TheSeawolf Roar

With a pretty impressive non conference schedule coming to an end, not many would argue our league competed at a much higher level then most had thought we would. With many big names leaving the AE, most thought the league would have a huge drop off. Albany and Stony Brook have led the way so far, and with only a few more weeks to go until the real games that matter start. Here are some of the most impressive players so far:

Top 5 Most Impressive

Tommy Brenton - SBU
Mike Black - Albany
Mark Nwakamma - Hartford
Ferg Myrick - UNH
Justin Edwards - Maine
*(Jordan Reed)*


Top 3 Freshman so far

Jameel Warney - SBU
Jordan Reed - Bing
Maurice Watson Jr. - SucksToBU


Top 5 Guys not receiving enough credit

Jackson/Coley - SBU
Peter Hooley - Albany
Chandler Rhoads - UNH
Al Fraser - Maine

farfromtheshow

Not really sure how Coley can be a top 5 guy not getting enough credit: He doesn't rank in the top 10 in the America East in any of the following: Scoring, rebounds, field goal percentage, assists, assist-to-turnover ratio, 3pt %, steals, blocks... the list goes on. He's shooting 35 percent from the floor and committing nearly twice as many turnovers as he is assists...

Anyone who doesn't have Ryan Cook on their top 5 right now flat out hasn't been watching the league as a whole... And he is certainly one of the top 5 guys not receiving enough credit: The kid is EVERYWHERE. He plays as hard or harder than anyone in the league despite playing on a bad team. He's shooting at a very high percentage for a guard both overall and from 3, leading the league in scoring. Among the top 10 in rebounding despite being a 6'1" guard... Kid is all heart and hustle and he is producing at a highly efficient level...

farfromtheshow

Also, despite having one truly monster game and a few other big ones, on the season Myrick is still horrifically inefficient shooting just 38 percent from the floor as a 6'6" forward, and is committing nearly 3 times as many turnovers as assists. Pelcher has been UNH's best player.

TheSeawolf Roar

Cook can play hard, work hard, and get great stats. But a guy on one of the worst teams in the league isn't getting my vote, he needs to get his team to play better team defense before I recognize him.

Patch

It amazes me Iati get absolutely no respect. He leads the nation with 41 made 3 pointers and he's hitting at a 47% clip.

DanesRGood

I love the way Jacob Iati is playing this year. Maybe he belongs on a biggest surprises list because not sure he is top 5 best but is definitely getting some credit. 5th in scoring in the conference, leading the nation in 3 pointers made, a pleasure to watch his intensity on the court.

DanesRGood

haha. Posted about Iati at the same time. I think people respect what Jacob is doing. Maybe not getting as much credit as he should but he is the second best player on the team and everyone knows that now.

TheSeawolf Roar

Absolutely! I'm not sure how I overlooked him lol, he definitely deserves to make the list!

farfromtheshow

But Jordan Reed playing on an even worse team will? Or Justin Edwards and Ali Fraser on a team with 1 more division I win despite a tremendous amount more talent around them also get recognition?

OK.

Patch

Iam actually surprised at the "Most Impressive" list because some of the stats aren't so impressive - without a doubt all the players listed are impact players but their overall play has not been AWESOME.

We expected good things from these guys before the season started and what they have delivered are solid but not that IMPRESSIVE to me

For example :

TB is shooting 43% and only 18% from three and 45% from the FT line _ I know the INTANGIBLES but they were expected.

Nawakkamma (sp) 43% FG, 31% from three, 53% from the FT line, only 5.5rpg and a negative asst/to rate

Myrick 39% from the floor and three, 63% from the Free throw line only 9 assists to go with 22 TOs - can you say volume scorer

I like and respect all three but "Most Impressive" so far????

uvm4life20

A player like TB who doesnt shoot much doesnt have much negative impact on his team while a player like Myrick has a huge negative impact on his team shooting as much as he does. TB still does all the other things that more than make up for the few shots he misses. Myrick cant do enough to make up for his inefficiency. Myrick is killing his team. That being said somebody needs to shoot for UNH. I KNOW THEY ARE SO TALENTED but who is going to take the shots and make them at a higher rate.

Patch

Each are good players for their teams but when I see them on a Top 5 Most Impressive list I personally don't see them as being overly impressive.

Brenton has just been himself so far and Myrick is a volume scorer.

uvm4life20

Breton being himself is being a most impressive player. Wasnt he first team all conference last year?

Myrick is a volume scorer just not a good one. He shouldnt have to be a volume scorer on UNH.

UVM Hoop Cat

*If Myrick played on a team that utilized his skills properly where he wasn't forced to jack as many outside shots and 3s because it's part of the offense and the only shots he would get, he would have a much higher FG% and efficiency.

IMO Talent-wise he's easily as good as any five in the conference, but the UNH factor he probably won't be a first team player, unless he has a huge conference season. But everyone is right, his efficiency is not great.

*Jordan Reed is a great talent but he wouldn't be putting up scoring and rebounding numbers like he is if someone else with a pulse on Binghamton could also do it- but having seen them, there's really no one else out there. Again, not to say he isn't great because he is but you need to take his aggregate stats with a large grain of salt.

*Justin Edwards has done a 180 since the first 3-4 games. Playing really well overall. Still needs to show he can make a 3 and drastically reduce turnovers- but apart from that, playing at a high level.

__________________
"Let's win this game for all the small schools that never had a chance to get here"
- Hoosiers,
& UVM mens basketball NCAA's 2005

uvm4life20

I saw what you saw Hoopcat in that Myrick could of been 1 of the top 5 players in the conference. I think you really under estimate how much that injury affected him. He is healthy this year unlike last year coming back from it but he is not the same player he would of been if the injury didnt happen.

Luke Apfeld is an example of this. He still is a really good player but he is not the player he could of been.
I think a lot of times when you talk about Myrick you forget about how the injury took away some of his talent.