By Curran McCauley
After a busy non-conference season and the first weekend of West Coast Conference play, the fight for All-WCC honors is beginning to emerge, with breakout stars joining stalwarts at the top of this week’s player power rankings. Let’s take a look at how things stand in the early stages of the push towards the WCC Tournament in Las Vegas.
1. Tyler Haws – Sr. – Guard – BYU
The defending WCC Player of the Year, as well as an honorable mention All-American in 2014, Haws has picked off where he left off last year, leading the conference in points per game (22.1) while also excelling from the free-throw line (88 percent).
2. Brad Waldow – Sr. Forward / Saint Mary’s
Where’s Waldow? For starters, atop the WCC rebounding leaderboard, averaging 10.5 boards per contest. Waldow is second to Haws in scoring (21.5 ppg) and is the only player in the conference averaging a double-double. Waldow is a preseason watch list candidate for the Lou Henson award, given to the nation’s best Mid Major Player.
3.Kevin Pangos – Sr. Guard / Gonzaga
Pangos enters 2014 eyeing his fourth straight All-WCC first team selection and luckily for fans of the Bulldogs, Pangos seems to just keep getting better. He’s been ridiculously efficient offensively in 2014, with a 3.5 assist-to-turnover ratio. Coach Mark Few is plotting to get his star a fifth year of eligibility.
4. Alec Wintering – So. Guard / Portland
Wintering is coming. Admittedly, I don’t watch Game of Thrones, but I have watched a lot of West Coast Conference hoops and Wintering has had a blazing start to the conference season, moving him up to fourth in the inaugural power rankings. He followed up a dagger three-pointer to sink San Diego with a career high 30 in a loss to BYU. Clearly a player to watch as Portland looks to take down travel partner Gonzaga on January 3 at the Chiles Center.
5. Johnny Dee – Sr. Guard / San Diego
Vista, Calif. native Dee went for 20 points against Gonzaga on Monday, putting him just seven points away from first place on the all-time Torero scoring list. He’s averaging 3.4 three-pointers per contest and is nearly automatic from the charity stripe, shooting .883 this season after leading the nation (.945) in 2013-14.
6. Jared Brownridge – So. Guard / Santa Clara
Brownridge was named Newcomer of the Year in the WCC as a freshman in 2014 and was selected to the preseason All-WCC team prior to this season. Despite a sluggish start for the Broncos, the Illinois native has excelled, averaging 15.2 points per game while averaging 3.2 three-pointers per contest. When Brownridge gets hot from behind the arc, it can be a long night for Santa Clara’s opposition.
7. Stacy Davis – So. Forward / Pepperdine
Arizonan Davis has been a model of consistency for the Waves, averaging 14.9 ppg while serving as a force on the glass, pulling down 8.4 boards per contest. Davis had his streak of 21 straight games with double-digit point scoring totals end against Loyola Marymount on Monday. However, he contributed to the Pepperdine victory with a career high six assists.
8. Kyle Collinsworth – Jr. Guard / BYU
Collinsworth has excelled for his hometown Cougars this season, averaging 7.8 rebounds and 5.6 assists per game while also scoring 13.6 points per contest. Collinsworth chipped in 21 against Portland, contributing to a 13-0 run that allowed the Cougars to pull away from the visiting Pilots.
9. Kyle Wiltjer – RS- Jr. Forward / Gonzaga
Wiltjer joins fellow Canadian teammate Pangos on these power rankings at the number nine spot. Wiltjer has proven to be one of the most exciting newcomers in the conference after transferring from the University of Kentucky, where he won SEC Sixth Man of the Year following the 2012-2013 season. His 17.1 points per game is good for fifth in the conference and he pitched-in 15 in a win against San Diego on Monday.
10. T.J. Wallace – So. Guard / Pacific
Wallace has been such a crucial part of the Pacific offense, providing leadership as a sophomore for a young team that went 8-4 in non-conference play, including wins over Fresno State, Mercer and Nevada. Wallace scored a career-high 26 against San Francisco on Saturday and is averaging 14.3 points per game on the season. As a floor leader and go-to scorer, Wallace’s success will be crucial to Ron Verlin’s young squad going forward.
Conference Tidbits
I still can’t get enough of Pacific’s Dulani Robinson and his pre-Christmas game winner against Fresno State. He is up there with Alec Wintering in the must-see-TV category…It will be interesting to see if San Francisco’s combo of Kruize Pinkins and Mark Tollfesen, both who narrowly missed the top 10 this week, can work their way up the totem poll in this coming weeks. For Loyola Marymount, sophomore Evan Payne will be a key contributor and should find his way on the power rankings shortly.
Top 5 Freshman
1. Domas Sabonis – Gonzaga (leads conference in field goal percentage, has inside track to Freshman of the Year )
2. Emmett Narr – Saint Mary’s (second in the conference in assists)
3. Matt Hubbard– Santa Clara (career high in points against Pacific on Monday)
4. Simon Krajcovic – Loyola Marymount
5. Shawn Olden – Pepperdine
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