This week we honor our favorite Orange player after a dominant week that saw a new career scoring high and two performances that should have put the clamp on anyone thinking that he's been a bust this season ...
Player of the Week
Kris Joseph (Montreal) – Junior, Syracuse
Kris Joseph had a slow and fairly inconsistent start to his junior season but he has come on of late. He came on particularly well this last week where he helped Syracuse maintain its undefeated record and boosting the Orange to the 4th spot in the AP’s Top 25 Poll for this week. In the two wins, Joseph averaged 22.5 points, 6.5 rebounds, 2 assists, and 1.5 steals while shooting 16-of-30 from the field, including 6-of-11 from three point land, as well as going 7-of-10 from the free throw line. He missed only one minute of action in that span making his numbers that much more impressive putting him on the Big East Conference Honor Roll and making him our Can Ball Report NC-Double-Eh Player of the Week.
In Syracuse’s 81-74 win over the resurgent Providence Friars on Dec. 28, Kris Joseph posted a career high 27 points along with 5 rebounds, a steal and 4 assists playing in all 40 minutes of game time. His assist total ties his career high incidentally. Joseph shot 8-of-13 from the floor including 4-of-6 from the three point line. He also shot 7-of-10 from the free throw line.
In Syracuse’s convincing 70-58 win over then 15th ranked Notre Dame on New Year’s Day, Joseph was again just incredible. He went scored 18 points, grabbed 8 rebounds and had 2 steals in 39 minutes of action against the Fighting Irish. He shot 8-of-17 from the field in this game including 2-of-5 from behind the arc to help seal the win.
For the season, Joseph is averaging 15.1 points, 5.3 rebounds, 1.8 assists and 1.3 steals in 30.5 minutes. He’s shooting 46.5% from the field, including an improved 35.8% from the three, as well as shooting 75.6% from the line. Joseph leads the team in scoring and is second in rebounding and steals and fourth in assists. He currently ranks in the top 15 in the Big East Conference in scoring average also (12th).
Honorable Mention: Andrew Nicholson, St. Bonaventure: 27.5 pts, 5.5 rebs, 1 ast, 1 stl, 1 blk, 18-of-34 FGs, 18-of-26 FTs, 38.5 mpg over two games.
Rookie of the Week
Laurent Rivard (Saint-Bruno, PQ) – Freshman, Harvard
There have been a few surprise freshman contributors in this NC-Double-Eh season and one of them is Saint-Bruno, PQ’s Laurent Rivard. He’s been a potent offensive threat for the Harvard Crimson off the bench and he has really come on in the last month. In two games this week, Rivard has averaged 17.5 points, 2.5 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 1.5 steals while shooting 10-of-17 from the field, including 4-of-9 from the three, and 7-of-10 from the free throw line averaging 29.5 minutes off the bench. For his great performances this week Rivard was named Ivy League Rookie of the Week for the second time as well as the Can Ball Report’s NC-Double-Eh Rookie of the Week.
In Harvard’s 74-69 win over Monmouth on Dec. 29, Rivard had a team high 18 points shooting 5-of-7 from the field that included 2-of-4 from the three point line and 5-of-6 from the charity stripe. He also had a rebound, an assist and a steal in 27 minutes off the bench.
In the Crimson’s crushing defeat of MIT on New Year’s Eve, Laurent led the team in scoring again posting 17 points in 32 minutes off the bench in the 84-58 win. He shot 5-of-10 from the floor, including 2-of-5 from behind the arc, as well as making all five of his free throw attempts. Rivard also contributed 4 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 seals and a block in the victory.
For the season, Rivard is averaging 11.8 points and 2.8 rebounds in 25.3 minutes. He’s also shooting 36.1 % from the three point line while 96.7% from the free throw line. Rivard is currently third on the team in scoring and fifth in rebounds.
Honorable Mention: Tristan Thompson, Texas: 22 pts, 8 rebs, 1 ast, 2 blks, 7-of-9 FGs, 8-of-13 FTs, 31 mins vs. Coppin State.
Line of the Week
Juevol Myles (Pickering, ON) – RS-Sophomore, Kansas State – 12 pts, 3 asts, 4-of-5 shooting, 3-of-3 3PT FGs, 1-of-2 FTs, 17 mins.
Juevol Myles had the good fortune of going to a very good junior college and then was offered and signed a scholarship to play at Kansas State. There was only one issue with Myles signing with the Wildcats: there were a lot of guards including pre season All America candidate Jacob Pullen. K-State is a perennial NCAA Tournament team and they have been a Top 25 team for a few years now and with all the talent that they attract, it was going to be a little tough for him to break into the rotation at least this year.
Well, as fortune would have it, a spot opened up for him.
Two weeks ago K-State star Pullen was suspended, along with forward Curtis Kelly, was suspended for accepting inappropriate benefits from a store. This opened a window of opportunity for everyone on the roster. Although Myles didn’t see much action until the last game of Pullen’s suspension, he made sure to take full advantage then. In 17 minutes, Myles rattled off 12 points and 3 assists coming off the bench in the Wildcats’ 100-76 win over North Florida.
The 12 points that Myles had in the game was on 3-of-3 from three point range, 4-of-5 shooting overall, and he made one of his two free throws. That is three more points than he’s scored all season to that point by three. The four made field goals was one more than he made to that point as well and likewise for the three pointers made. His three assists equaled his total on the season and needless to say, he played a very efficient 17 minutes. This performance has hopefully opened up Coach Frank Martin’s mind to getting Myles into more games as the conference season gets further underway. If anything, we can always hope for another suspension.