College Basketball: 7 Freshmen Flying Under the Radar

Which college basketball freshman are flying under the radar?

The 2014-15 college basketball season is less than a month old and among the nation’s premier teams, there’s a number of highly-touted freshman. While most know about Duke’s Jahlil Okafor, Kentucky’s Devin Booker or Texas’ Myles Turner, there are a number of very talented freshmen who haven’t received much national acclaim. Here’s a look at those players:

Sean Sellers, F Ball State

Ball State isn’t exactly regarded as a basketball power, but what Sean Sellers has been able to do early on this season has been downright impressive. Sellers is averaging 19.5 points-per-game and leads the Cardinals in assists with more than 3 per game. Sellers has been very efficient as well, shooting 57 percent from the field, a remarkable 63 percent from beyond the arc and 90 percent from the charity stripe. In his first collegiate game against a ranked Utah team, Sellers scored 26 points on 8-for-13 shooting.

Gary Clark, F Cincinnati

Despite its rich basketball history, Cincinnati has been largely overlooked early on this season. The Bearcats have not been overly impressive, but are the only undefeated team in the America Athletic Conference. While most know what Octvaius Ellis can do down low, he’s had plenty of help from 6’7″ freshman Gary Clark. Clark has not put up ridiculous numbers, but has been relentless on the block. Clark averages just 7 points, but is grabbing 7.5 rebounds and almost a pair of blocked shots each night. He’s also shooting 52 percent from the field.

B.J. Tyson, G East Carolina

It hasn’t been the smoothest start for East Carolina in the American Athletic Conference, but freshman guard B.J. Tyson has been nothing short of outstanding. While shooting better than 51 percent from the field, Tyson is averaging nearly 17 points-per-game and is grabbing almost five rebounds. Over his last two games against Fresno State and Hawaii, Tyson has combined to score 48 points while shooting 61 percent from the field.

Xavier Rathan-Mayes, G Florida State

Florida State guard Xavier Rathan-Mayes is a redshirt freshman after being academically ineligible last season, but is starting to show why he was Leonard Hamilton’s most prized recruit of last season. With the FSU starting backcourt of Aaron Thomas and Devon Bookert each nursing injuries, Rathan-Mayes has begun to make the most of his minutes. Rathan-Mayes is averaging over 13 points-per-game, but has scored 48 over his last two games which includes a 26-point effort in which he shot 8-for-9 from the field in the Seminoles’ win over The Citadel on Tuesday.

Wesley Person, G Troy

The son of longtime NBA sharpshooter and former Auburn star Wesley Person Sr., Troy freshman guard Wesley Person Jr. looks to be following in his father’s footsteps. Person could improve his field goal percentage, but from downtown, he’s been lethal. Person is averaging nearly 17 points-per-game and poured in 25 points while knocking down five threes in a 74-64 loss to Ole Miss earlier in the season. He’s scored in double-figures in each of his first four collegiate games.

Jakob Poeltl, C Utah

He’s not quite Andrew Bogut yet, but Utah freshman center Jakob Poeltl has been a force down low. At 7’0″, the Austrian is averaging better than 9 points-per-game on 60 percent shooting, but Poeltl is doing his best work without the basketball. Poeltl has grabbed at least 10 rebounds in three of the Utes’ first four games and is averaging three blocked shots per contest. In a narrow 53-49 loss to a ranked San Diego State team earlier in the season, Poeltl finished with 12 boards and a remarkable 7 blocked shots.

Trevon Bluiett, F Xavier

Xavier freshman forward Trevon Bluiett was a big time recruit out of high school, but is not getting nearly the recognition that Booker or Okafor, although he’s arguably been better. In four games this season, Bluiett is shooting 65 percent and averaging 18.3 points-per-game. Though the undefeated Musketeers haven’t played the greatest of competition yet, the freshman has scored at least 16 points in every game. Bluiett is also averaging better than five rebounds each time out and is shooting a remarkable 53 percent from downtown.