Every Leading Scorer From Last Year and Their Possible Replacement
Some can be replaced, some can’t, and some are still around.
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Who’s leading their team in scoring going into march?
With media day behind us and exhibitions both closed and open taking place around the country. It’s time to take a deeper look at this year’s rosters around the conference while also taking a look at last years. Some guys transferred, some graduated and some opted to go the professional route. Some teams added fire power, others are in rebuilding mode, and some teams look very similar to last years. But regardless of who takes the court this upcoming season for teams around the Mountain West, scorers around the league will be key to their team’s success but also entertaining for the rest of us.
We are going to take a look at the leading scorers from last season on every team and who might replace them this year. Now some guys who led their teams in scoring last season returned, so for those teams we’ll take a look at if they can be dethroned and which guys have the best chance at doing so. Also some teams have more clear cut scenarios, where others need a deeper dive due to higher amounts of roster turnover or limited proven scorers returning.
First Off,
Air Force
Last Year’s Leading Scorer: Sr. F Lavelle Scottie (15.3 PPG in 32 GMS)
This year: Probably Still Lavelle
The Falcon’s bring Scottie back for his last season in the Mountain West. He has been the scoring leader for Air Force the last two seasons and I don’t see that changing for the upcoming season. He is a very capable scorer who can create mismatch opportunities in the post while also being able to knockdown mid-range jumpers. The Falcons return their top eight scorers from a team that finished 6th in the conference, I still see Scottie as the top returning scoring option followed by Senior center Ryan Swan and Sophomore guard A.J. Walker who made an impact as a freshman last year and is the first player mentioned on this list who also made our breakout players for 2019-2020 team.
Best chance to dethrone him: Sr. C Ryan Swan (12.6 PPG in 31 GMS), So. G A.J. Walker (8.5 PPG in 32 GMS), Jr. G Christopher Joyce (7.5 PPG in 32 GMS)
Boise State
Last Year’s Leading Scorer: Sr. G Justinian Jessup (14.0 PPG in 33 GMS)
This year: Jr. G Derrick Alston (13.4 PPG in 33 GMS)
Our first dethroning comes from the Broncos who had a trio of scorers vying for the title after Chandler Hutchinson’s departure as a first-round draft pick in 2018. While Jessup slightly edged out Alston as last year’s leader, I do predict Alston to be this team’s leader as a complete mismatch nightmare, being a 6-9 scoring guard with a three-point shot (38.4% from deep last year). He was also a feature on our list of break out players for the upcoming season. The difference between their averages was extremely close but Alston having two thirty point games last year while Jessup’s season high was twenty-five is what swayed me. But this team has other scoring threats including Alex Hobbs and RJ Williams though and I am excited to see who all steps up this year.
Others with a chance lead the team: Sr. G Justinian Jessup (14.0 PPG in 33 GMS), Sr. G Alex Hobbs (12.1 PPG in 30 GMS), Sr. F RJ Williams (9.3 PPG in 30 GMS)
Colorado State
Last Year’s Leading Scorer: Sr. C Nico Carvacho (16.1 PPG in 32 GMS)
This year: Probably still Carvacho
Even though the Rams leading scorer returns from last year you probably won’t remember him for his scoring. Nico Carvacho get’s most of his national recognition for leading the country in rebounding last year with 412 total boards and an average of 12.9 per game. Folks can forget he scores too, scoring double figures in all but four games last season.
And I do really like the pair of freshman Niko Medvid brought in as a first-year coach in Fort Collins and their production levels. I don’t see Kendle Moore or Adam Thistlewood outscoring the double-double machine. And the teams second leading scorer from last year guard Anthony Masinton-Bonner (11.2 PPG in 25 GMS) is suiting up for Missouri State as a grad. transfer. Now I do think the players they bring back will have an opportunity to improve their averages.
I think people dismissed the Ram’s scoring capabilities last year which we saw on full display in two thirty-point wins at Airforce (Feb. 2nd 85-53) and home against Wyoming (Fed. 9th 83-48). So all in all I believe Carvacho leads the team in scoring (and rebounding) again this year.
