Wolves Hot Start Earns Them A National Ranking

After a scorching start, the JJC Men’s Basketball team shows no signs of cooling off.

The Wolves won their first six games this year. Following an overtime loss to McHenry, they won their next two. At 8-1, they are very much in control of this season.

Their good start even earned them a Top 10 national ranking. In the Dec. 1 poll, the Wolves were ranked ninth in the Division III Men’s Basketball Rankings. This ranking has been clearly earned by the Wolves, who boast some impressive numbers this season.

They are averaging 86.1 points per game, while only surrendering 64.7. An average margin of victory of 21.4 points is a solid number. The Wolves even won by 43 points in a game against Prairie State on Nov. 10.

It is curious that they are allowing as many points per game as they are. Many of their defensive statistics rank near the top of the nation.

The Wolves actually lead the nation in opponent field goal percentage, allowing only 34 percent of their opponent’s shots to fall. They also rank in the top 10 in opponent three point percentage (25.8 percent) and blocks per game (5.2).

Sophomore guards Darius Wells and Kiwane Crowder have performed well defensively, averaging 2.3 and 2.2 steals per game respectively. These numbers rank 23rd and 25th in the nation.

Forwards Matt Hund and Patrick Kenny have played tough defense in the paint. Hund is blocking three shots in each contest, and his 21 total blocks rank sixth in the country. Kenny swats 1.4 shot per game.

The combination of interior and perimeter defense have allowed the Wolves to be one of the nation’s best overall defensive teams.

“I still like our defensive effort,” said head coach Joe Kuhn. “Our press has been very good for us.”

As well as the defense has performed, Kuhn anticipates more consistent offensive play moving forward in the season.

“It’s the time of year where your offensive system starts to take in,” Kuhn added. “I think we are running a little better as an offense as well.”

The improved offense shined on Nov. 30 against Trinity Christian University JV. In that game, the Wolves put up a season high 102 points.

“It’s been a couple of years since we scored that much,” said Kuhn. “We used to do it on a regular basis, but the last couple of years we’ve not shot the ball well. I just loved our effort.”

The offense has its share of strong performers. Sophomore guard Daymeann Stewart lead the Wolves with 18.3 points per game. He ranks 12th in the nation in three point field goals and 24^th in total points.

Freshman guard Robert Brooks has been one of the Wolves most consistent scorers. Brooks is averaging 11.6 points per game while shooting 44.9 percent from the field, and 47.6 percent from three point range.

Point guard Darius Wells has also been a very steady offensive contributor. He is third on the team in scoring and ranks 21st in the nation in total assists with 47.

Patrick Kenny and Kiwane Crowder are also averaging scoring in double figures each game. Kenny averages 11.3 points while shooting 50 percent from the field. Crowder is good for 11 points per game, while ranking 25th in the nation is assists.

As a team, the Wolves most impressive statistic may be their free throw percentage. It currently sits at 74.2 percent, which is ninth in the nation.

The Wolves have a tough stretch of their schedule coming up before the holidays, which will be a good test of their abilities. They have six road games in a row to close out the 2015 calendar year.

“We are really going to have to be sound in all facets of our game to win on the road against some tough teams,” said Kuhn.

If the Wolves continue to play at a consistently high level, they likely will stay in the top ten rankings for a good chunk of the season.