They Don’t All Have to Get Sent to Mom: NESCAC Basketball Roster Pic Power Rankings

NESCAC Basketball Roster Pic Power Rankings

Here at NbN we pride ourselves on giving our readers good, accurate coverage of the sports that we cover. We try to get all our articles out on time to maintain consistency for the people that are actively following us. With that being said, our top 3 articles of all time and 4 of our top 5 (in terms of views) were roster pic articles. We love getting out our weekly articles, but we also want to give the people want they want. Our readers have made it clear what they want, so a basketball roster pic ranking really had to be done. Unfortunately, there are significantly fewer basketball players than they are football or baseball players in the NESCAC, so pickings were pretty slim. Maybe it has to do with the nature of the sport, but I also wasn’t impressed with the collective effort of basketball players in crafting amusing roster pics. As a result of this, there were really only enough quality candidates to produce a list of the top 5 pictures; a starting 5, per se. Congratulations to those schools that were lucky enough to make the list and to those that didn’t: there’s always next year.

5. Emmett Stein ’22 (Tufts)

Stein gives us the classic “I forgot it was picture day” roster pic. We actually saw a similar effort from a Tufts football player this fall in our football roster pic rankings this fall, so maybe bed head is a thing in Medford. I’m having a hard time picturing what Stein’s hair normally would look like, but I’m almost certain it isn’t this. Or maybe the bed head is just a cover up for his apparent lack of an existing hairline – it’s hard to say. Clearly there are a lot of unanswered questions left from this headshot, but the one thing we do know is that Tufts needs to stop scheduling their team photos to be taken before the sun rises. Go back to bed, Emmett, your first class isn’t until 1:30.

4. David Dixon ’20 (Wesleyan)

David looks like the kid who’s just so excited for recess and P.E. so that he can play games with all his friends. He loves kickball and capture the flag and he loves playing Mario Kart for Wii in the basement with his three brothers. David has a perfect attendance record and he brings all his teachers an apple on the first day of class. He doesn’t even know what it means to break a rule, always the favorite child in the family. You really won’t find a more lovable 6-foot-9, 220-pound kid out there. It seems like the only problem for Dixon is that the guys on his team aren’t as fond of post-game hugs as he is.

3. Ronan Schwarz ’20 (Colby)

Now we get to the real contenders. These are the guys who have put in some careful thought and a good deal of time into their headshots. Ronan is giving us some nice facial hair to work with here. I’m a huge fan of growing the mustache past the corners of the mouth and whatever he has going on in the chin region is a good addition to round out the look. Don’t think we’ve forgotten about the soul patch either – a very classy touch. We don’t always see basketball players put in the most dedication to their roster pics so it’s nice to see that Ronan isn’t letting the dream die. It didn’t get him a top spot on the list, but a very fine effort nonetheless.

2. Matt Folger ’20 (Middlebury)

It’s always fun when one of the top players in the league also has one of the top roster pics in the league. He’s nearly averaging a double double, and it’s no secret that this guy knows how to have fun. What I especially love about this picture is that Folger is making a very clear effort to assert his dominance. He wants it known that even on a college basketball team he’s a man among boys. There are some times when we see some pretty weak mustaches, but ladies and gentlemen look at that volume. He goes well beyond the confines of the mouth with that thing and boy is it luxuriant. That is a very full mustache, trimmed and combed to perfection. It’s no wonder that Folger is putting up 15 points a game; I’d be distracted too if I had to defend a guy with that on his face. Very smart strategy by Folger always thinking one step ahead of his opponent. Definitely a veteran move.

1. Anthony Drouin ’20 (Conn College)

After looking at pictures of 14-18 players on 11 different teams, there was an unquestioned winner. It’s guys like Drouin who give us the inspiration to even write these roster pic articles at all. First off, the angle of the camera does a nice job of hiding exactly how high that hairline really is, and his beautiful head of long blonde hair is an excellent complement. His mustache isn’t as full as one like Folger’s, but it’s the perfect fit for Drouin. This guy knows himself well, and he knows what works. It really looks like Drouin missed out on what could have been a terrific lacrosse career, but perhaps basketball is his true calling. It’s definitely one of the only times you’ll find Conn College at the top of a basketball ranking, but Drouin absolutely nailed this roster picture.

Can the Baby Cardinals Fly?: Wesleyan Basketball Season Preview

Harry Rafferty '17 is looking to lead Wesleyan after the Cardinals graduated some big names last year (Courtesy of Wesleyan Athletics)
Harry Rafferty ’17 is looking to lead Wesleyan after the Cardinals graduated some big names last year (Courtesy of Wesleyan Athletics)

Editor’s Note: While 99% of the work on these previews is done by the writers, the projected records for all NESCAC Men’s Basketball teams were decided upon by the editors collectively,  not decisions of the writers themselves. So, if you want to be mad at someone about the record projections, be mad at us.

