2026 Offseason

[kochrab]

Might as well get this thread going. I know we have a transfer thread going in the recruiting area, but figured this season thread would be worth getting going already. I'm already sad that basketball is over, because it's the sign of the "dry season" between basketball and the start of football.

As far as the picture for next year goes, here is what we already know.

HS Newcomers:

• Zavier Zens
• William Gerdes
• Jordan Boyd

Transfers In:

• TBD

Currently Staying:

• Meaningful Floor Time
  • Leon Bond
  • Will Hornseth
  • Geon Hutchins
  • Kyle Pock
  • RJ Taylor
• Deep Bench/Redshirt
  • Redek Born
  • Cade Courbat
  • Marino Dubravcic
  • Hunter Jacobson
  • Levi Valdo
  • Jalen Wilson

Graduating:

• Trey Campbell
• Chase Courbat
• Ismael Diouf
• Ben Schweiger (with a big MAYBE on one more year)
• Tristian Smith
• Max Weisbrod

Transfers Out:

• TBD

[Username]

That’s a lot of minutes gone.

For now I’m not expecting much out of next year. Middle of valley probably

[7YrsOfCollegeDownTheDrain]

we're losing a lot of minutes but i think we've got a nice core coming back to be very competitive in the valley again assuming we keep leon, and will as cornerstones of the lineup. Geon will only continue to get better, i think Redek Born will give us good minutes as he did a nice job when pushed into action early as a true freshman. RJ will take the PG minutes... we'll be in the portal looking for all the same things everyone else is. athletic size and 3 point shooters...hope we find some diamonds in the rough most likely from a lower level like we did with Max and Tristan.

[BCPanther]

That’s a lot of minutes gone.

For now I’m not expecting much out of next year. Middle of valley probably

Completely and totally disagree.

Belmont is a total rebuild. Murray is going to lose everything. Bradley is going to be Bully and VanDerKnapp and nothing else. Illinois State is where they're going to be with Pedon. Valpo is running back an 11-9 team. We'll see what UIC keeps.

Plus, we've got the best coach in the league by a large margin.

[Wxcpanther]

Completely and totally disagree.

Belmont is a total rebuild. Murray is going to lose everything. Bradley is going to be Bully and VanDerKnapp and nothing else. Illinois State is where they're going to be with Pedon. Valpo is running back an 11-9 team. We'll see what UIC keeps.

Plus, we've got the best coach in the league by a large margin.

Yepp. Assuming that Ben comes back, which is still a big if, we will have the most proven 3-5 spots in the league.

[GhostOfRedeker]

I keep reading hints that Schweiger could potentially come back. What's the story behind that?

[GarretW1797]

Just with what we know we have right now, my very very early depth chart prediction would be this:
C Hornseth, Gerdes, Dubravcic
PF Schwieger, Zens, Pock
SF Bond, Wilson, Courbat
SG Hutchins, Boyd, Valdo
PG Taylor, Born

Which also leads me to ask if we somehow whiffed on quality bigs in the portal, would William Gerdes be able to play the 5 at all? I remember hearing that he was pretty thin even as a high school 4. If we receive 3 quality players in the portal I'd knock Gerdes, Born, and Boyd down a string.

I also for the second consecutive year hope that Kyle transfers out, both to open up minutes for portal additions and for him to have a better opportunity for playing time.

Another couple of questions I've been wondering. Is Hunter Jacobson coming back for sure or is that up in the air still? I know he was honored at senior night but I believe this was just his second year playing due to injuries his first couple of years. Also, did Wes Rubin and Charlie Miller ever end up at another school this past season? I don't recall if that was ever brought up since last offseason.

[Khan4Cats]

I keep reading hints that Schweiger could potentially come back. What's the story behind that?

He played 10 games at Loyola one year before injury, barely over the 30% (10/33) threshold for an injury redshirt. They're appealing to get that year back.

Also, did Wes Rubin and Charlie Miller ever end up at another school this past season?

Charlie ended up at Northern Michigan, kind of a player to be named later deal for Max, maybe. Started 24 of 35 games, average 6.6 points, 2.3 rebounds and 1.9 assists. Shot 36% from 3. Team went 28-7, lost in Regional Semifinals. Coach was just hired away by Northern Illinois.

Rubin ended up at Northwest Florida State College. Team went 25-7 and is playing in the NJCAA D1 first round on Sunday. Started 10 of 25 games played, average 4.2 points and 2.6 rebounds. Has played minimally in February and March.

[Username]

Completely and totally disagree.

Belmont is a total rebuild. Murray is going to lose everything. Bradley is going to be Bully and VanDerKnapp and nothing else. Illinois State is where they're going to be with Pedon. Valpo is running back an 11-9 team. We'll see what UIC keeps.

Plus, we've got the best coach in the league by a large margin.

