Defense key to early Wildcat success, Kashouh ranked in top five in the country in steals

Boston, Mass. – There is a saying in sports that offense wins games, and defense wins championships. If that is true, the Wheelock men’s basketball team is in a great position to make a run at the New England Collegiate Conference title with the way their defense is performing. (Right: Kashouh left, and Kaim are leading the Wildcats on defense).

In the latest NCAA Division III men’s basketball national ranking summary, Wheelock is ranked third in the country in steals and the top 20 in three point scoring defense. The Wildcats are averaging 12.8 steals per game, thanks in large part to the performance of sophomores Max Kaim (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.) and Victor Kashouh (Providence, RI). Kashouh is currently ranked fifth in the country in steals, with 43 through the first 12 games (3.6 pg). Kaim is ranked 27th in the country, with 2.7 steals per game.

As a team, Wheelock ranks first in the NECC in scoring defense, allowing an average of 67.6 points per game. The Wildcats also lead the conference in steals, with Kashouh and Kaim ranked first and second, respectively.

The Wildcats will look to pick up their second win in the conference Saturday afternoon when they host Southern Vermont College at Pine Manor College for a 2:00 pm showdown.