The sky's the limit for #10

Just how good is Ayron Hardy?

The answer to that question is quite obviously "excellent" but who knows how far this kid can go in the game?

From the moment he pulled on a Riders vest the 6'5 do it all SF from Birmingham, Alabama has been exemplary in almost every department of his game, his stunning floor shooting average of 68% leads the league by a clear 4% from his ex NCAA Div 1 team-mate at Jacksonville, Lehmon Colbert. He averages 16ppg a night [10th overall], he leads the Riders in rebounding with a healthy 7.58 an outing, he also delivers 3.67 assists per game [10th in league] not to mention a light fingered 2.67 steals [2nd in the nation] whilst he can also swat away at least one shot a game [7th in BBL] despite giving away inches to the league's bigs.

He averages over 32mins per night but despite having such a massive say in all aspects of the game, he has an amazing gift of playing so smartly that foul trouble just doesn't come on the radar which must be a Coach's dream, one that isn't lost on Riders head man, Rob Paternostro.

"The best player in the League" was Rob's reaction after Hardy's second consecutive triple double performance in the win over Sheffield and you can't argue with that statement. The holy grail of a "tripdub" is one that every player strives to attain but few manage the feat, let alone in the same week!

In the home loss to Glasgow a stat line of 13pts, 14 rebounds and 10 assists was recorded which was superb but that was eclipsed by his mammoth performance at the JSSC last night in the 97-88 win over Sheffield.

Twenty points, Fifteen rebounds and Thirteen assists.

Read that again. 20 15 & 13.

Follow those numbers up with these stats: 38mins played and 0 [zero] turnovers.

What a truly brilliant performance and in my experience of BBL viewing, i can't remember seeing a better individual display yet one which helped a team so much.

To add to the hardwood excellence, you would also struggle to find a more unassuming and humble guy which is another big plus point.

So to answer my own question posed at the start of this piece, i'd say that Ayron Hardy is one of the best players ever to pull on a Riders uniform.

No arguments surely?