO

This import from Ontario turned out to be exactly what was described on the box: a no-nonsense big man whose willingness to do hard work in the paint helped lift his team to championship levels.


A four-star player when we recruited him, Kris picked up a fifth star along the way. I thought Kris might have to spend some time developing his skills before he was ready to make an impact in the Big East. Some recruits with credentials like his aren't willing to do that, but Kris was. He waited his turn, grabbed it with both hands when it came along, and now he'll make millions of dollars playing professional basketball.

Blocking shots became Kris's signature skill. He ranks sixth all-time at Villanova in this category, and his 119 blocks this year is the third best single-season mark. He's steadily improved his offensive game, and pro scouts believe he has the potential to keep getting better. Kris will be invited to Draft Night, and he shouldn't have to wait long to hear his name called.

Thanks for the memories, Kris.

2031/32 Farewell

ASHER WISE

Thousands of children bounce basketballs in their driveways, dreaming of wearing the uniform of their favorite college team. In their minds, they hear crowds cheering as the announcer calls their name. Perhaps they make a crucial basket or an important defensive stop in a championship game, and they and their teammates lift a trophy over their heads in jubilation.

Asher Wise was one of these kids. And then he made his dreams come true.


Pennsylvania's Mr. Basketball and a high school All-American, Asher grew up rooting for Villanova. He went to a camp at Lafayette when he was in middle school, and Graham Sims said he was the best player his age he'd ever seen. "I knew we weren't going to sign him," Graham recalls. "He was polite about it, but he made it clear he wanted to play for Villanova."

Asher's name pops up all over the Villanova record boards. The 700 points he scored as a sophomore is the highest single season total in school history, and his junior total ranks fourth by a single point. His 142 three-point baskets in 2030/31 is another school record, and his total of 306 ranks second. In three seasons, Asher scored enough points to rank fourth all-time, between three men who stayed for four years. And he was no selfish gunner, either. I was surprised to discover that Asher ranks ninth among all Villanova players in career assists...while playing with three other members of the top ten at some point in his career. Without doubt, Asher is the best all-around player Villanova has produced.

Asher leaves Villanova as the first two-time All-American in school history. There's a beautiful NCAA championship ring on his right hand. He was the #1 recruit in the nation as a high school senior, and he might be the first player chosen in the pro draft next month.

When I announced Asher's signing, I wrote, "We will almost certainly have Asher with us for only three years. But if he lives up to his potential, they'll be a lovely three years."

He did. They have been.

Thanks for the memories, Asher.

2031/32 Senior Tribute

CLEMENS SCHWAIGER

When you recruit a player like Asher Wise or Avery Sullivan, you plan on having him on your team for only three seasons. These stars add the sparkle to a recruiting class, but I think it's good to supplement them with guys you envision as four-year players. Clemens Schwaiger was one of these four-year recruits.


We managed to find playing time for the big man from south central Germany right away, getting him on the court in low-pressure situations so he could accustom himself to Big East basketball. As a junior, he was a core member of the rotation of a team that won a national championship. As a senior, he was a regular starter for a team that played in a championship final. Clemens came a long way in his four years in our program.

He lived up to his promise as a stalwart post defender and a vigorous rebounder. Never a great athlete, Clemens nevertheless became a fairly agile shot blocker. And he had a remarkably soft touch on his shot, which went in over half the time over the course of his Villanova career.

Clemens will receive his degree in Environmental Science next month. He is almost certain to play professional basketball, most likely in his homeland.

Thanks for the memories, Clemens.

2031/32 Senior Tribute

BLAKE NORTON

Blake Norton grew up in New Jersey, just across the Delaware River from the northern suburbs of Philadelphia. He is the son of Villanova graduates, and he never wanted to play anywhere else. We gave him the chance to do that, and we're all glad we did.


I recruited Blake because his ballhandling and passing were high major tools, even if his overall game might not reach that standard. He made the Big East All-Freshman Team, and he followed it up with a good run as our starting point guard as a sophomore. As advertised, Blake took good care of the ball and kept the scorers well-fed.

It's not Blake's fault that we recruited more dynamic point guards like Justice Stafford and Ernest Adcock, both of whom cut into Blake's playing time as they developed their skills. Whenever we needed him, Blake stepped up and gave us a safe and steady hand at the controls of our team. He finishes his career tied for fifth on the career assists leaderboard, and his assist/turnover ratio is outstanding.

Blake had to work hard to complete his degree, and he'll proudly accept his diploma in Geography next month. Then, he'll move to the Boston area, where he's accepted a job with a company that plans educational tours for students.

Thanks for the memories, Blake.

2031/32 Senior Tribute

TONY EZELL

This year's senior class contained three players who loved everything about playing basketball at Villanova. It's possible that Tony Ezell valued the experience most of all, because he came so close to losing it completely.


Tony was a regular starter as a freshman, and played well enough to earn a spot on the Big East All-Freshman Team. The next year, he stepped into the role of sixth man, and was even more productive than he had been as a starter.

His junior season began wonderfully, but it ended on January 11, 2031, when he landed wrong and ruptured his ACL in a game at Louisville. His teammates went on to win the Big East regular season title, and then the NCAA championship, without Tony being able to provide more than moral support. It was an unforgettable moment, but it wasn't the same.

Tony never thought about leaving the team, and he made his doctor's most optimistic prognosis come true when he suited up for our season opener this fall. He didn't miss a game, and there were moments throughout the season when he reminded us of the player he'd been: able to get to the rim against big or quick opponents, able to score with an arsenal of floaters and short jumpers.

Until his injury, Tony was committed to a future in professional basketball. Now, he's considering another career path. While he'd still like to try his luck playing overseas, he's also envisioning a career as a physical therapist. He'll graduate with a degree in Comprehensive Science in May.

Thanks for the memories, Tony.

I'm going to step out of character for a moment here.

One year ago today, I began my dynasty story here. I wouldn't have predicted I'd still be with it a year later, but I've enjoyed writing it and sharing it with this forum very much. Immersing myself in my college basketball universe has become a favorite pastime, in the midst of a busy, often crazy "real life" world. I occasionally have to remind myself that James Sanders, Kenton Lashley, Douglas Gillum, and Asher Wise aren't real college basketball personalities.

The story has been viewed over 12,000 times now, which is both amazing and flattering. I hope you've enjoyed it, too. Even if you don't join the conversation with a comment (I welcome them), it's heartening to know someone's reading along.

Thank you for that. I hope you'll enjoy the story as it continues to unfold.

-Graham

April 10, 2032
Asher Wise and Kris DeMello are invited to Brooklyn for the pro draft. They don't have long to wait before their names are called. Asher is the fourth player chosen, and Kris comes off the board immediately after.

Both men are at the top of their suit games for the occasion, and both fan bases are delighted with the players their teams chose.

