Kris Joseph soars to the rim. (Dennis Nett, The Post-Standard)

View full size photo »

Montreal's Kris Joseph is steadily making a name for himself as a force to watch out for next season despite coming of the bench.  And his performances last week off the bench have earned him this week's nod as The Can Ball Report's NC-Double-Eh Player of the Week ...

Player of the Week

Kris Joseph (Montreal) – Soph., Syracuse

Kris Joseph could be starting for almost any high major program in the NCAA, but for now he’s coming off the bench as the sixth man for one of the best teams in the country.  He has increased his minutes over the last few weeks which in turn has his increasing his productivity as well.  And he had an excellent week putting some great numbers over two games.  He averaged 20 points, 5.5 rebounds, 3.5 steals and an assist while shooting 75% from the floor (15-of-20) making two of his three treys. 

In the Orange’s win over Providence on Feb 2, Joseph came off the bench and posted a very efficient, and team high, 23 points in 33 minutes of action on 9-of-11 from the floor and a perfect 5-of-5 from the line.  He also added seven rebounds and four steals, both team highs, as well as a block and an assist.  

In Syracuse’s blow out win over Cincinnati five days later, Joseph had 17 points on 6-of-9 shooting which included 2-of-2 from the three, which would prove timely in the game.  He also added four rebounds, an assist and a game high three steals in his 32 minutes of game time. 

For the season, the Montreal native is averaging 11.2 points and 5.2 rebounds, good for second and third on the loaded Orange respectively.  He’s also averaging 1.5 assists and 1.6 steals while shooting 53.4 from the field and 70.2 from the line.

Honorable Mention:  Kabangu Tshing Kasamba , Chicago State:  18.5 pts, 7 rbs, 1 ast, 2 stls, 14-of-24 from the field, 3-of-7 from the arc, 6-of-9 from the line in 32.5 mins in two games. 

Line of the Week

Ryan Wright (Mississauga, ON) – RS-Sr., Oklahoma

Ryan Wright.  Here is a name that we have not mentioned in a really long time here, and I’m sure that it has been heard even less outside of here.  Here is a guy that had a scholarship to UCLA coming out of high school in 2005 as the best player coming out of Canada at the time and things may not have gone quite as he might have liked.  He rode the bench for the Bruins on a loaded team and then he transferred to Oklahoma where he got the benefit of playing behind Blake Griffin for two seasons. 

Now it’s his final season and he isn’t actually having the bust out year that he, or we, may have wanted him to have but he is still solid.  This past Feb 6, Wright may have had his best game of his college career in when the Sooners played and beat Texas.  In 30 minutes, he had 11 points and 14 rebounds while adding a steal and a block.  This may be his best game of his career and we needed to post about it.  Congrats Ryan Wright.  We are still proud that you made your way down south, to two big time college programs and will graduate with a degree while playing some ball in between.

Honorable Mention:  Papa Oppong, Eastern Kentucky:  19 pts, 4 rbs, an ast, a stl, 8-of-12 FG, 3-of-5 3PT FG, 21 mins. Vs. Tennessee Tech Feb 4.