Today, Nation basketball correspondent Justin Marville continues his rankings of the BABA’s Top 30 players with numbers 16 to 11.
No.15 Corey Williams, point guard, Mpact Station Hill Cavaliers
2011 stats: 12.1 ppg, 37.1 fg%, 32.5 3pt%, 70.7 ft%, 3.9 rpg, 3.1 apg, 2.8 spg
It was just another one of those ho-hum seasons for the veteran Cavs floor general, who has easily become the gold standard for running top scoring units after quietly but efficiently marshalling one of the league’s best offences once again.
The problem is this wasn’t one of those ho-hum seasons in Station Hill. From a 2-7 start to the year, to Kelvin Patterson’s three-month suspension, a default loss to schoolboys, Ricardo Yearwood’s life ban, Andrew Alleyne’s general attitude, and head coach Adrian Craigwell’s several run-ins with the executive, anything that could go wrong for the men in green seemingly did.
While all these events unfolded I watched to see if someone was going to step forward as a leader and put an end to the crisis, but it never happened. And it doesn’t take a nuclear physicist to figure out who I thought should have taken that responsibility.
But Williams seemed all too comfortable just taking the floor, going through the motions (though not to Alleyne’s extent) and was more than content to feed his less senior players Jamai Puckerin, Junior Moore, and later on, Darren Hunte.
Never once did the national point guard try to take games by the scruff of the neck, instead preferring to fire away behind the arc (even if it was at a respectable clip) rather than attack the cup (although that might have to do with the Cavs’ offensive structure).
To be fair, Williams’ average shot attempts did rise to around 11 a game, but his percentage from the field dropped to an unacceptable 37.1 per cent, and that is just way too low for a player with his speed, elite ball handling skills and shooting ability.
At least his great on-the-ball skills as a defender rarely lapsed and he managed to guide Station Hill to a 10-1 mark in Patterson’s absence, keeping the Cavs in the play-off hunt right up until the season’s last two weeks.
No.14 Ramon Simmons, shooting guard/small forward, Pinelands
2011 stats: 19 ppg, 39.8 fg%, 27.9 3pt%, 63.6 ft%, 4.5 rpg, 2.8 apg, 4.1 spg
If there’s one thing you can say about Simmons is that he sure knows how to get up shots – 18.1 a game to be exact – and there is a relative amount of skill with which he creates them.
I’m just not sure Pinelands’ interests are best served (see an 11-9 record and another non-play-off season) with him hoisting all those attempts when they’re coming at a shade under 40 per cent while the team have equally as viable offensive options in Charles Vanderpool, Decarlo Skeete and Gary Miller.
This isn’t to devalue Simmons’ worth as an extremely dangerous scorer though, as Pinelands über-talented swingman he can put up points in bunches as a strong finisher in transition, a spot-up shooter and a slasher that can create off the dribble.
Head coach Ryan Maynard probably even restricts his game too, by not allowing the six-foot-four wing to push the ball more and take quick shots in transition before the defence sets up as Simmons is almost unguardable in those scenarios due to his quick first step and length (you just have to love that trademark right-hand reverse lay-up).
With that said, I think he already takes enough rushed attempts in Pinelands’ half court sets to go with an almost ridiculous seven and a half three-point tries a game. What’s even more absurd is that dear Ramon still takes so many despite shooting them at an anaemic 27.9 per cent.
To his credit, Simmons does manage to make his way to the free throw line at least four times a game in spite of all those long-range bombs (although I’m not sure how), and he shells out a more than respectable 2.8 dimes a contest. His on-the-ball defence has also improved to the point where he can no longer be considered a liability at that end, although his elite mark of 4.1 steals per game is extremely misleading.
No.13 Keefe Birkett, shooting guard, Lumber Company Lakers
2011 stats: 14.1 ppg, 46.7 fg%, 44.7 3pt%, 84.2 ft%, 4.1 rpg, 2.5 apg, 2.4 spg
I’m going to get a lot of flak in certain circles (what else is new?) for putting Birkett above Simmons due to Keefe’s perceived one-dimensional nature, and I must admit that I did initially feel that this position might indeed be too high for a jump-shooter.
But boy is he a damn good one. Plus too, I would’ve felt even worse elevating Simmons when his shooting numbers pale in comparison while Birkett has almost identical rebound and assist numbers.
Birkett isn’t nearly as physically talented though, nor does he have the same ability to create quite like his fellow Queen’s College mate, although he isn’t just a spot-up shooting stiff as he was a 20-point per game scorer as a No. 1 option during his schoolboy days.
