Last Updated on September 25, 2026 by Mat Diekhake

The Columbus Riverdragons built on their strong inaugural season with another impressive showing in 2002-03, finishing among the top teams in the NBDL and returning to the playoffs. Veteran leadership remained a defining feature of the club, but the season was also notable for the emergence of future NBA contributors. Matt Carroll delivered one of the league’s most productive offensive seasons, using his perimeter shooting and scoring instincts to become a centerpiece of the Riverdragons attack. Columbus paired that firepower with a balanced roster that consistently generated points and remained difficult to contain over the course of the season. Although the Riverdragons again fell short of a championship, the campaign reinforced the franchise’s status as one of the NBDL’s early success stories and helped showcase several players who would go on to earn opportunities at higher levels of professional basketball.

Roster

NO. PLAYER NAME POS HT WT DATE OF BIRTH COLLEGE
1 Nate Johnson F 6 ft 7 in 220 lb September 8, 1977 Louisville
2 Tang Hamilton F 6 ft 8 in 220 lb May 26, 1978 Mississippi State
3 Nate Green G 6 ft 5 in 195 lb December 2, 1977 Indiana State
4 Greg Stempin F 6 ft 8 in 220 lb May 10, 1979 Toledo
5 Jeremy Veal G 6 ft 3 in 185 lb May 2, 1976 Arizona State
6 Derek Strong F 6 ft 9 in 245 lb February 9, 1968 Xavier
7 Jermaine Walker F 6 ft 7 in 225 lb April 5, 1977 Miami (FL)
8 Tyrone Washington F/C 6 ft 10 in 257 lb September 16, 1976 Mississippi State
9 Sean Daugherty F/C 6 ft 11 in 235 lb November 20, 1975 Wisconsin
10 Shawn Igo C 6 ft 10 in 225 lb January 3, 1975 Rice
11 Sean Peterson G 6 ft 1 in 165 lb May 7, 1979 Georgia Southern
12 Jonathan Kerner C 6 ft 11 in 245 lb June 6, 1974 East Carolina
13 Kitwana Rhymer C 6 ft 10 in 256 lb May 22, 1978 Massachusetts
14 Saul Smith G 6 ft 2 in 175 lb March 28, 1979 Kentucky
15 Marcus Evans F 6 ft 9 in 250 lb September 29, 1979 Rhode Island
16 Lonnie Jones C 7 ft 0 in 228 lb November 8, 1979 Ball State
17 Eric Williams F/C 6 ft 8 in 255 lb July 6, 1978 Massachusetts

Per Game

PLAYER NAME POS AGE GP GS MPG PPG RPG APG SPG BPG TOV FGA FGM FG% 3PA 3PM 3P% FTA FTM FT%
Nate Johnson F 25 49 48 31.2 19.5 5.0 2.9 1.3 0.6 2.8 15.5 7.2 .466 1.4 0.4 .310 6.2 4.6 .743
Tang Hamilton F 24 50 50 32.3 15.5 9.0 2.0 0.8 0.5 2.0 11.7 6.0 .508 0.2 0.0 .167 4.9 3.5 .713
Nate Green G 24 37 35 29.6 11.0 4.0 5.1 1.1 0.3 1.9 9.5 3.5 .366 3.3 1.0 .314 3.9 3.0 .772
Greg Stempin F 23 36 5 23.6 10.6 4.8 1.6 0.4 0.3 1.7 9.1 4.1 .450 2.1 0.8 .387 2.5 1.6 .640
Tyrone Washington C 26 37 27 21.1 8.2 4.4 0.8 0.6 0.5 1.6 6.3 3.1 .496 0.0 0.0 2.9 1.9 .654
Sean Daugherty F/C 26 50 34 19.7 6.1 4.5 0.7 0.3 0.3 1.1 6.8 2.6 .388 1.4 0.4 .265 1.1 0.5 .456
Derek Strong F 34 18 15 26.8 9.1 5.9 0.6 0.6 0.2 2.1 7.2 3.2 .442 0.1 0.0 .000 3.6 2.8 .781
Saul Smith G 23 49 11 14.5 3.7 1.4 2.1 0.6 0.1 0.9 4.2 1.3 .312 1.4 0.3 .250 0.9 0.8 .822
Sean Peterson G 23 43 2 11.8 4.6 0.9 2.1 0.6 0.0 0.9 3.8 1.8 .463 0.8 0.3 .333 1.0 0.8 .767
Shawn Igo C 27 31 11 18.5 4.9 4.6 0.6 0.4 0.3 1.1 4.1 2.1 .500 0.0 0.0 1.3 0.8 .610
Jeremy Veal G 26 14 4 24.4 9.6 2.5 3.8 1.0 0.1 1.7 9.1 3.9 .430 0.4 0.0 .000 2.1 1.8 .862
Jermaine Walker F 25 13 0 19.6 9.0 3.1 1.6 0.5 0.1 1.2 8.1 3.2 .390 1.8 0.8 .417 2.5 1.9 .781
Kitwana Rhymer C 24 23 0 13.8 4.0 3.9 0.1 0.1 0.6 0.6 3.3 1.4 .421 0.0 0.0 2.0 1.2 .574
Jonathan Kerner C 28 2 0 13.5 4.0 3.0 0.0 1.5 0.5 0.0 4.5 1.5 .333 0.0 0.0 1.0 1.0 1.000
Marcus Evans F 23 6 0 9.3 2.0 1.3 0.0 0.0 0.0 1.0 2.2 0.8 .385 0.0 0.0 0.8 0.3 .400
Lonnie Jones C 22 8 8 15.4 2.0 3.8 0.3 0.0 0.8 0.6 3.3 0.9 .269 0.0 0.0 0.5 0.3 .500
Eric Williams F/C 24 5 0 4.8 1.2 1.6 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.6 1.4 0.2 .143 0.0 0.0 0.8 0.8 1.000

