Atlantic 10 Basketball: Ranking of 25 best players from last decade (2013-23)
By Joey Loose
10. DeAndre Bembry
Phil Martelli had a number of talented players come through Saint Joseph’s during his long tenure as head coach and Bembrey was certainly among that count. A 6’6 wing from Charlotte, his career with the Hawks began back in 2013, leaving three years later as a first round NBA draft pick after standing out for this program.
Even as a freshman, Bembry was an outstanding performer, averaging 12.1 points and helping get the Hawks to the Big Dance; he’d put up 16 points in an overtime loss to eventual champion UConn in the opening round. Bembrey was an even more impactful offensive threat going forward, averaging at least 17 points and 7 rebounds per game as both a sophomore and junior. His sophomore highlight was a 33-point, 14-rebound performance at UMass, but his junior year trumped that. He led the Hawks to the NCAA Tournament again, dropping 23 points in a first-round win against Cincinnati.
The A-10 Rookie of the Year in 2014, Bembrey earned Player of the Year honors to end his career, becoming a major weapon on both sides of the ball for the Hawks. He was one of the league’s best scorers and rebounders in those final two seasons, as evident by his performance in the NCAA Tournament. Bembrey was one of the finest players that Martelli had in the backend of his head coaching career and was certainly the best Saint Joseph’s player in the last ten seasons.