Valpo Troubles

[Sixth Man]

Valparaiso: Standout freshman center Bryan Bouchie considering transfer from Valparaiso
April 10, 2008
BY MARK LAZERUS Post-Tribune deputy sports editor

Valparaiso coach Homer Drew has a regularly scheduled end-of-season meeting with freshman center Bryan Bouchie today. If the rumors swirling about campus are true, it might be the last one.
According to a source close to the team, Bouchie is considering a transfer from Valparaiso in what would be a stunning move.

That came as a surprise to Drew, reached late Wednesday.

"I am meeting tomorrrow with Bryan, so I'll know more at that point in time," he said. "It would be a big deal, and we certainly hope that's not accurate."

A message left with Bouchie's parents in Washington was not immediately returned, nor was an e-mail message left with Bouchie.

Bouchie played in all 36 games as a freshman, starting eight. He averaged 7.0 points and 3.3 rebounds per game. He enjoyed a breakout night in the first round of the postseason College Basketball Invitational, scoring 20 points against All-Pac 10 player Jon Brockman in VU's 72-71 victory.

www.post-trib.com/sports/887660,bouchie.article

[rock70]

Losing Bouchie would be a big loss for Valparaiso. I would love to see him transfer to WSU unless their are transfer restrictions within the Horizon League.

[Retired Coach]

Apr 10, 2008 7:08:01 GMT -5 rock70 said:

Losing Bouchie would be a big loss for Valparaiso. I would love to see him transfer to WSU unless their are transfer restrictions within the Horizon League.

We don't have an available scholarship.

[Raider Alumni]

Bryan Bouchie update
By Mark Lazeruson
April 10, 2008

Bryan Bouchie is still a member of the Valparaiso men's basketball team. For now.

Bouchie and his father, former Mr. Basketball Steve Bouchie, met with Homer Drew on Thursday. Here's what Drew had to say about the meeting:

"I met with Bryan and his dad, Steve, today," Drew said. "We had a good conversation. We agreed that we're going to visit again next week."

So essentially, Bouchie's taking time to consider whether he really wants to transfer or not. For now, he's still the Crusaders' center of the future. The question is, how long is that future? A week or three years?

blogs.post-trib.com/lazerus/2008/04/bryan-bouchie-update.html

[Raider Country]

VU contacts Scott Martin
BY DAVID ROBB
Thursday, April 10, 2008

These are strange times for Scott Martin. For the first time in his athletic career, the Valparaiso High grad is without a team.

Martin on Wednesday announced he is transferring from Purdue after averaging 8.5 points and 3.8 rebounds as a freshman. He just isn't sure where yet.

"It's a weird feeling to not know what you're going to do," Martin said via cell phone Thursday night. "Right now I just need to keep focused on school and make sure I end on a good note."

Yes, Martin plans to finish out the school year at Purdue. He also said he won't make any decisions about his future before the school year ends -- even if his phone is already ringing off the hook.

Martin said he has already been contacted personally by Valparaiso, Baylor, Evansville, Butler and DePaul. Several other schools -- including Notre Dame -- have placed calls to his AAU or high school coach, Martin said.

"A lot of schools calling me are schools that recruited me before I came here, so I know them on a personal level," Martin said.

That would include VU. Martin said Crusader coach Homer Drew, who heavily recruited him and former Valparaiso High teammate Robbie Hummel out of high school, called him Thursday.

"It went well," Martin said of the conversation. "We just kind of talked about VU and that sort of thing. ... I'm definitely interested in Valparaiso and what they have to offer for me in terms of an education and playing basketball."

www.nwitimes.com/articles/2008/04/10/updates/breaking_news/doc47feaf162b555291973144.txt

[Raider Country]

VU gets second shot at Martin
By David Robb
Times Columnist
Friday, April 11, 2008

Attention all Valparaiso University men's basketball fans. It's time to start salivating.

Scott Martin is on your team's radar. Again.

After averaging 8.5 points and 3.8 rebounds per game as a freshman, helping Purdue advance to the second round of the NCAA tournament, Martin on Wednesday announced he is transferring. Thursday night, the former Valparaiso High star talked about his decision for the first time.

