So we are officially down to the top 20. It seemed like picking 20-11 was a lot easier than picking 30-21...although there are some I'm kinda second-guessing.
There's a ton of talent in this league and I wouldn't be shocked if anyone in this portion of the list goes off and somehow breaks into the NSIC 1st Team by the season is said and done. With no further ado, here is your top 20...
20. Charlie Ward - SR - SG - Sioux Falls
2013-14 Stats - 13.6 PPG 109-252 43.3% FG 27-86 31.4% 3FG 123-159 77.4% FT 137 REB 5.1 RPG 43 A 54 TO 1 BLK 24 STL 27 G 27 GS 26.6 MPG
Charlie Ward puts up some rather sick numbers. With numbers like his, I would've imagined he'd be an all-conference contender. However, I do question his leadership. He does tend to turn the ball over quite a bit and he generally doesn't seem like the best floor leader for this squad. Despite that, I have to admit he's immensely talented. He led Sioux Falls to a much improved season last year. Will it continue in 2014-2015? It'll be interesting to see with so much returning talent in the NSIC...but I do believe he will be one of the best players in the league.
19. Tyler Vaughn - JR - SG/SF - MSU-Moorhead
2013-14 Stats - 11.3 PPG 114-251 45.4% FG 64-157 40.8% 3FG 37-49 75.5% FT 94 REB 3.2 RPG 36 A 27 TO 0 BLK 29 STL 29 GP 27 GS 27.7 MPG
Vaughn is what I like to call a cold-blooded shooter. He has his off games, but when he's hot, he can absolutely rake. The one thing I saw from Vaughn this past season is he seemed to elevate his offensive game a bit and became more of an all-around scorer. He used to be just a three-point specialist for the Dragons, but he's evolved into someone that is more likely to create a shot. I think him and Grant Lang are pretty similar players, although I do think Vaughn is slightly better since it seems like he can create a shot a little better than Lang. An area where Vaughn isn't quite the best (and this is a problem with the Dragons all-around) is that they are not the best of defensive clubs all-around and Vaughn is no exception. I did feel he improved his defense quite a bit from the year before, but I'd still all him a rather average guard when it comes to defense. Still, no doubt about it. He has an absolutely lethal offensive game and watch out if he hits an early three, because he's going to give defenses a lot of headaches if he can get into the rhythm of the game early on.
18. Shaun Condon - SR - PG - Southwest Minnesota State
2013-14 Stats - 11.0 PPG 109-239 45.6% FG 49-112 43.8% 3FG 75-96 78.1% FT 79 REB 2.5 RPG 50 A 54 TO 1 BLK 18 STL 31 G 0 GS 24.1 MPG
Impressively, Condon is the only Mustang that averaged double-figures that returns to a lineup that is going through a HUGE turnover in talent. While Condon had his role on a very solid SMSU squad, he's likely going to be thrust into that "man" role, which will be interesting to see since he wasn't a starter for SMSU last year. The Mustangs are going "complete overhaul" on their starting lineup from a year ago as they had a ton of players graduate. What can I say about Condon? He's an all-around solid player. He handles the point well, he plays solid fundamental defense, and he shoots the ball well. The one downgrade I have of him is I'm not sure how well he'll be able to run the offense...or at the very least in comparison to Vinard Birch. Considering the sort of team they have this year, they're going to need Condon to be a "scorer" and I'm not exactly sure he can fill that role. Still, he's a player I'm going to keep my eye on because I think if there is a player in this list that could take some people by surprise, it's Condon.
