Valdosta State

Enrique Andrade - SG

Team: Valdosta State Blazers [ID #469]

Location: Valdosta, GA (Southeast)

Conference: VI.31 [Division 3]

President: None

Rating: 36.14 - Overall Position: #743

Fan Mood: 98.63

Alumni Mood: -49.80

Prestige: 12

Team Notes:

• Jan 17 2054: 1-star prospect Homer Owen committed.
• Jan 01 2054: 3-star prospect Russ Reinhardt committed.
• Mar 15 2053: 2-star prospect Jesse Cole committed.
• Mar 08 2053: 2-star prospect Jason Pierce committed.
• Feb 20 2053: 2-star prospect Frank Gamble committed.
• Dec 28 2052: 2-star prospect K.J. Peterson committed.
• Dec 19 2052: 3-star prospect Micheal Mortensen committed.
• Oct 03 2052: Removed Ymik3 as president.
• Feb 25 2051: 2-star prospect Martin Vazquez committed.
• Mar 13 2050: 2-star prospect Andy Hahn committed.

Record:

Wins: 15 Losses: 19 Pct: .441 Conf Wins: 12 Conf Losses: 12 Conf Pct: .500 Conf Rank: 8 Last10: 4-6 Streak: L1

Pts Ave: 74.4 - 78.3 Pts Diff: -3.9 Team Power Index: 121.3

Press Releases:

Feb 03 2050: Where Has This Team Been? - by Ymik3 on February 14th, 2026

Feb 3, 2050:
 By The Blazer Blogger (back from the dead)
Yeah, I know. I haven’t posted since Mar 27, 2049. Life happened, the Blazers happened, and honestly… watching some of those scores early this year felt like self-harm.
But then tonight happened.
Valdosta State 94, Plymouth State 62 — and for once it wasn’t “we survived.” It was we handled business.

The One Thing That Changed: We Hit Shots — Like, A Lot of Them
We went 12-for-25 from three (48%).
That’s not normal for us, which is exactly why it matters. Because it proves the offense can look clean when the ball isn’t sticky and we aren’t taking desperate shots.
* Wisniewski: 16 points, 4 threes (but also 4 turnovers… relax, Cory)
* Toure: 12 points, 4-for-4 from three (yes, really)
* Phillips: 10 points, 2-for-3 from deep
* Butler: 16 points, active all night

Buck O’Hara Set the Tone
14 points, 10 rebounds, 2 blocks, +37.
That’s grown-man basketball. That’s “I’m not letting us lose to a team like this” basketball.
If Valdosta is gonna have any identity under Sterling Ross, it has to start with O’Hara bringing that every game, not just when the matchup is friendly.

The Sneaky Part: Defense Was the Real Story
Plymouth State shot:
* 34.5% overall
* 4-for-20 from three (20%)
That’s what happens when a team is uncomfortable. We mixed coverages (about half man, a good chunk zone), we actually contested, and we didn’t let them get into rhythm.
Question for y’all: Do we just lean into zone more the rest of the way? Because if we’re not elite man-to-man, maybe our best move is being annoying and making teams shoot over bodies.

Tough Love: Even in a Blowout, the Bad Habit Is Still Here
We still had 15 turnovers.
So let me ask it like this:
If we coughed it up 15 times while winning by 32… what happens when we play Principia or Alabama-Huntsville and those turnovers become layups the other way?
That’s the difference between “momentum” and “same story.”

The Stretch That Tells Us What This Win Means
Next up: @ Lyndon State (Feb 5) — and they’re 4–17.
Two scenarios:
1. Win that game, and now this Plymouth win looks like a corner-turn.
2. Lose that game, and tonight was just a “everything went right” night.
So I’m putting it to y’all:
What do you think we actually are right now — improving team, or random team? And if you’re Coach Ross, what’s the one thing you’re demanding before Feb 5: fewer turnovers, more zone, or riding the hot hands (Toure/Phillips) harder?

Mar 27 2049: Valdosta State’s Recruiting Class - by Ymik3 on January 6th, 2026

By The Blazer Blogger

When I look at Valdosta State’s recruiting class, I’m not trying to sell upside or talk myself into optimism. I’m trying to figure out whether this group actually fits together and whether it fits what the roster needs right now.

