We take a look at who has been hot in the BBL during the month of January.
Scoring machines
January was a time when offence really came to the fore, as a staggering eight players managed to smash through the 20 points per game barrier – more than twice as many who achieved the feat during December, although it was perhaps skewed by a couple of players who only managed a solitary appearance for their respective clubs. Joe Chapman (Newcastle Eagles; pictured) was way out in front of everybody else with a lofty 28.7 per game, whilst Michael Ojo (UCP Marjon Plymouth Raiders) and Alex Owumi (Worcester Wolves) were the only two other players to break 25 points per game. They were followed by Bud Johnson (Worthing Thunder), Lee Reilly (City of Edinburgh Kings), Matt Schneck (UCP Marjon Plymouth Raiders), Chez Marks (Cheshire Phoenix) and Charles Smith (Newcastle Eagles) who all surpassed the 20 mark.
Sharp shooters
The offensive performance uplift continued when it came to sharp shooters too, with some six players all players managing to shoot the ball at a sparkling average of over 70%. Jamell Anderson (Jelson Homes DMU Leicester Riders) heads the list with 76.9%, helped by an excellent display in the BBL Cup Final. He is followed by Osemwegie Semi Eboigbe (Mersey Tigers) who shot 73.3%, David Watts (Manchester Giants) who converted 72.7%. Other players to excel were Mike Ringold (Galsgow Rocks), Joe Chapman (Newcastle Eagles) and Molten BBL Player of the Month for January, Ralph Bucci (Durham Wildcats).
Deadly from downtown
There was however a distinct drop off in players lighting it up from long-range compared to the previous month. Only veteran Julius Joseph (Surrey Heat) managed to attain a percentage of over 50% from three-point land, with an excellent 59.1% – although it wasn’t the best month for his team results-wise. Five other players broke into the 40% plus field and they were Joe Chapman (Newcastle Eagles), Alex Owumi (Worcester Wolves), Brad Guinane (Durham Wildcats), Mike Baldarelli (Durham Wildcats) and Zaire Taylor (Jelson Homes DMU Leicester Riders).
On the line
For the second successive month, Stefan Gill (Manchester Giants) went the entire period without missing a free-throw. After being a picture perfect ten of ten during December, he kept his run going with an even better 13 of 13 in January. Only Kai Williams (Worcester Wolves) managed to also post a flawless January from the charity stripe, making ten of ten. Once again in third place was Gareth Murray (Glasgow Rocks) who shot an outstanding 26 of 27, although unlike December, there were a total of nine players who all managed to pass the 90% landmark.
On the glass
Just three players managed to rack up double-digits on the glass during January after five had managed to do so in December. And, it was a Durham Wildcats one-two as Andrew Keister topped the chart with 12.2 per game and was followed by team-mate Ralph Bucci who had another incredible performance on the glass with 10.2 per game. Matt Schneck (UCP Marjon Plymouth Raiders) managed to pull down 10 rebounds per game to also make it into double-figures.
At the double
Matt Schneck (UCP Marjon Plymouth Raiders) certainly led the way when it came to registering a double-double month. He finished with a magnificent 22.8 points and 10 rebounds per game along with Wildcats’ duo Andrew Keister and Ralph Bucci; the former managing to harvest 15.6 points and 12.2 rebounds per game, and the latter accumulating 14.8 points and 10.2 boards per game.
Dishing it up
They say you never lose your class and that has certainly been the case with veteran Rod Brown (UCP Marjon Plymouth Raiders) who recently returned to British Basketball after a lengthy absence and made a huge impression by averaging an eye-catching and quite sublime 8.7 assists per game. Joe Chapman (Newcastle Eagles) showed that whilst he turned his scoring production up to the top level during January, it wasn’t at the expense of his team mates with a terrific 7.7 per game. And, in a stellar month for playmakers, Ralph Bucci (Durham Wildcats) dished up 6.4 per game whilst Gabe Haskins (Cheshire Phoenix) and Chavis Holmes (Surrey Heat) were the other two players to hand out at least five assists per game.
Steal merchants
There’s still a man named Holmes from Surrey Heat at the top of our leaderboard when it comes to the quickest hands in the BBL, although surprisingly, it isn’t usual suspect Chavis Holmes but the recently departed Travis Holmes. He came up with a majestic 4.7 steals per game whilst his namesake was demoted to second spot with 3.0 per game. Rod Brown (UCP Marjon Plymouth Raiders) showed he still has what it takes defensively as well as offensively, with 2.7 per game.
The swatters
After moving into our swatting chart during December the first time, Adrien Sturt (London Lions) raised his blocking game even further with a phenomenal four blocks per game in January! That knocked former ‘Block-King’ Alif Bland (Cheshire Phoenix) off his usual top spot although he still came up with 2.7 per game. Stan Ocitti (Worcester Wolves) was the only other player to grab two or more per game.
Scoring
G
FG
3FG
FT
PTS
Avg
Joe Chapman
NE
3
10
19
9
86
28.7
Michael Ojo
PR
2
16
3
10
51
25.5
Alex Owumi
WW
3
12
13
12
75
25.0
Bud Johnston
WT
1
7
1
6
23
23.0
Lee Reilly
EK
1
5
1
10
23
23.0
Field Goal %
G
FG
FGA
Pct
Jamell Anderson
LR
4
10
13
0.769
Osemwegie Semi Eboigbe
MT
4
11
15
0.733
David Watts
MG
4
16
22
0.727
Michael Ringgold
GR
5
20
28
0.714
Joe Chapman
NE
3
10
14
0.714
Three Pt FG %
G
3Pt
3PA
Pct
Julius Joseph
SH
6
13
22
0.591
Joe Chapman
NE
3
19
42
0.452
Alex Owumi
WW
3
13
30
0.433
Brad Guinane
DW
5
18
42
0.429
Mike Baldarelli
DW
5
15
37
0.405
Free Throw %
G
FT
FTA
Pct
Stefan Gill
MG
4
13
13
1.000
Kai Williams
WW
3
10
10
1.000
Gareth Murray
GR
5
26
27
0.963
Demetrius Jemison
SS
5
16
17
0.941
Andrew Lasker
PR
4
15
16
0.938
Rebounding
G
Off
Def
Reb
Avg
Andrew Keister
DW
5
16
45
61
12.2
Ralph Bucci
DW
5
17
34
51
10.2
Matthew Schneck
PR
4
11
29
40
10.0
Michael Tuck
SS
5
16
31
47
9.4
Charles Smith
NE
3
7
21
28
9.3
Assists
G
Asst
Avg
Rod Brown
PR
3
26
8.7
Joe Chapman
NE
3
23
7.7
Ralph Bucci
DW
5
32
6.4
Gabrielle Haskins
CP
3
17
5.7
Chavis Holmes
SH
5
25
5.0
Steals
G
Stls
Avg
Travis Williams
SH
3
14
4.7
Chavis Holmes
SH
5
15
3.0
Rod Brown
PR
3
8
2.7
Damon Huffman
NE
3
7
2.3
Ralph Bucci
DW
5
10
2.0
Blocks
G
Blks
Avg
Adrien Sturt
LL
3
12
4.0
Alif Bland
CP
3
8
2.7
Stanley Ocitti
WW
3
6
2.0
Kareem Maddox
NE
3
5
1.7
Donald Robinson
GR
5
7
1.4
