The Boston College High grad has not slowed down since, averaging a team-high 20.6 points and 10.1 rebounds per game for a 20-1 Panthers squad that is ranked No. 1 nationally in Division 3. He has been tabbed Player of the Week three times in the New England Small College Athletic Conference.
“I’ve rolled my ankle a million times, but this was just terrible timing,’’ said Sharry, who played on a Division 1 state champion as a junior at BC High.
“It was very frustrating, and I felt like I let my teammates down. But we had a lot of guys step it up, and it’s really helped us because some guys got minutes they might not have seen, so we’re a stronger team now because of it.’’
The Panthers opened the season with 18 straight wins before being upset by Keene State, 77-76, last week. Middlebury (20-1, 8-0 NESCAC) bounced back with wins over Colby and Bowdoin over the weekend, with Sharry delivering double-doubles in points and rebounds, his ninth and 10th such efforts of the season.
“Ryan is our team leader and our game plan is focused around his abilities both offensively and on defense, so we were quite pleased to win five games without him,’’ said Middlebury coach Jeff Brown. “Ryan is just so reliable for us on offense and on the boards.’’ He also leads Middlebury with 32 blocked shots.
But what really jumps off the stat sheet is Sharry’s efficiency as a shooter. His 66.7 field goal percentage ranks second nationally in Division 3.
“Our offense is so good,’’ said Sharry, who is majoring in American studies. “We have a lot of great guards who get to the basket or find me for easy layups. We have such a great offense that we pass up good shots for great shots.’’
Sharry has added a new twist to his game this season - his range. After missing all nine of his 3-point attempts as a freshman, he has improved each year and is connecting at a 42 percent rate (14 of 33) from beyond the arc this season.
“He does his scoring on relatively few shots and rarely if ever takes a bad shot,’’ said Brown. “This year he is shooting the 3-point shot more often and more effectively. . . . When it’s crunch time, he’s the guy we look for.’’
That will likely be the case again this week, as Middlebury finishes its regular season with games at Trinity and Amherst. The Amherst game will determine the top seed for the NESCAC playoffs. Last year, Middlebury lost in the national semifinals.
Devine has a week for Westfield State
Pembroke’s Matt Devine, a junior center for the Westfield State men’s basketball team, was named the coplayer of the week in the Massachusetts State College Athletic Conference after averaging 15.5 points, 18.5 rebounds, and 5.5 blocks in a pair of games for the Owls. The 6-7 Devine leads the country (Division 3) in blocked shots, with 111 rejections in 22 games.