17. Zach Romashko - SR - PF - Minnesota State
2013-14 Stats - 7.3 PPG 89-204 43.6% FG 39-100 39.0% 3FG 37-51 72.5% FT 102 REB 2.9 RPG 28 A 14 TO 1 BLK 12 STL 35 G 3 GS 17.8 MPG
Romashko is an interesting case. I really didn't know where to put him. At first, I had him in the upper 20s, but that felt like a disservice. I feel like he would be one of the better players in the league if he actually played on anyone else's roster other than MSU. He's a very fundamentally sound power forward that can put in some solid minutes at the 5 position as well to spell Assem Marei, if need be. Romashko is not one of those guys who is going to light up the stat sheet, but he is one of those guys who is going to make his presence felt in the game. While guys like Marei and Monaghan are lighting up the scoresheet, Romashko is one of those guys that is going to do all the little things that are going to help your team win. The most impressive part of Romashko's game is that he is a big man that takes VERY good care of the basketball. 14 turnovers in 35 games is astounding for a big man and he's going to play solid defense. His ability to stretch defenses with his ability to shoot the three is a huge asset to guys like Monaghan that can attack the basket. Again, the reason why I don't have Romashko higher is that he's not a guy who is going to take over offensively if either Monaghan or Marei have an off-game. However, to say he's not a valuable asset to a national championship caliber team would be a disservice.
16. Mark Blacklock - JR - SF/PF - Winona State
2013-14 Stats - 10.1 PPG 114-220 51.8% FG 24-72 33.3% 3FG 40-58 69% FT 134 REB 4.6 RPG 43 A 26 TO 12 BLK 26 STL 29 G 27 GS 23.1 MPG
Honestly, I think a midseason bout with mono truly kept Blacklock from putting up possible all-conference numbers. Much like Romashko, Blacklock is a fundamentally sound, great all-around player. He shoots well, he creates shots on the inside, he's probably WSU's best rebounder on the team at the moment, and he's one of the more potent defenders. What makes Blacklock so dynamic is his athletic ability to stretch the floor. From what I can tell, Blacklock is going to be one of the best small forward/power forward hybrids in the league and he's going to cause mismatch problems. My one complaint about Blacklock is I feel he tries to take too many outside shots. While he's an okay three-point shooter, I feel WSU has other weapons that are better equipped to shoot them. What they don't have is a player that can score on the inside like Blacklock. If Blacklock can find a way to play tough inside the paint, he's going to be a solid contributor for the Warriors.
15. Seth Bachand - SR - PF/C - Northern State
2013-14 Stats - 11.9 PPG 123-208 59.1% FG 0-2 0% 3FG 98-147 66.7% FT 174 REB 6.0 RPG 25 A 51 TO 37 BLK 14 STL 29 G 29 GS 20.5 MPG
To be honest, I had quite a debate with myself between Bachand and Blacklock for this spot. Both are essentially undersized forwards that can do the most damage inside. There a little different whereas Bachand is more of an inside post presence, Blacklock is more of a hybrid forward that moves along the wing. This was a tough one, but I ultimately went with Bachand considering he's handling a majority of NSU's inside presence. While an undersized forward, Bachand just manages to outfight you in the low post and shoot for an insane percentage. I consider that just a little more valuable than a hybrid forward, but not by much. Make no mistake, Bachand is not going to pull you out from the low post and knock down a three. He just isn't. However, there's just no way you're going to stop him from scoring on the inside. His knack for getting shots up against bigger defenders is just astounding. I suppose the biggest question is, will Bachand be able to carry the load for the Wolves this season? I think he'll have a strong season...even if NSU has a down season as a team. They'll be relying on Bachand a lot and I'm sure he'll deliver.
14. Jordan Poydras - JR - PG - St. Cloud State
2013-14 Stats - 15.7 PPG 140-340 41.2% FG 49-141 34.8% 3FG 111-142 78.2% FT 87 REB 3.1 RPG 99 A 50 TO 1 BLK 41 STL 28 G 27 GS 31.0 MPG
If we're talking about raw talent, I think Jordan Poydras is one of the best guards in the NSIC. That's quite a statement to make considering how many great guards there are in the NSIC. He's dynamic in every sense of the word. He can shoot, he can attack the basket, he can draw fouls, and get to the free throw line (and convert when he's there). I hate to say it but there's really only one thing holding Poydras back...his offensive discipline. I really don't know why he feels like he needs to jack up threes with reckless abandon. With the sort of lineup SCSU has, you'd think he'd use the gift God gave him and continue to go on the attack because he's harder than hell to guard. If Poydras matured from his sophomore year and coach Reimer can put a leash on him in regards to his three point shooting, I think he's going to give a lot of teams nightmares. If he resorts to the same old, Poydras being Poydras, he's going to give his own team nightmares. He plays a crucial role in the Huskies offense. While the Huskies are known for recruiting "scoring" point guards (see: David Dreas, Taylor Witt), he needs to learn to reign it in a bit. Honestly, I think Poydras is a fun player to watch when he plays with his head in the game and if SCSU does give MSU-Moorhead a run for their money in the NSIC North, it'll be because of this guy and one other guy in their backcourt I shall mention later.