This is the first full recruiting class of the new era, and it’s coming after a season where most of the production is gone. That matters. You can’t judge this class like a contender’s class. You judge it on whether it keeps the program steady and pointed in the right direction.

The Plan

In a press interview following the signing period, President Ymik3 laid out the priorities pretty clearly.

“The biggest priority was finding quality talent that will also provide depth and relieve the returners that we have right now,” he said. “With this being the first class that we are bringing in, I want this class to also develop the culture in the new era of this program.”

That framing explains the shape of the class more than anything else. Valdosta didn’t chase one star. They chased coverage.

The Class at a Glance

Valdosta State signed eight players, made up of seven two-star recruits and one one-star. From a ratings standpoint, that places the class in the middle of the conference. No one is being oversold.

Frank Butler (SF, JC, ★★)
Enrique Andrade (SG, International, ★★)
Tamás Török (C, International, ★★)
Daniel Dickinson (PG, HS, ★★)
Austin Joyner (PF, HS, ★★)
Dennis Warren (C, HS, ★★)
Baron Phillips (SG, HS, ★★)
Charlie Luttrell (C, HS, ★)

This is a class built to fill minutes and roles, not to headline the conference.

Frontcourt Volume

The first thing I notice is the number of bigs. That wasn’t accidental.

“I felt we lacked depth in the front court,” Ymik3 said in the same press setting. “Even playing Division III ball, you’ve got to have some bigs.”

Three centers in one class usually raises questions. In Valdosta’s case, it answers one. Last season stretched the frontcourt thin, and this class makes sure that doesn’t happen again.

The open question is whether one or two of those bigs can be more than emergency options. If that happens, this class checks an important box early.

The Guard Situation

I don’t see a guaranteed backcourt fix in this class, but I do see flexibility.

Andrade is the most interesting piece to me. He’s a two-star on paper, but his profile gives him the best chance to outplay that label.

“There are good players out there,” Ymik3 said. “If there’s a quality player that can contribute to this program, we’re not afraid to bring them in.”

That quote fits Andrade perfectly. Not a sure thing, but a real swing.

Dickinson looks more like a longer-term piece. His impact will come down to decision-making, not scoring. Phillips brings offense but will need efficiency to stick.

None of that guarantees clarity in the backcourt, but it does give the staff options.

Staying Close to Home

Joyner and Luttrell also reflect a local recruiting angle that came up during the press availability.

“When we look for those guys that we see fit, we bring them in,” Ymik3 said. “Why not stay close to home. It builds recognition, and it’s always a benefit when you get hometown kids.”

That doesn’t show up in ratings, but it matters for fit. These are players who understand the level and the environment, which often shows up before the box score does.

How This Class Could Fit Together

If this class meshes, it’s probably because:

* Andrade becomes a steady scoring guard
* Butler’s JUCO experience stabilizes the wing rotation
* At least one of the bigs proves reliable early
* The guards accept shared roles instead of forcing shots

That version of the class does what it was supposed to do.

Where the Risk Is

If this group struggles, it likely comes down to:

* No guard separating as a real offensive option
* The bigs struggling with pace or foul trouble
* Too much overlap and not enough role clarity

That’s the tradeoff with a depth-first class. It keeps you afloat, but it doesn’t guarantee direction.

My Final Take

I don’t think this recruiting class is exciting. I also don’t think it’s weak.

I think it’s realistic.

“This class is full of guys with potential to contribute,” Ymik3 said. “I expect them to show up, come in, work hard and play hard.”

That’s exactly how it reads to me. This group isn’t here to carry the program. It’s here to hold things together, learn from the returners, and set up whatever comes next.

Whether it works depends less on hype and more on how quickly the pieces find their roles.

Oct 06 2044: VSU - by matt on April 6th, 2025

Valdosta State has not exactly been an exciting program to watch over the past few seasons. New coach Harold Nelson has promised to bring in drastically improved talent and eventually be promoted to D1. That would certainly be an accomplishment.

Oct 06 2022: Rebuild starts now - by chiefsperry on November 19th, 2021

Immediately after Valdosta State announced the hire chiefsperry to become the schools 4th President. he Fired Kellog and hire young hotshot Sam Scott to head the basketball team in hope to turn this program around

Feb 05 2009: we apolozige - by Parmigiano59 on November 2nd, 2019

we are far from being a basketball team, we apologize to our fans.