Others with a chance to dethrone him: So. G Kendle Moore (8.6PPG in 32 GMS), So. F Adam Thistlewood (8.6 PPG in 32 GMS), Sr. Kris Martin (9.2 PPG in 27 GMS)
Fresno State
Last Year’s Leading Scorer: G Braxton Huggins (18.5 PPG in 31 GMS)-Graduated, Signed 1-year contract with Dutch Club Zorg and Zekerheid Leiden (ZZ Leiden)
This year: Sr. F Nate Grimes (11.8 PPG in 31 GMS)
The Bulldogs may not be quite in rebuilding mode this year but they are missing a very potent one-two punch in All-Mountain West guards Braxton Huggins and Deshon Taylor. Both were transfers into the program during Rodney Terry’s tenure in the Central Valley, both stuck around and lit the conference on fire last year. Like Boise State, the difference in their scoring averages was very small. But Huggins edged Taylor by a smidge to lead the team in scoring last season. Both were seniors last year and won’t suit up for second year head coach Justin Hutson, but don’t fear senior to be Nate Grimes (third in scoring last year) is still here. Now Grimes production levels increased when his team needed him most.
Fresno’s front court looked a little lean at times last year but reinforcements have arrived in Fresno with Lazaro Rojas back for his junior year, 7-2 freshman Assane Diouf is coming off of a redshirt year, freshman Orlando Robinson who held multiple high major offers, and sophomore transfer Chris Seeley from Utah will be joining him in the paint this year. This team is taller than last year’s but I don’t see any of those guys I mentioned edging Grimes out to lead the team in scoring.
The two that come to mind are New Williams and Noah Blackwell. Both are also guards who transferred into the program during the Rodney Terry era and both rounded off the Bulldogs top five scorers last year. Blackwell’s best outing came against San Jose State where he went 7/8 from three point range and tallied twenty five points total. William’s had a similar best performance against Wyoming where he made six of his eight three point attempts finishing with twenty four points. This review was a bit longer than the others thus far but I think Fresno State is a team with plenty of opportunity for new and returning players to emerge as scorers than most teams in the conference.
Others with a chance to lead the team: Sr. G New Williams (8.2 PPG in 32 GMS), Sr. G Noah Blackwell (8.5 PPG in 30 GMS), So. F Chris Seeley (2.7 PPG in 20 GMS for Utah 17-18)
Nevada
Last Year’s Leading Scorer: F Caleb Martin (19.2 PPG in 34 GMS)-Undrafted, Signed 3-year contract with the Charlotte Hornets
This year: Sr. G Jazz Johnson (11.0 PPG in 33 GMS)
Nevada was recently featured in an article as one of two teams who may not live up to preseason predictions. They were also picked by our staff and the rest of the media to have a top five finish this upcoming season. We like the roster Steve Alford inherits in his first season back in the Mountain West. But one concern is the overhaul that the roster went through during the offseason.
To say that replacing the amount of production and talent from last year’s squad is going to be tough would be an understatement. They return just about 15% of last year’s scoring power, the rest lost mainly due to graduation. But they do return the fourth leading scorer from that same squad and my selection to replace last years leading scorer, Sr. G Jazz Johnson. He will be heavily counted on this year and has been named a leader by Alford and his staff. He does have some back up in senior guard Lindsey drew who sat out last season due to injury but like Johnson will be heavily relied upon to lead what on paper looks like an inexperienced group at the division one level.
Two guys who could challenge Johnson for the scoring title this year are sit-out transfer Jalen Harris via Louisiana Tech and Eric Parrish who transferred in from a stint in junior college after averaging 8.8 points per game in 2018 as a freshman for Akron. The roster will look different but I don’t think the Wolf pack will have trouble finding production this year, they return some scorers. And bringing back Drew and Harris who didn’t play in games last year, but were still apart of the program the entire time should just make it easier for them to walk into their leadership roles and the starting lineup as expected.