13. Cole Olstad - JR - SG - Concordia-St. Paul
2012-13 Stats - 15.1 PPG 138-297 46.5% FG 51-124 41.1% 3FG 65-81 80.2% FT 131 REB 5.0 RPG 52 A 44 TO 15 BLK 35 STL 26 G 26 GS 34.1 MPG
After a season ending injury derailed his season last year after six games, Cole Olstad is back and ready to dominate the NSIC in that hybrid guard position. Olstad is an absolute nightmare to guard. He's tall, he's athletic, he shoots the ball like crazy, and he's a matchup nightmare. Of all the Golden Bear players, I feel like Olstad is one of the more underrated players and I'm sure his presence would've greatly helped the Golden Bears from being 8-19 a year ago. However, now that he's back, he's an interesting case. Can he come back and be the same player he was before his season ending injury a year ago? It'll be interesting to see if he can be the same player, but so far early signs point to he's back and as good as he ever was. I think with some new leadership at CU, Olstad will truly get a chance to shine and be the surprise star player of the team that not many saw coming considering who one of his counterparts is (you will see him later in this list).
12. Josh Weeber - SO - PF/C - Upper Iowa
2013-14 Stats - 12.7 PPG 129-283 45.6% FG 59-145 40.7% 3FG 65-79 82.3% FT 89 REB 3.0 RPG 9 A 17 TO 5 BLK 16 STL 30 G 29 GS 22.8 MPG
If you think about it, can you imagine if this guy played 25-30 minutes a game like in a normal system? This guy would rake the NSIC statistics. I thought Weeber was the second most impressive freshman in the NSIC and really the only guy that challenged Riley Bambenek for NSIC Freshman Of The Year. Weeber is a matchup nightmare. He's a 6'5" PF that can score inside and outside...and don't dare foul him because he also shoots an ungodly percentage from the free throw line as well. He might be reminiscent to a Aaron Busack type player...except a better outside shooter and free throw shooter. He's an undersized center that can score in a variety of ways. With the graduation of Joey Woods, I fully expect Weeber to carry a majority of Upper Iowa's scoring load. There's very few weaknesses in Weeber's game, which I think makes him one of the more dynamic players in the league.
11. Jordan Riewer - SR - PG/SG - MSU-Moorhead
2013-14 Stats - 10.3 PPG 66-142 46.5% FG 35-80 43.8% 3FG 60-64 93.8% FT 64 REB 2.9 RPG 72 A 31 TO 3 BLK 20 STL 22 G 19 GS 25.3 MPG
To be frank, I think Jordan Riewer aka. Justin Bieber (a nickname I gave him after his freshman year hair-do"n't") has had a rough go with injuries. Last year, he was the floor leader of an unbelievably good Dragons squad before a late season injury again ended his season, much like the year before. If Riewer could just stay healthy, this guy would be arguably one of the best point guards in the league (I'd say only Monaghan, Lutes, and Schilling would have something to say about that). The guy's command of the offense is fantastic, he's probably the Dragons best defender, and the guy is just a nightmare to guard due to his ability to attack the basket and shoot the three. While Riewer's PPG numbers don't seem all that great, his ability to command the offense is what makes him a damn close vote for top 10 player in the NSIC. He came really close, but I didn't quite think he was there with the best of them. Still, if this guy can stay healthy, he's going to possibly lead the Dragons to some post-season play...possibly.
Stay tuned for the top 10 folks. We'll see if there are any surprises.
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