Monday, May 12, 2025
Jackson Skipper is back!!!!
In transfer portal terms, Vermont got a "Marfo" commitment today from Jackson Skipper. Skipper returns to Vermont after a year at Oral Roberts. I love Skipper's game and am very excited to see him back in the green and gold. He is one of those players who has a nose for the ball and plays with excitement and joy. At Oral Roberts, he averaged 4.9 points per game and shot 36% from three in 16 minutes a game (including 11 starts). He gives the Cats a versatile option as a player that knows the system and the program. His shooting ability will be a particularly nice addition. The Cats have really used the portal to add positional size and length. Skipper has two years remaining and continues the trend of Vermont signing players with multiple years remaining. This is a strong portal strategy as it serves two significant purposes. It gives the Cats a chance at continuity and a potential to retain players for more than one year. It also gives the players entering the program who are looking to increase their value and improve their earning potential motivation to buy in and work hard to expand their game. Goal 1a can be to develop and retain players and goal 1b can be to pitch prospective players on your developmental successes. It reflects strongly on the program for a player to return (particularly after they transferred to their hometown). So happy for Skipper to be back! Vermont has three more scholarships to fill and the last major need is at point guard with Sean Blake being the only true point guard on the roster.
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Amazing!
ReplyDeleteIt is awesome!
DeleteI hope this is more of a security blanket type signing than running out of options. Not saying I didn’t like skipper and watched to see if we let a good one slip by last yr but I think we still need a stud(or two) to make this team look like the catamounts we’ve all been spoiled with and accustomed to watching.
ReplyDeleteFit is more important that numbers. Sometimes the guys that seem like "studs" in the portal are not fits on winning teams with a defensive focus. Many want money or to go somewhere where putting up numbers is the priority.
DeleteWhen he was here before he was very raw. He got some playing time at Oral Roberts, hundreds of hours of practice, different coaching. No doubt he's more seasoned. I'm seeing him as a depth piece that can maybe cover a few positions. But maybe the coaches see more? Also it's getting late. They still have a bunch of roster spots. I don't think they can be very choosey on who they bring in.
ReplyDeleteI think they can be a choosy as they want. Depth is a big bonus in winning and he has shown flashes of potential. Vermont has most often been a sum of their parts winner and this is how they have usually approached roster building.
DeleteYes!!!!!
ReplyDeleteYes!!
DeleteI was sorry to see him leave as he was one of the best players in OK out of HS as I remember and he can shoot the 3. Hope he works out and can get some playing time. Now if we can get a pt guard and maybe another big !
ReplyDeleteLove it!
DeleteReally like it. If Long is back healthy we should once again be a favorite for AE. I like the priority on size.
ReplyDeleteCould envision Micheal’s and Gus as starting big men with Noah backing up.
Long and Hurley starting wings with Skipper backing up
Blake starting point and we do need to add a back up here. He is really the only ball handler on team right now.
And Woodward! And think Sammy made a mistake…. But maybe he needed a change.
DeleteRoster looks very strong thus far. Emphasis on offense and size.
DeleteThat’s great news! Skipper is a strong pick… he knows the system and can hit the ground running! He also has a year of experience under his belt. Excellent!
ReplyDeleteAgreed!
DeleteI like this pick up. Skipper is a solid shooter and he should slide right back into the system pretty quickly. Now let’s go get some point guard depth.
ReplyDeletePoint guard depth is the last cog for sure.
DeleteHe averaged like 4 points a game, so many better options. I can not consider this a positive development like others who have commented.
ReplyDeleteThis is often how Vermont has built winning rosters. Find underrated players with potential. There is so much info that goes into deciding to pursue recruits. it is very hard to say there are better options without all the information.
DeleteBetter options? Who?? I think its a solid pickup of a guy who knows the system and understands what is expected of him. He'll play and score points...hopefully a bucketfull which would be more than any of last years transfers did..
ReplyDeleteFor sure!
DeleteAnyone can figure out the system as our offense is extremely elementary and predictable. Transfer portal is FULL of guys, but we can't seem to land any who are STUDS from what I can see. Hopefully it works out, but we were high on our transfers last year and we saw how that worked out for us...
ReplyDeleteDisrespectful to every kid wearing a catamount jersey.
DeleteI don't think you get how NIL and the Transfer Portal really work. It makes it very hard for a team like UVM to bring in "Stud". Instead, you look for players that can fit the system and be successful. We know both TJ's are going to score double figures and Barnett brings good defensive energy. From there, its a lot of potential in the America East. Blake is athletic enough to take the next step and Michaels has the profile of a player that can be very effective in the America East. Gus Yalden is very skilled so if he can be healthy, he can compliment Barnett's style nicely. Finally, adding Woodyard and Skipper, gives you 6'6 wings that can knock down threes and guard multiple positions in the AE coming off the bench. It's got the makings winning the AE again and being competitive. At the end of the day, it really comes down to Blake being able to take the next step and how effective can Yalden be if hes healthy. So adding role players like this although you don't think they are studs are actually strong fits to this team and conference
DeleteI am not sure what qualifies as a stud. Fit is so much more important that whatever numbers have been put up in other systems. Ben Shungu was a walk on and made himself into an all conference player. Finn Sullivan averaged 7 points per game at San Diego and became a conference player of the year. Heck Ryan Davis averaged 3 points and then 9 points per game before becoming a 2 time player of the year. Rosters are built by evaluating fit and what they will become, not what they are right now. One year of a difficult time on offense after winning three titles in a row is the outlier not the norm.
Delete$$$
ReplyDelete
ReplyDeleteHopefully Becker is going to change things up this year on offense - develop a post game, high screen pick & rolls, more penetration - if it's the same thing we've seen over the last several years, it could be a long one...
The last few years? They have won 3 out of the last 4 titles. I am not sure what more they could do to demonstrate the strength of the program.
DeleteBig Man Depth - Gus, Michaels, Barnett, Bessette
ReplyDeleteWing Depth - Hurley, Long, Skipper, Woodward, Wesson, Momo
Point depth - Blake
Given that we had so many graduate and transfer - extremely happy thus far with a couple more moves to come. Coaching staff may have to adjust style a bit. We may lack a little defensive chops from previous teams. Just getting Long back will be a huge lift. Hurley has a chance to become AE player of the Year.
Add another PG and we should be good.
Remember two classes of players exited college basketball and only one incoming class.
Team is going to be fun to watch!
DeleteLee - Simple question: Do you wish to see the same offensive scheme/format that we have seen with Becker?
ReplyDeleteI have no problem with the offense. The personnel fit and the injuries the last few years has not worked out they way the staff had hoped. Their offense in many other seasons over the past decade has been very efficient.
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