Sizing up the Tigers: A player-by-player guide to the men's basketball team

Tuesday's game with Penn will be the biggest of the season. Before the taunts break out on the Quakers, though, Princeton fans need to become a little more acquainted with their own players. Here is a short description of the seven active athletes who have played the most minutes this season.

Guard Ahmed El-Nokali:

In the beginning of the season, Head coach John Thompson '88 admitted that the team would be partially built around the six foot, four inch guard out of Pittsburgh. Coach Thompson's words remain true, as the senior captain has received the most minutes on the team and remains an integral part of the back-court and team leadership.

Guard Kyle Wente:

In the off-season, junior Kyle Wente switched from small-forward to guard. The transition has been difficult at times, but it looks as though Wente may have found his groove. He was the team's star against Columbia Friday night, scoring 17 points in the 49-41 victory. Three of those points were on a two pointer and a free throw that put the team up by six and virtually sealed the victory.

The high school honorable mention McDonald's All-American is second on the team in rebounds and sixth in points. He is also third on the team in assists and steals.

Forward Mike Bechtold:

Staying healthy has been an issue for Bechtold over the last few seasons. As Coach Thompson likes to say, "he's a basketball player in an old man's body." The senior co-captain has had no trouble producing in that old man's body this season, leading the team in both scoring and rebounds. He is also second among active players in blocked shots (sophomore forward Andre Logan being out for the season with a torn ACL).

Bechtold is third on the team in minutes played, so the question right now might be whether or not he can stay healthy for the final five weeks of the season. With Logan out, the team cannot afford another injured forward.

Center Konrad Wysocki:

Once a player for the German junior national team, sophomore Wysocki came to Princeton a year ago, won the Ivy Rookie of the Year award, and has since been filling in the place of Nate Walton '01.

Wysocki's competition for the job at center has been freshman Dominick Martin. Although Wysocki has been on the court twice as many minutes, Martin has more starts. Nevertheless, Wysocki is tied with El-Nokali for the team lead in assists and is also second in rebounds.

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Forward Ray Robins:

Two weeks ago, junior Ray Robins was given the task of filling in for perhaps the team's most versatile player, Andre Logan.

Logan, who led the squad in points, blocked shots, and three-point percentage, has been missed, but his absence has given Robins a chance to shine after a one-year leave from the team. In his last game against Cornell, the 6'7" California native scored a season high 28 points on just 13 shots from the field.

On the other hand, in the game before that, he scored just four points on seven shots from the field. When he's hot, he's hot. When he's cold, then he's cold.

Guard Ed Persia:

The sophomore guard started 24 of 27 games during his freshman season, and spectators assumed he would step into the starting role this season. But with Wente moving back to guard and the addition of freshman Will Venable, Persia has not started a single game and has seen his time limited to about 15 minutes a game.

Part of the reason for his reduced time on the court may also rest in his shooting slump. The Texan is shooting around .320 from the field this season. Granted, he takes few shots from inside the arc, but the percentage is still a far cry from last season's .381.

Guard Will Venable:

The freshman with the most minutes on the season, and who has possibly contributed the most to the team, has been Will Venable. With Logan's absence, he remains as probably the team's most athletic player. Although he averages only about half as much time as the normal starters, he is second on the team in steals. He is also shooting well this season, at .456, which is near the team high.