Projected Record: 6-4

Wesleyan had a tremendously uneven 2015-2016 season. They entered league play at 11-1 and many experts (like Joe McDonald and I) were calling them the best team in the league. But their performance in league play told a very different story. They finished at 5-5 and lost in the quarterfinals to eventual champion Middlebury.  Over the course of NESCAC play last season, Wesleyan both beat Amherst by 27 points and lost to Colby by 9. The Cardinals enter this season looking to recover from the discouraging end to last season. However, they have an uphill battle ahead of them. Among the losses they suffered in the offseason were BJ Davis, an All League point guard who was the heart, soul, crunch-time scorer and sick tip-slam aficionado of Wesleyan’s team. They also lost starting forward and rim protector Rashid Epps, and gritty, defensively minded guards Jack Mackey and Joe Edmonds. The importance of these players, particularly Epps and Davis, cannot be overstated.  But do not by any means count out the Cardinals. They have several players waiting in the wings (so to speak), eager to prove that the new generation can improve on the old one.

2015-2016 Record: 18-7, 5-5; lost to #4 seed Middlebury in quarterfinals of NESCAC tournament

Coach: Joe Reilly, 9th season, 108-91

Starters Returning:

Forward Joseph Kuo ‘17 (11.1 PPG, 7.0 REB/G, 1.0 BLK/G)

Guard Harry Rafferty ‘17 (7.6 PPG, 1.5 AST/G, 0.8 STL/G)

Key Losses:

Guard BJ Davis ‘16, started 25/25 games (16.4 PPG, 2.7 AST/G, 1.4 STL/G)

Forward Rashid Epps ‘16, Started 25/25 games (9.5 PPG, 6.3 REB/G, 0.8 BLK/G)

Guard Jack Mackey, Started 16/25 games (8.1 PPG, 4.1 AST/G, 0.6 STL/G

Projected Starting Five

Guard Harry Rafferty ‘17

Harry Rafferty '17 (Courtesy of Wesleyan Athletics)
Harry Rafferty ’17 (Courtesy of Wesleyan Athletics)

Along with Kuo and forward PJ Reed ‘17, Rafferty is the senior statesman of the Wesleyan team.  A gritty defensive specialist, Rafferty paired up with Davis and Mackey to give Wesleyan one of the deepest, most experienced backcourts in the league. Now Rafferty is the only one left, and he may need to step his offensive game up this season to make up for the loss of his colleagues. Rafferty shot 39.2% last year on only six shots per game, four of which were threes. Rafferty can expect an uptick in shot attempts, and will need to make the most of those opportunities if Wesleyan wants to continue their success.

Guard Salim Greene ‘19

Salim Green '19 (Courtesy of Wesleyan Athletics)
Salim Green ’19 (Courtesy of Wesleyan Athletics)

Many coaches throughout NESCAC were disappointed when Salim Greene chose Wesleyan before his freshman season.  Greene was one of the highest touted recruits in recent NESCAC memory, and drew wide interest from the league’s elite, such as Middlebury and Amherst. However, Greene’s freshman season was derailed by a concussion suffered in training camp.  He was never able to get in the rhythm of Wesleyan’s offense, and was buried behind Wesleyan’s many talented, more experienced guards.  But Greene is healthy, and much of his competition has moved into the ever-blackening, vociferous hellscape of the real world (having some senior year stresses, don’t mind me.)  Green is tremendously quick and an excellent shooter, and has the potential to be a defensive force on the perimeter.  He is the best candidate to don BJ Davis’s mantle as lead guard.

Guard Kevin O’Brien ‘19

Kevin O'Brien '19 (Courtesy of Wesleyan Athletics)
Kevin O’Brien ’19 (Courtesy of Wesleyan Athletics)

O’Brien was one of the pleasant surprises of the 2015-2016 season, overtaking Salim Greene as Wesleyan’s most impressive freshman.  He came on at the end of the season to start 9 games, averaging 3.8 points per game on 44% shooting in just 15 minutes per game.  At 6’5”, he has tremendous size for a guard, and showed the ability to use it to punish smaller defenders in the post and on the boards. O’Brien even showed a nice shooting stroke which should benefit from more reps this preseason.  With his size and versatility, O’Brien has the potential to be a classic NESCAC forward/guard combination in the mold of Lucas Hausman and (if I may hop in the time machine for a moment) Willy Workman from Amherst and Tim Edwards from Middlebury.

