Wrapping up this week's spotlight on "sneaky" scorers, we turn our attention to the SEC which has its share of players who work outside the spotlight. While everyone knows the top players in the first few rounds of a draft, winning teams are generally built in the later rounds or free agency with players such as these.
Zach Graham, G, Ole Miss
Chris Warren gets the headlines for Ole Miss and rightfully so as the SEC's second-leading scorer, but it would be an oversight to forget about his backcourt mate Zach Graham. Averaging 14.4 points and 4.3 rebounds, Graham is the model of consistency. He has scored in double digits in all but three games this season. While he has also not scored more than 22 points in any one game, the consistency of his scoring is very valuable, particularly in leagues with weekly head-to-head matchups where predictable output is at a premium. His rebound average is also a bonus and is an above-average number for a guard.
Gerald Robinson, G, Georgia
Georgia junior guard Gerald Robinson is in his first season of SEC play after transferring from Tennessee State following the 2008-2009 season but has quickly established himself as one of the top passing guards in the conference averaging 4.2 assists. He's the Bulldogs' third leading scorer at 13.7 and while not the most consistent of scorers, he's has scored 15 or more points in 9 of 19 games. Particularly intriguing down the stretch is that he has eclipsed the 15-point mark in 4 out of 6 conference games he has played in. Given that he is a steady assists guy you can live with some scoring inconsistency for the huge upside you get when is on.
Doron Lamb, G, Kentucky
On a team with two freshman ranking in the top 5 of SEC scorers (Terrence Jones and Brandon Knight), the "other" freshman on the team, guard Doron Lamb, often is forgotten but is every bit the definition of a sneaky scorer. Lamb, averaging 13.6 points, has hot and cold tendencies but when he is on he can be very explosive, including a season-high 32 points against Winthrop on December 22. What makes Lamb so deadly is his accuracy from three-point range, an SEC leading .481 (37 of 77) percentage. Three-point bombers always have huge upsides because when they get on a roll they accumulate points very quickly.
Renardo Sidney, F, Mississippi State
While very well-known due to his much-publicized eligibility issues (not to mention the fight with a teammate earlier in the season), this sophomore forward has been putting up strong numbers after finally getting regular playing time during the conference season. Although Dee Bost is establishing himself as the team's top scorer, Sidney has scored in double-digits in 4 out of 6 SEC games played and is averaging 13.3 points for the season. He's a very accurate low-post scorer with a 52,2% field goal percentage and also hauls down 6.1 rebounds.
Earnest Ross, G, Auburn
As the leading scorer on a team ranked #302 in the nation in scoring, it is easy to be overlooked but Auburn junior guard Earnest Ross is sneaky-good and contributes in multiple categories. Although his scoring average is only 12.9 points per game, he has eclipsed the 20 point mark four times this season. Ross' scoring aside, his rebound production is remarkable for a guard with 7.0 rebounds per game. Although the Tigers are among the SEC's worst teams, Ross is the clear leader on the team and will continue to get plenty of shot attempts .
Festus Ezeli, C, Vanderbilt
Besides having an All-Conference name, Vanderbilt junior center Festus Ezeli is also one of the conference's sneakiest scorers and most productive players. Third in the team with a 12.7 points per game average, Ezeli also grabs 6.1 rebounds per game and blocks 2.1 shots per contest. The only drawback with Ezeli is that he has often found himself in foul trouble which can limit his minutes. Festus is extremely aggressive around the hoop and his rewarded with trips to the free throw line. He ranks second in the SEC behind Kentucky's Terrence Jones in total free throws attempted this season .