Skip to content
Sports
Link copied to clipboard

Inquirer names all-improved hoops team

It seems as if every day this season St. Joseph's senior Isaiah Miles hears the same thing about his game. But he's not complaining.

St. Joe's Isaiah Miles (left) battles for a loose ball with St. Bonaventure Derrick Woods.
St. Joe's Isaiah Miles (left) battles for a loose ball with St. Bonaventure Derrick Woods.Read moreCharles Fox / Staff Photographer

It seems as if every day this season St. Joseph's senior Isaiah Miles hears the same thing about his game. But he's not complaining.

"A lot of people are telling me I have improved a lot from last year," the 6-foot-8 forward said. "I don't get sick of hearing it, and it's a good feeling that people notice."

Miles has indeed made people notice, so he heads the Inquirer's all-most improved team for City Six players.

Also on the team are Villanova's Josh Hart, Temple's Quenton DeCosey and Josh Brown, and St. Joseph's James Demery.

Villanova junior forward Kris Jenkins just missed making the cut, while Penn center Darien Nelson-Henry and La Salle sophomore center Tony Washington were among the other players considered.

Only Demery has played fewer minutes than a season ago, so the other four benefited from extended playing time. Of course, the players have earned the extra playing time because of their improvement.

Miles would be a strong candidate for most improved player nationally. During his first three seasons, he totaled 444 points. This season, he has scored 519 and leads the Hawks in scoring (17.9 ppg.) and rebounding (8.1). Last season, he averaged 10.7 points and 5.1 rebounds per game, playing about three fewer minutes per game.

Miles is making 53.3 percent of his shots from the field and 87.6 percent from the foul line compared with 38.9 and 75.6, respectively, last season.

"I have a more aggressive attitude and that has really helped my game," Miles said.

The same is the case for his teammate, Demery, who is shooting 50.8 percent from the field compared with 36.6 last season. Demery has been the Hawks' second-best defender, behind Atlantic Ten player of the year candidate DeAndre' Bembry. He is attacking the basket more forcefully.

"I came in last year and thought I would just continue to produce the way I did in high school," Demery said. "I learned how different it was, and this year I am just more comfortable."

Villanova's Hart was the Big East sixth man of the year and the MVP of the Big East tournament last season. He entered Tuesday's game against DePaul averaging exactly five points per game more than a year ago.

Like Demery, he is a dogged defender, who at 6-5 can defend any position on the court except center.

Hart says the area of his game that is evolving is leadership.

"My teammates and coaches have talked to me about it all the time, being a vocal leader, that voice in the locker room," Hart said. "It doesn't come natural, but I am working on it."

Temple's Brown is running the offense full time after playing 21.9 minutes per game a season ago. He often played shooting guard last season. Since point guard Will Cummings graduated, Brown has run the offense adeptly.

In the most recent NCAA statistics, he was 12th nationally with a 3.57 assist-to-turnover ratio. To also demonstrate his value, Brown leads the American Athletic Conference with an average of 35.7 minutes per game.

"The extra minutes have really helped me," Brown said. "In the beginning of the year, everything was going faster, and now it has slowed up as the season has progressed."

DeCosey is averaging a team-high 15.9 points, and he relishes taking the big shot, such as the game-winning jumper with 3.1 seconds left in Saturday's 63-61 win over visiting Central Florida.

He entered the season knowing he would be needed to score more after averaging 12.3 points last season.

"This year, my confidence is through the roof," he said. "Every time I step on the floor I feel I am the best player on the court."

mnarducci@phillynews.com

@sjnard