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Sunday, October 21
 
Mid-Major Players to Watch

By Jay Bilas
Special to ESPN.com

They may not make any all-American lists, but these mid-major players have major skills. Some of the names are familiar, others may not get the national publicity until they help ruin a bracket come March.

They aren't the usual suspects, so to speak, but ESPN's Jay Bilas breaks down each player's game:


Tarise Bryson
Tarise Bryson
Tarise Bryson
Illinois State
No player in America returning from last season scored more points than Tarise Bryson. Bryson is a pure scorer, a multi-dimensional offensive player who is a capable shooter, not a great one, but has a knack for getting his own shot and going to the hole and drawing fouls. He makes very good reads in the Redbirds' motion offense, and has added a solid shot fake that allows him to go by defenders playing too close, or pull the trigger with room. Bryson can drive right or left, and go all the way to the bucket and finish in traffic. He is quick, strong enough to bench over 300 pounds, and is very hard to guard.


Henry Domercant
Henry Domercant
Henry Domercant
Eastern Illinois
Henry Domercant had great numbers his sophomore year playing alongside Kyle Hill. He was the fourth-leading scorer in the nation, averaging over 22 points per game while shooting an impressive 44 percent from deep range and over 82 percent from the free throw line. Domercant is not a natural shooter, but a tireless worker who came back from the summer with increased range, a quicker release, and a more complete game. He has a great shot fake that allows him to create space, and he has a great one dribble pull-up jumper. Domercant is deceptive, with an unorthodox style that lulls a defender to sleep, then he's by him and into his move. He has great balance, and can sense when the defense is off balance and make it pay. Domercant will see constant double teams this season, but he is difficult to contain and moves well off the ball. He's truly a good one.


Jerry Green
Jerry Green
Jerry Green
UC Irvine
Jerry Green came out of nowhere last season to take Big West Player of the Year honors, and he did it by improving and expanding his game. Out of high school, Green was most likely to take it off the dribble from 15 feet, and shoot on the run. Last year, Green showed that he not only had point guard skills, but could be a devastating scorer. The term "pure scorer" fits Green very well, as he is not a dead-eye shooter, but can hit, put it down, and post up. Most impressively, he has packaged his skills and added the ability to look for and draw contact, get fouled, then step to the line and hit his free throws. That ability makes Green a weapon.


Willie Green
Willie Green
Willie Green
University of Detroit
Willie Green is a 6-4 guard, and a simply fabulous athlete. He has the ability to create plays, including getting into the paint to elevate over a defender and get his shot off, plus he can finish at the basket. Green has spent his career coming off of screens to get open, but Perry Watson wants him to play point this season, and score with the ball in his hands. Watson has likened Green to former Piston star Joe Dumars, but Dumars has said he was never as athletic as Green. Watch for Green to pick up just where Rashad Phillips left off, and perhaps become a player at the next level.


Trevor Huffman
Trevor Huffman
Trevor Huffman
Kent State
Trevor Huffman is every bit as good as he looked against Indiana in the NCAA Tournament. He is strong with the ball, tough-minded, and can score in a lot of different ways. Huffman has the strength and first step to get to the rim, shoot from deep and hit the mid-range jumpshot. He always seems to be in good balance, and has a very low center of gravity that makes him difficult to ride off the ball, and he can absorb a bump. Huffman can handle the ball very well, and is a good defender that has a mentality of stopping someone. Huffman has all of the tools to be the MAC Player of the Year in a conference of outstanding players such as Tamar Slay, David Webber and Brandon Hunter.


Brandon Hunter
Brandon Hunter
Brandon Hunter
Ohio University
Brandon Hunter is the best talent at Ohio since Gary Trent, and is the "Shaq of the MAC Redux". Hunter is 6-7, 266 pounds and capable of dominating the league like Malik Rose did for Drexel in the America East. He is emotional at times, which he needs to channel into positive reactions, but Hunter is a willing pupil and open to coaching. New Bobcat coach Tim O'Shea is coaxing Hunter to expand his game to the perimeter to compliment his inside strength. He has huge hands, is quick off the dribble, ridiculously strong, agile and explosive in the low post. Even at 266 pounds, Hunter has a 37-inch vertical leap. If Hunter can hit the elbow jumper in O'Shea's flex offense, look out. If Hunter were at Duke, he'd be named "Boozer".












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