Others with a chance to lead the team: Sr. G Lindsey Drew (8.1 PPG in 27 GMS 17-18), Jr. G Jalen Harris (15.3 PPG in 11 GMS 17-18 W/Louisiana Tech), Jr. G Eric Parrish (18.4 PPG in 29 GMS W/ Bossier Parish C.C.)
New Mexico
Last Year’s Leading Scorer: G Anthony Mathis (14.4 PPG in 32 GMS)-Transferred to Oregon for 19-20
This year: Sr. G Jaquan Lyle (11.4 PPG in 31 GMS)
New Mexico has the potential to make a big splash in the conference this season or underperform like last year. The seat is getting warm for Paul Weir in his third season in Albuquerque, but it’s not because he’s failed to bring in talented players. It was his inability to get those players in rhythm last season as a team that hurt them. To help the Lobos make a splash this season comes senior guard Jaquan Lyle. Lyle who transferred to New Mexico from Ohio State almost two years ago now, missed all of last season with an Achilles injury suffered in the preseason. A lot of the team’s troubles last year (i.e. ball handling and leadership) were supposedly lacking because of his absence.
But with him out, last year’s leading scorer guard Anthony Mathis was forced into the point guard spot and looked a bit awkward in the role most of the time. Mathis is now at Oregon for his senior season, reunited with former high school teammate Payton Pritchard after mysteriously being granted a fifth year of eligibility in April. He received the waiver due to his lack of playing time back in 2016-2017 under now Nevada assistant coach Craig Neal. Mathis was granted the waiver and then left for Eugene as a graduate transfer soon after.
Even though many in Albuquerque would have loved to see Mathis who shot 41% from three last season back in cherry and silver this year, Weir and his staff have what may be the most talented roster during his tenure this year. Lyle is our pick to replace Mathis as the team’s leading scorer but he may be a bit rusty and could be challenged by junior forward Vance Jackson who should transition back to his normal role as a non-primary ball-handler and scoring threat on the wing as he was at UCONN as a freshman. Jackson was forced into tough situations at times last year as the team’s primary ball-handler, and was forced to try and make opportunities for himself and others rather than being a part of the offense. Besides Jackson, there are guys like junior guard Zane Martin who are hoping to make an impact after averaging almost twenty points a game a season ago in the Colonial conference for Towson.
Others with a chance to lead the team: Jr. F Vance Jackson (13.1 PPG in 32 GMS), Jr. G Zane Martin (19.8 PPG in 32 GMS 17-18 W/Towson), Jr. F Makuach Maluach (9.9 PPG in 32 GMS), Sr. F Carlton Bragg (10.5 PPG in 24 GMS)
San Diego State
Last Year’s Leading Scorer: G Devin Watson (16.0 PPG in 34 GMS)-Graduated
This year: Jr. G Malachi Flynn (15.8 PPG in 31 GMS 17-18 W/Washington St.)
Brian Dutcher’s Aztec squad will look a bit different than last year’s, but that is mainly in the backcourt. San Diego State loses leading scorer guard Devin Watson and guard Jeremy Hemsley (9.2 PPG), both seniors from last year’s fourth-place finish team. They also lost second-leading scorer forward Jalen McDaniels who left school to go professional and was selected in the late second round by the Charlotte Hornets. They will see a change in the starting backcourt though, with junior guard Malachi Flynn (Washington St.) and graduate transfer KJ Feagin (Santa Clara) both joining the team for the 2019-2020 season. Both bring a scoring acumen to the Mountain West, averaging 15.8 PPG (Flynn) in the PAC-12 and 17.5 PPG (Feagin) in the West Coast Conference back in 17-18 respectively. But Flynn seems to be the guy to replace Watson this year as the team’s go-to scorer. Picked to be the newcomer of the year by the media and a preseason 1st-team all MWC by our staff. And Flynn has a knack for scoring and had a 24 point outing going 6-11 from deep against the Aztecs in a neutral site win back in 2017.
