Ranking Missouri Valley Units

Part Two – The Best Valley Backcourt

(St. Louis, MO) – College basketball is a guard driven game and the Missouri Valley Conference is no exception. Valley fans will be treated to some elite level guard play during the upcoming season. In Part One of our ‘Ranking Missouri Valley Units’ we focused on the frontcourts. Who has the best Valley backcourt?

Today we look at the guards.

Elite-level players like A.J. Green, Isiaih Mosley and Tyreke Key lead the pack, but the depth of the Valley backcourt talent on this year’s Valley rosters is impressive. No less than 15 other players have received some sort of all-conference recognition. There are no ‘nights off’ for the MVC backcourts.

Limiting this ranking to the five top units was practically impossible. Not ranking Evansville’s backcourt with three double-digit returners in the league’s top five is not only sacrilege, but it screams loudly how outstanding the MVC’s backcourts will be.

Number Five – Indiana State

How does a backcourt that includes Tyreke Key come in a fifth best? This is about depth. Key is unquestionably one of the top guards in the league and nation. His 17.2 point scoring average, 5.3 rebounding average and his unparalleled midrange game only hint at his greatness. Key is a team leader and is ISU’s sixth, all-time leading scorer (1,650 points). The fifth-year senior has built a legendary work ethic reputation in Terre Haute and his teammates emulate his passion.

Joining Key is returning veteran Cooper Neese. The 6’4 guard has always been an outstanding shooter (.391 from deep) and has grown as both a rebounder and a defender. Defenders cannot foul Neese nor Key. They both make better than 80% from the charity stripe. Neither of these veterans can be considered a point-guard, so the development of sophomore Julian Larry is paramount for the Sycamores to possess an upper level Valley backcourt. While Larry struggled with his shot, he achieved a 1.6 positive assist-turnover ratio.

During our recent interview, Indiana State’s Director of Digital Content Luke Martin told us Larry stood out during offseason work outs.

Lincoln Memorial Transfer Cameron Henry is the most accomplished player that moved to Terre Haute with coach Josh Schertz. The 6’6 junior was a three-year double digit scorer at LMU.

Number Four – Drake

How does a backcourt that includes Roman Penn rank fourth? This too is about depth. Lead guard Roman Penn is a Valley star and a true floor general. D.J. Wilkins is the perfect complement to Penn’s driving and pick and roll game. Wilkins can score from deep and is great on the break.

Penn was the Valley’s assist leader (5.5 per game) and ranked among the league leaders in steals (1.4 per game), while Wilkins was Drake’s most potent outside threat and finished fifth in the league in three-point shooting (.404) and fourth in long distance conversions (67).

Super sub Garrett Sturtz is listed as a guard. Darian DeVries can play him anywhere. He averaged 8.2 points, 5.5 rebounds and is a gamer. Sturtz is a reliable shooter at all three levels and from the free-throw line. In a statistical anomaly, during Drake’s 31 games, the 6’3 senior totaled 39 assists, 39 steals and 39 personal fouls.

We placed star incoming freshman Tucker DeVries in our frontcourt rankings.

Number Three – Northern Iowa

How does a backcourt that includes A.J. Green get ranked third? The Panthers would be number one or two in these rankings if we just knew the full story on A.J. Green’s health. We haven’t cared this much about someone’s hips since Elvis Presley was alive. The 2020 Larry Bird – Player of the Year, is (when healthy) the Valley’s best player. Green was the league’s top dog as a sophomore and was averaging 22 points per game on one hip last year before the pain became too much for him to continue.

The 6’4 junior was the league’s best freshman in 2020 while averaging 19.7 points and making 39% of his shots from deep. His .917 percentage from the free-throw line was the league’s best since Missouri State’s Blake Ahearn’s four-year reign of making 92% or better in the mid 2000’s. Green’s abilities coupled with Austin Phyfe, positioned the center to receive all-Valley honors during that 2019 season.

The Rest of the Backcourt

Green’s ability to draw defenders opens the offense for everyone else. Returner Trae Berhow made over 44% of his three-point shots in 2020, but just 34% during a Green-less 2021. Berhow is a legit three-point threat (he averaged 13.0 ppg last year) and is an emotional team leader.

Last season’s Freshman of the Year, Bowen Born is a unique player. The diminutive (5’11) lefty had to grow up in a hurry and averaged 11.2 points, led the Panthers with 45 triples and ran the offense. If Green returns, expect his assists and shooting percentage to rise. Green changes everything.