Frankly, he didn't have much to say.

"Everything is kind of out there in the release," he said.

Now, I don't know Martin -- never had the pleasure of covering his sensational high school career, never talked to the guy before Thursday -- so I won't pretend to know his reason for leaving what seems like an ideal situation down in West Lafayette.

Even Bob Punter, Martin's high school coach, says he's not sure of Martin's motives.

"I don't know exactly what his thoughts are," Punter said Wednesday night. "I think he wants to go some place where he can be a little happier. I don't think he was unhappy at Purdue, but I don't think he was happy either."

There's little doubt that Martin would make VU very happy. Should Martin transfer to VU, the school that recruited him rigorously out of high school, he would instantly become the Crusaders' top player. Few, if any, of the Horizon League's best have the 6-foot-8 lefty's array of post moves and perimeter skills.

Simply stated, he could become the go-to scorer the Crusaders lack.

"I think that he would have a very high impact (in the Horizon League)," Punter said. "I would think that it would be very difficult for a lot of teams to guard him."

But the issue isn't whether Martin would make VU happy (that's a no-brainer); it's whether VU would make Martin happy.

Well, several signs point to yes.

When a homesick Martin left the team for two days in December, there was speculation he was considering a transfer to VU. Certainly he knows the program and coaching staff well. And it doesn't hurt that Punter and Drew, who has three scholarships remaining for next year's class, go way back. Punter, after all, coached one Bryce Drew, the last Valparaiso High grad to play at VU.

So is it any surprise, then, that one of the myriad calls Martin received Thursday came from Homer?

"It went well," Martin said of his conversation with Drew. "We just kind of talked about VU and that sort of thing. ... I'm definitely interested in Valparaiso and what they have to offer me in terms of an education and playing basketball."

Martin, who won't make a decision before finishing out the school year at Purdue, says he will entertain any offers he receives. At the same time, he has also made this much clear: He would prefer to stay close to home, and he won't play for a Big Ten school.

Hmm, let's see. A non-Big Ten school that's close to home. Yep, I'd say VU (and Notre Dame) fits the bill.

valpofans.proboards28.com/v45index.cgi?board=valposports&action=display&thread=1407&page=2

[Raider Country]

April 11, 2008
The Scott Martin decision
Jeff Washburn
Lafayette Journal and Courier

Maybe we should have seen the writing on the wall when Scott Martin left the Purdue basketball team for two days in late December.

On Wednesday, Martin, who averaged 8.5 points in the 32 games in which he played, announced he will transfer to another university.

The 6-8 forward came on late in the year and had a bright future at Purdue, But it's obvious his heart was not in West Lafayette.

The guess here is that Martin will transfer to Valparaiso and play for Team Drew -- Homer and Bryce.

Only last month, Martin took offense to those who wondered if he might leave Purdue, saying, "I don't know where those stories come from."

But just short of two weeks after Purdue's 25-9 season ended, Martin told coach Matt Painter that he will "take a different route for my basketball career."

Martin is a homebody. He has a serious girlfriend who attends college in Michigan. And he struggled at times this season, while high school teammate Robbie Hummel blossomed as a rising star.

While Hummel's outgoing personality makes him easier to know than Martin, I don't believe Martin ever was jealous of Hummel's rise to first-team All-Big Ten Conference status.

If Martin wants to average 20 points a game and be the main man, Valparaiso is the perfect spot for him. At Purdue, he could have developed into an excellent role player.

He can score, he can rebound, he is a good passer and he could have grown into a very good defender.

But if individual success is what Martin wants, a move to Valpo probably is the wise move. He likely would have spent the next two seasons as the No. 4 option behind Hummel, E'Twaun Moore and Keaton Grant.

And he would have spent his senior season as the third option behind Hummel and Moore. That would have been a very good place to be. In fact, it could have included a Final Four trip.

Sometimes, scorers enter a college setting with a certain perception of a role. Last season guard Chris Lutz, a terrific perimeter shooter, announced in the spring that he wanted to play closer to his New Hampshire home and transferred to Marshall, which is in West Virginia.

Lutz feared sliding down the food chain with Moore and Hummel coming in and Grant improving as a scorer.

