NCAA Basketball: Top 10 players to wear jersey No. 31 in 2023-24 season

3. Alex Sobel (Sacred Heart)

Not a ton of people pay attention to Sacred Heart basketball, let alone the action in the NEC. That was likely true for Sobel as well, who spent five years at Middlebury before transferring this past offseason. He actually missed a pair of seasons there due to the pandemic and an injury, though he could certainly be considered a veteran forward. He showed few signs of having an issue with the transition to D1 basketball.

Sobel became a key part of the action for the Pioneers, averaging 12.3 points, 7.4 rebounds, and 2.8 blocks a game as one of their starting forwards. The team appreciated his efforts, with Sobel helping take Sacred Heart to 3rd place in the NEC. At a greater level, Sobel was among the top shot blockers in the nation, earning Second Team All-NEC while leading that league in field goal percentage, blocks, and several efficiency metrics.

Not a lot of people were watching Sobel or these Pioneers, though he had some really nice games, especially during league play. He did score 16 points in a loss at Providence that was closer than expected and then scored 23 points at Albany. In the regular season finale, he’d have 22 points and 11 rebounds against Merrimack, part of a string of double-doubles to end the season. Sobel wasn’t facing the stiffest competition, but shined in his role.