Two Lafayette players are chosen later in the draft. Junior Tracey Burger is chosen at #15, and senior Ellsworth O'Reilly is the #52 pick.


A few of the more negative members of 'Nova Nation are dismayed by the news that Lafayette out-recruited the Wildcats this year. The more optimistic Wildcats fans point out that Daniel Geisler was the only player Villanova had on their list that ended up signing with Lafayette, and that Coach Sims chose Chris Woolstenhulme over him.

It looks like we scouted Woolstenhulme and Savion Wells accurately. They arrive on campus as Yellow/Blue players. Trey Partridge isn't quite as ready for college basketball as we'd like, but we can be patient with him.


West Virginia looks poised to pull off the kind of comeback Georgetown did last year, as a depleted roster is restocked with blue-chip freshmen. Linwood Damiano looks like he'll be an excellent scoring guard, and their other five-star recruit, Cardarion Cross, is a point guard with a wide range of skills.

Georgetown recruit David McDermott is a 6'6" power forward who plays bigger. He's raw, but he could develop into a beast.

May 1, 2032
Today we learn that Lafayette head coach Leland Tingle has retired. Lafayette's position is not among the nine offers that appear in Graham's inbox in the first Head Coach round.

In the second round, we learn that Thomas Liang will be returning to College Hill to coach the Leopards. Coach Liang spent the last three years at Penn State, where he took a team that won 8 games his first season and turned it into a squad that went 49-20 over the past two years and reached the Elite Eight. Coach Liang spent 12 years as Graham's assistant at Lafayette.

We'll need to hire a new Recruiting Coordinator, because Weston Wells has been hired as the head coach at Bowling Green.

An offer of $198,000 for two years is enough to persuade the first coach on our wish list, Tyler Twombly, to join our staff. Coach Twombly is from Manheim, PA, and he played his college ball at Michigan. A well-traveled coach, he spent the last six years on Kenneth Burrough's staff at USC, serving as Recruiting Coordinator and Scouting Director. Now 48, Twombly has also coached at George Mason, Illinois State, and Missouri.

With Recruiting and Scouting scores of 100, Coach Twombly knows talent when he sees it, and knows all kinds of ways to persuade talented players to play at his school. Welcome to the staff, Coach!

We have three players who are currently unhappy, and I'm surprised that none of them have entered the transfer portal. I'm delighted that they didn't, because I didn't identify anyone in the portal I wanted to sign.

June 1, 2032

It's recruiting season!

We have two seniors on scholarships: wing Peter Segal and point guard Justice Stafford. I had four walk-ons, so I cut one of them, a lad who couldn't shoot, wouldn't play defense, and was a horrific student. Now I have a third scholarship available.

As I look at our roster, we have a good assortment of young big men who are projected starter-quality (Blue) players. Unless a post player really, really dazzles me, I'm not likely to offer one this time around.

On the other hand, we could use a small forward. Segal might be the starter there this season, and if it's not him, it's likely going to be Michael Petit, who might turn pro even though he's barely played. We have nothing but seniors and juniors at those positions, so I'll be looking for the next Asher Wise.

I'll also be looking for a blue chip point guard. Our need will become acute if Ernest Adcock turns pro at the end of this season, because we know this is Justice's last year.

So, to put it simply, our shopping list looks like this:

• blue chip point guard
• blue chip small forward/wing
• rotation wing or guard

Now, let the fun begin.

Did Ezra end up going pro? or back to Kentucky?

August 1, 2032

It's already looking like it will be an exciting, tension-packed recruiting season.

The nation's top-ranked recruit is a small forward from the suburbs of Rochester, NY. Blake Phillips is, naturally, attracting attention from the top programs in the country.

If we're scouting him accurately, Blake is almost literally a positionless basketball player, who could handle any of the five positions in a pinch. I offered him a scholarship in July, and so did the other four schools on his list. We have some catching up to do. We're making a full recruiting effort on Phillips this month, bringing him to campus and sending Coaches Sims and Twombly to visit him at home.

Mason Reynolds is a shooting guard from the same northern Virginia high school from which Graham Sims graduated over thirty years ago. He's similar to Blake Phillips, a well-rounded basketball player with no real weaknesses.

Mason has an offer from Lafayette, and we're going to give him one this month, too. A full recruiting effort will follow, with Coach Twombly accompanying Coach Sims to the place where the legend began.

Of course, there would have to be a tempting big man in eastern Pennsylvania. His name is Lavel Lawrence, he's Pennsylvania's Mr. Basketball, and he's interested in playing for Villanova.

Lavel is nominally a center, but his lean frame and his plus athleticism make me think he could play either forward spot well, too. Venceslás Castillo played the three at Lafayette, and he weighed almost 250 pounds. Bret Bryant, who was nearly seven feet tall, played on the wing sometimes, too.

I offered Lavel a scholarship in July, and so did Georgetown. Right now, he lists the Hoyas ahead of us, but we'll continue to recruit him actively and see if we can lure him this way.

In my universe, players can't go pro until after their junior year. Ezra will, therefore, be at UK for at least two more years.

Thank you for reminding me that I'd planned to post a snapshot of how he's coming along...

Ezra is developing very nicely, but that doesn't surprise me. Kentucky has very good facilities (81) and a top-notch coaching staff. Head coach Brooks Runyan is a Level 14 coach, rated 100 for Coaching Offense and 80 for Coaching Defense. UK's Coaching Assistant, a talented young coach named Justin Kuhn, has 100 ratings for Coaching Offense and Coaching Defense. I'm not sure how much effect playing time has on a young player's development, but Ezra played almost 900 minutes as a freshman. To put it simply, there's every reason to believe he will achieve his full potential.

I'll post an update after camp, so you can see how much Ezra gained from the experience. Thanks again for stopping in!

September 1, 2032

Blake Phillips has narrowed his choices to two schools: North Carolina and Villanova, in that order. Can we come from behind and win a recruiting battle with the Tar Heels? Blake's interest in our program remains Very High.

Pitt has the inside track with Mason Reynolds right now. The Panthers have offered him; so have we and Lafayette. Mason is also interested in Tennessee, who haven't made him an offer.

Lavel Lawrence holds three offers: Boston College, Villanova, and Georgetown.
We're moving up Lavel's list, but he says he still prefers the Eagles.

Let's take a look at some of the players who have Villanova at the top of their lists. One of them is Oscar Duncan, a wing from the DC suburbs.

Oscar is a long, lean small forward who takes pride in playing good defense. He hasn't been a high-volume scorer in high school, but he makes a high enough percentage of his shots that he could possibly develop into a secondary scorer at the next level.

Point guard Connor Baxter enjoyed his visit to campus last month, and now he has us first on his Top Schools list.

Connor is a true lead guard in the making, a player who can run his team's offense with skill, distribute the ball to his teammates, or score baskets himself.

