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Michigan State Basketball: Final grades for the 2021-22 season

By Nate Rhoades

GREENVILLE, SOUTH CAROLINA - MARCH 20: Marcus Bingham Jr. #30 of the Michigan State Spartans reacts in the second half against the Duke Blue Devils during the second round of the 2022 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Bon Secours Wellness Arena on March 20, 2022 in Greenville, South Carolina. (Photo by Eakin Howard/Getty Images)
GREENVILLE, SOUTH CAROLINA - MARCH 20: Marcus Bingham Jr. #30 of the Michigan State Spartans reacts in the second half against the Duke Blue Devils during the second round of the 2022 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Bon Secours Wellness Arena on March 20, 2022 in Greenville, South Carolina. (Photo by Eakin Howard/Getty Images) /
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INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA – MARCH 12: Malik Hall #25 of the Michigan State Spartans fights for position for a rebound against Sasha Stefanovic #55 of the Purdue Boilermakers during the second half of a Men’s Big Ten Tournament Semifinals game at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on March 12, 2022 in Indianapolis, Indiana. The Purdue Boilermakers won the game 75-70 over the Michigan State Spartans. (Photo by Aaron J. Thornton/Getty Images)
INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA – MARCH 12: Malik Hall #25 of the Michigan State Spartans fights for position for a rebound against Sasha Stefanovic #55 of the Purdue Boilermakers during the second half of a Men’s Big Ten Tournament Semifinals game at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on March 12, 2022 in Indianapolis, Indiana. The Purdue Boilermakers won the game 75-70 over the Michigan State Spartans. (Photo by Aaron J. Thornton/Getty Images) /

Bench: B+

The bench, in many games this season, outperformed the starters. There was one game where the starters only had a total of 19 points and the bench came in and kept them in the game and scored the remaining 41 points. The bench leaders were AJ Hoggard, Malik Hall, and Julius Marble, and then the remaining role players were Jaden Akins, Maddy Sissoko, and Pierre Brooks.

AJ Hoggard: A-

AJ Hoggard came into this season with a huge transformation. He was able to bulk up and be over stronger. In Hoggard’s first game of the season, he came off the bench and scored 17. He was aggressive getting to the rim and dishing out passes. Then he started to falter. He started to turn the ball over trying to speed up the pace a little too much. He struggled to start and then come the end of February, he started to thrive.

Hoggard was given the start over Tyson Walker in the Indiana game and started the rest of the games in February. In that time, he started he had 33 assists and only nine turnovers; he was thriving. He then got sick and had a little recession but still had 29 assists and only 10 turnovers for the rest of the season.

The sophomore is starting to look like a prime candidate to become another all-time great point guard for Michigan State.

Malik Hall: B-

Malik Hall was the other captain of this team and was consistently inconsistent this season. He looked like he was becoming the go-to guy early in the year and then he regressed. He would be the player to score 17 points and then follow up that performance with three games to where he totals five or six shots and only two points.

This team is in desperate need of an experienced leader and Hall failed to give it but he has another year coming. He has the potential to take the leap and become a Draymond Green type of player for this team. He can shoot he can dribble he just needs to have the confidence in himself to lead this team and continue to have it even when he has a rough game.

Julius Marble: A-

Julius Marble was spectacular in a limited role this year. He came off the bench and so often gave this team a spark on the offensive side of the ball. He has some nice footwork and can score on the block with ease. He also can step out for a mid-range jumper at the top of the key which was turning into his spot throughout the season.

Marble should come into next year with a potential starting spot and the capability of being a top Big Ten big. He knows how to do it and seemed to be one of the most consistent and reliable players this season. If he can translate that to more minutes and a bigger role for next season, the Big Ten will have to watch out.

Jaden Akins: B+

It’s hard to gauge what grade Jaden Akins should receive but with a very limited role, he came in and did a lot of things not on the stat sheet. He was able to come in and give huge hustle plays giving a spark to the Spartans. Akins is a guy that can get above the rim and make plays. He had a few of those this year and with an expanded role for next year, he can excel.

I know Akins was only a freshman but he struggled to guide this team in the half-court. He is a point guard and did not play much at the point which could be why along with being a freshman so when he comes back next year and is more confident in the playbook and what to do he will shine.

Mady Sissoko: B-

Mady Sissoko was a sophomore this season and has yet to take a big leap forward. He has the capability of giving the Spartans a 1-2 punch next season backing up Marble. What Sissoko struggled with was his play on the defensive side of the ball. He was not forcing players off the block and when his opponent got the ball on the block they scored most times.

Sissoko is still learning the game and has a lot of untapped potential but has to work harder. He needs to use his body to push people off the block and when he gets beat he cannot bail the opposing team out by fouling. If Sissoko can make the leap, Izzo will have another deep bench he can use next year.

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