Israeli Newspaper: Gal's gone

[WuDrWu]

From Sullentrops Shockwaves
Gal’s departure
WSU’s final recruit that summer was Mekel, landed in part by new assistant coach Scott Spinelli’s international connections.


..........and only if that addition at guard is a slam-dunk difference maker. Bigger concern: WSU is short on big men entering 2007. The three freshmen seem long shots to contribute immediately, and that proves to be accurate. Phil Thomasson does some of what Miller did, but not enough.

Serviceable big men are not easy to find, so maybe it’s not fair to say “Why didn’t WSU get some kind of big man to help Wilson, Martin and Thomasson instead of another guard?”

With the benefit of hindsight, Mekel was the wrong player at the wrong time. He is a point guard who needs to dominate the ball to play his game. That did not fit with WSU under coach Mark Turgeon or Gregg Marshall. The adjustment from the international game was too tough for him to make. WSU, it appears, was over-sold on Mekel’s ability to come in and be a difference-maker immediately. He is not a great athlete. He is not a great shooter or scorer.

Mekel was a hard worker who took his basketball seriously and wanted to win. His desire to play the point and his love of the “beautiful” play didn’t fit at WSU. Given time, in the right system and situation, Mekel had the skills to play for a coach who could live with a few turnovers.

The quote I'll never forget (from someone high up in the program) was that Gal was the kind of player that can take us to the Final Four.


Either Mark or Scott had some real problems evaluating talent or they were supremely arrogant coming off the Sweet 16 trip.

[wu_shizzle]

Either Mark or Scott had some real problems evaluating talent or they were supremely arrogant coming off the Sweet 16 trip.

Can it be both?

[Snapshot9]

To conclude his semester would mean packing in 6 weeks study and homework into a week or two.

People had visions of Mekel being a 'Curry' type of player, which he did not turn out to be. Mekel's dramatic flair for the play simply did not seem to work out a majority of the time under the coach's system. Gal approached being
'fast', but just on the edge of it. WSU teams, in the past, and currently, have lacked players that have 'quckness' and 'quick moves'. PJ did, particularly, when he was under the basket, rebounding, and putting the ball back up.

From the videos I have seen of Kyles, he seems to have quickness, which is needed especially for slashing to the basket. Murry moves so like PJ, it is almost Deja Vu'. One thing we have not discussed so much, is the coaching staff's ability to develop our incoming players' raw talent into a good team that plays like HGM wants them to play.

[fastbow]

Now it's time to answer the real questions left by Gal's departure...

1) Will experience be a big factor next season? Aside from a JuCo guard, we only have two other PGs who have D1 experience, and one might not be back, and the other is a walk-on who has a bad habit of getting hurt...

2) What the heck is the Caped Crusader going to wear to a game now? A Nigerian flag? A Canadian flag? A Lithuanian flag?

That, my friends, is the real pressing issue now...

[KochHead22]

Hopefully now with the departure of gal, the flag wearing days will be over! I can only hope that he does not decide to pick another flag to wear haha.

[Ixiah]

Sorry to hear about Gal but I'm not surprised. He did seem to be out of place in Marshall's system. Wish him well in his future career.

[rjl]

Either Mark or Scott had some real problems evaluating talent or they were supremely arrogant coming off the Sweet 16 trip.

Can it be both?

Thing is, I heard much of the same level of praise from people who weren't just involved with or coaching the program during the summer of 2006, but who were actually in the program once Gal arrived and started practicing with them.

[WstateU]

Gal's problem was Gal... he was hard-headed and wanted to do it his way.
I recall an interview with Chris Allison (if I recall correctly) during media day when Gal said something like this, "the coaches all want me to be a shooting guard, however I'm a point guard!"

[DaShox]

Gal didn't fit in Turg's system either. It's not just Gal didn't fit with Gregg.

2007 APR
WSU's APR for basketball: 944
Avg DI APR for basketball: 927
Public university APR: 917
Private university APR: 947

As of 2007, WSU is in the top 60-70% in basketball APR. An APR of 925 transalets into a graduation rate of 60-70%.

Teams which fall below 925 and have a student athlete fail and left school, can lose scholarships. Those who do well academically and stay in school earn two points. Those who pass but do not return to school earn one point. If a student-athlete fails academically and leaves school, their team loses two points. If a student-athlete returns to school later and graduates, the school earns one bonus point.

Arbry Butler's departure cost WSU two points. Gal Mekel's departure will earn WSU 1 point.

Teams can lose up to 10% of scholarships for poor academic performance.

A 900 APR results in additional sanctions. 3% of schools had an APR below 900. 8% of schools had an APR below 925.

Long story short: we'll be fine.

"Men's basketball APR of 944 ranks it withing the 60-70th percentile in the sport." -Wichita Eagle 5/7/08


Told you so. All the handringing was unnecessary.

[Ricky Del Rio]

Gal's problem was Gal... he was hard-headed and wanted to do it his way.
I recall an interview with Chris Allison (if I recall correctly) during media day when Gal said something like this, "the coaches all want me to be a shooting guard, however I'm a point guard!"

You are so right. He was hard headed.

Even though repeated actions would shoot a hole in his foot, he just kept on repeating the action. I found it very discouraging. As an example, driving in among the trees without the ability to finish or dish to open man. He was sorta like Randy Burns, but worse.

[wsu789]

DaShox, do they only look one year back, or might they take recent defections into account in the future? In other words, will Gal's departure continue to be a negative for a period of time, or is it over and done with?

[WstateU]

Gal's problem was Gal... he was hard-headed and wanted to do it his way.
I recall an interview with Chris Allison (if I recall correctly) during media day when Gal said something like this, "the coaches all want me to be a shooting guard, however I'm a point guard!"

You are so right. He was hard headed.

Even though repeated actions would shoot a hole in his foot, he just kept on repeating the action. I found it very discouraging. As an example, driving in among the trees without the ability to finish or dish to open man. He was sorta like Randy Burns, but worse.

Just in case Gal checks Shockernet.

Attention Gal:
Honestly, you were my favorite player and I hated to see you leave. I never questioned your effort and desire to win. I have children who are also very hard-headed and stubborn... they have become very productive citizens and I'm very proud of them. I wish you nothing but the best in your professional career... you will always be a Shocker.
:good:

[SubGod22]

I don't think anyone has ever questioned his desire to win and effort. Just the decision making process in order to achieve the goal...

[DaShox]

DaShox, do they only look one year back, or might they take recent defections into account in the future? In other words, will Gal's departure continue to be a negative for a period of time, or is it over and done with?

The APR is calculated from semester to semester so it is a real time calculation. In essence, each semester is a new semester of plusses and minuses. They do allow for mitigating factors in assesing points. The NCAA report is a four year report. For example, the current reports run from 2003-2007. With the 944 this year, long term I think Gal is a wash and won't hurt that bad -- he earned points first semester and lost them second semester.