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The 5 best mid-major players

Autore: Stefano Bei
Data: 3 Ott, 2016

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Mid-majors are not as prestigious as other, more renowned universities, but they often showcase players destined to change the course of a franchise (eg: Damian Lillard) or to be accomplished and successful rotation players in the Nba. Last June, DeAndre Bembry (St. Joseph’s) and Pascal Siakam (New Mexico) were selected in the first round and every year the draft will present “steals” and “diamonds in the rough”.

Pascal Siakam

Pascal Siakam

And there are players who might not find a team in the Nba but could end up having great careers in Europe, Italy included. One of the most recent examples is Kyle Hines, who was the best player at UNC Greensboro when he left in 2008.

Here is a list of five players to keep an eye on in the 2016-17 season. The season did not start yet, and as usual there are names that were cut from this list that might make their case, like Justin Gibbs at Davidson or Justin Robinson at Mounmoth. But surprises are part of the game.

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5 – Rokas Gustys (C – jr – Hofstra)

He graduated at Oak Hill Academy, one the most important high school programmes in the US, and that alone made sure scouts knew his name. When it was time to move on to college, he chose Hofstra, a minor programme with great upside. This season the center from Lithuania, an efficient scorer and excellent rebounder, especially on defence, will have to show more than talent and potential and carry the team to the tournament, but he will have to work  on his weaknesses, starting with his abysmal 45% free throws shooting.

Rokas Gustys - Hofstra

Rokas Gustys – Hofstra

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4 – Pat Birt (G – sr – Tulsa)

He spent one season in a Junior College before jumping to the Division I at the University of Illinois in Chicago, with good results, before deciding it was time to change again. Coach Frank Haith and the Hurricanes saw glimpses of talent and decided to give him a scholarship. Last year he averaged about 30 minutes per game, but his inconsistent shooting resulted in an unimpressive 12 points per game, utterly insufficient given his playing time. He will be in his senior season and coaches and insiders are sure it will be a net positive for him and Tulsa.

Pat Birt - Tulsa

Pat Birt – Tulsa

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3 – Elijah Brown (G – jr – New Mexico)

Brown was recruited by Butler, but he had an underwhelming freshman season and transferred to New Mexico, a move that paid off for the guard. He is a key piece on offence, and his 21 points per game prove he deserves his role. He spent his redshirt season working on his three-point shots, now a strength of his, but he must improve on his handles and cut down turnovers (3.4 per game). Elijah is the son of Nba coach Mike Brown, who might have suggested to stay in college and work on his game. Most insiders think his junior season will be the turning point of his career and a great success for New Mexico.

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2 – Marcus Evans (G – so – Rice)

Evans went to Rice with the idea of getting the programme back to winning, since in its last ten years the team had a positive record only once. That goal seems still quite far, but the team is on the right path, considering he averaged over 21 points per game and he is not even close to his ceiling. He will have to work on his outside shot (30% three-point shooting) but the offence is now running full force. Last year they were one of the worst defensive teams in the nation, but if coach Mike Rhoades were to coax an efficient defence out of his players, wins might soon follow.

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1 – Alec Peters (C/PF – sr – Valparaiso)

Peters is the kind of player who might be part of an Nba roster in the near future. He has the talent and the work ethic to reach that level, and in his three years at Valparaiso he improved every season in most categories, including points, rebounds, free throws and three-point shots. He is a frontcourt player who can stretch the floor (43,8% from three on over 200 attempts), and last May he tested the waters in the draft before withdrawing to refine his game and carry Valparaiso to the tournament. If everything had to run smooth with his new coach, it is easy to predict a great year for Peters and Valparaiso.

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