D1 Nation: NCAA Alumni Updates

What a week for the D1 Nation and it’s D1 Ambassadors college alumni.  Did anyone catch the Sports Center highlight of Memphis Tigers F 6’5″ D.J. Stephens catching one off the rim and tomahawking it home?  Wow.  The Pride of Harker Heights (TX) is a highlight guy and a threat to posterize someone every time out.

25.  Zay Jackson       Fr.   G  6′ 0″    Hammond St. Thomas Aquinas (LA)    Murray State

Anytime a true freshman contributes it’s a good thing but how about Jackson playing a key part in Murray State’s unbeaten and possibly historic season?  He had 9 points, 2 rebounds and an assist vs Tennessee-Martin.

24.  Tre Nicholls       Sr.  G 5’11″       Killeen (TX)                                                     Boise State

The dedicated senior, Nicholls had 10 points and 5 rebounds vs a tough New Mexico Lobos squad.

23.  Mike Byron        So. P 6’9″          San Antonio Churchill (TX)                      Gardner-Webb

Byron had 9 points and 7 rebounds vs High Point.

22.  Clark Lammert Fr. F 6’7″          San Antonio Churchill (TX)                       Texas Tech

The Churchill Chargers have two alums back to back in the D1 Nation Top 25! This time frosh Clark Lammert had 12 points, 3 rebounds and 2 assists vs the Texas Longhorns.

21.  Royce O’Neale    Fr. G 6’5″         Harker Heights (TX)                                     Denver

O’Neale warmed up the week with a 14 point, 4 rebound performance vs Middle Tennessee.

20.  Joel Smith           Jr. G 6’4″         Leander (TX)                                                    Northeastern

Smith had a 13 point 5 rebound performance vs Virginia Commonwealth.

19.   Daniel Alexander  RS-Fr   F 6’9″    Dripping Springs (TX)                            Texas A&M

I was on hand at College Station as Alexander got his first career start.  He hit 4 three pointers, finishing with 12 points and 6 rebounds.  What was most impressive was that he alternately defended NBA lottery picks Perry Jones III and Quincy Miller on many of the defensive possessions and he he looked like he belonged vs Baylor.

18.  TaShawn Thomas   Fr.  F 6’8″            Killeen (TX)                                                Houston

Thomas had 11 points and 8 rebounds against Tulane.

17.   Deon Mitchell          Fr.  G 6’0″            Pflugerville (TX)                                       Northern Iowa

Mitchell had 12 points, 5 rebounds and 2 assists in a huge win vs #12 Creighton.

16.  Jason Brickman     So.  G 5’11″           San Antonio Clark (TX)                          Long Island

Brickman had a 15 point, 5 assist performance vs Bryant

15.  Tre Nichols 2nd appearance in this week’s top performances was a nifty 17 point and 3 assist effort vs San Diego State.

14.  Jason Brickman’s 2nd appearance of the week was a 14 point, 7 assist performance vs Central Connecticut.

13.  Mitchell went through a little mini slump but once he picked up his defense the Northern Iowa staff knew he had to be in the line up. He started the week off with a 17 point, 4 rebound and 2 steal perfomance vs Southern Illinois.

12.   Travis Jones           Sr.  G 6’6″             Georgetown (TX)                                     Texas State

Jones can shoot it with the best of them, lighting up Nicholls State with 19 points and 5 rebounds. 

11.   Jordan Clarkson   So.  G 6’5″              Converse Wagner (TX)                         Tulsa

Clarkson had a 21 point, 3 rebound and 2 assist performance vs Marshall.

What a “Top 10″ the D1 Nation alumn had this past week.   There were multiple PRO LEVEL performances.  Check these out!

10.   Andre Roberson  So.  F 6′ 7″               Converse Wagner (TX)                          Colorado

Roberson came to Oregon and wreaked similar havoc as he’d done vs UCLA-USC the week before.  He had 7 points, 11 rebounds and 7 blocked shots vs the Oregon Ducks.

9.    Mark Nwakamma Fr. F 6’6″                Leander (TX)                                              Hartford

How about Nwakamma?  He was a late signee last summer.  He went in to camp with the same work ethic and determination he’s shown in the 5 years I’ve known him and played 34 minutes with a stat line of 18 points, 6 rebounds and 2 steals vs New Hampshire.

8.   Cameron Moore     Sr. F 6’10″              San Antonio Roosevelt (TX)      Alabama-Birmingham

Moore had 11 points, 11 rebounds and 6 blocks vs the UTEP Miners.

7.    John Henson          Jr. F 6’11″               Round Rock (TX)                           North Carolina

There’s no doubt he’s going in this year’s NBA Draft, the only question will be how early? Henson had 17 points and 12 rebounds vs the Maryland Terrapins.

6.    TaShawn Thomas continues to be as consistent as any freshman in the country.  He flirts with or earns a double double most every game. He had a 16 point, 14 rebound performance against Alabama-Birmingham.

5.   Brian Williams      RS-Fr  G 6’6″          Baton Rouge Glen Oaks (LA)    Oklahoma State

In the comfort of my living room I watched Williams score 22 and snag 5 rebounds  and 2 steals vs Baylor on National television on Saturday.

4.   John Henson had another outstanding performance as he had 14 points, 12 rebounds and 4 blocks vs the Wake Forest Demon Deacons.

3.    Harker Heights true freshman, Royce O’Neale keeps posting big number for a dangerous Denver Pioneers squad.  Deborah Kingwood’s baby boy went to work against Louisiana-Lafayette with 21 points,  13 rebounds and 2 steals.

2.   Andre Roberson is scheduled to go #5 in the 2013 Mock NBA Draft.  It’s performances like his 16 point, 15 rebound, 2 steal and 2 blocks which support that lofty expectation. This time he put those numbers up against the Oregon State Beavers.

1.  Cameron Moore has given the nation some of the most dominating performances of this 2011-2012 NCAA season.  The heart of the Alabama-Birmingham Blazers had a 25 point, 13 rebound, 3 assist, and 5 block performance against the Houston Cougars.  Wow!