I’ll revise. If Ben comes back I think top 4 for sure. The thing i can for sure attest and not hope to is the starting 5 will be fine in this scenario. I fully trust RJ to start, and seen enough flashes of Hutchins to know he'll make a big sophomore leap like will, and then a front line of Bond/Schweiger/Hornseth needs no explanation.

But we're also losing our best 2 players by quite a bit, it's hard not seeing us taking a step back unless transfers can make a collective impact which I'm not doubting could happen.

Also technically we're running back less than the team that went 11-9 lol.

[Wxcpanther]

I’ll revise. If Ben comes back I think top 4 for sure. The thing i can for sure attest and not hope to is the starting 5 will be fine in this scenario. I fully trust RJ to start, and seen enough flashes of Hutchins to know he'll make a big sophomore leap like will, and then a front line of Bond/Schweiger/Hornseth needs no explanation.

But we're also losing our best 2 players by quite a bit, it's hard not seeing us taking a step back unless transfers can make a collective impact which I'm not doubting could happen.

Also technically we're running back less than the team that went 11-9 lol.

Leon and Will are our second and third best players. Ben would possibly be slotted into 3rd ish, but it's close depending upon the day.

[PantherAlum09]

I’ll revise. If Ben comes back I think top 4 for sure. The thing i can for sure attest and not hope to is the starting 5 will be fine in this scenario. I fully trust RJ to start, and seen enough flashes of Hutchins to know he'll make a big sophomore leap like will, and then a front line of Bond/Schweiger/Hornseth needs no explanation.

But we're also losing our best 2 players by quite a bit, it's hard not seeing us taking a step back unless transfers can make a collective impact which I'm not doubting could happen.

Also technically we're running back less than the team that went 11-9 lol.

This is the big one to me. Geon is so intense and active on defense but he did so to a fault during the conference season. He has to figure out how to slow it down just a bit. It feels like he's trying to make remarkable defensive plays every possession but gets in foul trouble. He also has to slow it down on offense just a notch. he was almost always out of control. I still think there's a ton of potential and I hope he gets a lot of experience early next season.

[orangetennis]

This is the big one to me. Geon is so intense and active on defense but he did so to a fault during the conference season. He has to figure out how to slow it down just a bit. It feels like he's trying to make remarkable defensive plays every possession but gets in foul trouble. He also has to slow it down on offense just a notch. he was almost always out of control. I still think there's a ton of potential and I hope he gets a lot of experience early next season.

This take on Geon's freshman year reminds me of Anthony James freshman season. More minutes and the game will slow down for him.

[orangetennis]

Completely and totally disagree.

Belmont is a total rebuild. Murray is going to lose everything. Bradley is going to be Bully and VanDerKnapp and nothing else. Illinois State is where they're going to be with Pedon. Valpo is running back an 11-9 team. We'll see what UIC keeps.

Plus, we've got the best coach in the league by a large margin.

We say this type of thing every year. But every year, most schools lose half their roster in the portal, and rebuild the entire roster through the portal as well.

Who is positioned to be at the top of the Valley standings next year is a pointless discussion right now, because nobody's roster is even close to complete.

[orangetennis]

Just with what we know we have right now, my very very early depth chart prediction would be this:
C Hornseth, Gerdes, Dubravcic
PF Schwieger, Zens, Pock
SF Bond, Wilson, Courbat
SG Hutchins, Boyd, Valdo
PG Taylor, Born

Which also leads me to ask if we somehow whiffed on quality bigs in the portal, would William Gerdes be able to play the 5 at all? I remember hearing that he was pretty thin even as a high school 4. If we receive 3 quality players in the portal I'd knock Gerdes, Born, and Boyd down a string.

I also for the second consecutive year hope that Kyle transfers out, both to open up minutes for portal additions and for him to have a better opportunity for playing time.

Another couple of questions I've been wondering. Is Hunter Jacobson coming back for sure or is that up in the air still? I know he was honored at senior night but I believe this was just his second year playing due to injuries his first couple of years. Also, did Wes Rubin and Charlie Miller ever end up at another school this past season? I don't recall if that was ever brought up since last offseason.

That's a bad PG duo. RJ's roll down the stretch this season is exactly what it should be next season. And Born is a deep bench guy.
We need a transfer point guard who can start immediately. Preferably someone who can get to the rim and break down a defense with the dribble. We haven't had that guy since Kimmons left.

[Wxcpanther]

That's a bad PG duo. RJ's roll down the stretch this season is exactly what it should be next season. And Born is a deep bench guy.
We need a transfer point guard who can start immediately. Preferably someone who can get to the rim and break down a defense with the dribble. We haven't had that guy since Kimmons left.

I expect they are considering a portal option at PG, but why are you so confident that Born isn't good enough? Because he was forced into action as a true freshman when he wasn't ready and still played pretty well?