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College Basketball: MID-MAJOR NOTEBOOK
by Joe Dwyer, CollegeInsider.com, FOXSports.com

Following Friday night's win at Mississippi State, Rider head coach Tommy Dempsey went to his senior point guard with a message -- We cannot give it all back on Monday. Dempsey was referring to Rider's next game against Lehigh. Dempsey, like so many coaches, was concerned about a possible let down following a big win. It was a short speech, but Dempsey really didn't need to say anything because Ryan Thompson knows only one way to play and his teammates follow the lead.

"Ryan is all about winning," says Dempsey. "He has the ability to take over a game, but it's always team first with him and that means getting everyone else involved. He was thrilled to be the third leading scorer against Mississippi State because we won. "

The preseason MAAC player of the year caught the attention of scouts two seasons ago when they NBA teams were scouting his brother Jason, who was a Lottery Pick by the Sacramento Kings. At 6-foot-6, with an explosive first step, the younger Thompson will be a pro. A lot of kids would be focused on their future first and improving upon their potential draft status, but Thompson's goal is to do what his brother did not do, lead Rider to the NCAA Tournament.

"He has tremendous talent, but he's a great player because he is driven to be a great player," says Dempsey. "Like Jason [Thompson], Ryan is always working to become a better player and a better teammate."

Thompson knows he will be the focal point of scouting reports and he handles it well. He never tries to force the issue. He's not a flashy point guard, but he gets the ball to his teammates when they are in a position to make a play. And when his team needs a lift, he delivers.

In the win over Mississippi State Thompson only had 16 points, but it wasn't how many he scored but when he scored. When the Bulldogs made a run in the second half, Thompson made two three-pointers to push the lead back to double-digits. Rider wasn't seriously challenged the rest of the way.

Of course it's not all Ryan Thompson.

Sophomore Novar Gadson, who was named to the CollegeInsider.com Freshmen Mid-Major All-America team, has a pretty high ceiling. At 6-foot-7, 225 pounds, Gadson is a major matchup problem. He'll post up smaller players and, if you try to put a power forward on him, he will stretch the defense with from beyond the arc. One of the knocks on Gadson was his inability to knock down perimeter shots. He worked hard on that aspect of his game in the offseason. He's a future pro.

Junior Justin Robinson had a great summer playing against the likes of Ricky Rubio in international competition. Robinson has additional motivation, as he continues to work towards a spot on Great Britain's 2012 Olympic Basketball team.

Juniors Patrick Mansell (6-foot-1 guard) and Mike Ringgold (6-foot-7 forward) are also all-league caliber players. Monmouth transfer Jhamar Youngblood, who was the Northeast Conference freshman of the year, gives Rider instant offense off the bench.

"I don't think a lot of people realize how good our other players are," says Dempsey. "People know how good Ryan is because of all the attention he has gotten, but that has overshadowed the rest of the team. We have a chance to be pretty good."

They have a chance to be really good.