Can Eron Gordon help the Crusaders to a MVC title? He might just be the difference maker for that.
Valpo basketball might be one of the most underrated teams heading into the 2019-20 college basketball season. The Crusaders went 15-18 (7-11) last season, but there are a lot of reasons that they will be heading in the right direction this season.
Don’t let the record fool you – this was a competitive team last season. Head Coach Matt Lottich kept this team in games against high competition, losing to Wake Forest by just six points and West Virginia by only 12. The best win of the non-conference slate came AT UNLV, and the Crusaders were a few overtime wins away from a 9-9 in conference record, which would have surely helped them in the conference tournament.
This season, Valpo will return it’s two of it’s top five scorers from a year ago (correction). However, one player that could make the overall difference for this team is Eron Gordon. A transfer from Seton Hall, Gordon had to sit out last season due to NCAA rules, but will have two years of eligibility left for his time with the Crusaders.
The former 4-star recruit took some time to talk to me about the overall season at a glance, and how he’s taken steps to make sure that he’s ready to contribute for a winning team.
ME: What parts of your game did you work on most in the year you had to sit out?
ERON: The part I worked on the most was my ball handling and understanding of the game.
ME: How has the transfer year helped you to adjust from Seton Hall to Valpo?
ERON: It has really helped me just being able to sit out and watch and only focus on my game and nothing else. It was extremely fun being a fan of college basketball.
ME: How does your older brother, Eric, help you in improving your game?
ERON: Eric helps me just like any other older brother would with love and support each and every game. I am there as well with him and his game.
ME: What are your goals for this season?
ERON: My goal for this season is to win the Valley Conference Championship.
ME: What would you say to people who don’t know Eron Gordon and how would you describe yourself on and off the court?
ERON: I would say I am an interesting person. I love traveling and journalism. I would say on the court I am a combo guard that does a lot on the floor.
ME: What advice can you give to aspiring college basketball players?
ERON: I would tell any aspiring college basketball player to be humble and enjoy the process.
Valpo is returning only 2 of 5 top scorers from last year. Same is true of minutes and rebounds. After significant transfer-related roster turnover, this team is a huge unknown, not a favorite to win the conference.
Thanks for the input! Regardless, it’s a team with talent.
Journalism pro-tip: To build and and maintain credibility, make corrections to factual errors in your writing. For bonus points, point out the correction.
Done. Thank you for the tip.