For those who’ve been following the Ballislife Nationwide Participant of the 12 months Ladder, you’re just about within the know that it’s going to come back all the way down to a two-man race between Duke’s Cameron Boozer and BYU’s A.J. Dybantsa. Nevertheless, the dialog for who might be the Ballislife Mid-Main Participant of the 12 months, then again, is a way more compelling one.
From a man in Dior Johnson, who’s burst onto the scene to guide the nation in scoring out of actually nowhere, to somebody in Logan Duncomb who’s going by means of a profession resurgence after leaving a blue blood program, there’s a lot to get into relating to this race.
1. Dior Johnson (Jr. Guard, Tarleton State)
Johnson, a Saugerties, NY native and the nation’s main scorer, has emerged as arguably the quickest riser in all of faculty basketball this season. In his first season at Tarleton State, the junior is averaging 25 factors per recreation whereas capturing 57 p.c from the sphere total. Johnson has been environment friendly scoring from all three ranges, and his absurd 61.8 p.c clip from 3-point vary (21-of-34) additionally leads the nation alongside his per-game scoring common.
Earlier than breaking by means of with Tarleton State as a junior, Johnson spent his freshman season in JuCo earlier than transferring to UCF and averaging 2.9 factors per recreation in his sophomore marketing campaign final season.
Main scorer within the nation Dior Johnson with one other electrical show of scoring for @TarletonMBB in a good contest in opposition to Southern Utah
• 40 PTS• 5 REB• 13/22 FG• 4/4 3PT and 10/12 FT
The junior guard posted his seventh recreation with 30+ factors and his 2nd of 40 or extra.… pic.twitter.com/oHOjbSewZt
— Workin It Hoops (@workinithoops) January 16, 2026
Even if the Texans have misplaced three of their final 4, Johnson is taking part in on the peak of his powers in an effort to get the comparatively new D1 program over the hump in opposition to superior WAC competitors. The junior is averaging 35.8 factors per recreation in these 4 video games, and he might be averaging much more all through the complete season if he didn’t begin as a principally unheralded reserve.
2. Graham Ike (Sr. Middle, Gonzaga)
Ike’s significance for Gonzaga is about to skyrocket with Braden Huff anticipated to overlook at the very least the following 4-to-8 weeks with an premature knee damage suffered in observe week. Thankfully for Mark Few and firm, Ike is completely able to placing the Zags on his again for one more doubtlessly unblemished run by means of the WCC.
Graham Ike prolonged his dominant season in opposition to Washington State final evening:
23 Points11 Rebounds6 O-Rebounds5 Assists2 Steals11/15 FGM (73.3%)
The Bulldogs now sit at 18-1 with Ike on the helm. He is been among the best all-around gamers within the nation this yr, however does… pic.twitter.com/WfJbip8SUU
— Draftstack (@TheDraftstack) January 16, 2026
The senior heart is averaging 18.1 factors and eight.8 rebounds per recreation this season, however his very best quality has been his consistency in Gonzaga’s greatest video games. Simply final Thursday, in opposition to a Santa Clara crew that many imagine is poised to compete within the convention, Ike stepped up with a 34-point clinic (only one level off his profession excessive) to guide the Zags to a 12-point win.
Ike additionally scored 28 factors within the Zags’ Dec. 5 win over then-No. 18 Kentucky, 25 factors of their Dec. 13 win over then-No. 25 UCLA, and 21 factors in a win over then-No. 8 Alabama throughout Feast Week in late November.
3. Logan Duncomb (Sr. Middle, Winthrop)
Logan Duncomb and Winthrop had their work reduce out for them in opposition to Excessive Level on Wednesday evening, and boy did the Eagles’ star ship. In what could very properly be Winthrop’s greatest regular-season recreation, in opposition to a crew many thought-about to be a possible at-large candidate at one level this season, Duncomb poured in 28 factors on 9-of-13 capturing whereas additionally grabbing 4 rebounds and doling out six assists.
Logan Duncomb brings residence one more @comporium Participant of the Recreation honor!#ROCKtheHILL | #BigSouthMBB pic.twitter.com/VcuohFmxh9
— Winthrop Basketball (@Winthrop_MBB) January 15, 2026
Regardless of just a few off nights this season, Duncomb has principally heated up in current weeks by scoring at the very least 20 factors in six of Winthrop’s final 9 video games. Duncomb ranks third within the nation in Offensive KenPom Ranking, trailing solely Cameron Boozer and Dior Johnson, and ranks fourth nationally in fouls drawn per 40 minutes. Duncomb, like Johnson, is within the midst of a sudden emergence after transferring from Indiana and averaging a then-career excessive 3.4 factors per recreation with Winthrop as a junior final season.
4. Joel Foxwell (Fr. Guard, Portland)
Probably the most intriguing mid-major freshman within the nation is a Portland Pilot by means of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. And if there’s one secure guess concerning Joel Foxwell’s future, it’s that he received’t be taking part in mid-major basketball past this season. There’s already substantial buzz about what the longer term holds for the offensive guru, however for the second, he ranks fifth within the nation with a median of seven.4 assists per recreation.
Along with his prowess as a ground basic, Foxwell can be a proficient scorer with a median of 14.4 factors per recreation, making him simply one among 5 gamers within the nation to common 14 factors and seven assists nightly this season (h/t Subject of 68).
Foxwell’s most spectacular efficiency was a 20-point, 15-assist masterclass in an 82-75 loss to Santa Clara, which, in all equity, is a much more full crew than Portland is. The Pilots could not win many video games this season, however you continue to have loads of motive to get to the Chiles Middle when you reside within the space and wish to see a future NBA participant within the flesh.
🇦🇺 Joel Foxwell STARS vs Santa Clara right this moment
– 20 PTS (7/15 FG, 5/10 3PT)- 2 REB – 15 AST- 3 STL
I hope scouts and draft specialists are paying huge consideration to Joel’s recreation as a result of it appears to be like to me that he’s NBA prepared… 🎯 pic.twitter.com/QXY1YiFXQm
— Luke Travers fan membership (@TraversHoops) December 31, 2025
There are a number of completely different instructions we might have gone with the fifth and remaining spot on this week’s Ladder, however why not present like to a participant who’s as useful to their crew as any participant within the nation? Montana’s Cash Williams leads the nation in share of possessions used, and he makes positive to get good use out of these constant touches.
Montana 6’4 PG Cash Williams has appeared like a respectable NBA prospect early within the season thus far this yr.
By his first eight video games Williams is averaging 19/5/7 on 46/38/85 splits.
The 20 yr previous PG has been one of the proficient PG’s in all of faculty basketball… pic.twitter.com/RSL1XZyus3
— KJ (@KJScouting) November 29, 2025
Williams ranks within the high 50 nationally in each scoring and assists, averaging 19.5 factors and 5.6 assists per recreation for a Montana crew that’s quietly began Massive Sky play 4-1 after a comparatively nightmarish non-conference slate. Williams lately scored 31 factors in opposition to Northern Colorado and 35 factors in opposition to Idaho in consecutive wins earlier this month, proving the Grizzlies go as he goes.
