March Madness is almost upon us, and this season of NCAA college basketball has been eventful. From rising stars to dominant grad students, this season has had it all so far, and one can only hope that the excitement continues throughout the remainder.
At first glance, the standings may not jump out as very surprising. Auburn remains at the number one spot as they have for the vast majority of the year. Led by Center Johni Broome, the Auburn Tigers are having a historic year and are the favorites to win the NCAA tournament. “The Tigers are really dominating the league this year. They’ve only lost two games!” Says HHS 10th grader Teddy Lambert. They are known for their relentless effort on the offensive glass and defensive intensity. One of their two losses was at the hands of the number two seeded Duke Blue Devils. The Devils have also been dominant this year, with a suffocating zone defense and several freshman stars, including the one and only Cooper Flagg. However, two important members of the team, Tyrese Proctor and Malik Brown, have suffered injuries, which may hinder their chances of taking the coveted number 1 spot.
Looking down in the standings, the defending champion UConn Huskies are nowhere to be found! They have had a rough season, to say the least. Losing a majority of their starting lineup has taken a toll on their production offensively, but especially defensively. The loss of their primary wing defender, Stephon Castle, and their rim protector, Donovan Clingan, has been catastrophic for their defense. Along with several controversies from coach Dan Hurley, this has been a season the Huskies would rather forget. Some other surprises from the standings are the Florida Gators at number three, St. John’s at number seven, Memphis at 18 (lead by alumni and former NBA star coach Penny Hardaway), Louisville at number 19, Purdue at number 20 (after losing their best player), and Saint Mary’s at number 23.
As well as dominant teams, this season boasts one of the most talented freshman classes in recent memory. Although there are numerous freshman phenoms, Cooper Flagg stands out as the most impressive. At six-foot-nine, this forward leads his team in every statistical category. That’s right, every statistic. Along with being a Swiss Army Knife on offense, he especially shines on defense, being able to guard all positions one through five. Freshman from HHS Pedro Muzel-Damin speaks highly of Flagg: “He is really everything a coach wants from a player.” In addition to Flagg, two freshmen from Rutgers also have high expectations, Dylan Harper and Ace Bailey. Ace Bailey, while not having the best season in terms of analytics, has received Kevin Durant comparisons, and his expectations for the NBA are high. His skill and ball-handling ability at six foot-ten has NBA scouts drooling. His teammate, Dylan Harper, has had the better statistical season. Harper shoots the lights out from all three levels and is also an exceptional playmaker. Both players lock down on defense; however, they are not on a winning team and likely won’t get to show off their talent in March Madness.
