Horizon League Preview: #3 Valparaiso Crusaders

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If this preview had come out in August, Valparaiso likely would’ve taken the second spot on the list. Cleveland State’s chances at a league title took a major blow in June when leading scorer Bryn Forbes unexpectedly transferred to Michigan State. Valparaiso and last year’s regular season champion Green Bay figure to be the biggest benefactors of Cleveland State’s misfortune. Two months later, Valpo got its own unexpected news that dropped the team back to a third place projection. Starting point guard Lexus Williams tore his ACL, ending his sophomore season before it started.

In addition to losing its starting point guard, Valparaiso needs to cope with the graduations of a First Team All-Horizon League performer and two members of last year’s front court. Lavonte Dority averaged a team-high 15.7 points per game as a senior on his way to the All-League nod. Moussa Gueye provided valuable minutes at center after transferring in from Alabama. Bobby Capobianco, who spent two seasons with the Crusaders after transferring in from Indiana, provided the team with a big body down low and range out to the three point line.

Alec Peters, who joined Lexus Williams on the All-Freshman Team, will need to score with more consistency following Dority’s graduation. Peters led all Horizon League freshmen in scoring, averaging 12.7 points per game, but he could’ve widened the gap if not for a month-long slump. Peters averaged over 15 points per game through the end of December before a January rut dropped his average below 12. With a season of experience under his belt, don’t be surprised to see Peters among the league’s leading scorers this year.

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Tevonn Walker and Max Joseph join Valparaiso after starring during their prep years as backcourt mates for Vanier College in Montreal. The duo led Vanier to a 16-2 record and a RSEQ league title. Walker earned CCAA All-Canadian team honors in his final season with Vanier, while the RSEQ named Joseph a Second Team All-Star.

E. Victor Nickerson transferred from Charlotte to play for Valparaiso. Primarily a post player with the 49ers, Nickerson joined the Crusaders to play on the perimeter. He projected to start for Valparaiso before undergoing double hip surgery during the offseason. In the team’s exhibition opener, Nickerson scored five points and committed five turnovers in 11 minutes. He clearly needs time to get back into playing shape, but he could play a major role as the season progresses.

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Keith Carter projected to start at shooting guard before Williams tore his ACL. Carter, a mid-season transfer from St. Louis in 2013, became eligible in December last season. He averaged 5.7 points, 1.8 rebounds and 2.7 assists per game for Valparaiso down the stretch. In the wake of Williams being sidelined for the year, Carter will slide over to point guard.

With Carter at point guard, freshman Tevonn Walker will be subbed into his shooting guard spot. Walker struggled to find his shot in the team’s exhibition game against Grand Valley State, scoring 4 points on 1 of 6 shooting. The primary competitor for starting minutes is fellow newcomer Darien Walker, who scored 16 points on 6 for 8 shooting against Grand Valley State.

Dec 22, 2013; Orlando, FL, USA; Valparaiso Crusaders forward Alec Peters (25) goes to shoot overtop UCF Knights forward Tristan Spurlock (1) in the first half during the Jackson-Hewitt UCF Holiday Classic at UCF Arena. Mandatory Credit: David Manning-USA TODAY Sports

As a sophomore, Peters will be looked upon to lead the Crusaders. Last year, he showed an incredible scoring ability by topping 30 points multiple times. Without many of the team’s top scoring options from a season ago, he’ll likely have the green light to shoot for it just about every night. Valparaiso will go as far as Peters can lead them, which could be a long way if he lives up to his preseason First Team All-League projection.

Jubril Adekoya will see the biggest bump in minutes with the departure of multiple players that contributed to the team’s frontcourt depth last year. As a freshman, Adekoya logged 19 minutes per game, but he’ll likely need to play closer to 30 minutes a night this season. Without Capobianco and Gueye, the team’s only true post players will be Adekoya, Vashil Fernandez and freshman David Skara.