Cancun Challenge 2013: Key Player to Watch from Each Team

The Cancun Challenge may not feature many high-profile teams in 2013, but every team there will display some individual talents.   

Casual fans are probably aware that Wisconsin is consistently very good and that Saint Louis was a mid-major darling last NCAA Tournament, but they still might not be familiar with their best players.

Even a Big 12 team like West Virginia is likely an unknown after a sub-.500 season in 2012-13. As for Old Dominion, Bowling Green, Georgia Southern, Oral Roberts and Presbyterian, fans don't look twice at them unless they're potential sleepers in March.

So if you're planning to tune into the hard-court action in sunny Mexico, you ought to study up first. After this, you'll know exactly whom to pay attention to in any Cancun game if nothing else.

Spencer Parker, Bowling Green

Bowling Green runs its offense primarily through the volume shooting of Jehvon Clarke, but Spencer Parker is the guy who balances things out. He's second among Falcon starters with 13.5 points per game so far, tacking on four assists to supplement his score-first point guard, along with six rebounds.

At 6'7", 202 pounds, he's not the sort of player you would expect to contribute heavily on the boards, but the undersized Falcons need him to operate inside when able.

Parker has converted at a high level, shooting 52.6 percent from the field, but his 46.2 free-throw percentage could be worrisome in close games given the whistle-happy nature of this season's refs.

Jelani Hewitt, Georgia Southern

Miami lost the core of its formidable roster from last season, but it's still notable when a team from the Southern Conference comes within one shot of toppling any ACC foe.

Georgia Southern's Jelani Hewitt hit front rim on a game-winning, three-point attempt as the Eagles fell 81-80 in overtime, but it's a marvel they even came that close. Hewitt led the effort with 27 points and five assists, both of which were game highs and earned him a rare honor for Georgia Southern.

He'll have to put up similar numbers to win in Cancun, but Hewitt has already proven himself capable of carrying his squad.

Obi Emegano, Oral Roberts

Obviously it's early, but Obi Emegano has been unreasonably efficient so far.

After transferring from Western Illinois, all the 6'3" combo guard has done for Oral Roberts is score 23.3 points per game with unreal 62.1/66.7/78.9 shooting splits. There's no way he can sustain those percentages, especially while attempting multiple treys per game, but his hot hand must be recognized.

Only two other Oral Roberts players are averaging double digits in scoring right now, so the team will need Emegano to keep up his extraordinary play.

Richard Ross, Old Dominion

He may be just 6'6", 225 pounds, but Richard Ross is not afraid to bang bodies inside.

Old Dominion is always good on the glass, usually by playing an unusually large lineup for a mid-major team. The commitment to rebounding is still there, but it's the undersized Ross leading the Monarchs with 10.3 per game to go along with 12 points.

Ross will have his hands full against bigger forwards in Cancun play, but he'll continue grinding and using good positioning inside the paint to make a difference for his team.

Reggie Dillard, Presbyterian

The Presbyterian point guard is going to have a hard time playing with the new hand-checking enforcement.

Reggie Dillard has started his freshman season strong, averaging 14.5 points, 5.8 assists and four rebounds while hitting 45.7 percent from the field and 50 percent from beyond the arc.

However, his 45.7 rate from the line is alarming. If the Blue Hose can't trust their primary ball-handler to hit his free throws in a close game, they're going to struggle.

Mike McCall Jr., Saint Louis

Saint Louis became a terror last season due to its defense, particularly on the perimeter. Mike McCall Jr. is carrying that hallmark into 2013-14.

Entrusted with a larger role as a senior, the 6'0" guard is filling the stat sheet.

For the season, McCall is averaging 13.7 points, 4.7 rebounds and 2.3 assists per game. But his biggest impact comes from his team-leading 1.7 steals, allowing a pedestrian offensive team to get some easy buckets running in transition.

This A-10 school is for real, but it will need that opportunism to beat the Wisconsins of the world.

Juwan Staten, West Virginia

Bob Huggins' team is not what it used to be, but no one told Juwan Staten that.

Staten has come out an entirely different player in his junior season. He's doing things on the court he's never done before, and he's doing things no 6'1" player should be doing.

	PTS	REB	AST	STL
2013-14 (WVU)	20.0	5.7	7.3	2.0
2012-13 (WVU)	7.6	2.9	3.3	1.2
2011-12 (DAY)	8.5	2.1	5.4	0.8

Those rebounding numbers are absurd, as is the scoring jump. He's hitting 51.5 percent of his field goals after two consecutive seasons of sub-40 rates, so it's not as if he's just gunning now.

In fact, Staten has yet to attempt a three-pointer in 2013-14. He has just been that good driving off the bounce.

Frank Kaminsky, Wisconsin

As a true 7-footer, Frank Kaminsky is practically unguardable when he's feeling it from beyond the arc.

Just look at what he did to North Dakota State:

His 43 points, which set a Wisconsin record, came on 16-of-19 shooting, including a perfect 6-of-6 on threes. Despite his size, he only pulled in three rebounds, but that hardly matters when he's so good from outside.

That game is an outsize example of Kaminsky's capabilities, but it does demonstrate how well he fits Wisconsin.

The Badgers want to slow the pace and maximize possessions. If their center is raining treys, no one is beating them in Cancun.