skip navigation

CoBL D-II Power Rankings: Nov. 30, 2015

11/30/2015, 9:00am EST
By Josh Verlin

Josh Verlin (@jmverlin)
--

Here are the top five area Division II teams, consisting of squads from the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference (CACC) South Division and the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) East Division.

As we didn’t do a preseason rankings, these are the debut rankings for the 2015-16 season; they’ll be updated every two weeks:

5. Kutztown Golden Bears
Record: 3-1 (2-1 PSAC)
Last Two Weeks: vs. SUNY-ESF (W, 120-54), vs. Cheyney (W, 105-83), @ Edinboro (W, 92-82), @ Mercyhurst (L, 71-70 OT)
Star Watch: Josh Johnson (Jr./F)--15.8 ppg, 9.3 rpg

Update: The Golden Bears have gotten a big boost from the return of Ryan Connolly. The 6-6 forward redshirted a year ago; after averaging 9.8 ppg and 4.0 rpg in 2013-14 as a sophomore, he’s putting up 16.8 ppg and 5.3 rpg as a redshirt junior, shooting 52.2 percent (12-of-23) from 3-point territory. Johnson, a 6-8 combo forward, was expected to be a big piece, while sophomore guard Ethan Ridgeway (13.5 ppg, 3.0 rpg) has been a pleasant surprise, adding 10 ppg to his average from a year ago.

Next Two Weeks: @ Millersville (Dec. 1, 7:30 PM), vs. Pitt-Johnstown (Dec. 4, 7:30 PM), vs. Indiana (Pa.) (Dec. 5, 4 PM), vs. Penn State-Berks (Dec. 12, 5 PM)

4. East Stroudsburg Warriors
Record: 5-1 (2-1 PSAC)
Last Two Weeks: @ Le Moyne (W, 85-62), @ Saint Rose (W, 94-86), vs. Shippensburg (W, 85-61), @ Indiana (Pa.) (L, 82-73), @ Seton Hill (W, 82-71), vs. Penn State-Lehigh Valley (W, 121-61)
Star Watch: Will Brown (Sr./G)--15.3 ppg, 2.3 rpg, .452 3pt%

Update: East Stroudsburg hasn’t really missed a beat despite the graduations of two All-Americans from its backcourt, losing a tough road game at IUP but otherwise looking very good over the season’s first two weeks and change. Freshman point guard Najee Walls (La Salle HS) is averaging 7.4 ppg and 6.2 apg, including a double-double against Seton Hill with 13 points and 11 assists, both his best numbers so far. Brown is leading the team in scoring and is one of four Warriors in double figures; junior forward Steve Harris has taken a nice step up as well, averaging 13.0 ppg and 9.3 rpg.

Next Two Weeks: @ Bloomsburg (Dec. 1, 7:30 PM), vs. Edinboro (Dec. 4, 7:30 PM), vs. Mercyhurst (Dec. 5, 4:00 PM)

3. Holy Family Tigers
Record: 4-2 (1-0 CACC)
Last Two Weeks: @ Roberts Wesleyan (W, 79-61), @ Daemen (W, 89-86), @ Georgian Court (W, 92-73), @ Southern New Hampshire (L, 74-69), @ Merrimack (L, 89-74), vs. Bentley (W, 77-61)
Star Watch: Isaiah Gans (Sr./F)--16.8 ppg, 8.7 rpg

Update: Holy Family had a chance to earn a split against the two NE-10 teams last weekend but couldn’t find its shot against SNHU, making just 6-of-31 (19.4 percent) from 3-point territory; as a team, the Tigers’ 30 percent mark from beyond the arc is a few percentage points shy of where it was last year. Gans, a 6-8 senior, is one of four Tigers players in double figures, all seniors: Reggie Charles (14.3 ppg), Marvin Crawford (13.7 ppg) and Derrick Stewart (12.5 ppg). Stewart, who came over from Rider a few years back, is averaging 11.7 rpg, good enough for 16th in the country in Division II.

Next Two Weeks: vs. Goldey-Beacom (Dec. 2, 8 PM), @ USciences (Dec. 5, 3:30 PM), vs. Southern Connecticut State (Dec. 7, 7 PM), vs. Philadelphia University (Dec. 10, 7 PM)

2. Philadelphia University Rams
Record: 6-1 (1-1 CACC)
Last Two Weeks: vs. Franklin Pierce (W, 80-75 OT), vs. Dist. Columbia (W, 77-64), vs. USciences (L, 60-55), @ Merrimack (W, 88-78), @ Southern N.H. (W, 67-61), vs. Georgian Court (W, 81-69), vs. Lock Haven (W, 61-50)
Star Watch: Peter Alexis (Sr./F)--18.6 ppg, 8.3 rpg, 2.4 bpg

Update: Despite losing two seniors during the preseason, including starting point guard Andre Gibbs to a knee injury, the Rams have started the season off extremely well; not listed above was a win over La Salle in an exhibition game. Picking off NE-10 squads Merrimack and Southern New Hampshire on the road in back-to-back games was an impressive feat; only a loss to USciences at home kept them from the top spot on the list. Sophomore guard Kaison Randolph is playing well as a full-time starter after seeing some action as a freshman, he’s second on the team in scoring (17.0 ppg) to the 6-11 Alexis while shooting just over 35 percent from 3-point range.

Next Two Weeks: vs. Goldey-Beacom (Dec. 5, 4 PM), @ Wilmington (Dec. 8, 8 PM), @ Holy Family (Dec. 10, 7 PM), @ Chestnut Hill (Dec. 12, 3 PM)

1. West Chester Rams
Record: 5-0 (3-0 PSAC)
Last Two Weeks: vs. Gwynedd Mercy (W, 94-93), vs. Lock Haven (W, 85-58), @ Pitt-Johnstown (W, 88-82), @ Indiana (Pa.) (W, 86-76), @ Bowie State (W, 80-68)
Star Watch: Matt Wisely (Sr./F)--15.0 ppg, 11.8 rpg, .568 FG%

Update: The Rams make their debut at the top of the poll thanks to an undefeated start to the season, including an impressive weekend sweep at Pitt-Johnstown and Indiana (Pa.) the weekend before Thanksgiving. And they’re doing it with a freshman backcourt: Malik Jackson (Penn Wood) is leading the team in scoring at 18.5 ppg, shooting 42.6 percent from the field, while Matt Penecale (Abington) is averaging 7.0 apg. There’s a good chance WCU stays in this position for a little while: after a trip to Shippensburg on Tuesday, the Rams won’t play off their campus again until Jan. 6, after six straight games at home.

Next Two Weeks: @ Shippensburg (Dec. 1, 8 PM), vs. Slippery Rock (Dec. 4, 7:30 PM), vs. Edinboro (Dec. 5, 4 PM)

~~~

Also under consideration: Bloomsburg (4-2, 2-0 PSAC), Lock Haven (5-2, 1-2 PSAC), Shippensburg (4-2, 1-2 PSAC), USciences (3-3, 1-0 CACC), Wilmington (4-3, 0-0 CACC)


Recruiting News:

HS Coverage:

Tag(s): Home  Division II  Josh Verlin  Events