Sargent could have been — but was not — referring to the way Noel soldiered through the especially rough start to his college career when he was redshirted TWO straight years after tearing his ACL in one of his first practices at WSU.
And he could have been — but was not — talking about the way the 6-foot-8 forward excelled after his forced exile and became not only one of the best players in the Horizon League over the next two years, but one of the conference’s All-Academic and Dean’s List stars who’s already gotten his undergrad degree from WSU and is positioning himself to leave with a master’s degree in chemistry, as well.
Sargent’s sense of awe stemmed from something even more remarkable — considering the transitory times of college basketball these days — that Noel has done.
After last season, with his glowing hoops resume and diploma in hand, he chose to stay at Wright State rather than jump ship for more Name, Image and Likeness money and the national recognition that comes with more prominent basketball programs in more ballyhooed leagues.
NIL deals have become a billion-dollar industry since being introduced to amateur sports in 2021 and these days college basketball rosters come equipped with a revolving door as many players flock to the transfer portal at season’s end, embracing a grass-is-always-greener somewhere else mindset.
Although Noel won’t publicly confirm — or deny — that he was approached by people representing other schools, a source close to the Raiders program said that did occur.
“I don’t want to get into that right now,” Noel said after Sargent had left other day.”But if I step back for a second, I will say there definitely are people that do try and reach out.
“But I’m not going to disclose whether that happened to me or not.”
Melinda Noel — who was a high school hoops standout herself; played at Walsh College; raised Brandon, her only child, as a single parent on a 20-acre farm outside Lucasville; taught him the basics of the game; and today is his most ardent backer — channeled her son when asked about him choosing loyalty over largesse.
“It’s a really touchy subject, so we’ll leave it at that,” she said. “I don’t want to get anybody in trouble by saying anything.”
She doesn’t have to.
Her son faced the same thing every stellar player – especially those at mid-major schools – does when a season ends.
‘These guys mean a lot’
According to the EvanMiya.com transfer database, over 2,000 players entered the portal after last season. Three prominent programs – Louisville, USC and DePaul – signed at least 11 transfers, while 16 programs saw at least 10 of their players transfer out.
After the 2021-22 season, when WSU won a game in the NCAA Tournament, the Raiders two biggest stars left for bigger programs. Tanner Holden went to Ohio State for a season before returning to the Raiders and Grant Basile opted for Virginia Tech, where he led the team in scoring and then went on to a pro career in Italy.
This year around the Horizon League there were numerous transfers including: Milwaukee’s BJ Freeman, a second team All-Horizon League pick alongside Noel last season, who left for Arizona State; Green Bay’s David Douglas Jr., the Horizon League Freshman of the Year, who opted for Fresno State; and Chris Conway, Oakland’s top scored off the bench, who joined Washington.
Credit: Joseph R. Craven
Credit: Joseph R. Craven
Across town at the University of Dayton, sharpshooter Koby Brea jumped to Kentucky and Kobe Elvis went to Oklahoma.
The entire Atlantic 10 became a freeway of portal traffic: UMass lost its pair of Atlantic 10 first teamers when Josh Cohen went to USC and Matt Cross left for SMU; St. Bonaventure’s Chad Venning, an A-10 second team pick, opted for Boston College; and LaSalle’s Jhamir Brickus, an All A-10 third team selection went to Villanova while Explorers’ teammate Khalil Brantley chose Oklahoma State.
As for Noel, he said a lot of things went into his decision to stay:
“There could have been money I chased — money and bigger status, all that kind of thing — but that doesn’t really matter as much as being happy and being in a program I’m happy to be part of.
“I’d say the biggest thing, honestly, was the guys around me, these teammates I’ve been around for my years (here) and a lot of the staff members. These guys mean a lot. At the end of the day those are the guys I come back to when I have problems in basketball and life.
“To me it’s a family and I say that genuinely. These are the guys I look up to the most. When it came down to that, it wasn’t really that hard to figure out.
“I thought staying here was best. This is where I belong.”
‘The bright lights are going to be on him’
It certainly helped that Sargent, WSU’s associate head coach, was named to replace Scott Nagy who left after that season for Southern Illinois.
After his high school career — which began at Lucasville Valley and concluded will All-Ohio honors at Chillicothe High School — Noel said he had no Division I offers.
That’s when Steve Ater, who had coached Tanner Holden at Wheelersburg High School, which is just 19 miles from Lucasville, suggested WSU look at Noel and Sargent did more than that.
“Coach Sargent was at the front of all that,” Noel said. “He came to my high school that spring day and that meant a lot.”
Melinda agreed: “Coach Sargent was great to our family from day one. When he came to Chillicothe, we all met with him, and it’s been good ever since.”
Noel never forgot that Wright State was “the only Division I school that gave me a chance.”
That said, it took a while for that chance to materialize. After missing his first season to recover from surgery on both knees — the left one to repair his ACL; the one on the right from which his patella tendon was taken to assist in the reconstruction — he was redshirted a second season to develop more as a player.
The way Noel has put it in the past: “The only times I wore my uniform those first two years was for picture day.”
“He had a rough start, a rough two years, but he made the best of it and came out good on the other side,” Melinda said.
When he finally got to play in the 2022-23 season, Noel started 26 of 33 games and averaged 13 points and 8.7 rebounds a game.
Last season he started 31 games and averaged 14.5 points and eight rebounds.
As Noel was making his decision about returning, Sargent said they had several “honest conversations.”
This year Sargent wants him to be more of a physical presence on the floor and be a leader off of it:
“Brandon can be the most physically gifted player on the floor every night. He needs to let that (idea) lead — to impose his will physically — and let the production fall in line from that.
“The bright lights are going to be on him and he’s ready for it.”
If any player deserves to be warmed by the spotlight this season, it’s Noel, both for what he went through to get here and the decision he’s made since to stay here.
Sargent said he wishes he had the words to express how deeply appreciative he is of Noel – and the other returnees – for sticking with WSU after he took over in the spring.
Noel said he believes if he stays close to what he’s been taught, what he believes, “it will take me pretty far in life.”
When she hears that, Melinda can’t help but beam:
“He’s stayed true to himself and what he wants to be. He takes a lot of pride in his basketball and his studies, and I think it shows. His loyalty to his friends and his family and Wright State speaks a lot.
“I’m overly proud of him.”
We all should be.
About the Author