Congratulations to Brian Rouse of Emerson for scoring his 1,000 point last week.  The junior big man is averaging 23.3 ppg on 57% from the field, and 53% from 3-point range.  I was able to watch Endicott at Emerson this past weekend, and Rouse was phenomenal -- 28 points on only 13 shots, 10 rebounds, and 5 assists.  His ability to finish at the basket with either hand, his footwork, and his shooting ability make him one of the best low-post scorers I have seen at the D3 level.  Even as undersized as he is for his position at 6'4", he is nearly impossible to stop 1 on 1 in the post.

I realize his stats are meaningless to the "Preseason All-American" conversation, almost as meaningless as discussing the merits of a "preseason All-American" in general, I just wanted to put his name in the discussion of the best guards, or even players, in the nation, and provide some statistical backing.

The GNAC isn't a great conference, but the team that beat them in the GNAC title game just beat a highly ranked Brandeis team, and their 24 wins weren't enough to get an at-large bid.  16 points, 4 assists, and 5 rebounds per game on 60% (!!!!!!) shooting last season, while winning Defensive Player of the Year for the conference just must not jump out to some people, but hopefully the people who make the decisions about the REAL All-American teams take the opportunity to see this kid play at some point this year and judge for themselves.  On a bad team, or if he was a selfish player, he could easily average 25+ but he plays the right way.

I am an admitted Emerson basketball and GNAC basketball fan, but I have a legitimate question for all you posters who have seen many more players across the country than I have -- is there any point guard in the country better than Emerson's Jeremy Shannon?  He won Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year in the GNAC as a sophomore, and jump started his junior campaign with a 25 point, 11 assist, 9 rebound performance that included an overtime-forcing 3-pointer at the buzzer.  He might be the quickest player in Division 3 and has an amazing finishing ability around the basket.  I found it interesting, and in fact preposterous, that the Preseason All-American teams found 10 other guards better than him.

Really exciting game at Wheaton last night with Emerson pulling it out 100-97 in double overtime.  The Emerson team seemed like they were adjusting to having a lot of new personnel, but their studs from last season certainly came to play.  Junior Bryan Rouse had 28 points and classmate Jeremy Shannon posted the ridiculous stat line of 25 points, 11 assists, and 9 rebounds, including a game-tying three-pointer at the end of regulation to send it to overtime.  I bet the Wheaton radio announcers feel a bit responsible after declaring the game "over" with 7 seconds left and the Lyons up 3.