Here's where things get interesting. We need a young boss of a point guard in our program, and Connor Baxter looks the part. I want to free up an offer for him. So whose offer do I pull?

Blake Phillips and Mason Reynolds are similar players. It probably makes sense to choose one of them.

Wait! I've still got only 12 scholarship players! I can cut another walk-on, and that will free up a roster spot and, with it, a scholarship offer! That's what I do, and just like that, I can make an offer to Baxter, too.

October 1, 2032

Connor Baxter now lists two schools: Villanova and Ohio State. I'm feeling good about our chances of landing him.

Lavel Lawrence, too, has narrowed his list to two finalists: Boston College and Villanova. I comfort myself with the thought that if Lavel slips away, I won't have to coach against him in the Big East.

Same thing with Blake Phillips, who still seems to prefer Carolina blue to Villanova navy. When we visit him this month, we'll make sure to tell him that we wear light blue sometimes, too.

Three schools are still in the running for Mason Reynolds: Pitt, Villanova, and Tennessee. Once again, we're the player's second choice.

Oh, no. Georgetown has turned Oscar Duncan's head with a scholarship offer. I'm not too surprised, since he's from the DMV, but it's feeling like we'll be the bridesmaid again, not the bride.

November 1, 2032

First, the bad news. Lavel Lawrence commits to Boston College, and Blake Phillips signs with North Carolina.

Now, the good news! Connor Baxter says yes, and commits to play for us next season. In a perfect world, Connor will serve a one-year apprenticeship, learning the art of playing point guard in the Big East while backing up senior Ernest Adcock. In an imperfect one, Ernest goes pro, and Connor and Trey Partridge run the point for us. Either way, we have a player who should be able to orchestrate our offense for the next several years.

Now, the really good news! Mason Reynolds picks Villanova, too! I had almost given up on luring him away from Pitt, but it looks like the wheel of fortune spun our way this time. Again, signing Mason gives us insurance against Michael Petit and Reed Weisberg turning pro and leaving us short at the two/three spots.

Now we have two offers in hand, and the pool of players just got much shallower. I wonder who slipped through the cracks so far? I spend some money evaluating some of the players who haven't received offers yet. The most intriguing of them are a five-star talent from California named Kyle Gribble, a 6'8" forward, and a product of England, 6'5" forward Toby Hanshaw. If either Kyle or Toby come through their evals with flying colors, I'll share more of what I discover with you.

November 7, 2032

Here's the team Villanova will send into action in the 2032/33 season:




Coach Graham Sims will rely heavily on a guard rotation that returns every player from last year's national finalists.

Point guard Justice Stafford is a rarity, a former five-star recruit who has decided to play four years of college basketball. Justice returns for his senior season as a fully-developed lead guard, a dazzling passer and sure ballhandler who has polished his jumper into a formidable weapon. He could become Villanova's all-time assists leader with a productive first game; he's 8 helpers short of the record.

Playing alongside Stafford will be shooting guard Reed Weisberg. The 6'5" junior has averaged 16.0 points per game in two years, while sharing the ball with Asher Wise. Now that Reed is the unquestioned top marksman on the team, will that average go up?

Ernest Adcock will be the first man off Coach Sims' bench this year. Always a terrific defensive player, Ernest has quietly developed the rest of his game to the levels that caused him to be regarded as one of the nation's top high school guards.

Coach Sims is also considering a three-guard lineup, which would feature Stafford and Adcock at guard and Weisberg at small forward.

If he decides to go with a more conventional setup, junior Michael Petit will start at the three spot. Once a heralded recruit, Michael has found playing time hard to come by, but he's shot well in limited action. Also available on the wing are senior Peter Segal, who has hit some big shots in his Villanova career, and junior Noah Gardner.

The Wildcats will need to rework their frontcourt, which was cleared out through graduation and the lure of professional basketball. Sophomore Zach Cohen will open the season as the starting center, after making eight starts as a first year. He is a powerful inside presence who can rebound and block shots, and he worked on his inside moves in camp.

A pair of highly touted freshmen will join Cohen in the post rotation. Seven-footer Savion Wells and lean Chris Woolstenhulme were high school All-Americans, and both players project as potent inside scorers.

Expectations are high on the Main Line every year, and this year is no exception. Pro scouts identify eight current Wildcats who might eventually be drafted, so there is no shortage of talent. One of Coach Sims' toughest tasks is keeping all his players satisfied with their playing time. It's a problem most coaches would love to have.

November 7, 2032
Coaches Invitational, First Round
(1) #1 Villanova 94, (16) Wagner 59
The opening game of the Wildcats' 32/33 campaign goes as planned, with a comfortable victory in the first game of the Coaches Invitational.

Senior Justice Stafford becomes the all-time leader in assists at Villanova, as he hands out a career-high 13. He now has 548 assists to his credit, surpassing Severiano Tipaldo's mark of 543, set in 2015.

Justice adds 14 points, making him one of five Wildcats in double figures. Among them are freshmen Savion Wells (15p/7r/2b) and Chris Woolstenhulme (10p/5r off the bench). Reed Weisberg scores 13, and Michael Petit a career-high 17 in his first collegiate start.
Record: 1-0.


November 8, 2032
Coaches Invitational Quarterfinal
(1) #1 Villanova 84, (9) Creighton 58
Reed Weisberg sinks 6 three-pointers in 11 tries, and leads us with 22 points as we advance to the semifinals.

Zach Cohen scores 11 points, and Chris Woolstenhulme and Michael Petit add 10 more apiece. Petit also reaches a double-double with 11 rebounds. Justice Stafford has 7 assists, and Woolstenhulme adds 8 rebounds.
Record: 2-0.

November 14, 2032
Coaches Invitational Semifinal
(4) #17 Missouri 74, (1) #1 Villanova 65
We're outplayed by a very good Missouri team, and our pursuit of the Coaches Invitational ends at the next-to-last hurdle.

The Tigers roar back from a 38-32 deficit, locking us up on defense and forcing us to take shots we'd rather not have taken. We fire up 30 three-pointers and make only 9 of them.

Reed Weisberg leads us with 19 points, but it takes him 21 shots to score them, including 17 threes (he makes 5). Michael Petit scores 12 with 8 rebounds, and Zach Cohen adds 10 and 6.
Record: 2-1.


November 24, 2032
#8 Villanova 89, @#20 Southern California 48
We travel to sunny California for a matchup of the two winningest coaches in this universe's history. Graham Sims (634-119) and Kenneth Burroughs (579-169) have five NCAA championships between them. Today, we play as well as we played badly against Missouri.

Reed Weisberg torches the Trojans for a career-high 34 points, including 8 threes in 11 attempts. Zach Cohen, Michael Petit, and Justice Stafford each score 11 points. Cohen adds 9 rebounds, Petit 8, and Stafford 9 assists. We hold the Trojans to 31 percent shooting, and only 11 percent from behind the arc.

