Top Scorers, Rebounders And More Heading To Hutch

Seven of the nation’s top 50 leading scorers will be performing on the big stage next week. Of them, Dejour Reaves of Trinidad State CC (CO) is tops with 23.3 points per game, ranking him 6th overall in NJCAA DI men’s basketball.

Here are the other six: Jason Edwards – Dodge City CC (KS) 15th 21.5ppg; Doug Young – Midland College (TX) 19th 20.6; Carlos Hart – South Georgia State 21st 20.4; Addison Patterson – Tallahassee CC (FL) 37th 19.2; Alejandro Vasquez – Salt Lake CC (UT) 45th 18.60, and Melvin Council, Jr. – Monroe College (NY) 46th 18.59.

Several of the nation’s top 50 rebounders this season (All-Windex Team) will also be on display at naionals. Eight in total, but four of them averaged 10+ boards per game, led by Micah Lena of Seminole State CC (OK) at 12.8 rpg, ranking him second nationally (behind Arizona Western’s Yaxel Lendeborg -13). Tre’von Spiller – Moberly Area CC (MO) 6th 10.9; Cearius Warren – Roane State CC (TN) 11th 10.5; Jaquan Scott – Salt Lake CC 21st 10.0.

The rest of the top 50 are: Mario Andrews – Snead State CC (AL) 24th 9.9; Randarius Hughes – Meridian CC (MS) 27th 9.6; Daniel Ransom – Cape Fear CC (NC) 29th 9.5; and Michael Osei-Bonsu – Vincennes Univ. 41st 8.8.

Other interesting stats regarding some of this year’s individual participants are quite remarkable. Three players are in the top 10 nation-wide in shooting percentage. Making more than 2/3 of their shots (min of 3 makes per game) are: Dwayne Koroma – Salt Lake 5th 70.0%; Emmanuel Ogbole – Monroe College 6th 69.3%; and Cearius Warren – Roane State 10th 66.9%.

Some of the other top 50 regarding FG% are: Okechukwu Okeke – Tallahassee CC – 16th – 65.1; Isaac Ondekane – Butler CC – 21st – 63.8; Elijah Jones – John A. Logan – 22nd – 63.8; B Redd – Seminole State – 25th – 63.2; B Waller – Midland – 28th – 62.8; Tre’von Spiller – Moberly Area CC – 32nd – 62.2; Michael Osei-Bonsu – Vincennes – 33rd – 61.7; Tom Mark – Tallahassee CC – 37th – 61.3; Kiree Huie – Odessa – 38th – 61.2; Chase Farmer – Seminole State – 39th – 61.1; Mahki Dorsey – Trinity Valley CC – 45th – 60.1;

John A. Logan College (IL) brings two of the nation’s top 50 three point shooters to Hutch and both are in the top 10. Curtis Lewis is 4th overall at 48.7% and Isaiah Stafford ranks 10th, shooting 47.2%. To be eligible one has to make one 3FG per game.

The remainder of the top 50 long range marksmen in the tournament are: Chad Baker-Mazara – Northwest Florida State 20th 44.8; Jailen Bedford – Trinidad State CC 22nd 44.4; Jarad Garcia – Salt Lake CC 24th 44.2; Tyje Kelton – Monroe College 42nd 43.2; Hunter Erickson – Salt Lake CC 44th 43.1; Shay Davis – Ranger College (TX) 46th 43.0.

Fifteen other bombers are connecting on over 40% of their 3s in 2022-23. John A. Logan has 3 in addition to the two listed above. Salt Lake has two more for a total of four as these two teams are ranked 1st and 4th overall in team 3FG%. Logan tops the charts at 42.9%. SLCC is 4th, hitting on 39.4% of their shots from distance.

Andrew Preston – South Georgia State 42.7; Albert Vargas – Monroe College 42.7; Isaiah Moses – CSI 42.6; Jack Wetzel – Southeastern CC 42.5; Quimari Peterson – John A. Logan 41.7; Chandler Cuthrell – Odessa 41.5; Britton Berrett – CSI 41.4; Tedrick Washington – Moberly 41.4; Zae Wiggins – South Georgia State 41.4; Tyson Garff – Salt Lake 41.4; Chris Robinson 41.2; Davion Bailey – Southeastern CC 41.1; Teon Nesbitt – John A. Logan 40.9; James Dent – John A. Logan 40.8); Alejandro Vasquez – Salt Lake 40.4.

Free throws are essential to any team’s success. However, some teams win despite their inadequacies at the charity stripe. Of the nation’s 50 best free throw shooting teams, eight of them will be toeing the line at the Sports Arena.

Trinidad State (ranks only behind Southern Union State nationally) is the top FT shooting team in the tournament. The Trojans hit 76.8% of their free tosses on the season. Salt Lake is next best at 76.0%, ranking them 3rd in the nation.

