Mount big men finally coming up big

EMMITSBURG - Mount St. Mary's has used its familiar formula of top-notch guard play to rise to fourth in the Northeast Conference, putting the team in position to host an NEC tournament game for the first time since 2009.

The senior trio of Julian Norfleet, Rashad Whack and Sam Prescott averages 44.5 points, 11.9 rebounds, 8.4 assists and 4.3 steals per game. But, really for the first time in coach Jamion Christian's two years at the Mount, those three are getting significant help from MSM's big men.

Sophomore center Taylor Danaher and sophomore power forward Gregory Graves are in the midst of the best stretch of their careers. Over the past 10 games, Danaher is averaging 10.5 points and 5.8 rebounds, while Graves is coming off the bench to score 10.4 points and grab 7.4 boards.

"They're guys that we've always loved since Day 1 because of their skill sets," said, who has had to play both more than expected because of an early season injury to senior center Kristijan Krajina.

Norfleet, the team's point guard, likes being able to get his big men involved.

"It makes my job a lot easier having them be a presence on the inside because the defense has to respect them so much on the roll - it's easy to just play back or throw it into the them," he said.

The Mount (12-15, 8-6) can clinch at least fourth in the NEC with a win over last-place Sacred Heart Thursday night in Emmitsburg. The Mount hasn't finished a season that high in the standings since 2009 - three head coaches ago.

Danaher and Graves have been a big part of the success. Over the first 17 games of the season, they combined to reach double-figures in scoring just three times. Over the last 10, they've combined for 10-plus points 10 times.

The two players are quite different physically.

The 7-foot Danaher has added 15 pounds of muscle to his frame over the past two years, but still weighs in at only 220. He is one of the tallest players in the NEC and ranks eighth with 36 blocked shots. Plus, he's a back-to-the-basket presence on offense, leading the team with a 55.6 field goal percentage. He set a career high with 19 points at Bryant on Feb. 8 and backed that up with 17 against Central Connecticut on Feb. 20 and 13 in Monday's home win over Bryant.

"Taylor, he's quietly, let's be honest, become one of the best big man defenders in the league," said Christian. "He just does an outstanding job in a lot of different areas defensively. And now we're starting to see his [offensive] game come around as he's gotten stronger, and [begun to] believe in his body, and trust it. He's really putting together a pretty special season for a sophomore."

Graves, at 6-7 and 220, is strong enough to muscle inside and take rebounds away from opponents but also athletic enough to receive alley-oops and finish on the break. He has turned into the Mount's top rebounder, grabbing a career-high 11 against LIU Brooklyn Feb. 1, when he added 12 points for his first double-double. His top scoring effort of 17 points came at St Francis (Pa.) Jan. 23. From that point, he has scored at least eight points in every game but one, coming up with 10 points and nine boards Monday.

"He's able to make plays and we just don't have anyone else on our roster that can do that, and he works really hard on his finishing above the rim," said Christian, noting that Graves can handle the ball and drive but also shoot from the outside. "I love his skill set. I think he can do a lot of things. I love his versatility. As the years progress, our fans will see how much he can do."