We enter the game with the lowest national ranking we've had since March 13, 2027, when we were ranked #10.
Record: 3-1.


November 28, 2032
@#8 Villanova 88, #1 Kentucky 68
I confess; I was really worried about this game after our loss to Missouri. But the Wildcats have responded very positively to that setback, first with an assertive win at USC and, now, by defending the Wells Fargo Center against the number one team in the nation.


Chris Woolstenhulme and Peter Segal step up today, their presence made necessary by Savion Wells' foul trouble and Michael Petit's injury. Michael is diagnosed after the game with a stress fracture, and we hope to have him back by the start of Big East play.

Kentucky's sophomore big man, Ezra Love, engages the Villanova post players in a rugged battle. Ezra, a true Blue Collar Man, doesn't shoot much, but he is the game's leading rebounder and he blocks a pair of shots.
Record: 4-1.


Love Watch: As I mentioned above, Ezra Love is playing the role of Blue Collar Man to a T. Here's how his profile looks after his second training camp, and the first month of his sophomore season:

Ezra's work in the weight room has turned him into one of the most physically formidable big men in college basketball. His rebounding, shot blocking, and post defense all improved greatly during camp. And, while he doesn't shoot often, opponents can't neglect him, either.

Pro scouts consider Ezra the 6th best draft prospect in college ball. Only one sophomore, Boston College's Sam Marshall, is more highly regarded.

Cool, you even got him on the schedule! LOL

Yes! I'd already been planning to play a tougher pre-conference schedule, so adding a game against Kentucky seemed to make sense. I'll keep UK on the schedule until Ezra graduates, or turns pro. The latter seems more likely to happen.

December 1, 2032

Today we learn that Kyle Gribble will be taking his talents to the Main Line next season.

We haven't been recruiting Kyle very long. I discovered him on a list of players who had not yet been offered a scholarship. He stuck out like the sorest of thumbs.

I was admittedly suspicious when I saw that the top player in the state of California hadn't received a scholarship offer. Why isn't Kenneth Burroughs trying to sign a player who was doing his thing 30 minutes from the USC campus? Why doesn't Zack Lott encourage him to play for Stanford? He's an excellent student who would be able to handle the academic demands of those universities, too.

When I looked at the rosters of USC and Stanford, things began to make a little more sense. Stanford has only one available scholarship, and they need a guard. USC has three, but they need big men and a point guard.

We moved quickly, and so did Kyle and his family.

Somehow Kyle has lost one of his stars in the past month. That doesn't concern me; he still projects as a scoring threat whose high school numbers are backed up with coachable skills. He'll need lots of help defensively, as he's completely lost when he attempts to guard someone on the perimeter.

Remember Micah Rodriguez? A little over a decade ago, I signed Micah to play at Lafayette. Micah wouldn't play defense, either. I used him as a sixth man. He scored over 1300 points in three years, made the winning free throws in the 2025 NCAA championship game, and is now playing professionally. Kyle reminds me a lot of MRod. I'd be delighted if Kyle's career turns out like Micah's did.

While we're here, let's also take a look at our English recruit, Toby Hanshaw.


Toby is a bit of a 'tweener, a powerfully-built post player who is four or five inches shorter than many of the guys he'll come up against in college. His film reveals a deft touch around the basket, the ability to block and alter shots, and a willingness to stick his head in and rebound.

Four of Toby's top five schools have offered him, including Duke, whom he seems to prefer right now. Coaches Sims and Twombly are finding the time to travel to Worcester this month to see if they can convince him to wear a darker shade of blue next season.

We're looking at a few other players, just in case our efforts don't pay off.

December 3, 2032
@#4 Villanova 103, Mount St. Mary's 46
Seven Wildcats play at least 18 minutes today, and all of them score in double figures. Among them are Ernest Adcock (12p/3a), who's making his first collegiate start, and freshmen Savion Wells (19p/4r) and Chris Woolstenhulme (14p/6r/2b).

We tie our school record for assists in a game, with 30. Justice Stafford sets a new single-game record, with 15. The season is young, but Justice is currently leading the nation with 9.2 assists per game.
Record: 5-1.


December 11, 2032

Our return to California delivers a signature win over another Top 10 team. We defend very well and Stanford's players can't find the range when they have open shots.

Justice Stafford plays the role of "scorer" rather than "provider," outshooting even the renowned marksman Reed Weisberg from behind the arc. Stanford's talismanic guard Nikolas Ulm puts up big numbers in a losing effort.
Record: 6-1.


December 16, 2032
@#4 Villanova 107, Lehigh 68
Peter Segal comes off the bench to drain 5 of 6 three-point tries, scoring 19 points as we return home to the Pavilion and beat the Mountain Hawks.

Reed Weisberg (23p/6f, 5-7 3P), Justice Stafford (16p/8a), Zach Cohen (12p/7r/4b) Noah Gardner (11p), Chris Woolstenhulme (8p/6r) and William Collins (6r) also enjoy productive games.
Record: 7-1.


December 21, 2032
@#2 Villanova 105, Sacred Heart 50
Behind 31 points from Reed Weisberg, we hit the century mark for the third time this month.

Reserves Peter Segal and Ernest Adcock score 15 and 13 points, respectively. Adcock adds 7 assists, 4 rebounds, and 2 steals in a fine all-around performance. Savion Wells posts a double-double (13p/10r), and Zach Cohen comes close (10p/8r).
Record: 8-1.


December 24, 2032
#2 Villanova 77, @American 51
Our Patriot League opponent tries to contain us by slowing the pace of the game, but we still make 58 percent of our shots and win by a comfortable margin.

Red-hot Reed Weisberg scores 28 more points. I know I'm going to jinx him by pointing this out, but he's a perfect 29-for-29 from the free throw line this season.

Joining Reed on the honor roll are Justice Stafford (13p/9a) and Zach Cohen (12p/7r/4b)
Record: 9-1.


December 28, 2032
@#1 Villanova 78, William & Mary 56
We return to the top spot in the rankings after North Carolina loses to Florida. We'll end the calendar year there, after we defeat the visiting Tribe.

Reed Weisberg ties a Villanova record by scoring 37 points, matching Kenneth Scalf's total against Tennessee in 2022. Weisberg also becomes one of five Wildcats to make 9 three-pointers in a game; Scalf, Duncan Sims, Jacob Allen, and Asher Wise are the others. Reed's 20 three-point attempts shatter the previous school record by three shots. And, yes, he misses his first free throw of the season. :(

Reed is averaging 24.0 PPG, fifth in the nation and first in the Big East. The conference's assists leader, Justice Stafford, hands out 6 more today, falling short of his average (7.8 APG). Ernest Adcock does even better, notching 7 assists.

We end the month as the highest scoring team in the nation, averaging 87.5 PPG. Our margin of victory, 28.7 PPG, is also tops. We're making 53 percent of our shots, 78 percent of our free throws, and 43.5 percent of our threes. We lead the nation in APG with 20.2. It's a great year for us so far, numbers-wise.
Record: 10-1.

