Men's Basketball Ranks 18th in January 22 NABC Division III Poll

by Sports Information
1/22/03

LANCASTER, PA - The Franklin & Marshall College men’s basketball team received 24 votes to rank 18th in the January 22 National Association of Basketball Coaches Division III Poll.

Ranked #19 in the D3Hoops.com poll, the Diplomats are one of two Centennial Conference team to receive national recognition as Johns Hopkins (11-3, 2-1 Centennial Conference) is ranked 24th.

One of the most successful intercollegiate basketball programs in Division III history, Franklin & Marshall is off to an 13-2 start following wins over Lebanon Valley (75-70) and Gettysburg (63-52) last week.

Leading the Diplomats has been senior forward/guard Asaf Ganot (Sr., Tenafly, NJ/Tenafly) who was named to the Centennial Conference Honor Roll on January 20.

In a 2-1 week for F&M, Ganot averaged 10.6 points, 7.0 rebounds, 3.0 assists, 3.3 blocks and 2.3 steals.

Versus Ursinus in an 83-82, he had 14 points, three assists and five blocks to lead the Diplomats' offense. Against Gettysburg, he added 10 points, seven rebounds and four blocks as the Diplomats improved to 13-2, 3-1 in the Centennial Conference to remain in first place in the Western Division.

For his career, Ganot now has 388 points, 358 rebounds, 163 assists, 94 blocks and 123 steals in 81 games.

On the season, Ganot ranks among the Centennial Conference leaders in rebounding (8.5, sixth), assists (4.07, fifth), steals (1.53, 10th), blocked shots (1.73, third), assist/turnover ratio (3.21, first), offensive rebounds (3.07, sixth) and defensive rebounds (5.47, fifth).

As a team the Diplomats rank among the CC's best in scoring offense (87.3, first), scoring defense (65.0, first), scoring margin (+22.3, first), free throw percentage (.705, fourth), field goal percentage (.498, first), field goal percentage defense (.401, first), three-point field goal percentage (.411, first), three-point field goal percentage defense (.305, first), rebounding offense (42.7, first), rebounding defense (33.6, second), rebounding margin (+9.1, first), blocked shots (7.13, first), assists (17.80, first), steals (9.73, first), turnover margin (+4.07, first), assist/turnover ratio (1.22, first), offensive rebounds (14.40, second), defensive rebounds (28.27, second) and three point field goals made (7.07) per game.

On a national level, F&M is ranked in scoring offense (87.3 ppg, 10th), scoring margin (22.3 ppg, fourth), field goal percentage (49.8, 15th), three-point field goal percentage (41.1, 18th), rebound margin (9.1 rpg, eighth) and winning percentage (86.7, 16th) in the latest NCAA statistics.

Individually, guard Jackiem Wright (Jr., Sicklerville, NJ/Moorestown Friends) is ranked 16th in three-point field goal percentage (45.5 percent, 45-of-99), while center Steve Juskin (Jr., East Hanover, NJ/Hanover Park) rates fourth in the NCAA with 3.3 blocked shots per game (50 in 15 games).

Overall, Juskin recorded the third best performance in NCAA Division III during the 2002-03 season when he blocked eight shots versus Lincoln University of Pennsylvania on January 4.

The Diplomats (13-2, 3-1 Centennial Conference) will continue the 100th season of intercollegiate men's basketball at Franklin & Marshall on January 22 at Lincoln University. Game time is set for 7:00 p.m. in Lincoln, Pennsylvania.

NABC 2002-03 Division III National Poll
Rank Team Record Pts.
1 Washington (Mo.) 14-0 137
2 Hampden-Sydney 14-0 132
3 Williams 13-0 123
4 Wooster 14-1 118
5 St. Thomas 12-2 101
6 DeSales 12-1 100
7 Nazareth 11-2 91
8 Randolph Macon 14-1 89
9 Wm. Patterson 13-2 87
10 Rochester 13-1 83
11 Catholic 13-2 71
12 Wisconsin-Stevens Point 15-1 67
13 Capital 12-3 58
14 Lawrence 11-1 38
15 Albion 14-2 33
16 Amherst 12-2 32
17 Ramapo 13-2 27
18 Franklin & Marshall 13-2 24
19 Rockford 16-2 17
20 Hanover 15-1 10

Others receiving votes: Montclair State, Whitworth, Hamilton, Johns Hopkins, Maryville, Babson