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An Expanded Role
Senior guard D.J. Posley should see his role expand in 2008-09. With the wrist injury to Justin Joyner, Posley will likely see some playing time at the point guard spot, as well as some time at the off-guard position. Either way, the Hazel Crest, Ill., native should see his playing time increase from a 2007-08 average of 17.0 minutes per game.
A Stopper
Posley had a very limited offensive role as a junior in 2007-08. He averaged 2.7 points per game and in his 28 games, a total of 476 minutes, he attempted just 85 field goals, 3.1 per game. What Posley did do, however, was give UCSB a defensive stopper in the backcourt. In 2006-07, the Gauchos had their ups-and-downs defending the opponent's backcourt. Posley was brought in to address that need and he did not disappoint. He finished the season with 36 steals, leading the team in steals per 40 minutes. Posley gave notice right away that he was going a defender to be reckoned with as he had three steals in the season-opener against Northwestern State. That was just the tip of the iceberg.
The Iceberg
Posley saved his best defensive game for last. Almost. In UCSB's penultimate game of the season, a Big West Tournament game against UC Irvine, he almost single-handedly led the Gauchos back from a second half deficit, on the defensive end. Posley played just 21 minutes against the Anteaters, but he harassed them enough to produce a career-high six steals. The six steals were the most by a UCSB guard since Jacoby Atako had six on February 28, 2002 against Cal State Fullerton.
The Defensive Flipside
While defense is without question a strength for Posley, his aggressive play also caused him to foul out of three games, equaling the second highest total on the team. Posley tied for second on the team despite ranking eighth in minutes, and when he did foul out he did so pretty quickly. He was gone in 16 minutes against Harvard, 23 minutes against Cal Poly Pomona, his only starting assignment on the season, and 22 minutes at Ball State. Overall, Posley had 60 fouls in his 28 games as a junior.
A Brief Passing Fancy
Posley averaged a modest 1.2 assists per game in his junior season. He had 33 total assists in his 28 games played. For one night, however, he was a passing fiend. On January 12, in a must-win game at Cal State Fullerton, Posley, who to that point had never had more than two assists in a game, passed off for a team-high six assists. Not only did he have a career-high six assists, but he did not commit a turnover. Posley's season-best six assists was the most a Gaucho collected during the 2007-08 season without committing a turnover.
Notes
2008-09
Senior guard D.J. Posley will likely see his role expand in 2008-09...While he should play primarily at a wing, the loss of Justin Joyner for the season could cause Posley to see some playing time at the point guard position...However his role evolves, he will continue to be a defensive stopper in UCSB's backcourt.
2008-09
Played in 28 out of 32 games in 2007-08, missing four with the flu...As a junior, he averaged 2.7 points, 1.9 rebounds, 1.2 assists, and 1.3 steals per game...Although he ranked eighth on the team in minutes played, he had 36 steals, third on the team...Had a career-high six steals in a Big West Tournament game against UC Irvine, the highest total by a UCSB player in a single game since 2002...Posley had a steal in 20 of his 28 appearances, including two or more eight times...Also had four steals at UC Riverside, and three in games against Northwestern State and Pepperdine...Scored a season-high seven points against Pepperdine...Had six points against UC Davis, UC Irvine, and San Francisco...Posley passed off for a high of six assists, with no turnovers, in a win at Cal State Fullerton...Had three assists two other times, at Long Beach State and at Mississippi...While he shot just 35.3% for the season, he did make 30 of his last 75 shots, 40.0%...Posley made five three-point baskets, but none in his last 12 appearances.
JUNIOR COLLEGE
Posley attended John A. Logan College in Centerville, Ill., where he was an Honorable Mention All-American in 2006-07, his only season at the school...Averaged 17.1 points, 5.3 assists, 4.2 rebounds and 1.5 steals per game as a sophomore, helping the team to a 28-4 finish, a national ranking of sixth, a conference title and the second round of the Region 24 Tournament...Posley played all three backcourt positions for the Volunteers...Shot 46% overall, 43% from three-point range and 73% from the free throw line...Selected First Team All-Great Rivers Athletic Conference and First Team All-Region 24...Posley scored in double-figures 28 times, including a career-high 30 against Lincoln Trails College...In a pair of games against traditional power Vincennes Junior College, he scored 26 and 24 points respectively...Had highs of 11 assists against Kaskaskia College, 10 rebounds against Harmony Community School and five assists against Southwestern Illinois College...Coached by Mark Imhoff.
IPFW
Posley played his freshman season at Indiana University-Purdue University Fort Wayne, an NCAA Division I Independent...In his only season at IPFW, he averaged 3.2 points, 1.5 rebounds and 1.3 assists per game...Averaged 13.0 minutes per game, but played nearly 20 per game in the second half of the season, including a 30-minute stint against Northwestern...Had highs of 19 points and seven rebounds against Texas A&M Corpus Christi...Tallied 16 points against South Dakota State...Against Penn State, he had 10 points, four rebounds and five assists.
High School
Attended Homewood-Flossmoor Community High School in Flossmoor, Ill....In his senior season, Posley averaged 10.3 points, 6.5 assists, 5.0 rebounds and 3.3 steals per game...He was chosen Honorable Mentijon All-Area after helping Homewood-Flossmoor to the Sweet 16 of the Illinois State Tournament...Scored a career-high 25 points in games against Proviso West HS and Crete Monee HS...Had 11 assists against Thornton HS, five steals against Thornridge HS and eight rebounds against Lane Tech, all personal bests...Selected All-SICA East, he was also chosen the league's Defensive Player of the Year...In December of 2004, he had 14 points, four rebounds and four assists as Homewood-Flossmoor beat Oak Hill Academy and Kevin Durrant at a tournament in Kentucky, ending Oak Hill's unbeaten run at two and a half years...As a junior, Posley averaged 5.5 points, 5.0 assists and 4.0 rebounds per game on a team that finished second in the state tournament, losing in the title game to a team that included Los Angeles Clipper star Shaun Livingston...Coached by Roy Condotti.
Personal
David W. Posley, Jr., was born December 16, 1986 in Chicago, Ill....The son of Reverend David and Marilyn Posley...Also competed in football and baseball as a high school athlete...Helping his high school team to an upset of Oak Hill Academy is his most memorable moment...Posley roots for all of the Chicago teams, but his favorite athlete is LeBron James...Served as a page on Capitol Hill...Favorite television shows include Monk, The Wire, and Entourage...His favorite movies include all three Pirates of the Caribbean offerings...Majoring in sociology with a minor in sport management...Would like to become an insurance agent or an independent entrepreneur.