January 1, 2033

Our New Year's celebrations are dampened a bit by the news that Toby Hanshaw will be attending Duke.

Now the barrel of recruits is getting shallower and shallower. There appear to be two high school players in the world who express a High degree of interest in playing basketball for Villanova who aren't already signed somewhere. One is a point guard from Spain named Jacobo Cruz. Jacobo is good, but there's already a boss PG in our incoming class, Connor Baxter.

The other is Charles Peterman, a forward from the Canadian province of Manitoba.

We don't have time to shilly-shally with Charles. I'm going to trust that his attributes support his high school stats, and that he's really a Top 100 player. I'm offering him a scholarship, and Coaches Sims and Twombly are readying their passports for a visit to another foreign player.

January 1, 2033

Thomas Liang's first Lafayette team enters the game with four losses. Only a setback at the hands of Rider was a weak performance, so we expect a good game from them. That's what we get, before a capacity New Years' Day crowd at the Wells Fargo Center.

If Chris Willman's last-second three falls, I'll be writing a different story. As it happens, the biggest takeaway from tonight's game is the continuing excellence of Reed Weisberg. The junior's scoring totals from our last games: 23, 31, 28, 37, 28.
Record: 11-1.



January 5. 2033
#1 Villanova 95, @South Florida 55
Justice Stafford is the star as we roll to an easy victory in our Big East opener, on the night he scores his 1000th career point.

The senior point guard scores 22 points, hands out 11 assists, makes 2 steals, and even grabs 5 rebounds. Savion Wells (19p/8r) and Chris Woolstenhulme (10p/8r) barely miss double-doubles, and Zach Cohen blocks 5 shots.

Ernest Adcock (7p/6a) provides quality backup for Stafford, and Peter Segal scores 11 points off the bench.

We make 38 baskets, 27 of which are assisted. I like that evidence of ball movement.
Record: 12-1 (1-0).


January 8, 2033
#1 Villanova 90, @West Virginia 72
We shoot .574/.500/.750 and pass a tough test on the road, but our enthusiasm dissipates quickly when we learn that Reed Weisberg has torn his ACL. It's a bad one, and it will keep him out of action for almost a year.

It couldn't come at a worse time for Reed. He was averaging 21.4 PPG, shooting better than 50 percent from the floor AND from three-point distance. We have good players to replace him, but his absence will be felt acutely.

Noah Gardner, one of the players who will gain some playing time, leads us with 15 points. Chris Woolstenhulme scores 14, Ernest Adcock adds 11, and Zach Cohen dominates the paint (11p/10r/5b).
Record: 13-1 (2-0).


January 12, 2033
#1 Villanova 83, @#24 Connecticut 74
In our first game without Reed Weisberg, Justice Stafford delivers a masterpiece, and we take a big road win against the ranked Huskies.

Justice shoots like Weisberg, taking 12 threes and knocking down 6 of them, scoring 27 points. He passes like Stafford, dishing out 11 assists. Peter Segal offers 17 points and 6 boards in the role of sixth man, and Chris Woolstenhulme (9r) and Zach Cohen (4b) do big man things well.

I notice something distressing when I look at our roster. Injured players' current ability squares decline to Red when they're hurt. Usually, they return to the player's "normal" color when the player recovers, but that hasn't happened yet for Michael Petit. He's still listed as Red/Blue. I don't remember now if his usual color is Green or Blue, but I know it's not Red. I won't start Michael unless he recovers his normal ability.
Record: 14-1 (3-0).


January 15, 2033
#1 Villanova 74, @Seton Hall 58
The Big East scheduler gave us four straight road games, and we finish our odyssey with a victory over the Pirates.

Five Villanovans score in double figures. The backcourt pairing of Justice Stafford and Ernest Adcock delivers 32 points and 13 assists, and commits only 2 turnovers.

Despite his Red status, Michael Petit makes all 3 of his three-point tries and scores 11 points. Zach Cohen completes an 11-point, 10-rebound performance.
Record: 15-1 (4-0).


January 19, 2033
We know the Hoyas well. I recruited several of their players as high schoolers and three of them--Jacody Hinton, Damarion Logan, and DeQuinn Baldwin--are Create-a-Recruits). Jed Spicer, a player we recruited heavily, reminds us how good he's turned out to be.

Ernest Adcock has played quite well in Reed Weisberg's absence, but our team still seems to lack cohesion, particularly offensively. I'm not going to break the game plan down and start over, but a few adjustments might be necessary.
Record: 15-2 (4-1).


January 22, 2033
@#1 Villanova 94, Cincinnati 87
A big crowd at the Wells Fargo Center is treated to an exciting comeback victory, sparked by Justice Stafford's 20-point, 7-assist, 4-steal performance.

Michael Petit (his Green status restored) returns to the starting lineup and delivers a double-double (17p/10r). Savion Wells matches Michael's efforts almost exactly (18p/10r). Noah Gardner fires 10 shots in 16 minutes, scoring 16 points.

We commit 23 turnovers, but when we're not coughing up the ball, we're putting it into the basket.
Record: 16-2 (5-1).


January 26, 2033
#4 Villanova 69, @#17 Rutgers 61
Our new starter at shooting guard, Peter Segal, scores 18 points and grabs 5 rebounds, and we fight off a second-half comeback by the Scarlet Knights.

Center Zach Cohen continues to deliver solid performances (12p/9r/4b), and he's named Player of the Game tonight. Michael Petit (12p) and Justice Stafford (9p/7a) do their share, too.
Record: 17-2 (6-1).


January 29, 2033
This box score is just so pretty that I had to share it. :)

Every Wildcat who plays at least 20 minutes scores at least 10 points. Plenty of them make other meaningful contributions, too.

Chris Ramos is a 6'10" junior center who's playing his third season as a walk-on. He's very limited offensively, but he is a stout defender and an excellent rim protector. Chris might be the only player I've ever seen whose career high in blocked shots (see above) is higher than his career high in points (3).

Georgetown and Notre Dame remain undefeated in Big East competition, both at 8-0. We're a game back, with Louisville a game behind us.
Record: 18-2 (7-1).


Love Watch: Kentucky remains one of the nation's top teams. A 69-61 loss to Arkansas dropped the Wildcats to the #4 spot in the polls, but they still remain atop the SEC East standings.

Ezra Love stepped up his game during January. Choosing his shots carefully, he's raised his shooting percentage over 52 percent and his scoring average to 5.8 PPG. He's second on the team in rebounding (8.4 RPG), and leads in rebounds per 30 minutes. Ezra blocks 2 shots per game, and is his team's leading plus player at 17.5.

February 1, 2033

The city of Thompson, Manitoba, is up north. Way up north.



