The Atlantic 10 Conference is not one I care about much, other than I always root for state of Virginia teams, and the University of Richmond is in the A-10. Although to be honest, Richmond is one of my least favorite state schools, mostly because of knowing the type of people who go there, but they're having one of their better years ever this year, actually cracking the Top 25 and staying there and being set for an at-large bid to the NCAA tournament. The A-10 seems to usually have one team that's in an upswing, and then Temple who is always at least okay. Beyond that, it's just fourteen colleges that make up the Atlantic-10 (yeah, I know). Here are the top fourteen scoring machines from the previous four Atlantic 10 tournaments...
#1: Ahmad Nivins (St. Joseph's forward; 132 points in Atlantic 10 tourneys '06-'09) - Last year's Atlantic 10 Player of the Year and All-American honorable mentionee tried to get a shot at the NBA through summer leagues galore, but ended up Spain playing for Basquet Manresa, only to have his first professional season cut short in December by injury.
#2: Pat Calathes (St. Joseph's guard/forward; 123 points in Atlantic 10 tourneys '06-'08) - Greek-American fucker did well at St. Joseph's (has a prominent basketball brother named Nick as well) and now is a star in his motherland country for Costa Cafe Marousi BC.
#3: Dionte Christmas (Temple guard; 120 points in Atlantic 10 tourneys '07-'09) - Oh man, I remember watching a game or two where this Christmas kid would go crazy and score like 30 points, or just completely become the entire offense and there was nothing anybody could do. Went out as A-10 tournament MVP last year, and an All-American honorably mentioned guy. Hit the big NBA summer leagues last summer, and played with the 76ers during the preseason, but landed in Israel, starting for Hapouel Afula. I think every Israeli team can have three or four foreigners, and it's considered a strong launching spot back into the NBA. Or it pays well, which would go against conventional wisdom.
#4: Leemire Goldwire (Charlotte guard; 107 points in Atlantic 10 tourneys '06-'08) - Possesses a very fluid name that I am going to name a character in some sort of bullshit after at some point in my life. Played in Greece, and then won a Bulgarian Cup with PBC Lukoil Akademik Sophia, and now is back in America on the Sioux Falls Skyforce of the D-League.
#5: Rob Ferguson (St. Joseph's forward; 106 points in Atlantic 10 tourneys '06-'08) - Solid role player for St. Joe's for a number of years, now in Germany on the Noerdingen Giants.
#6: Mark Tyndale (Temple guard; 106 points in Atlantic 10 tourneys '06-'08) - Post-college, spent some time in Australia's league, playing for the Adelaide 36ers, then came back to America to play for the Iowa Energy of the NBA D-League. Got some preseason activity with the Milwaukee Bucks this year, but is back at Iowa, hoping for a 10-day contract.
#7: Stanley Burrell (Xavier guard; 103 points in Atlantic 10 tourneys '06-'08) - Along with Josh Duncan, part of the driving force that took Xavier to the elite eight in 2008. Post-Xavier, Burrell's had workouts for six different NBA teams, but spent last year in both Bosnia and the D-League with the Austin Toros, and now is starring in Belgium for VOO Verviers-Pepinster.
#8: James Baron (Rhode Island guard; 97 points in Atlantic 10 tourneys '06-'09) - All-A10 last year, one of those close-cropped hair like a fadecut whiteboys that you never know if they're actually white or Puerto Rican or something, like Dru Ha from the Boot Camp Clique, who could always get the pussy because he told them he was Spanish. Now the young Mr. Baron is in Turkey, running the offense for Mersin Buyuksehir Belediyesi.
#9: Aaron Jackson (Duquesne guard; 96 points in Atlantic 10 tourneys '07-'09) - Senior leader of last year's Duquesne team that made a run to the Atlantic 10 title game in the tournament, he now plays the balls for Antalya in Turkey.
#10: Bryant Dunston (Fordham forward/center; 95 points in Atlantic 10 tourneys '06-'08) - After an up-and-down career at A-10 second-tier team Fordham, he's played a couple years in the Korean Basketball League, starring for Mobis Phoebus.
#11: Tasheed Carr (St. Joseph's guard; 88 points in Atlantic 10 tourneys '08 and '09) - You talk about a basketball vagabond... Carr actually played two years at Iowa State before transferring back home to Philadelphia to play for St. Joseph's. After college eligibility was done up, he played in a Spanish summer league, did a stint in the high profile Israeli Premier League, and then moved on to starring for the Jilin Northeast Tigers in the Chinese CBA.
#12: Ryan Brooks (Temple guard; 88 points in Atlantic 10 tourneys '07-'09) - Still in college; will speak upon him tomorrow.
#13: Tommie Liddell (Saint Louis guard; 87 points in Atlantic 10 tourneys '06-'09) - Tommie Liddell has taken his handsome doe-eyed smile and dangling braided hair down to Uruguay where he starts for a team called Bohemios. I imagine life is pretty good for a young Tommie Liddell.
#14: Josh Duncan (Xavier forward; 86 points in Atlantic 10 tourneys '06-'08) - Just like former teammate Stanley Burrell, he's had multiple NBA workouts, and now plays in Belgium, for Belgacom Liege Basket. I wonder if they have an apartment together over there?
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