At Valpo High School, Martin was the centerpiece, averaging more than 22 points a game. Hummel was the role player, scoring when needed. But once they arrived at Purdue, Hummel developed rapidly. Martin was plagued by an ankle injury and was slower to develop.

When doubt is created in a player's mind, confidence sometimes decreases. And when Martin experienced a pair of shooting slumps, he began to question if Purdue and the Big Ten Conference were where he should be competing.

Toss in a serious relationship with a girlfriend and a love for the community in which he became an Indiana All-Star, and it's pretty easy to connect all the dots.

Martin could surprise all of us and transfer someplace else, but at the end of the day, I will be shocked if Martin's college of choice isn't Valparaiso.

Where there is smoke, there is fire, and when Martin left the Boilermakers for two days in December to think through things at home, the chances of the gifted left-hander leaving Purdue increased dramatically.

On Wednesday, Martin made it official and is leaving one of the nation's rising programs, probably for a program in his backyard. In this case, it really does appear that home is where the heart is.

blogs.indystar.com/purdue/2008/04/the_scott_martin_decision.html

[Willie]

Put on the rose-colored glasses a moment...
By Mark Lazerus on April 11, 2008

OK, let's get this out of the way right now.

Scott Martin would tear up the Horizon League. Absolutely tear it up. We're talking 25 points, 10 rebounds a night.

He could be the best power forward in the league. He could be the best small forward in the league. Heck, at 6-8, he could even be a dominant center in the small, guard-oriented league.

Martin's big. He's quick. He can rebound. He can post up. He can shoot the 3. And he can defend.

And yes, there seems to be a very good chance he'll be headed back to Valparaiso.

It's all speculation at this point, of course. The freshman out of Valparaiso High just announced his intention to transfer from Purdue a couple days ago.

But let's do the math here.

If he's homesick, then VU's the obvious choice.

If he wants to be closer to his girlfriend at Aquinas College in Michigan, then VU's an obvious choice (though Notre Dame and Western Michigan would have to be considered).

And if he wants more playing time, well, Homer Drew would probably promise him 40 full minutes a game if he'd just don the brown and gold.

So while we await a decision from Martin -- one that probably won't come until after he finishes out the school year at Purdue -- let's imagine what he could bring to the VU program (starting in 2009-10, of course):

-- Possibly the league's best player. There are precious few Horizon League players who can match up with an athletic 6-8 lefty who can play down low or on the perimeter. He'd either have a slow big man on him or a small guard on him. Either way, advantage Martin.

-- Easily the league's best front court. This is assuming Drew and Dad talk Bryan Bouchie out of transferring (certainly a big if, but Drew can be persuasive -- remember, Jarryd Loyd was considering the same thing two springs ago). By the time he's a junior, Bouchie can be something special. And that would enable Martin to play at forward -- probably as a dynamic Shawn Huff swingman type. And if 6-7 Benjamin Fumey winds up being half as good as Drew thinks he'll be at power forward, a 2009 front court of 6-11 Bouchie, 6-7 Fumey and 6-8 Martin would pose match up problems for anybody, let alone Horizon League teams.

-- A safety net in case Bouchie does transfer. As good as Bouchie can be, that's a trade VU would be willing to make -- Bouchie for Martin. With or without Bouchie, VU is transitioning to a guard-oriented system -- the recruiting bears this out. Drew seems perfectly content to abandon his favored big-man offense and put four or five small, fast guards on the floor and take his chances. And Martin could fit into such an offense much easier than Bouchie could.

-- A veteran presence. The timing would be perfect for VU: Martin would become eligible the same year that the team loses the heart and soul of the current team -- Brandon McPherson, Jake Diebler and Urule Igbavboa. Martin would have a year of Big Ten play and a year of practice with VU under his belt, and would be as experienced as redshirt sophomores get.

-- Instant credibility. Martin's a big name in these parts, and would sell some tickets. Maybe VU wouldn't need ESPN to be in town to draw a sellout from time to time. And he'd be a star in his own backyard, a hometown hero.

-- One heck of a storyline for the VU-Purdue series which will take place over the next three years, starting next year at Purdue. Keep in mind, of course, this is all best-case scenario stuff. This is looking through the rosiest of glasses.

