Welcome to A10 Talk’s Top 25 Player Countdown. Each day, we publish a new article counting down the 25 best players in the Atlantic 10 this past season. Today, we continue our countdown with #22 Joseph Chartouny.
It’s difficult to imagine Fordham without Joseph Chartouny. The rising junior’s been with the program for 2 years, but it’s certainly felt like much longer. Though the Rams weren’t prominent in the A-10 this past season, they certainly exceeded expectations, winning 7 conference games. Fordham found marginal success thanks to its superb defense. Ranking 2nd in the nation in steals and forced turnover percentage, the Rams and Chartouny knew how to get takeaways. Perhaps the most disappointing part of Chartouny’s season was not making the Atlantic 10 All-Defensive team, an honor that most Atlantic 10 fans agreed he deserved.
Best Performances:
Joseph Chartouny’s season-high scoring night came in an 85-69 win over Lipscomb this past season. Chartouny dropped 22 points, pulled in 5 boards, dished out 5 assists, and had 5 steals. Most of Joseph Chartouny’s top performances this season featured excellent passing as well as defense. Chartouny had 18 games this season with at least 3 assists and 3 steals. His season-high in each category was 14 and 7 respectively.
Perhaps Joseph Chartouny’s biggest performance of his sophomore season came in an upset win over VCU. The Fordham Rams pulled out a 69-67 win in overtime, and Joseph Chartouny contributed by doing all the little things. He had 15 points, 5 rebounds, 6 assists, and 6 steals. Joseph Chartouny loved to stuff the stat sheet, and his contributions were key to the Rams pulling out some big wins in conference play this season.
Key Stats:
One stat stands out over the others when you look at Joseph Chartouny. The sophomore led the nation in steal percentage this past season at 5.8%, and his 3.24 steals per game ranked 3rd in the country. Defense is this guy’s forte. He knows how to play stellar defense without fouling, as he averaged just 2.8 fouls committed per 40 minutes in Atlantic 10 play. Chartouny is a pest on the defensive end of the floor, and it still amazes me that he didn’t make the Atlantic 10 All-Defensive team. While some make the argument that Fordham’s defensive system should take the credit for all of Joseph Chartouny’s steals, you still have to honor the way he forced turnovers.
On offense, Chartouny deserves credit for the way he controlled all facets of the game. His passing was excellent; the sophomore averaged 5.0 assists per game and had the 44th best assist rate in the nation. At 12.1 points per game, Joseph Chartouny led was second on his team in scoring. His 4.1 rebounds per game helped this team on the glass as well. Perhaps the biggest improvement Chartouny made from his freshman to sophomore season was three point shooting. In his first year, Chartouny shot just 24.6% from deep compared to 39.0% his sophomore season. The ability to knock down three pointers makes him that much more deadly.
Team Effort:
Chartouny is the piece to Fordham’s puzzle right now. He’s the guy that helps this team win. Fordham was able to shock the league here and there last season, winning shockers over VCU and Rhode Island. Without Joseph Chartouny, that wouldn’t have been possible. His unselfishness on offense is prevalent, and his effort on the defensive end of the floor is impeccable. Chartouny will be entering the 2017 NBA Draft without an agent to test the waters, but I’m guessing he’ll be back to Fordham for his junior year. The Rams really need this guy.
Previously: #23 Yuta Watanabe
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