40 BASKETBALL TIMES
Neighbors to the North are crashing college scene Carl Berman International Game Traditionally, Canada has been 13.5 ppg on 58.7 percent 3-point shooting Several freshmen from Canada have also been play- known more for hockey than for basket- and over 89 percent from the charity stripe. ing well. Olivier Hanlon (6-4, Boston College) started at ball. While that still is the case, Canada is Stauskas scored 20 points in a win against point guard immediately. He was averaging 13.8 ppg and a country that college-basketball coaches No. 18 North Carolina State and led a win was 15 for 19 from the charity stripe in a win against are looking at more seriously for potential over Bradley with 22. With Stauskas and Penn State. Stefan Jankovic (6-11) has started to get recruits. Our latest count shows 91 Cana- Glenn Robinson III, the Wolverines have some time for a strong Missouri squad. In a recent contest dian players on NCAA Division I rosters. two of the more productive freshmen in against Tennessee State, the Canadian scored 14 points in Among them are players who are making a the country. 16 minutes. Look for him to get more time as the season major impact thus far in the 2012–13 sea- Ejim has been a steadying infl uence progresses. son. Anthony Bennett (UNLV), Dwight for Iowa State. The Cyclones are looking The 2013 class is headed by the top recruit, Canadian Powell (Stanford), Kevin Pangos and to make a mark in the Big 12 with the ad- Andrew Wiggins. The 6-7 Wiggins is deciding whether Kelly Olynyk (Gonzaga), Nik Stauskas dition of transfers Will Clyburn and Kory to spend his one year in college at Kentucky or at his (Michigan), Melvin Ejim (Iowa State), Luscious. Ejim, a 6-6 junior, is one of the father’s alma mater, Florida State. After that, he should Brady Heslip (Baylor), Jordan Bachyn- most productive rebounders in the nation be the No. 1 choice in the 2014 NBA draft. Other Ca- ski (Arizona State) and Justin Edwards (9.1 rpg in 22.9 mpg) and is scoring at a nadians in the ESPN Top 100 for 2013 include 6-3 PG (Maine) are on the top of our list for their 10.0 ppg clip. Xavier Rathan-Mayes (Florida State) and 6-2 PG Tyler performance thus far. Heslip brings outside shooting to Ennis (Syracuse). The 6-foot-8, 240-pound Bennett has Baylor’s attack and is generally deadly Carl Berman and Chris Denker, who contributes regu- probably made the biggest immediate im- against zone defenses. He was averaging a larly to this column, are Managing Partners of NetScouts Dwight Powell pact of any fi rst-year player. He has helped little more than 10 ppg. His 3-point shoot- Basketball. Information on NetScouts Basketball and bring UNLV back to national relevance. ing percentage had dropped off about 10 their International Recruiting Service can be found at The Rebels were hurt by Mike Moser’s dislocated elbow, percent from last season (45 percent to 35 percent), but www.netscoutsbasketball.com. which might keep him out for an extended period of time. look for Heslip to regain However, they still ranked in the top 25, and with the an- his touch soon. He scored ticipated eligibility of a fellow Canadian, 6-9 Pitt transfer 29 points and canned eight Khem Birch, Bennett will have additional help up front. 3-pointers in a 97-78 win Birch will step in to play center as Bennett shifts to his over St. John’s. true power forward position. Through the fi rst month of The 7-2 Bachynski, a the season, Bennett was averaging 20.3 points and 8.9 re- junior, has been a surprise bounds and shooting 57 percent from the fl oor. He can for an improved Arizona score outside and has the strength and skill to score off State team. He has been the dribble as well as inside. In one two-game stretch, he solid in the middle for the averaged 26 points and 13.5 rebounds. Sun Devils (10.2 ppg, 7.7 The 6-10 Powell has come into his own after a dis- rpg), but where Bachynski InternatIonal recruItIng ServIce appointing sophomore season. The Cardinal, coming off really affects the game is an early season home loss to Belmont, is starting to play on defense. He was second NetScouts Basketball is the expert on International Basketball in better and hopes to be a contender in the Pac-12. Powell in the nation to Jeff With- the United States. We write the “International Game” column in has more than doubled his 5.8 ppg average from last sea- ey in blocks with 5.2 per Basketball Times and are partners with the Euroleague and Blue son, averaging 14.2 points and 6.9 rebounds, and had a game and registered a tri- 29-point effort against Denver. ple-double—13 points, 12 Ribbon College Basketball Yearbook. Pangos and Olynyk have led Gonzaga to a great start, rebounds and 12 blocked Our International Recruiting Service is now available for both men’s with their only early blemish a home loss to a tough Il- shots—against Cal State- linois squad. Pangos, a 6-2 sophomore who starts at point Northridge. and women’s programs and includes: guard for the Zags, is averaging more than 10 ppg and The 6-3 Edwards has • Our online database, containing hundreds of reports, which is dishing out 3.7 assists in about 30 minutes of action. Pan- been a solid contributor updated daily. gos’ shot has been a bit streaky this season, and he needs since arriving in Oromo, to shoot it more consistently to get the Zags deep into the Maine, last season. He was • Pictures, video footage and statistics with full-detailed scouting NCAA Tournament. The 7-0 Olynyk is the most improved leading Maine in scoring reports and contact assistance. Zag. After redshirting last season, the 240-pound junior at 16.3 ppg and also con- • The NetScouts Basketball International Recruiting Digest, sent has come back stronger and with a much better offensive tributed 5.2 rebounds and game. He can score inside and out (14.1 ppg) and now 4.1 assists per contest. He by email quarterly. has the muscle to be solid off the boards (7.1 rpg). He was needs to become a more added to the starting lineup and averaged 19 points and consistent shooter from Make uS Your InternatIonal 7.5 rebounds against Illinois and Washington State while long range (currently just shooting over 70 percent from the fi eld. Olynyk will be an 20 percent), but that will recruItIng connectIon important contributor for the Zags, and, combined with likely come in time. Ed- Prezem Karnowski, a 7-2, 305-pound freshman center wards scored a season- Carl Berman • [email protected] • 541.359.9653 from Poland, will give the team a one-two punch inside high 30 points in a win Chris Denker • [email protected] • 408.772.9620 that not many teams can counter. against Northeastern while www.netscoutsbasketball.com The 6-6 Stauskas has been a revelation from the start shooting 11 of 12 from the of the year for highly ranked Michigan. He was averaging fi eld.