Martin could wind up going elsewhere. Purdue could potentially not release Martin should he try to stay in-state or go to a potential recruiting rival (though, really, VU is not recruiting the same players as Purdue). Or Martin could prove ordinary should he wind up at VU. Maybe he'd be just good instead of great. He'd certainly be dealing with weightier expectations than your typical mid-major player ever would.

But until he makes a decision one way or the other, dream away. It's the offseason and we're half a year away from tip-off. Why not let your mind wander a bit?

valpofans.proboards28.com/v45index.cgi?board=valposports&action=display&thread=1407&page=2

[Raider Country]

Bouchie to Transfer From Crusader Program

Valparaiso men’s basketball head coach Homer Drew announced today that Bryan Bouchie has been granted a release from his commitment to the Crusader basketball program and will be transferring.

“We certainly are going to miss Bryan as he was an integral part of our basketball program,” said Drew. “We wish him the very best for his future.”

Bouchie appeared in all 36 games for the Crusaders as a freshman, starting on eight occasions. He averaged 7.0 points and 3.3 rebounds per game and connected on 50.7% of his shots from the field.

“I think for myself and my family it is a better choice for me to pursue my career somewhere else,” Bouchie said. “I’m looking to move closer to home.”

Bouchie posted career-best totals of 23 points and nine rebounds in Valpo’s win November 23 over Maryland Eastern Shore.

www.valpo.edu/athletics/news/mbb/041508_Bouchie_to_Transfer.php

[Raider Rowdies]

Apr 15, 2008 21:38:12 GMT -5 @blitzdorsey said:

Scott Martin sounds like he has a bit of the disease known as Vaginitis.

Good news on Bouchie leaving Valpo.

I consider it bad news for Valpo and the rest of the HL. I want every team in the HL to be good.

[bballraider]

Apr 15, 2008 21:45:52 GMT -5 Raider Rowdies said:

Apr 15, 2008 21:38:12 GMT -5 @blitzdorsey said:

Scott Martin sounds like he has a bit of the disease known as Vaginitis.

Good news on Bouchie leaving Valpo.

I consider it bad news for Valpo and the rest of the HL. I want every team in the HL to be good.

I agree O&W. I want Wright State to be the best in a league that is considered a very good league nationally. And the only way to do that is if all the HL teams keep getting better. To be the best, I think you have to beat the best, and that's what I want WSU to be.

[Class of '83]

Incident report cites Bouchie

By Drew Bruno (Contact)
Wednesday, May 28, 2008

Less than a week after announcing his transfer to the University of Evansville, basketball recruit Bryan Bouchie was allegedly involved in an incident with police early Sunday morning.

An activity record from the Washington, Ind. Police Department indicates the 19-year-old Bouchie apparently fled on foot after a complaint was called in about the vehicle he was a passenger in at 2:59 a.m. Sunday.

Both a customer and employee at McDonalds, located on East National Highway, called police saying the occupants of a Jeep had alcohol in the vehicle, were vomiting in the parking lot and verbally abusing employees.

When police pulled the vehicle over, one passenger fled. Kevin Buckley, one of the responding officers, said the vehicle's other four occupants identified Bouchie as the one who ran.

The report stated the details of the incident were forwarded to the Daviess County Prosecutor's office, which will make the final decision on whether to charge Bouchie with resisting law enforcement. No warrant had been served as of Tuesday night and none of the vehicle's other occupants were cited.

When reached, UE Coach Marty Simmons said he would not comment until he has had a chance to gather more information. The 6-foot-10 former Indiana All-Star has three years of eligibility, but must sit out next season due to the transfer.

Bouchie, who is a native of Washington, averaged 7 points and 3.3 rebounds per game at Valparaiso his freshman year. UE announced last Wednesday that the power forward would transfer to play for the Aces.

[Raider Rowdies]

Scott Martin is headed to ND.

www.southbendtribune.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080528/SPORTS13/967178767/1021/XML

[Raider Country]

Haanpää Leaves Valpo to Play Professionally
8/4/08

Valparaiso guard Samuel Haanpää (Kerava, Finland/Cornerstone [Texas] Christian) has reached a three-year agreement with Orlandina Basket, a Serie A Italian team, and will forego his final two years of collegiate eligibility.