Then there’s Feagin who seemed poised for a big-time senior year last year with a 14 points per game career average, but then came a broken thumb that came in the second game of the year. Followed by season ending surgery on his knee to repair an old injury. But expect some solid numbers from the former Bronco this year. There are some returning scoring threats to watch out for too. Junior forward Matt Mitchell is the only player to average ten plus points returning from last year.
Just remember to keep an eye on this year’s backcourt to challenge Utah State’s Sam Merill for the conference scoring title and possibly even player of the year.
Others with a chance to lead the team: Jr. F Matt Mitchell (10.3 PPG in 34 GMS), Sr. G KJ Feagin (17.5 PPG in 31 GMS 17-18 W/Santa Clara), Jr. G Jordan Schakel (7.4 PPG in 28 GMS)
San Jose State
Last Year’s Leading Scorer: F Michael Steadman (13.2 PPG in 31 GMS)-Transferred to Montana (sitting out 19-20)
This year: Sr. G Brae Ivey (9.2 PPG in 31 GMS)
San Jose State is heading into the season recovering from yet another mass exodus of it’s top players from the year before. Last year’s leading scorer Michael Steadman is no exception to the trend, as he is now in the Big Sky at Montana sitting out due to transfer rules. The 6-10 Steadman looked dominant for the Spartan’s at times last year. Especially in conference play where he amassed five 20 points plus games including a 17 rebound performance at Air Force. Replacing his point production will be shadowed by replacing the impact he had in the paint for head coach Jean Prioleau who seems to be keeping his head above water every season.
The man to replace him in the scoring column looks to be senior guard Brae Ivey who like Steadman came to San Jose after a stint in Junior College at Riverside City College. Ivey managed to reach double digit scoring in fourteen games last season with his best performance coming against Cal State Bakersfield early in the season where he dropped 22 points while shooting a perfect 9-9 at the free throw line. Ivey isn’t a shoo-in to win the job though either, with a lot of people saying good things about junior college transfer Richard Washington.
Washington was a fringe top 200 player in the country back in 2016 and committed to Wake Forest and appeared in 8 games for the Demon Deacons as a freshman while sitting out his entire sophomore year with an injury. He spent last season at Tallahassee C.C. where he averaged 16 points a game in a very competitive FCSAA conference and region with fellow Mountain West newcomer junior guard Mustafa Lawrence (Fresno State).
Any way you put it, the Spartans need something to resembles success. Having not had a competitive conference record since the 2016-2017 season, back when future NBA 1st rounder Brandon Clarke bolted for Gonzaga.
Others with a chance to lead the team: Jr. G Richard Washington (16.6 PPG in 29 GMS W/Tallahassee C.C.), So. G Seneca Knight (6.2 PPG in 31 GMS), Sr. F Craig LeCesne (6.4 PPG in 27 GMS)
UNLV
Last Year’s Leading Scorer: G Kris Clyburn (14.1 PPG in 31 GMS)
This year: Jr. G Amauri Hardy (13.1 PPG in 31 GMS)
Marvin Menzies tenure in Las Vegas came to an end last year with a perfect .500 finish (48-48) over three years. There was some roster turnover and some players lost to graduation, one being last years leading scorer guard Kris Clyburn. Clyburn led the Rebels to a 4th place finish, scoring double figures in twenty-three of thirty one games. Not too far behind him was junior guard Amauri Hardy who has a younger brother set to be a junior this year at Coronado H.S (NV) ranked as a top ten player in the 2021 class named Jaden. Now Amauri played very well as a sophomore last season having most of his best games in conference play.
I think it may be closed but I am picking Hardy to replace Clyburn in scoring this year but I think it will be a tight race as junior forward Donnie Tillman, a transfer from Utah has received a waiver to play immediately this season. Tillman averaged about ten points a game in the PAC-12 last season. And seems like the perfect candidate to give opponents a headache this year for the Rebels as a mismatch nightmare as a combo forward. Like Hardy, Tillman picked up steam later in the season during conference play and should fit in nicely to a team transitioning a bit under new head coach TJ Otzelberger.
