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Over the weeks leading up to the season Mountain West Wire will be looking at the best players at different aspects of the game. As basketball has become more and more positionless it’s more about being the best at specific skills than it is being the best at a certain position.
When it all comes down to it, basketball is about scoring more points than your opponent. Having players that can put the ball through the hoop is key to accomplishing that goal. Doing so in high volume isn’t enough though. If a player scores 20 points a game but takes 30 shots to do so, they aren’t helping the team. Players need to score in volume, and do so efficiently. Players can’t be elite scorers if they only possess one of those two qualities.
Honorable Mention: Keyshawn Williams, Colorado State – Before being injured, Williams was averaging almost 18 points per game, on a solid 56% True Shooting percentage. That was two seasons ago, and took place over 13 games, so there’s no telling if those marks would have held over a full season, or if Williams will return to that level post injury. If he is fully recovered though, he will likely deserve a spot on this list.
Donovan Dent, New Mexico – Dent runs the New Mexico offense, and is the first option for the Lobos. Last season he scored 14 points per game. College basketball is a guards game, and Dent is arguably the best in the conference. His play in transition is elite, leading to easy baskets. What helps Dent be a great scorer is his ability to shoot off the dribble. He ranks in the 78th percentile in jump shots off the dribble. His ability to gain separation and lose his defenders helps him get clean looks and keep his efficiency up. His only down side is that he isn’t great from the free throw line, shooting only 68%. It’s not a terrible mark, but it’s below average for a guard.
Deyton Albury, Utah State – Albury played in transition more than most any player in the country while at Queens University. That will likely continue with the Aggies, as it is a key facet in Albury’s game. In the half court he is less efficient, but not enough to hurt the team or his overall efficiency. He maintained a true shooting percentage of 56%, helped by his ability to draw fouls and get to the free throw line. He scored 17 points per game last season. That number may go down a bit as he’ll have more offensive talent around him, but the tendency to play in transition should translate.
Ian Martinez, Utah State – Martinez scored 13.3 points per game as a third option behind Great Osobor and Darius Brown. Having two other players draw so much defensive attention allowed Martinez to play extremely efficiently. He had a 62% true shooting percentage, the highest of any player on this list. In overseas play this summer Martinez was the leading scorer on the team, and displayed a versatile scoring skill set. As defenses key in on him his efficiency will likely drop some, but his floor is still higher than most players in the conference.
Kobe Sanders, Nevada – In the past five years only 3 Mountain West players have scored 20+ points per game (Jaedon LeDee, Bryce Hamilton, Jalen Harris). Sanders scored 19.7 last season in the Big West. The leave of competition is tougher in the Mountain West, but Sanders has shown he can put up points. His combination of size and ball handling ability makes him tough to guard, similar to Kenan Blackshear last season, but Sanders is even taller. Most guards can’t contest a 6’8 shooter.Thanks in part to his size, Sanders scored 1.123 points per possession in isolation last season, ranking in the 91st percentile in that category. He also finished in the 75th percentile in pick and roll scoring per possession. With the departures of Blackshear and Lucas, the Wolfpack will be looking to Sanders to put up points in bunches.
Tyson Degenhart, Boise State – What makes Degenhart such a good scorer is his versatility. At 6’8, 235 lbs he is big and strong enough to play around the rim, and also skilled enough to play around the perimeter. His outside shot isn’t great, but it’s good enough to keep opponents honest, helping him rack up 1.093 points per possession when spotting up around the outside, good for 82nd percentile nationally. He also scored 1.112 points per possession when posting up last season, which finished 13th in the nation among players with at least 100 post up possessions. For context, all american Jaedon LeDee finished 16th in the same metric, and player of the year Zach Edey finished 27th. Degenhart’s versatility lets him truly attack big players off the dribble, and small players in the post.
