Busting Brackets
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Big South Basketball: In-depth look at Hampton Pirates star Benjamin Stanley

By Bryan Mauro

RALEIGH, NORTH CAROLINA - MARCH 17: The NIKE shoes worn by the Hampton Pirates are seen in the first round of the 2016 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at PNC Arena on March 17, 2016 in Raleigh, North Carolina. (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images)
RALEIGH, NORTH CAROLINA - MARCH 17: The NIKE shoes worn by the Hampton Pirates are seen in the first round of the 2016 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at PNC Arena on March 17, 2016 in Raleigh, North Carolina. (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images) /
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LOUISVILLE, KY – MARCH 19: Head coach Edward Joyner, Jr. of the Hampton Pirates (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images)
LOUISVILLE, KY – MARCH 19: Head coach Edward Joyner, Jr. of the Hampton Pirates (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images) /

Hampton has a long history of elite scorers on the basketball floor. Next year won’t be any different with Benajmin Stanley returning for another season.

Hampton, Virginia is home to one of the countries most historic all-black universities. Hampton University is also the home to one of the more successful low major basketball programs as well. The Hampton Pirates were the class of the MEAC for many years and they are also responsible for one of the biggest upsets in NCAA tournament history when they defeated the Jamaal Tinsley led Iowa State Cyclones as a 15 seed.

The MEAC days are behind Hampton and after years of dominance in the conference, they decided to move up to the Big South. The last two years have taken a little time to get acclimated to the uptick in competition relative to the MEAC, but towards the end of last season, Hampton was playing great basketball and was able to make a run to the finals of the Big South tournament. They fell to Winthrop, but it showed the rest of the Big South that the name on the front of the jersey still meant something and Hampton was still going to have a say in their new conference.

The Pirates had two of the best offensive players in the country last year in guard Jermaine Marrow, who has now graduated. His counterpart was big man and sophomore Benjamin Stanley. Stanley was also one of the best offensive players in the country and this year with Marrow gone he is going to get full reign of the offense. The Pirates have had a long history of elite scorers most of them guards.

Stanley is a forward but looks to continue the tradition of the elite scorers that have played for Hampton. The team is going to have a say in the final standings of the league once again this year and Stanley is going to be a big reason why.