It’s just that Lakers’ offence is an equal-opportunity one, and Birkett is required to fill a role of knocking down jumpers whether in transition or as part of the team’s extremely efficient half court sets. And make no mistake, he’s now become the country’s best jump shooter – and it might not even be close.
Shooting percentages of 46.7 (field), 44.7 (three-point) and 84.2 (free throw) aren’t only elite in the BABA, but in any other league across the globe that the aim is to put a ball through a cylindrical sphere.
I would understand any criticism if he was only a spot-up shooter, but Birkett hits almost the same amount of shots off the dribble and probably hits a better percentage when pulling up in transition.
He also has one of the league’s best runners in his arsenal and the ability to drive to the rack if given the lane, though he won’t finish at the ring in a crowd or above big men. It must be said that his on-the-ball defence is shaky at best and is only hidden by a great team system. His court vision isn’t at a very high level either and he probably short-changed himself by not trying to develop as a better playmaking ball-handler.
I’m also not sure how much better (if at all) he can get considering his lack of physical gifts.
No.12 Kevin Austin, power forward, British American Insurance Jackson
2011 stats: 11.9 ppg, 44.4 fg%, 31.8 3pt%, 77.8 ft%, 7.1 rpg, 2.5 apg
Because of his varied skill set and superior physical abilities (read: length), this is a mismatch just waiting to happen, granted that the opposing defence is playing man. Small forwards can’t check him due to his six-foot-six height (and probably even longer wingspan), which allows the once dreadlocked player to either shoot over wing-players or post them up.
Power forwards have fits marking him too because of his ball-handling skills and guard-like agility in the open floor. And it’s not as if those post players can back off him either for fear of giving up Austin’s greatest strength – his elite level jump shooting ability.
Though not exactly Birkett’s equal, the rangy combo forward is a great shooter, especially off the dribble in transition and facing up mid-post off a jab step. And no one uses the window quite like “Aus”, who seemingly knows every angle off the glass and has the unique ability to hit backboard shots from as far out as the arc.
But as big a strength his jump-shooting may be, it also proves to be his greatest weakness as the multi-talented forward relies way too heavily on that one skill. If you doubt me then consider that Austin went to the charity stripe all of 18 times in 17 league appearances this season for a wretched average of 1.1 free throw attempts per contest.
Austin didn’t even get to the line in nine of those games, which is almost inconceivable for a second-option on a championship-calibre team. These numbers serve as proof that Peter Alleyne’s second banana is sabotaging Jackson’s offence by hardly attacking the rack off the dribble and posting up even less, though that might be a product of trying to space the floor for Pearson Griffith.
There’s also the troubling tendency of Austin disappearing for long and vital stretches of crucial games, evidenced by him shooting 37 per cent from the floor in the Lakers series, where he went a combined four of 17 in those fourth quarters. “Aus” isn’t much of a defender either, whether as a shot-blocker or on-the-ball defender although he is a pretty good rebounder.
No.11 Kelvin Patterson, centre, Mpact Station Hill Cavaliers
2011 stats: 16.4 ppg, 51.1 fg%, 51.2 ft%, 7.8 rpg, 2.5 apg, 1bpg
No one in Station Hill is going to say it (we’re referring to you coach Craigwell) so I will – the Cavs were a far better team without the business man. No debate. This isn’t to even suggest that Patterson is not an elite player in this league, because to argue that is the height of basketball lunacy.
But Station Hill was a dysfunctional side while coping with “Browne’s” near un-coachable status, penchant for dominating the ball and general laissez-faire approach towards playing defence. Think not? Then take note of the Cavs’ disastrous 2-5 start to the season with him in the rotation, their 10-1 record during his suspension and the heavy 27-point loss to Lakers in his first game back.
In spite of that, Patterson has easily been the most dominant offensive force in the league for the past decade, bar none. A physical force in the likeness of Shaq, “Browne” can clear most opposing defenders with sheer bullish strength, yet still has the agility and footwork to beat them with up-and-under fakes and his pet spin move along with a reverse lay-up.
And outside of this “twilight zone”, the burly big man is a proven winner too, evidenced by Cavs’ four league titles and several other knockout cups in his tenure. Lakers can attest to this, having never beaten Patterson in any of their much-hyped postseason battles as he creates havoc for their interior defence.
He’s an elite rebounder too, though the stats won’t show it due to his team’s ridiculous depth in the frontcourt rotation. However, Patterson is a poor defender to say the least, and this shortcoming only stands to get worse as he is on the downward arc of his career. Being a mere six-foot-three has never allowed him to be anything resembling a shot blocker either, and now he also struggles offensively against extremely tall defenders due to his declining vertical jump.