This time of year, the sun rises there at about 8:30 AM, and sets around 5 PM. That means when our newest commitment, Charles Peterman, arrives at school, it's still dark. It's dark when he finishes practice, too. Moving south to Pennsylvania will probably feel like the journey of a lifetime to Charles.

You might remember that we offered Charles a scholarship before we had a chance to fully evaluate him. Now that we have a fuller picture of his talents, I'm very pleased with his attribute range:
The picture that emerges is one of a well-rounded, multipurpose player who could, at the very least, serve as a key rotation player over the course of four years in a Villanova uniform. Championship teams always have a player or two like Charles, whom I'm surprised rates only three stars; he's the #100 player in his recruiting class. All I know is I'm glad to have him aboard.

February 2, 2033
@#2 Villanova 90, Connecticut 76
This is far from a pretty game, the two teams combining to shoot 60 free throws and commit 31 turnovers. Michael Petit makes 10 of the 11 foul shots he tries, which helps him to a game-high 22 points.

Justice Stafford passes out another 8 assists, which is actually a bit below his season average. He's on his way to shattering every Villanova assist record on the books. And, for good measure, the senior guard scores 13 points and makes 2 steals.

Savion Wells scores 11 points, and Zach Cohen provides 8 points and 9 rebounds.
Record: 19-2 (8-1).
The Big East race is an interesting contest, with four teams clearly pulling away from the rest. Perennial powers Pitt and West Virginia are in the struggle pack, but they can still beat anyone on any given day.


February 5, 2033
@#2 Villanova 77, Pittsburgh 58
One of those struggling teams, Blaine Boyd's Panthers, visits the Wells Fargo Center tonight. We break open a close game with an assertive second half performance.

Once again, we take our cue from our senior star, Justice Stafford (23p/7a/4r/3s). It still amazes me that pro scouts see so little in him; they can't seem to see past the fact he's listed at 5'9" and isn't really that tall.

The pros are more impressed, however, with 6'6" Michael Petit, who scores 17 points and grabs 5 rebounds tonight. Peter Segal adds 15, and Chris Woolstenhulme contributes 10 points and 7 boards off the bench.
Record: 20-2 (9-1).


February 9, 2033
@#2 Villanova 83, Providence 55
There are currently eight Division I basketball players with torn ACLs or MCLs. Twenty-five percent of them play for Villanova.

Our latest casualty is Ernest Adcock. His ruptured MCL will keep him off the court for at least ten months. He's scheduled to return to action a few days before Reed Weisberg does.

Adcock's injury overshadows a fine performance from Michael Petit, featuring a career-high 27 points and 9 rebounds. Justice Stafford finishes with 22 points and 5 assists.

St. John's defeats Notre Dame, 65-61, leaving Georgetown alone atop the Big East.
Record: 21-2 (10-1).


February 12, 2033
@#12 Louisville 86, #2 Villanova 83
We might very well lose this game if we play it with a full roster. As it is, we give the Cardinals a tough fight on their home court.

The game is decided at the free throw line. Louisville shoots 26-for-34, and we go 8-for-10.

Justice Stafford and Michael Petit each score 21 points, and Justice adds 8 assists. Zach Cohen (11p/9r/2b) and reserve Chris Woolstenhulme (6p/10r) play big.
Record: 21-3 (10-2).


February 16, 2033
I usually use an eight- or nine-player rotation, but today, six players carry virtually the entire load as we claim a big, big win at Notre Dame.

Justice Stafford and Peter Segal are seniors, and they truly lead their team today. It's a particularly wonderful moment for Peter, who has found playing time tough to come by until this year.

I hope the younger guys are paying attention.
Record: 22-3 (11-2).


February 19, 2033
@#2 Villanova 87, South Florida 52
Once again, the seniors lead from the front as we return home in style.

Justice Stafford ties his own Villanova record with 15 assists, and adds 11 points, a steal, and a blocked shot. The 5'9" Stafford rejects the shot of a 6'9" center, Cody Buchanan.

Peter Segal goes 5-for-11 from long distance, scores 21 points, and makes 5 assists and a steal.

Michael Petit (17p/6r/2s), Chris Woolstenhulme (16p/7r) and Zach Cohen (11p/8r/2b) also score in double figures. The current starting five is Cohen-Savion Wells-Petit-Segal-Stafford, with Woolstenhulme playing significant minutes off the bench.
Record: 23-3 (12-2).


February 23, 2033
#2 Villanova 78, @#14 St. John's 72
St. John's leads this close game at halftime, 37-33. We then open up a lead as big as eight points before the Red Storm closes to within a point with 35 seconds remaining. A layup and a pair of free throws from Justice Stafford and two more foul shots from Savion Wells finally close out the win.

Stafford comes close to a triple-double: 11 assists, 10 rebounds, and 7 points. Michael Petit completes a double feature, too: 21 points, 10 rebounds. Sixth man Chris Woolstenhulme finishes with 19 points.
Record: 24-3 (13-2).


February 28, 2033
@#2 Villanova 76, DePaul 46
We thoroughly smother the Blue Demons offense tonight at the Pavilion. The visitors take 33 shots; meanwhile, we make 29.

Michael Petit, Peter Segal, and Justice Stafford all score exactly 14 points. Chris Woolstenhulme nets 11 points and grabs 9 boards, and Noah Gardner contributes 10 more bench points.

We can't gain ground on a Georgetown team that simply refuses to lose.
Record: 25-3 (14-2).


Love Watch: #5 Kentucky lost a 70-69 heartbreaker to Florida, but they maintain a two-game lead in the SEC East race. Ezra Love has started every game for the 24-3 'Cats. He grabbed the 500th rebound of his career tonight, one of 11 he pulled down in a victory over Tennessee. If he were to decide to stay at Kentucky for four years, he would probably end his career as the Wildcats' all-time leading rebounder. Ezra's not likely to do that, as he's considered a future lottery pick.

Ezra is still making over half his shots (.521), and he averages 5.6 points, 8.2 rebounds, and 2.4 blocks per contest.

March 2, 2033
@#2 Villanova 99, West Virginia 80
West Virginia, like Pitt, is suffering through a rough season. It doesn't get any better for the Mountaineers when they visit the Pavilion on our Senior Night.

Unfortunately, Justice Stafford encounters foul trouble and a WVU defense that seems determined not to let him shoot. Justice still hands out 9 assists in his last home game. His classmate, Peter Segal, sinks 4 of 7 triples and scores 22 points.

Other notables include Michael Petit (23p/5r/5a) and Noah Gardner (15 points in 17 minutes).

We shoot a gaudy .630/517/.667 for the night, maintaining our status as the most accurate shooting team in all of NCAA basketball.
Record: 26-3 (15-2).


March 5, 2033
#2 Villanova 66, @Syracuse 45
The Orange don't want to get blown out of their own gym, so they grind the pace down as much as they can. They succeed in keeping the total score down, but we win by 21 anyway.

