To the outside observer, Eastern Mennonite University has burst from out of nowhere to take the Old Dominion Athletic Conference by storm and claim a spot in the Top 10 of the D3hoops.com Top 25.

To the insider, though, it's a natural outcome -- albeit a surprising one -- of starting four freshmen two years ago. Todd Phillips, George Johnson, D.J. Hinson and Orie Pancione got their baptism by fire and now, as juniors, have the Runnin Royals off to a 14-1 start, and unbeaten against Division III teams. Evans Clinchy has more about Eastern Mennonite in this week's Around the Nation.

&&g-boxr&&The Royals, and the other three teams from the ODAC who are in the Top 12, aren't the only ones turning heads. Those who have followed Division III basketball closely over the past year or two may have already heard of the other focus of this week's column: Brooklyn College's Richard Jean-Baptiste. He's the Bulldogs' ... well, bulldog ... but he doesn't wear his emotions on his sleeve when he's on the floor.

Gordon Mann saw Jean-Baptiste play and got his back story for Around the Nation.