Who Has Better Sophomores than the MVC?

(St. Louis, MO ) – Explosive sophomores are ruling the Missouri Valley Conference. With all due respect to seniors like Cleanthony Early at Wichita State, Indiana State’s Jake Odum and Jamar Gulley of Missouri State, it is the second year players are the key to what is happening this year and central to the on court near future.

Nationally ranked Wichita State has a great team, but great teams have superior point guards and Shocker sophomore Fred Van Vleet  may be the best point in the Valley. When Head Coach Gregg Marshall’s team needs a three-pointer, they look to sophomore sharp shooter Ron Baker. Van Vleet is WSU’s most complete player by the way he scores, rebounds and ranks among the national leaders in assist-turnover ratio.

The Valley’s leading scorer is second year guard D. J. Balentine. Colt Ryan’s able replacement at Evansville recently dropped 43 points on Wichita State and averages over 23 points per game. He began the season with three straight 29 point performances and hasn’t slowed down all year. Balentine has had 15 20 + point performances and is shooting better than 42 % from beyond the arc and almost 87 % from free throw line.

Balentine plays in the Aces line up with fellow sophomore Egidijus Mockevicius an emerging big man in the Valley. Mockevicius stands 6’10” and the ‘big Lithuanian’ is rapidly becoming a force to be reckoned with.

UE Head Coach Marty Simmons told me before the season began that Balentine was going to have a big year and this week told Valley beat writers that Balentine’s work ethic and confidence are key ingredients to his success.

 

We have spoken often of super freshman Milton Doyle at Loyola and he has two explosive sophomores as his wing men. Jeff White is averaging 11 points per game and more than three rebounds and three assists per game and Devon Turk is a prolific three point shooter with 47 bombs and a 38% rate of success.

Maybe the hottest sophomore scoring threat right now is Southern Illinois’ Anthony Beane Junior. The son of Saluki assistant coach Anthony Senior, has gone over the 20 point mark three straight games and is the ‘Egyptian Dogs’ second leading scorer, right in front of fellow sophomore Jalen Pendleton.

One of the very best sophomore’s in the league is on the injury list. Missouri State’s Marcus Marshall is the reigning Freshman of the Year and out with a knee injury. Marshall is an explosive scorer and a solid ball handler.

We haven’t even spoken of outstanding second year performers Wes Washpun, Matt Bohannon and Virginia transfer Paul Jesperson (who will be a junior next year) at  Northern Iowa or Drake’s Khristian Smith, Bradley’s Omari Grier and Illinois transfer Mike Shaw who will also be a junior with the Braves next season.

With the dynamic freshmen in the MVC and one of the best sophomore classes in the nation, the future of the Valley is extremely bright. Not many leagues can rival the two youngest classes in the MVC.

Do Good