No Wildcat scores more than Michael Petit's 14 points. Justice Stafford pitches in 12 points and 6 assists, while Chris Woolstenhulme comes off the bench to snare 11 rebounds.

Meanwhile, Georgetown defeats Notre Dame to complete a flawless, 18-0 Big East campaign. The Hoyas are the first team to go through the conference schedule without a defeat.
Record: 27-3 (16-2).

March 8, 2033

We won't see action until the quarterfinals of the Big East tournament. I really like the double bye.



March 10, 2033
It's an eight-team tournament now, with Rutgers, Seton Hall, Pitt, and West Virginia joining the top four seeds. Two of the usual elite, the 10-seed Panthers and the 11-seed Mountaineers, upset better seeds in the last round. We'll play Pitt, who could make things difficult.

Big East Quarterfinal
(2) #2 Villanova 85, (10) Pittsburgh 71
The Panthers probably need to win the tournament to make the NCAA tournament field, so they have more incentive than usual to advance.

Justice Stafford (29p/9a) and Michael Petit (17p/10r) lead the effort to keep that from happening. Peter Segal (10 points), Savion Wells (10) and Noah Gardner (10) join them in double figures.

All four of the top seeds advance to the semifinals.
Record: 28-3.


March 11, 2033
(2) #2 Villanova 81, (3) #8 Notre Dame 73
When we played the Fighting Irish last month, we defeated them by eight points. We achieve the same margin of victory today, and it puts us in the Big East championship game once again.

Notre Dame's big stars play like big stars. Derek Stines, who averages 20 PPG, finishes with 28. Elite point guard Grover Jenkins, the reigning Big East and National Player of the Year, scores 17 points and hands out 13 assists. He averages almost 16 and almost 9 a game, respectively.

Still, that's not enough to overcome our balanced excellence today. Four starters plus Noah Gardner score in double figures, led by Michael Petit's 19. Justice Stafford is the odd man out, but he passes out 9 dimes.

Georgetown routs Louisville, so we'll meet them in the Final. Can we do what no other Big East team has done this season: beat the mighty Hoyas, whose only blemish is a loss to Stanford in the Maui Shootout, back in November?


March 12, 2033
Big East Tournament Final
Yes, we can!

We shoot .579/.435/.824, which is enough to win almost every time. The fact we didn't run the Hoyas out of the gym, while shooting like that, says a lot about how good Georgetown is.

Point guards Justice Stafford and DeQuinn Baldwin D-up on each other all night long. Justice, a wily senior, knows a few tricks that sophomore DeQuinn is still learning, and he holds the Georgetown man scoreless.

Another senior, Peter Segal, earns the Player of the Game award by scoring 23 points. That's one fewer than G-town's Jed Spicer, the league's top scorer, who matches his season average.

We lead by a point, 38-37, at halftime, but we pull away slowly over the course of the second half. In fact, we don't relinquish the lead again.

This is the fourth Big East tournament championship Graham Sims' teams have won.
Record: 30-3.

March 13, 2033

We're seeded first in the South Region. The other top seeds are North Carolina, Stanford, and Georgetown. Kansas (31-3) is also placed in the South. Ezra Love's Kentucky team (28-4) is the 2 seed in the East.

The Patriot League is sending four teams to the Dance this year: tournament champion Colgate, regular season champion Holy Cross (!), runner-up Lafayette, and Duquesne.


March 17, 2033
NCAA South Region, First Round
(1) #2 Villanova 87, (16) Kennesaw State 65
Today I learn that Kennesaw State is located near Atlanta. The 22-10 Owls are the champions of the Atlantic Sun conference. They're led by high-scoring sophomore wing Chris Reiter.

Reiter is the real deal, and he shows it: 18 points, 4-for-7 from range. However, we're too deep and talented for them. Our three perimeter guys combine for 62 points, including 22 each for Justice Stafford and Michael Petit. Michael grabs 8 rebounds, and Justice passes out 7 assists.

We shoot over 50 percent from the floor, and from three-point range, and we miss only two of 14 foul shots. Well done.
Record: 31-3.


March 19, 2033
NCAA South Region, Second Round
(1) #2 Villanova 68, (9) Florida 54
A balanced attack, combined with rock-solid defense in the second half, sees us through to the Sweet Sixteen.

Peter Segal's 18 points lead us in scoring. Savion Wells adds 11, and we benefit from double-doubles by Michael Petit (10p/11r) and Justice Stafford (12p/13a). Zach Cohen pitches in with an 8-point, 7-rebound, 3-block performance.
Record: 32-3.


March 25, 2033
NCAA South Region Semifinal: the Sweet Sixteen
(1) #2 Villanova 81, (5) Auburn 55
The 24-10 Tigers were runners-up in the solid SEC West division. They make their second trip to the Sweet Sixteen this year, but we end their dreams with a decisive victory.

We play at a brisk pace, but we still pass up good shots for better ones, and we make 30 of the 60 shots we do take. Justice Stafford turns in a performance we've come to consider the usual: 19 points, 9 assists, only 2 turnovers, and a steal. Michael Petit, the PotG, scores 18 and rebounds 9. Noah Gardner heats up with 11 points in 13 minutes.

Zach Cohen submits the most interesting stat line: 3 points, 3 rebounds, 3 fouls, and 3 blocked shots. Put it all together, and it's enough to advance to a date with Cinderella for the region championship.
Record: 33-3.



The College of Charleston Cougars earned their ticket by winning the Southern Conference tournament. They're a team who knows how to win; they've done so 24 times this season, and they made the NCAA field after a 20-win campaign in 31/32.

Look at the ride they've taken this March! They walloped 3-seed Miami in the first round. They beat 6-seed Tennessee by 25 points in the second. They edged 2-seed Kansas in the Sweet Sixteen. Unlike some Cinderellas whose waltz through the field are helped by other upset-winners along the way, the Cougars have knocked off three favored seeds.

Seven scholarship upperclassmen get significant playing time. Their talisman is senior guard Angelo Hileman, an All-Conference player who has scored almost 1800 career points. They're a dangerous team.


March 27, 2033
NCAA South Region Final: the Elite Eight

The final score makes the game look a lot less exciting than it was. We take a 15-point lead to the locker room at halftime, but the Cougars claw their way back. For much of the second half, the margin is three or four points.

The Cougars' roster is filled with Yellow players. Only one of them, senior guard Napoleon Godwin, is Green. Angelo Hileman, the veteran star, is Red/Green. With a prestige of 44, the Cougars would rank in the bottom half of the old Patriot League...before it got to be a Level 4 league.

The College of Charleston couldn't beat the #2 team in the nation, a team with a perfect 100 Prestige. That they came this close, and this far, is greatly to their credit.

And, for the Wildcats, it's our fifth trip to the Final Four. For Coach Graham Sims, it's his seventh.

