DII men's basketball: 11 important players to watch down the stretch
As the 2022 DII men's basketball tournament approaches, let's dive into some key players that are pivotal to their team's success.
Welcome back to The DII Report newsletter. Each week, we will delve into the world of NCAA Division II sports, focusing on the teams and student-athletes to watch. Be sure to check out the DII Nation Podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Anchor and YouTube for more insight on the world of DII sports.
THE DII REPORT
March is quickly approaching. While the DII Report newsletter has been focused on the DII baseball season, today we turn our attention to the hardwood.
With the 2022 DII men’s basketball tournament right around the corner, I wanted to dive into the most important players to their team’s success. First, let’s define what “most important” means.
While some are certainly in the conversation, these aren't necessarily the best players in DII. Instead, these are players that fit their team’s style of play almost too well – the perfect pieces to complete the puzzle that make one a championship contender. I did a little dig into some of the deeper stats to see which players fill that role.
Diego Bernard, Northwest Missouri State
(Photo credit: Jon Walker)
It must seem odd to not have Trevor Hudgins here, and that is understandable. Without Hudgins, the Bearcats are likely half the team they have been the past three years and he is the unquestioned best player in college basketball (that is my opinion, and after all, this is my newsletter). But Bernard is very important to this team’s success and has been since he and Hudgins took over DII basketball in 2019.
The Bearcats dominate opponents in points off turnovers by a margin of 396-264 this season. Ryan Hawkins led the team in steals the past three years and Bernard has taken the torch, leading the team with 40. He has become one of the best defenders in DII basketball, and causes as many turnovers when team game plan away from him as he does when a player comes right at him. He’s also the team leader in defensive rebounds, which helps spawn the fast break and eliminate second-chance point opportunities down low. This may be an unpopular take, but in each of the Bearcats’ last two losses – against very good Central Oklahoma and Emporia State teams – Hudgins scored 20-plus points. Bernard was held in check dealing with foul trouble.
Andrew Sischo, Daemen
The Wildcats challenged themselves early on, playing a schedule that had seven teams in the national rankings in their first nine games. It was to mixed results, but Daemen has been rolling ever since. The Wildcats are winners of 11 in a row and more importantly, are 13-0 in conference play.
Sischo is a big reason why (literally). Since the calendar flipped to 2022, Daemen is 10-0 and utterly dominating opponents in points down low, especially in second-chance points. The Wildcats have a 112-70 advantage in second-chance points and Sischo helps at both ends. He’s second in DII in offensive rebounds, contributing to Daemen’s put backs, but he’s also second in DII in defensive rebounds, preventing opponents from second chances of their own. Sischo is averaging 22.3 points and 13.1 rebounds per game. If Daemen wants to return to the DII Elite Eight, it will be with Sischo doing what he does best.
Nick Smith, Nova Southeastern
Nova Southeastern is the last remaining undefeated team in DII men’s basketball. It has beaten nationally ranked opponents and is dominating many categories in DII men’s basketball.
The Sharks have some scorers on their team in Sekou Sylla, RJ Sunahara and Eddie Puisis that contribute to the second-best scoring offense in DII. But like every Jim Crutchfield offense of yesteryear, this one is fueled by forcing the turnover and running and gunning the floor. That all starts with Smith. Smith leads DII in assists and steals per game. Unironically, Nova Southeastern leads DII in assists and steals per game as well as turnover margin. Smith not only orchestrates this high-octane offense like a conductor, but he is also safe with the ball. Imagine trying to start a car without the key to the engine? Sure seems important.
Tyler Riemersma, Augustana (SD)
The Vikings are surging. They have won nine in a row, and that includes tremendous wins over both Minnesota Duluth and Upper Iowa. Both of those schools are nationally ranked as well as highly ranked in the tricky Central Region.
Now, don’t be fooled, this team is deep. But Riemersma is tremendous in how their offense and defense runs. Let’s look at the Upper Iowa series this year as an example. Augustana got crushed 84-65 by Upper Iowa on Dec. 17. Riemersma did not play that game. The Peacocks dominated points in the paint (36-22) and won the rebounding battle 30-22. Flash forward to Feb. 5. The Vikings win 92-83, and win the rebounding battle (26-23) while making the points in the paint a much closer race (38-34 in favor of UIU). Riemersma went for 20 and 11 in that game and is averaging a double-double on the season. He is an important difference maker down low.
