Super Sophomore Tandem Catalysts For Tars!

When you look at the 2008-2009 Rollins College Tars (12-4) there is no mistaking  the fact that two guys  make this team go.  In 6'6 sophomore guard Jeremy Sharpe and 6'7 Sophomore forward Nick Wolf, the Tars have a talented duo.  This can be evidenced by the fact that they have already won three Sunshine state conference player of the week honors between them in this 2008-2009 season,  Wolf winning twice and Sharpe one time.  

  First, let's take a look at Nick Wolf the 6-7 Sophomore from Cincinnati's St.Xavier High School.  Wolf  comes into Wednesday's game with Palm Beach Atlantic averaging 16.5 PPG and 8.5 rebounds a ball game. He is shooting 50% from three point land which leads the Sunshine State Conference.  He shoots 58 percent from the floor in his 13 games averaging 31 minutes a contest. The one chink in Wolf's armor is he only shoots 66 percent from the charity stripe.  

  Wolf's importance was on display in a three game stretch between November 21st and December 3rd. He was suspended for 3 games for undisclosed reasons and the team went just 1-2 without  Wolf.  The one win was one of the biggest in school history vs Wisconsin Green Bay in the Glenn Wilkes classic.  In this three game stretch the Tars missed Wolf's ability to shoot the three and rebound especially.  In the three games without the  man with the best three point percentage in the conference (50%) the Tars only made 29 of 73 from distance (39%).    The Tars did outrebound  two of the three opponents but only by two total.  The biggest difference in the three games without Wolf was turnovers.  Wolf only has 23 turnovers in 13 games, in the three games without Wolf the Tars averaged a hair over 13 turnovers a game. 

   The second part of the Tars sophomore tandem is Jeremy Sharpe. Sharpe, a 6 foot 6 sophomore from Christian  Brothers High School in St.Louis, MO comes into Wednesday's contest averaging 14.3 PPG, shooting 46% from the field and 35 percent from distance.  Sharpe is coming off a career high tying 32 points in an OT win over Nova Southeastern Saturday.  In the Tars 4 losses Sharpe has had sub par games.  In the four losses Jeremy has averaged 4 turnovers a game as opposed to  just 2.4 in the 12 victories.  Sharpe a 46% shooter on the season only made 20/50 (40%) from the floor in Rollins 4 losses.  He is a 35 percent shooter from three point territory, in the Tars four losses Sharpe is shooting just 27 percent from three.   

   The Tars will look to continue there solid play of late in the conference when they retake the floor Wednesday at home vs Palm Beach Atlantic.  The Tars have won 7 of 8 including a thrilling win over Nova Southeastern Saturday.  It will certainly help that Wolf will be in the lineup for this one.  The Tars will look to avenge one of their  4 early season losses, Wolf and Sharpe will be key as always.