NIT 10: Last Call
Epilogue: Players and coaches left with key decisions in the wake of 2015-16 season that would impact Valparaiso for years to come
The end of the 2015-16 season came slowly and then suddenly for the Valparaiso men’s basketball team. George Washington slowly pulled away in the second half of the NIT title game and Bryce Drew spent the final minutes of the game making sure his seniors got a suitable farewell from the Valparaiso faithful at Madison Square Garden.
The team returned to the locker room defeated, but not deterred. Valparaiso would be returning plenty of talent the following season, including All-American candidate Alec Peters, and possibly even starting point guard Keith Carter. Carter, who limped through the second half against George Washington, was hoping to receive an additional year of eligibility after an injury-shortened freshman year at St. Louis.
Shane Hammink, Tevonn Walker, Jubril Adekoya and David Skara would be key pieces returning as well as a handful of reserves in Lexus Williams and Max Joseph. Losing Vashil Fernandez, Darien Walker and E. Victor Nickerson would be a blow, but the coaching staff was excited about adding a healthy Derrik Smits and highly-touted incoming freshman Micah Bradford. Valparaiso would be a team worthy of Top 25 consideration entering the 2016-17 season.
NIT 10: An Oral History of Valparaiso’s March to Madison Square Garden
Introduction: The Last Meeting
Part I: The Return of the Mayor
Part II: The Sprint and the Marathon
The players flew home from New York on Friday afternoon while the coaches made their way to Houston for the Final Four. By the time the players landed, their lives were already in upheaval. Rumors spread online that Bryce Drew was being targeted for jobs at Vanderbilt and Georgia Tech. Each hour brought new questions and fewer answers for everyone associated with the program.
As players battled the emotions that came with the end of a magical season, they were now forced to consider their own futures as Valparaiso’s administration readied for the end of an era that some thought may never come.