The rest in the top 50 include: Midland 9th-73.9; South Georgia State 19th-73.3; Butler 29th-72.4; CSI 34th-72.2; Indian Hills 36th-72.1; and Roane State CC 44th-71.7.

Five more teams are knocking down FTs at a clip of 70% or better. Midland, Vincennes, Ranger, John A. Logan and Southeastern CC (IA).

Individual FT shooters in the nation’s top 50 at Hutch this week are led by Isaiah Moses of CSI at 90.5%. Moses ranks 2nd nationally. Shay Davis from Ranger hits 88.1, 10th nationally. Next are: Anthony Marshall – Odessa 15th 87.8; Doug Young – Midland 18th 87.2; Devin Perry – Roane State CC 21st 86.1; Ty Briscoe – Snead State CC 23rd 85.8; Jailen Bedford – Trinidad State College 25th 85.6; Dejour Reaves – Trinidad State 34th 85.0; Nate Meithof – CSI 35th 84.7; James Dent – John A. Logan 46th 83.5.

In full disclosure, whether this means anything or not, but the two teams with the worst records coming into the tournament, Trinity Valley CC (14-18 or 22-10, whichever) and Cape Fear (15-13) are the worst FT shooting teams as well. CFCC with 63.5% ranks 176th, and TVCC at 63.2% ranks 177th. There were 194 teams competing in DI men’s basketball this season.

When it comes to ball control and facilitators, here are some of the leading assists, assist-to-turnover ratio and steals performers you will see:

Assist:

1. Ty Briscoe – Snead State CC – 12th – 6.0/g
2. Christian Terrell – Meridan CC – 20th – 5.6/g
3. Makhi Dorsey – Trinity Valley CC – 24th – 5.5/g
4. Hunter Erickson – Salt Lake CC – 26th – 5.4/
5. Devin Perry – Roan State CC – 46th – 4.8/g
6. Quimari Peterson – John A. Logan – 51st – 4.6/g
7. Korey Richardson – Cape Fear CC – 52nd – 4.6/g
8. Isaiah Moses – CSI – 56th – 4.5/g
9. Kaiden Hunter – Seminole State – 57th – 4.5/g
10. Marcus Niblack – Northwest Florida State – 63rd – 4.4/g

Assits/Turnover Ratio:

1. K.J. Pruitt – Trinity Valley CC – 10th – 5.1
2. Quimari Peterson – John A. Logan – 11th – 4.9
3. D Armstrong, Jr. – Odessa College – 12th – 4.5
4. Mark Leslie, Jr. – Trinity Valley CC – 13th – 4.4
5. Sean Smith – John A. Logan – 22nd – 3.8
6. Mahki Dorsey – Trinity Valley CC – 29th – 3.5
7. Colin Schaefer – Odessa – 30th – 3.4
8. Christian Terrell – Meridian CC – 37th – 3.0
9. Collin Wright – Trinity Valley CC – 42nd – 2.9
10. Albert Vargas – Monroe College – 48th – 2.9

Steals:

1. Melvin Council, Jr. – Monroe College – 11th – 2.5
2. Carlos Hart – South Georgia State – 16th – 2.5
3. Quimari Peterson – John A. Logan – 17th – 2.5
4. DJ Jones – Dodge City CC – 19th – 2.4
5. Curtis Lewis – John A. Logan – 20th – 2.4
6. Zae Wiggins – South Georgia State – 29th – 2.3
7. Christian Terrell – Meridian CC – 31st – 2.3
8. Isreal Hart – Seminole State – 32nd – 2.3
9. Addison Patterson – Tallahassee CC – 33rd – 2.3
10. Quevian Adger – Trinity Valley CC – 43rd – 2.1

Equally important in addition to ball security is to limit the number of turnovers. Value the ball!! Three of the nations top ten ball protector teams will grace the Sports Arena floor in 2023. Moberly Area CC is ranked 7th nationally only committing 9.8 TOs per game. Right behind the Greyhounds are Meridian CC and John A. Logan, each at 9.9/g.

Four other teams rank in the top 50. Trinity Valley CC – 16th – 10.7; Midland College – 18th – 10.9; Snead State CC – 38th – 12.3; and Vincennes – 46th – 12.6.

The best rebounding team in the country is Seminole State College. The Region 2/South Central District Champs (25-7) didn’t get much love from the selection committee, receiving the #22 seed, but the Trojans from the Sooner State bring some impressive statistics to the big dance.