Jaizec Lottie, Flagler
When head coach Chad Warner took over for Flagler, he knew it would take time. After suffering through a couple single-digit win seasons, the Saints turned the corner. When Lottie arrived for the 2021 season, they became Peach Belt Conference champions and DII Elite Eight contenders seemingly overnight.
“Jaizec accelerated that and then some,” Warner said of the “rebuild”. “When Jaizec is at his best, he has the unique ability to make everyone better. It’s cliche and thrown around a lot, but I’ve been a college coach for 20 years and I can count on one hand the players that truly lead and make players better. I’ve never been on a team that so willingly defers to their leader.”
That leader is Lottie, who also happens to score almost 22 points per game while leading the PBC in assists. After a 1-2 start, Flagler has gone 17-1 and looks every bit the DII Elite Eight team it was last year once again.
Armoni Foster, Indiana (Pa)
Foster has been one of the premier players in DII men’s basketball for a few years running. The Crimson Hawks were set up for a strong season with Shawndale Jones and Foster ready to lead a potent lineup. Jones went down with a season-ending injury early on and Foster has been every bit the MVP they needed.
What Foster does best is, well, everything. He leads DII in triple-doubles and while he leads IUP in scoring with more than 20 points per game, he also leads the team – and is second in the PSAC – in assists. That has allowed players like Dave Morris and Ethan Porterfield to emerge.
Both Morris and Porterfield were key players last season but have taken significant jumps in a pair of breakout years. When defenses must focus so much on Foster, it opens up opportunity for others, and whether he is dishing to a duo of budding stars or burning you one-on-one, Foster is winning IUP a lot of ball games and making them a real threat in the Atlantic Region. It’s not often a team loses a player like Jones — not only its top scorer but one of the top scorers in DII — and transitions seamlessly as if nothing happened. That speaks volumes to Foster’s role on this team.
Parker Hicks, Lubbock Christian
In the process of putting together this article, Lubbock Christian’s superstar erupted for 50 points in a much-needed victory over Texas A&M International. That set the program record for most points in a single game.
That should be all that needs to be said, but let’s keep going. The Chaps are 21-1 and have a handful of wins against teams that have spent time in the national rankings. The one thing in common is how the Chaps have dominated points in the paint in each win. Look at the start of the season:
Regis (CO): 36-18
Colorado School of Mines: 44-20
West Texas A&M: 32-26
Hawaii Hilo: 40-26
Hicks is second on the team in offensive rebounds and leads the team in defensive rebounds, so his mere presence in the paint not only forces misses, but he doesn’t let them hang around for second chances. He also leads the team in scoring on an impressive 55% field-goal percentage, while saving at least one basket a night as the team leader in blocks. Lubbock Christian is one of the best teams in the country and Hicks is blossoming into one of the best players in DII at the same time.
Others to note:
Above we looked at a few players from some true contenders for the DII Elite Eight. Below are just a few players leading their respective teams to new heights and making for some real sleepers come selection time in March.
John Paul Kromka, Pitt-Johnstown: The Mountain Cats are in the hunt for the PSAC and Kromka, one of DII’s blocks leaders, saves roughly six points per game with his blocks while leading the team off the glass on both ends of the floor.
Joel Scott, Black Hills State: The Yellow Jackets took control of the RMAC by defeating nationally ranked Regis on Feb. 7. Scott, who’s averaging a double-double on the season, either takes care of business himself or opens the floor for others by drawing double teams.
Jared Vitztum, Fort Hays State: The MIAA is a tight four-team race and with how stacked the Central Region is, there is a possibility not all four teams make the DII tournament. Vitztum has been pivotal in improving the Tigers from a .500 team last year to 16-4 in ‘22 by averaging a double-double on the season.
Tray Buchanan, Emporia State: Speaking of the melee in the MIAA, this is a no-brainer. Buchanan leads DII in scoring. But it’s more than that. The DI transfer led the team in points, rebounds, steals and assists in their 19-point upset over No. 2 Northwest Missouri State.