Ohio Valley Basketball: 10 best performing transfers of 2022-23 season

No. 5-1

No. 5 – Alex Gross – Morehead State

Gross was an NAIA all-American last season and has met Morehead State’s need for a post player. The 6’10 Gross leads the OVC in blocks, is fifth in rebounding, and is scoring 12.1 points per game. Once the ball goes into the post, Gross converts (.567 field goal percentage).

No. 4 – Trevor Lakes – Southern Indiana

Lakes played for USI coach Stan Gouard at the Division 2 level and after experience at Nebraska, reunited with Gouard at the D1 level. He is the league’s most prolific three-point shooter (3.3 per game) and cleans the defensive glass. He’s making over 44 percent of his long-distance attempts and 4.8 of his 5.9 rebounds per game come on the defensive end.

No. 3 – Kinyon Hodges – Eastern Illinois

Hodges is the league’s most recent player of the week. This junior college transfer scored 23 points in during the Panthers’ win over Little Rock and is everywhere on the OVC stat sheet. He is amongst the league leaders in scoring (13.4 ppg), field goal percentage, assists, and steals. Coach Marty Simmons rarely takes him off the floor. He is fourth in the OVC in minutes played.

No. 2 – Parker Stewart – UT Martin

Stewart is such a unique story. The Indiana transfer started his career at Pittsburgh, transferred to UT Martin to play for his father Anthony and was a second-team, all-OVC star. After his father’s tragic and sudden death, he ended up at Indiana. He is using his ‘covid year’ to return home.

Stewart is third in the league in scoring (16.7 ppg), is grabbing 4.6 rebounds per game, and makes nearly three trifectas per game. He is second only to Lakes in that department.

No. 1 – Jr Clay – Tennessee State

Clay might be the best player in the OVC, not just the best transfer. The former Tennessee Tech star has been a four-time, all-OVC player prior to his time with TSU. While not a newcomer to the league, he has elevated his game to new heights.

The fact that he hasn’t been named the league’s player of the week even one time, tells you how good the conference’s leading scorer (18.2 ppg) has been. He is tied with Russell in the assists race (4.5), makes threes (2.5 per game), plays tenacious defense, and hits his free throws.

While he could end up with the rare feat of leading the OVC in scoring and assists, this is hardly a mirage. His career is one of historic levels. Clay is closing in on 2,000 career points, and has accumulated 226 steals, 245 three-pointers, and 529 assists.

The portal pandemic is alive and well and leagues like the Ohio Valley Conference are making use of it. These transfers will be key contributors to the finishing two-thirds of the OVC race.