The return of Tywhon Pickford and Antwan Kimmons makes this six-man unit special. Pickford is a nasty defender and at times, an amazing rebounder. During his freshman season he hauled in the fifth most rebounds (248) by a freshman in Valley history. He has played in 114 UNI games. Pickford was named to the Valley’s 2018 all-freshman team.

Head coach Ben Jacobson expected big things from Kimmons who took a leave of absence from the team to take care of family during last year’s covid-altered season. Jacobson says people underestimate the last year’s loss of Kimmons.

Nate Heise started 21 games and average 7.6 points and 3.6 rebounds and landed on the MVC’s all-freshman team. UNI is deep at the guard position, but it all hinges on those hips of A.J. Green.

Number Two – Missouri State

How does a backcourt that includes Isiaih Mosley get ranked second? Mosley is the Missouri Valley’s most NBA-ready guard and was last season’s scoring champion (19.8 ppg). The 6’5 junior may be the one MVC perimeter player who can get a shot anytime he wants. He is deadly from the line (.847), a threat from deep (.386) and averaged 6.3 rebounds and over three assists per game. Mosley led the Bears in minutes played and he and center Gaige Prim are the Valley’s best dynamic duo. It is impossible to tell which one is Batman.

Joining Mosley in the backcourt is Isiaih’s high school teammate Ja’Monta Black and Demarcus Sharp. Those two were the Bears’ third (Black at 9.6 ppg) and fourth (Sharp at 8.2 ppg) leading scorers. Sharp was tied for third among MVC assist leaders and Black was second to Illinois State’s D.J. Horne in three-pointers per game (2.3).

Incoming freshman Isaac Haney could be a game-changer on this year’s team. Head coach Dana Ford is not bashful about throwing first-year players in the deep end of the pool. Haney scored 3,141 prep points and was an all-state performer in Missouri’s largest class. Springfield Kickapoo was the Class 6 State Champions with Haney averaging 17.7  points per game. He previously played in Class 1, where he was a two-time Player of the Year.

Haney’s addition could move this unit to the Valley backcourt top spot.

Number One – Loyola

While the Ramblers don’t have one player with the individual offensive accomplishments of some the players we’re writing about, they have five legitimate backcourt starters. Four of them have earned some kind of all-Valley recognition and the fifth player has started more games than three of the other players!

The Valley’s top defender Lucas Williamson, begins his fifth season in Rogers Park. His lockdown defense and passionate leadership overshadow his more than capable offensive abilities. His 881 career points and .370 three-point percentage tell you he can score. During last year’s post season run to his second Sweet Sixteen, Williamson reached double figures in scoring twice in three games at Arch Madness and in all NCAA Tournament contests.

Williamson’s Posse

Last season’s all-newcomer team member Braden Norris returns. His role will expand and first-year coach Drew Valentine will want additional scoring from the former Horizon League all-freshman team member. Norris was Loyola’s third leading scorer (8.5 ppg) and led the team in assists, minutes and was a knock down three-point shooter (.410). He too, was at his best in the post season. Norris was named to the Arch Madness all-tournament team and averaged 11.7 points and six assists during the NCAA Tournament.

Marquise Kennedy is two-time, Missouri Valley Conference all-bench teamer. LUC has been so deep and he has been so good off the bench that Porter Moser utilized his ‘spark-plug’ to perfection. A master of the mid-range game and prolific dunker, Kennedy’s career field goal percentage is a gawdy .504.

Tate Hall was an all-conference Division 2 performer and two seasons ago landed on the Valley’s third-team all-conference list. While his playing time dipped last season, his contributions were significant. The 6’6 lefty struggled with his shot after making over 42% of his three-pointers during his first season with Loyola.

The only player of these five without ‘all-Valley’ accolades, is Keith Clemons. Injuries have hindered Clemons’ playing time, but not his shooting ability. The 6’1 graduate student has converted 45% of his threes, while making 77 long distance shots in 54 Rambler contests. After Aher Uguak and Williamson, his 44 career starts are the team’s third most.

All five of these guards have positive assist-turnover ratios, play sturdy defense and when given the chance are reliable scorers. How Valentine mixes and matches this unit, will be a key to LUC’s 2021-22 success.

Loyola can boast of having the best Valley backcourt.

The Rest of the Players in the Valley Backcourt

Twenty-two returning Valley backcourt players have been previously named to some league-wide honor. Evansville has three, double digit scorers returning including second-team performer Shamar Givance and they didn’t land in our top five rankings.

Illinois State signed Tennessee State transfer Mark Freeman. The three-star guard was a second-teamer in the Ohio Valley Conference and was named to the OVC’s all-freshman team.

If guard play equals success, the MVC schools will have much success this season.

Do Good