Meanwhile, Ezra Love and his Kentucky Wildcats come within a bucket of beating Georgetown, falling 80-78 in the East Region final. Ezra scores 7 points, grabs 5 boards, and blocks 2 shots. He wins his individual duel with Hoyas center Jacody Hinton (4p/4r/2b), who's also considered one of the top big men in their class.


Record: 34-3.

April 2, 2033

Joining us in the Final Four are West champion Southern California, Midwest victor Notre Dame, and East winner Georgetown. Yes, it's a collection of three Big East teams and regular powerhouse USC.

The three coaches with 600 career victories are all here, too: Graham Sims of Villanova (666), Wallace Hastings of Georgetown (611), and Kenneth Burroughs of USC (605). Notre Dame head man Paul Gilbertson (473 wins) is the "junior" partner of this illustrious group.

NCAA National Semifinal: the Final Four
USC's active, opportunistic defense forces us into 20 turnovers. That's not like us, and it might have proven decisive if we don't shoot the lights out from distance. We hit 13 of our 21 three-point attempts.

Peter Segal decides he'd like to play for Villanova one more time. He's a perfect 4-for-4 from behind the arc, and he fills out the rest of his stat line nicely.

Our two top scorers combine for a total of 16 points. If Coach Burroughs had known his defense would do that well against Justice Stafford and Michael Petit, I'd understand if he'd thought he would win the game. Honestly, I would too. But their teammates step up and write a different ending.

Georgetown awaits us, again.
Record: 35-3.


April 6, 2033
NCAA National Championship Game
We're one of only two teams to defeat Georgetown this season, and we did it with a championship at stake. We can't do it again tonight, for the biggest prize of all.

Damarion Logan and DeQuinn Baldwin harass our perimeter guys all night, and David Holliday comes off the bench to do an even better job of it. We miss 22 threes, the most we've missed all year.

When we try to work the ball inside, Jacody Hinton just says no. We're good at post defense, but Georgetown is world-class. Zach Cohen and Savion Wells found joy against USC, but tonight's a different story.

We'll try it again next year.
Record: 35-4.

April 4, 2033

Professional scouts had listed Michael Petit as a likely first-round pick in this year's draft, and today he announces that he'll forgo his final year of college eligibility and turn pro. I'll say Farewell to him in a bit.

Other Big East teams are saying goodbye to juniors who are turning pro. Among them are Georgetown's Jed Spicer and Marcus McLean, Notre Dame's Grover Jenkins, and West Virginia's George Shultz.

I'm not sure how much his injury affected his decision, but Reed Weisberg will be returning to play his senior season for us. Yes, I'm delighted.


I admit; I like it when players come back for their senior seasons. I'm happy to see so many four-year guys on the All-American teams.

Returning to school was absolutely the best decision for Joshua Dent. The pros don't consider him a draft prospect, but his big senior season should enable to him to find a team, somewhere in the world, who'd like to pay him to play some basketball.

The same goes for our Justice Stafford, who adds an All-American award to his list of honors.

And it's wonderful to see the contributions of Chris Wolstenhulme, who did everything we asked of him, being recognized with a spot on the Freshman All-American team. He joins Lafayette's fine big man, Dani Geisler.


Besides the two Wildcats who won All-American accolades, Michael Petit earns a spot on the Big East Conference honor list.

Before I go, I want to tip my cap one more time to Grover Jenkins, one of the greatest players in Big East history. The Notre Dame point guard is a two-time Big East Player of the Year, and the 2032 National Player of the Year. He's been a worthy opponent, and I wish him well in professional basketball.

April 4, 2033


What. A. Team.

Despite losing our top gun, Reed Weisberg, to a season-ending injury about a third of the way through the season, we still end the season as the best shooting team in the nation. And, since we also played solid defense, our margins are also outstanding.

I love that we're the only team to average 20 assists a game, and that we're the only team that made at least half its shots (Kansas was second, at .495). Our offensive efficiency (116.3) was second in the nation to...you guessed it, Georgetown. Our defensive efficiency (91.1) wasn't as sparkling, but it still ranked seventh. Georgetown (84.1) was first.

We weren't the best team in the country; Georgetown was. But I'd stack us up against any of the rest.


I like the fact that nine Wildcats averaged more than 5.8 PPG. And, unlike last season, every player on the roster ended the season content with how things are going. Nobody is complaining about playing time, etc. I hope that's simply not the result of the injuries to Reed Weisberg and Ernest Adcock.



Hidden about halfway down this list is the identity of the nation's leader in field goal percentage: our freshman big man, Savion Wells. If Reed Weisberg had played enough to qualify and had kept shooting as accurately as he did, he would have placed second. Reed would have been fifth in three-point percentage too, while taking at least three times as many triples as all but one of the players ranking higher. And he would have placed second in free throw percentage.

Simply put, Reed Weisberg was the best shooter in college basketball this year.

Would we have won the NCAA championship if Reed and Ernest Adcock not gotten hurt? We'll never know, but we came awfully close without the sizable contributions they would have undoubtedly made.

Next: a Farewell and two Tributes.

2032/33 Tribute

MICHAEL PETIT

I somewhat wish I could tell you that Michael Petit had always been patient as he waited for his turn to shine. But that's not true. The wing from New Jersey expressed his unhappiness more than once during his days at Villanova. Perhaps that's because he always knew he was good.

Michael probably shouldn't have been surprised to find himself unable to take Asher Wise's position. However, he arrived on campus at the same time as Reed Weisberg, who was not as highly touted as a high school player, and while Reed started from Day One, Michael didn't play much.

This year, we needed Petit's contributions, and he stepped up. He overcame a stress fracture that kept him out of action for a month or so and showed us the player we thought he'd be when we recruited him. He earned that All-Big East second team nomination, and he's leaving with an NCAA championship ring.

And, even though he played less than a thousand minutes of basketball in three years, he's expected to hear his name called on Draft Night.

Thanks for the memories, Michael.

2032/33 Senior Tribute

PETER SEGAL

Peter Segal, too, had to negotiate a difficult path to the court during much of his time at Villanova. We signed a whole crop of talented perimeter players over a very short period of time. And, like Michael Petit, Peter let us know he thought he deserved to play more.


A five-star player out of New Jersey, Peter saw action in most of our games as a freshman and, then, barely at all as a sophomore. Looking back, I messed that up, even though we won it all that year. I wholly expected to see Peter enter the transfer portal.

He didn't, however, and after becoming a more important member of our rotation as a junior, he became a regular starter for much of his senior season. On a team filled with marksmen, Peter was one of the best, and he finishes his career with a shooting "slash line" that reflects that fact.

There are professional scouts looking at Peter, and he's likely to sign somewhere as a free agent if he's not drafted. He'll graduate with a degree in Communication, and he's mentioned law school as a possible career beyond basketball.

Thanks for the memories, Peter.