Upperclassmen, Anderson and Pondexter Impress

We all love to hype the youngsters but the upperclassmen are very strong this year, highlighted by the play of James Anderson of Oklahoma State, Quincy Pondexter of Washington and many others including Damion James, Stanley Robinson and DaSean Butler.  Meanwhile it seems that many of the Freshmen have hit a wall, with the exception of..... John Wall of course (no pun intended).


Seniors around the country have stepped up but none with better numbers than Anderson.  Averaging 22 Points, 5.8 Rebounds and getting to the foul line 8.2 times a game Anderson has begun to blossom and looks like a mid to late First Rounder.  Damion James is rounding out his game and looks very NBA ready and Stanley Robinson has emerged, not only as a good player but as the leader of that UConn team.  Meanwhile Quincy Pondexter has stepped out from the shadows of overhyped Freshman Abdul Gaddy and Sophomore Isiah Thomas to become the best pro prospect at UW.  His all around game is impressive, now that his shooting and offensive production have matched his defensive abilities.  All four of these upperclassmen now project as first round picks in June.

Perhaps the biggest surprise of the Freshman class is the versatility and talent of Gonzaga SF Elias Harris.  In many ways he reminds me of a young Shawn Marion!  He has sneaky quickness and very good strength.  He plays an intelligent game and makes his teammates better.  He often looks more like a Senior than a Freshman and might be making like a Senior and leaving college next year for the NBA.


and..


in other news, what's up with North Carolina?  With all these losses I'm questioning whether Ed Davis belongs in the top ten.  He looks softer than Brandon Wright at this point.  I'm still intrigued with Henson and think that he might be the best of the bunch.... but ouch, they're all playing pathetic, uninspired ball.