Seminole is ranked in the top ten in several offensive and defensive categories. They are #1 in FG%, hitting 55.2% overall. They are #3 in offensive rebounds/game (17.1), 2nd in defensive boards/g (32.6), 1st in total rebounds/game (49.7) and rebounding margin (27.9). The Trojans are also 5th the nation in assist/game dishing out an average of 21.4/g. And with two of the top shot blockers in the tourney, they rank 2nd overall in blks/game with 8.1.

Here are a few other stats that Seminole is among the nations best: Total points, 4th, 3101; Points/game, 4th, 96.9; FGs made per game, 1st, 37.5; FG attempts per game, 20th, 67.9; 3 point FG %, 17th, 37.3%; FTs attempted per game, 12th, 24.7; FTs made per game, 12th, 17.1. What’s more, they are 31st overall in steals per game. Sounds like a fun team to watch and certainly one capable making some noise.

The top shot swatter in the nation will be in action at this years tournament. Moberly Area CC’s Tre’von Spiller is averaging 4.9 blocks per game to accompany his #6 nationally ranked 10.9/g rebounding stats mentioned above. A slender 6’7″, Spiller doesn’t have the look of a stereotypical big league rejection specialist, and he is not of intimidating physique. But he is quick off the floor, times his jumps perfectly, and goes to the place where the ball is going, not toward the shooter’s release point. Then there’s that pretty lengthy wing-span to boot. A dream defender who is 2nd in the nation in offensive rebounding and averages 12.8 ppg, shooting 62.2% from the field.

Other top shot blockers to watch:

• Cearius Warren – Roane State CC – 5th – 3.0
• Jalen Armotrading – CSI – 6th – 3.0
• Micah Lena – Seminole State – 15th – 2.4
• Tom Mark – Tallahassee CC – 18th – 2.3
• Emmanuel Ogbole – Monroe College – 26th – 2.0
• Olajuwon Basit – Seminole State – 30th – 2.0
• Elliot Lowndes – John A. Logan – 31st – 2.0
• Yannis Woods – South Georgia State – 31st – 2.0
• KJ Debrick – John A. Logan – 35th – 2.0

Speaking of shot blocking, 6 of the top ten teams in the country will be on display. John A. Logan (9.3), Seminole State (8.1), and CSI (7.7), go 1, 2, 3. Moberly (7.4) is 6th, South Georgia State (6.2) is 9th, and Tallahassee with 5.9/g rounds out the top ten.

Three teams in the tournament are averaging over 90 points per game this season. Salt Lake CC, Seminole State, and CSI.

Here are the Off scoring averages for all 24 teams (194 teams):

1. Salt Lake CC – 1st – 99.0
2. Seminole State – 4th – 96.6
3. College of Southern Idaho – 9th – 92.1
4. Monroe College – 1th – 87.2
5. John A. Logan – 23rd – 85.9
6. Roane State CC – 31 st – 84.3
7. Tallahassee CC – 32nd – 84.2
8. Indian Hills CC – 33rd – 83.8
9. Dodge City CC – 35th – 83.6
10. Odessa College – 38th – 83.2
11. South Georgia State – 46th – 82.4
12. Trinidad State – 49th – 81.6
13. Cape Fear CC – 66th – 80.4
14. Northwest Florida State – 67th – 80.3
15. Vincennes – 69th – 80.2
16. Midland College – 71st – 79.9
17. Snead State CC – 74th – 79.7
18. Chipola College – 87th – 78.1
19. Ranger College – 96th – 77.5
20. Trinity Valley CC – 105th – 77.1
21. Moberly Area CC – 110th – 76.7
22. Butler CC – 132nd – 74.2
23. Southeastern CC – 140th – 73.1
24. Meridian CC – 154th – 71.1

Just like offensive scoring, there are three teams participating who finished in the top 10 for Def scoring average:

1. Midland College – 2nd – 58.5
2. Moberly Area CC – 4th – 59.8
3. Chipola College – 10th – 63.6
4. Southeastern CC – 11th – 64.0
5. Vincennes – 12th – 64.3
6. Odessa College – 16th – 64.9
7. Monroe College – 23rd – 65.8
8. Meridian CC – 24th – 66.1
9. College of Southern Idaho – 29th – 66.7
10. South Georgia State – 35th – 67.8
11. John A. Logan – 37th – 67.9
12. Butler CC – 42nd – 68.4
13. Tallahassee CC – 42nd – 68.4
14. Indian Hills CC – 48th – 68.7
15. Snead State CC – 49th – 68.8
16. Ranger College – 50th – 68.8
17. Trinity Valley CC – 58th – 69.8
18. Trinidad State College – 66th – 70.6
19. Northwest Florida State – 68th – 70.9
20. Salt Lake CC – 100th – 73.8
21. Roane State CC -105th – 74.3
22. Cape Fear CC – 132nd – 77.7
23. Dodge City CC – 147th – 78.8
24. Seminole State – 164th – 79.9