In basketball, nearly every young player grows up hoping to become the next big star. After years of watching college and professional basketball, most kids still ultimately lack an understanding of the ability required to succeed in athletics. The grassroots level is a prime example of this notion. So many kids are fixated on Division I sports without realizing that Division II and Division III programs (especially in this area) are littered with talented players and provide a high-level product on the court.
Currently, three teams from the ODAC are ranked in the top ten of Division III: Randolph-Macon, Guilford, and Hampden-Sydney. Given their respective historical relevance, this should come as no surprise to anyone who follows the landscape. However, let’s take a closer look the top-ranked team in the country, Hampden-Sydney, and attempt to uncover the secret of their success.
The Tigers have earned their position in several ways. It’s easy to look at their record (17-1) and connect the dots, though it doesn’t necessarily depict the entire story. Hampden-Sydney has dethroned two top-ranked teams (John Carroll and Christopher Newport) while suffering their only loss to Guilford College (listed eighth in the latest polls, per D3hoops.com). The deeper we dive into the raw numbers, the more impressive it becomes. Through 18 games, this group is beating opponents by an average of 15.7 points. They’ve only had six games (including their loss) where they’ve won by less than ten points. Furthermore, the Tigers are the ODAC’s top passing and three-point shooting team, and also rank within the top five of every statistical measure across the league.
It’s clear that this group is enjoying a lot of team success, but which individuals are responsible for this rapid rise? Beyond Coach Kimbrough, Coach Gibson, and Coach Long, there’s a slew of noteworthy players on the roster. Their core five of Davidson Hubbard, Adam Brazil, Ryan Clements, Alex Elliott, and Josiah Hardy has started every game this season. In addition, guys like Chase Turner, DJ Wright, Miles Harris, Shane Fernald, and Ayman McGowan provide a ton of quality minutes off the bench. Each player listed brings real value to this team, but there’s something unique about how the stars aligned—especially with eight of their ten being seniors or fifth-year players.
Fresh off earning ODAC Player of the Week honors, Hubbard has been an obvious difference-maker for the Tigers. He’s currently averaging 15.4 PPG, 7.7 RPG, and 0.9 SPG with 48/37/82 shooting splits. His constant scoring production (and efficiency) noticeably stands out. Within the league, he’s ninth in scoring, sixth in rebounding, eleventh in field goal percentage, and fourteenth in three-pointers per game.
Their point guard, Brazil, thrived as a poised floor general for the entirety of his high school career. That’s only continued as he’s blossomed at the collegiate level. Arguably the most valuable piece to their structure, Brazil is averaging 13.1 PPG, 2.8 RPG, 3.9 APG, and 0.9 SPG with 45/41/85 shooting splits. If it felt like Hubbard was ranked in a lot of categories, buckle up. Across the ODAC, Brazil is third in assists, second in A/TO ratio, fourth in three-point percentage, eighth in three-pointers per game, thirteenth in points, and nineteenth in field goal percentage. He also sits at #24 throughout Division III basketball in A/TO ratio.
Rounding out their trio of double-digit scorers, Clements has been incredibly productive in his 24.8 MPG. He’s posting nightly averages of 12.0 PPG, 4.4 RPG, 3.4 APG, 1.7 SPG while shooting 50% from the floor and 82% from the line. Clements ranks sixth in steals, eighth in field goal percentage, eighth in assists, eighth in A/TO ratio, eleventh in free-throw percentage, and eighteenth in points across the league.
Additionally, their other two starters, Elliott and Hardy, excel within their respective roles. Elliott is a knockdown shooter (45% from beyond the arc) who provides a nice scoring punch and rebounding presence. Meanwhile, Hardy does a phenomenal job of rebounding, forcing turnovers, and imposing his will from anywhere inside 15 feet.
Although it might feel like the perfect storm, everything has gone according to plan for Coach Kimbrough and the Tigers. The timeline, cohesion, and array of veteran pieces is a massive part of what makes this group so special. For those wondering about the legitimacy or competitiveness of non-Division I athletics, it would be worthwhile to watch Hampden-Sydney and follow their road as real championship contenders.