Forward Joseph Kuo ‘17

Joseph Kuo '17 (Courtesy of Wesleyan Athletics)
Joseph Kuo ’17 (Courtesy of Wesleyan Athletics)

Kuo enters this season with the most responsibility of any Cardinal other than the Pope. He must both take BJ Davis’s place as the leading scorer AND Rashid Epps’ place in the middle of the defense and on the boards. Kuo averaged 11 points and 7 rebounds per game last season, despite battling a torn meniscus which sapped much of his mobility on both sides of the ball.  Kuo was able to use a delicate touch and good footwork in the paint to shoot nearly 50% from the floor, and a full recovery from his knee injury should allow him to emerge as a force on both sides of the ball.  Look for Kuo as a dark horse POY candidate this season, if Wesleyan runs much of its offense through him in the post.

Forward Nathan Krill ‘18

Nathan Krill '18 (Courtesy of Wesleyan Athletics)
Nathan Krill ’18 (Courtesy of Wesleyan Athletics)

Krill’s contributions on the court last season mirrored his hairstyle: highly energetic and very versatile. Krill provides the Cardinals with energetic rebounding and defense, but don’t let that sell short his offensive talents.  Krill shot just under 50% from the field, many of those coming on midrange jump-shots.  With greater playing time and freedom within the offense, Krill has the talent to extend his range to the three point line, giving Wesleyan a rare forward that can stretch the floor without sacrificing interior defense.

Breakout Player: Kevin O’Brien ‘19

O’Brien looks the part of a star, particularly in NESCAC.  He is tall and lanky, with long arms that allow him to guard multiple positions and rebound as well as many forwards.  It will be a major key (bless up) for O’Brien to develop a threatening outside shot, as Wesleyan does not have a ton of three point threats on the roster.  If he can do this, O’Brien has the size and skillset to be part of the next generation of NESCAC stars.

Everything Else:

Wesleyan certainly lost a lot of talent this offseason, but this may be a blessing in disguise.  Hidden behind the talented senior class that the Cardinals lost was a deep freshman class waiting to emerge.  Salim Greene and Kevin O’Brien made minor contributions last season when they got playing time, but they are far more talented than the roughly 15 minutes per game they played last season.  The departure of BJ Davis and Jack Mackey should allow that talented young backcourt to step forward and show what they can do.

The 2016-2017 season gives Wesleyan the opportunity to remake the style they play in.  When they struggled last season, it was often because their offense slowed down and they relied too much on BJ Davis going one on five. Epps also slowed them down with his lack of offensive moves in the paint. Nathan Krill’s insertion into the starting lineup gives them a mobile big man who can run the floor along with Salim Greene and Harry Rafferty.  Kuo should be considerably more mobile now that his knee has healed, and Kevin O’Brien is both big enough to help rebound and fast enough to get out on the break. We could see a far more explosive Wesleyan team than we did last season, which will help them match up with the other offense oriented teams in NESCAC such as Middlebury and Amherst.

An area in which Wesleyan will have to exceed expectations is their bench play.  Many of the players that made Wesleyan so deep last season now must slide into starting roles to make up for graduated seniors, leaving the bench very young. PJ Reed ‘17 provides a versatile set of skills on the second unit, but he will need to be more of a threat offensively than he was last season (he shot only 34.2% from the field.) Sophomore Jordan Bonner could be a wild card. He is known throughout the conference as a tremendous athlete, but is very raw in most other areas. If he can make significant strides in the finer points of the game, he could be crucial in giving Wesleyan some explosive offense from the second unit.  

Other than those two returners, Wesleyan’s bench, much like the library on a Friday afternoon, is primarily populated by freshman. Wesleyan has a large first year class this season, all of whom have the opportunity to compete for playing time.  Elijah Wilson ‘20 is the only true guard in the freshman class, and could be valuable as a three point threat.  The Cardinals also brought in two big men in David Dixon ‘20 and Justin Bergeron ‘20, both of whom are in the running for the backup big man spot vacated by Nathan Krill. In a league as deep as the NESCAC, it is imperative to have a solid second unit, and right now Wesleyan has considerable question marks in that area.

Wesleyan, and the rest of the league as well, benefits from a potentially far more stratified NESCAC this season.  The loss of Lucas Hausman from Bowdoin and Mike Boornazian from Bates creates a defined bottom tier, comprising most likely of the Maine schools and Hamilton.  Therefore, we may see far less upsets, allowing Wesleyan to play a considerably easier schedule. But, quite simply, they are also still a very good team. Wesleyan has the tools to not just survive the departure of those senior stars, but begin a new, even more successful era of Cardinal hoops.