This is probably our strangest post of the year -- yeah, yeah, the competition for such a title is fierce.
So, based on the non-conference games to date, who should be the five players constituting the All WAC First Team?
Granted, such a sentence makes zero sense but let's have some fun and proceed.
Here's our candidates:
* Kyle Gibson
* Jahmar Young
* Luke Babbitt
* Adrian Oliver
* Armon Johnson
* Jonathan Gibson
* Ike Okoye
* Mac Hopson
LA Tech's Kyle Gibson, at 21 points per game and 3.2 assists is a cinch. Any objection is a non-starter.
Jahmar Young - NMSU, 20.6 points per game, also has to be there. We can't find any justification for his non-inclusion.
Luke Babbitt of Nevada is our third choice. His current inarguable résumé: 19.6 points, 9.8 rebounds and 52% shooting.
Nevada doubles up with Armon Johnson, currently posting 17.1 points per game, 4.9 assists a contest and 54% overall shooting. Gotta include him.
Probably our biggest surprise is Ike Okoye. His numbers: 14.1 points each time out, 56% shooting, 9 boards a game plus 2 blocks. He's been carrying BSU on the frontline.
Other candidates:
FSU's Paul George would be next with a bevy of impressive numbers: 17.4 points and 8.2 rebounds, 3.2 assists and 2.8 steals a match. All that is missing is a degree of assertiveness.
Adrian Oliver/SJSU with 19.9 pointsand 6.5 boards a contest. His shooting percentage needs to pick up.
New Mexico State Aggie Jonathan Gibson is scoring 18.8 points a game and shooting well across the board. Keep this up and add consistency -- he'll force some tough decisions.
Idaho's Mac Hopson at 13.0 points a game along with 4.5 assists. But his TOs have risen from last season and we also expected a higher shooting percentage with the addition of Steffan Johnson.
What's up with Utah State? Jared Quayle is doing fine with his assists and rebounding but his shooting has dropped so far thus season (37% overall). Tai Wesley still hasn't taken that next step up -- at least not yet.
Who did we miss? On who have we miscalculated? Have at it.
Sunday, December 27, 2009
Who is on the ALL WAC First Team to date?
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4 comments:
Paul George is a MUST INCLUDE. He and Babbitt are the two best players in the WAC when you look at overall efficiency and productivity (using BBState's stats). Among the top 20 scorers they also are tops in the WAC in Efficiency Per Possession.
As for Jahmar Young, Jonathan Gibson only averages 1.8ppg less but he has a better shooting percentage, better 3pt percentage, more assists, more steals, better assist/turnover ratio, more points per minute and better overall efficiency numbers than Jahmar. I think you're putting the wrong NMSU player on the team. If you shoot enough you score points, but there's more to playing basketball than throwing up the most shots.
Adrian Oliver is like Young only worse. Bad FG%, bad assist to turnover ration for a guard. He's good, but trying to do too much and while his points per game and rebounding stand out, the other stuff drags him down.
I'd Pick:
George
Babbitt
Kyle Gibson
Jonathan Gibson
Armon Johnson
I hate not having more size, but statistically these guys have earned it.
2nd Team:
Jahmar Young
Adrian Oliver
Sylvester Seay
Ike Okoye
Brandon Fields
Putting Seay or Okoye on the first team in place of one of the guards would probably make it a better team, but statistically I don't think they've earned it.
Finally, there's a big discrepancy in OOC strength of schedule for WAC teams. NMSU and Nevada players are accumulating their stats vs schedules far and away more difficult than the rest of the conference. And as I'm basing most of my picks on efficiency ratings, not raw numbers, I've removed possible bias of some players getting more playing time or playing at a faster tempo.
I would have to nominate Olu Ashaolu for the second team, if not Most Improved Player
I can see why some might want to replace Fields on my list, but would you put Ashaolu on there ahead of Roderick Flemings, Tai Wesley, Jared Quayle or Mac Hopson? Certainly the argument could be made for Ashaolu or the others I mentioned and Fields is a borderline pick that only a Nevada fan like myself would make.
I think Tai Wesley reached a new level this past week.
After a tentative start to the year in which he seemed reluctant to assume a leadership role (wanting Quayle, as the lone Senior to take command instead) Tai became vocal and became the Aggies indisputed go-to guy. He was the MVP of the Gossners Tournament, and showed a tenacity and more importantly a maturity sometimes lacking. Look for big things from him come league play. I think USU remains the team to beat in the WAC.
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