“We are really excited that Sam is getting this opportunity to play professionally,” said Crusader head coach Homer Drew. “Our goal at Valpo is to have our players graduate and give them the opportunity to continue playing basketball professionally, and Sam has been given an early chance to start his pro career. He can also continue to work towards his degree in Finland.”

Orlandina Basket competes in Serie A, the highest level of Italian professional basketball and among the top European basketball leagues. Haanpää joins a roster that includes the likes of former collegiate stars such as Tyus Edney (UCLA), Greg Brunner (Iowa) and Drake Diener (DePaul).

Haanpää appeared in 54 games in the Crusader uniform, averaging 11.1 points per game over his two seasons. One of the most prolific threats from behind the 3-point arc in Valpo history, he connected on a program-record 44.5% of his 3-point attempts for his career. He also broke the Crusaders’ single-game record for made 3-pointers last year against Chicago State, connecting on ten triples on just 12 attempts. Haanpää becomes the 26th Valparaiso men’s basketball player in the last 14 years to play professionally.

“We will miss Sam, as he was an integral component on our team in his time here,” said Drew. “While we are disappointed he won’t be completing his degree at Valparaiso, we are proud that he is getting a chance to play at one of the highest levels of pro basketball.”

valpofans.proboards28.com/index.cgi?board=valposports&action=display&thread=2120

[Class of '83]

Departures leave Crusaders less experienced
By David Robb
Wednesday, August 06, 2008

One surprise was one too many.

One unforeseen loss would have been enough to sour Valparaiso men's basketball coach Homer Drew's summer.

If only he had been so fortunate.

Twice this offseason, Drew has had to deal with the unexpected departure of a key player, a sure-fire starter.

Bryan Bouchie was the first. Without warning, the 6-foot-11 forward transferred to Evansville after a promising freshman campaign. Bouchie, though, for all his success, didn't depart with any records in tow.

Sam Haanpaa did.

On Monday, VU announced that Haanpaa, who established program-bests for career 3-point percentage and 3s in a game, will forgo his final two years of eligibility. He will spend the next three years playing with Orlandina Basket, a Serie A Italian team.

Drew, meanwhile, will spend the coming days wondering what happened to two players he was counting on to play major minutes this season.

"Some things you cannot control," Drew said. "The nice thing is I've got four (scholarship) freshmen who are excited, and this is going to give them an opportunity to get more playing time. They're going to be learning on the job and getting a chance to help the team."

Suddenly, VU has a new-look, less-experienced roster that breaks down like this:

The senior captains. Jake Diebler, Brandon McPherson and Urule Igbavboa -- all two-year starters -- are this team's undisputed leaders. Each has started more games, logged more minutes and scored more points than all the underclassmen combined. Of them, much will be expected.

The still-unproven sophomores. Mike Rogers finished last year on a tear. At times, the Crusaders' best athlete was also their best player. Now, can he keep it up for an entire season?

And what of Howard Little? Has his shot improved enough to assume the role of a fifth starter or sixth man, or will his playing time be gobbled up by a hungry cast of incoming freshmen? Speaking of which...

The freshmen five. Here's what we know about the five first-year players listed on VU's roster, not including freshman walk-on Andrew Ferry.

We know Erik Buggs is small and speedy. We know De'Andre Haskins is raw and athletic. We know Logan Jones once scored more points in an Indiana All-Star Game than Robbie Hummel, Scott Martin, E'Twaun Moore and Matt Howard, among others.

We know that Cameron Witt is likely the only left-handed Tasmanian in college basketball. We know that redshirt Benjamin Fumey would prefer to do more than practice now that he has been cleared by the NCAA.

Additionally, we know that six of VU's 11 eligible players don't have a lick of experience at this level. And that the only junior on the roster is Iowa State transfer Cory Johnson, who will sit out this season.

And that a team that earlier this offseason was expected to contend for a Horizon League title will have to grow up in a hurry.

www.nwi.com/articles/2008/08/06/columnists/david_robb/doc6f640f5ea3884bff8625749c0051f7e1.txt