A couple of transfers who could also provide some scoring relief are junior college transfer Jonah Antonio and Texas grad. transfer Elijah Mitrou Long. Both players made a stop at Mount St. Mary’s and both averaged double figures there as well. But Antonio is coming off of a tournament run with South Plains College who lost in the semifinals to eventual champion Vicennes, while averaging around 11 points per game. Long comes to the desert by way of Texas where he averaged about 5 points per game on a really point guard heavy Shaka Smart team. Many look forward to seeing what first year Mountain West head coach TJ Otzelberger can do with this roster as Craig Smith has set some pretty high expectations for former Summit League head coaches in their first seasons in the conference.
Others with a chance to lead the team: Jr. F Donnie Tillman (10.5 PPG in 31 GMS), Jr. G Jonah Antonio (11.6 PPG in 34 GMS W/South Plains College), Sr. G Elijah Mitrou-Long (5.6 PPG in 36 GMS W/Texas)
Utah State
Last Year’s Leading Scorer: Sr. G Sam Merill (20.9 PPG in 35 GMS)
This year: Still Sam Merill
Sam Merill is the only top ten scorer from the conference last year returning. And unless Neemias Queta’s game took enormous steps offensively during the offseason playing for Portugal then I don’t expect anyone to dethrone him. Sam Merrill was a vital piece in the surprising run Utah State made last season in Craig Smith’s first season as head coach after being picked ninth in the preseason. Things have changed for the Aggies and they received nothing but respect this year, being predicted the unanimous first place finisher in the Mountain West and as of this week picked No.17 in the country to start the year from the Associated Press. Merill seems to get buckets effortlessly and it’s his scoring ability that draws double teams freeing up chances for his teammates to contribute. And when opponents catch on and forget to double team him, he’ll score.
The Aggies return four of their top five scorers from last season, but I don’t see any of the remaining three players passing Merill on any box score sheets. I do see all of them making improvements and jumps in production, but if someone were to catch Merill this year it would be sophomore center Neemas Queta who just looked more confident and more athletically gifted than his peers in the league last year. With a year under his belt and some time playing with the Portuguese national team over the summer where he was named to the all tournament team, I could see the big man who is already on the radar of NBA scouts making a greater impact alongside the preseason player of the year.
Others with a chance to dethrone him: So. C Neemas Queta (11.8 PPG in 35 GMS), Sr. G Diego Brito (8.2 PPG in 35 GMS), So. G Brock Miller (8.1 PPG in 35 GMS)
Wyoming
Last Year’s Leading Scorer: G Justin James (22.1 PPG in 32 GMS)
This year: Sr. G Jake Hendricks (10.8 PPG in 23 GMS)
Replacing the impact Justin James had at Wyoming will not be easy. Even though the team as a whole struggled with injuries and having enough scholarship players to fill a proper rotation at times, James’ play was stellar with several thirty point games and led the entire conference in scoring. It’s also hard to predict a clear cut favorite to replace James as the Cowboy’s leading scorer because the next three scorers on the roster struggled with injuries and inconsistent play the entire year.
Now the guy I picked to lead all scorers for the Cowboys is senior guard Jake Hendricks who averaged just over ten points a game last year but suffered an LCL injury that sidelined him and limited him to just twenty three games. Now this was enough to impress out staff and it landed him a spot on our 19-20 all Mountain West breakout list.
What impressed us was his ability to knock down the long range shots (40.6% FG3%). And convincingly so, having five games where he knocked down five or more three pointers. It would be nice for Wyoming fans and the conference if he and others come back at full strength and compete in a very different looking Mountain West.
Someone to also keep an eye on in Laramie is sophomore guard Hunter Maldonado who looked to be a credible second scoring option behind James last year before back spasms and an MCL sprain sidelined him for the season, where he appeared in just eight games. Depth and injuries obviously plagued this team last year and with James gone the Cowboys need someone to step up big time.
Others with a chance to lead the team: Hunter Maldonado (13.8 PPG in 8 GMS-back and knee injuries), So. F Hunter Thompson (8.8 PPG in 27 GMS)
Make sure to keep this article bookmarked to review the season’s results come April.
