BGSU men’s basketball is just over halfway through their season—having played 17 games with 14 remaining—and are in the midst of their longest remaining break on their schedule.
This timing makes it the perfect time to give midterm grades to each player on the roster. The grades are a combination of the player’s amount of opportunity, performance and expectations coming into the season.
Jaxon Pardon — N/A
Pardon is one of two players who have not seen the court this season. Therefore, it’s impossible to give him a grade.
Jason Kimbrough Jr. — C-
After earning National Junior Collegiate Athletic Association (NJCAA) All-America Honorable Mention honors last season at Highland, Kimbrough has been unable to make the same impact so far at Bowling Green.
Kimbrough has played in just eight games, averaging 3.8 points, 1.9 assists and 10.6 minutes per game, while shooting 38.1% from the field and 36.4% on 3-pointers.
The speedy 6-foot guard has shown potential, but has not received consistent playing time or worked himself into any rotation, slotting himself just above the D-tier to a C-.
Javontae Campbell — A+
Campbell has been hands down the best player on the team, and one of the best players in the Mid-American Conference (MAC) this season.
He leads the country in steals per game (3.4), while ranking fourth in the MAC in points per game (17.9) and fifth in assists per game (4.7).
Campbell has been the key factor in numerous wins this year, including his 47-point masterpiece in the team’s one-point overtime win against UMass. It’s hard to imagine what the Falcons would look like without Campbell.
The senior guard has overperformed lofty expectations and deserves the highest grade available, an A+.
Makhi Leach — C
Leach is still in his developmental phase, trying to figure out the college level in real-time on the court, receiving the most playing time out of the team’s freshmen with 11.5 minutes per game in 14 contests.
To his credit, the Toledo, Ohio, native has worked his way into the backend of BG’s guard rotation, and averaged 4.4 points per game on 47.8% shooting. However, he has struggled with perimeter shooting, making just one of 14 3-point attempts.
The 6-foot-2 guard has plenty of potential and athletic ability, and can certainly become a solid rotational piece for the team during the back-half of the season; however, at this point, he has not earned higher than a C.
Shackelford has been a very solid player for the Falcons, starting seven games and playing over 20 minutes per contest.
The sophomore is one of the more consistent offensive pieces, ranking third on the team in field goal percentage for players with at least 40 shot attempts (50%) and 3-pointers made (19), along with scoring the fourth-most points per game (11.2). He has also tallied 11 double-digit performances in 17 games, including two 20-point games.
Last year’s Peach Belt Conference Freshman of the Year has lived up to expectations, earning himself a solid B.
Greg Spurgin — N/A
Spurgin is the other player who has not appeared this season, and therefore, receives no grade.
Mayar Wol — A
Just like Shackelford, Wol has lived up to expectations. The only difference is last year’s Atlantic Sun Conference Sixth Man of the Year has also exceed his expectations as one of the team’s latest additions.
After being a solid bench piece for most of the early part of the season, the junior forward has flourished since being moved into the starting lineup, averaging 18.7 points and 5 rebounds per game while shooting 53.3% from the field and 50% on 3-pointers in his three games as a starter. On the season, he ranks third on the Falcons with 12.7 points per game and fifth in the MAC with 45.1% shooting from deep.
Wol has also added tremendous defense with his 6-foot-8 frame, ranking second on the team with 23 steals and fourth with six blocks, becoming a pivotal piece of the team’s effective zone and full-court press defenses.
The Raleigh, North Carolina, native is emerging as one of the team’s most important players, which results in an A.
The walk-on freshman guard is one of many players who has not received much playing time, averaging just 2.4 minutes per game in five contests.
Due to his lack of impact—only four total rebounds, three assists and two points—he falls into the D tier.
Javon Ruffin — B
Ruffin has been another solid contributor for Bowling Green, starting in 10 of 16 games played and averaging 25.5 minutes per game.
He has been the team’s second best perimeter threat, draining 30 3-pointers at a 37% clip. He has also been the group’s best free throw shooter, making 87.5% of his attempts at the charity stripe.
Overall, the senior guard has been one of the team’s effective rotational pieces, averaging 9.6 points, 2.9 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 1.3 steals per game.
However, an elevated level of expectations coming from the Big 12 (Colorado) and some offensive inconsistency—three games with only two points—keeps Ruffin from anything higher than a B.
Mohamed Maxamud — D
Maxamud has only played 14 minutes across five games this season, scoring seven points and grabbing five rebounds.
While he has seen more action on the court than last season, Maxamud’s lack of extended playing time keeps him in the D tier.
Preston Squire — F
Squire has played just 20 minutes in four games this year, tallying four points and three rebounds.
This season has been a major disappointment for the 6-foot-11 forward, who played in 18 games and was at the back-end of the forward rotation last season.
The reason squire gets an F while the other players with limited playing time—Dedivanaj, Maxamud and Adem—get a D, is unlike the others, Squire came into the season with the expectation of finding a role in the forward rotation, which he has not been able to do.
Sam Towns — A
Towns is having the best season of his collegiate career, ranking sixth in the MAC with 37 offensive rebounds and 10th with 6.5 rebounds per game. The 6-foot-9 senior forward also ranks second on the Falcons with a career-high 12.9 points per game.
The Columbus, Ohio, native has also improved his overall offensive game, improving his shooting. Towns is shooting 33.3% on 3-pointers and ranks fourth on the team with 18 3-pointers made. He is still a great defender, adding 22 steals and seven blocks.
Outside of Campbell, Towns has been the most important players for the Falcons this season, deserving an A.
Camden Karel — C
Similar to Leach, a fellow freshman, Karel is still trying to find his footing and role at the Division I level.
Karel has played 7.8 minutes per game in 12 contests, averaging 3.0 points and 1.8 rebounds per game, while shooting an efficient 66.7% (14-21) from the floor.
Like Leach, Karel has the potential to be a solid role and rotational piece come MAC Tournament time, but he has not shown enough to be graded higher than a C.
Troy Glover II — C+
Glover has been solid this season, averaging 6.5 points and 4.6 rebounds per game on an efficient 62.7% shooting from the field, along with 18 blocks and 16 steals.
However, 6-foot-10 forward has not lived up to the monster expectations of being an elite rim protector and dominant interior presence on offense and the boards.
Glover’s play does not deserve a C+—on play alone, he would probably be graded a B. However, his play weighted against the major expectations of him coming into the season drags his grade down.
Justin Thomas — B+
Thomas is the team’s do-it-all player, who does a lot of the dirty work and fills the box score each night.
The senior guard is averaging 6.2 points, 3.4 rebounds and 3.4 assists, 1.3 steals and 0.5 blocks per game, while shooting 48.6% from the floor and 38.5% on 3-pointers.
Thomas has only scored double-figures three times this season, but he has been one of the most well-rounded players and a consistent starter that has helped set the tone for the team, earning a B+ grade.
Alijah Adem — D
Adem has played only 17 minutes across five games, recording just four points, two rebounds and one assist, while shooting 1-for-5 from the field.
The freshman guard gets a D, the same tier as Dedivanaj and Maxamud, as he just has not had enough playing time to justify a higher grade.
Aiden Goins — C-
Goins has been alright this season, averaging 5.1 points and 1.0 rebound per game in 11 contests.
However, if you take away his 24-point performance against Aquinas, Goins would be averaging just 3.2 points per game.
The 6-foot-9 forward seemed to fit the mold of a Marcus Johnson replacement, but has not come close to meeting preseason expectations, resulting in a C- grade.