Totals

PLAYER POS AGE GP GS MIN PTS REB AST STL BLK TOV FGA FGM FG% 3PA 3PM 3P% FTA FTM FT%
Nate Johnson F 25 49 48 1529 955 243 141 64 28 136 759 354 .466 71 22 .310 303 225 .743
Tang Hamilton F 24 50 50 1615 774 452 98 42 26 99 587 298 .508 12 2 .167 247 176 .713
Nate Green G 24 37 35 1097 406 147 189 39 10 70 350 128 .366 121 38 .314 145 112 .772
Greg Stempin F 23 36 5 848 380 173 59 15 10 62 327 147 .450 75 29 .387 89 57 .640
Sean Daugherty F/C 26 50 34 983 306 223 34 15 13 56 338 131 .388 68 18 .265 57 26 .456
Tyrone Washington C 26 37 27 781 302 163 31 21 20 60 234 116 .496 0 0 107 70 .654
Sean Peterson G 23 43 2 509 196 39 90 24 0 39 164 76 .463 33 11 .333 43 33 .767
Saul Smith G 23 49 11 712 182 70 101 31 3 43 205 64 .312 68 17 .250 45 37 .822
Derek Strong F 34 18 15 482 164 107 11 11 3 37 129 57 .442 1 0 .000 64 50 .781
Shawn Igo C 27 31 11 574 153 143 18 12 9 35 128 64 .500 0 0 41 25 .610
Jeremy Veal G 26 14 4 342 135 35 53 14 2 24 128 55 .430 6 0 .000 29 25 .862
Jermaine Walker F 25 13 0 255 117 40 21 7 1 16 105 41 .390 24 10 .417 32 25 .781
Kitwana Rhymer C 24 23 0 318 91 90 3 2 13 14 76 32 .421 0 0 47 27 .574
Lonnie Jones C 22 8 8 123 16 30 2 0 6 5 26 7 .269 0 0 4 2 .500
Marcus Evans F 23 6 0 56 12 8 0 0 0 6 13 5 .385 0 0 5 2 .400
Jonathan Kerner C 28 2 0 27 8 6 0 3 1 0 9 3 .333 0 0 2 2 1.000
Eric Williams F/C 24 5 0 24 6 8 0 0 0 3 7 1 .143 0 0 4 4 1.000

HeatingUp Impact Index: Team Impact Spotlight

PLAYER NAME ROLE TIER MPG USAGE TIER PPG RPG APG STK IMPACT INDEX NOTES AWARDS
Nate Johnson Primary Scoring Wing (1.1) 31.2 High 19.5 5.0 2.9 1.9 77.35 As the primary scoring wing, Johnson was the Riverdragons’ late-clock release valve and routinely carried difficult shot-making duties. A February win had him scoring 24 on 11-of-15 shooting, while contemporaneous coverage noted he had been the NBDL’s leading scorer since November. OurSports Central — Johnson Leads Riverdragons over Lowgators All-NBDL Second Team (2003)
Tang Hamilton Two-Way Frontcourt Engine (1.1) 32.3 High 15.5 9.0 2.0 1.3 73.39 Hamilton functioned as the physical interior hub, combining rebounding instinct with enough offensive responsibility to punish smaller lineups. He recorded 21 double-doubles during the campaign, and a January report specifically described his rebounding instincts as something difficult to teach. OurSports Central — Rodney Shows Riverdragons No Respect NBDL All-League First Team (2003); NBDL Player of the Month — December (2002); NBDL rebounding leader (2003)
Nate Green Lead Point Guard Creator (1.05) 29.6 Medium 11.0 4.0 5.1 1.4 49.67 Green operated as the primary organizer while still carrying enough shot creation to change games himself. His five-three-pointer, 25-point performance in January showed the upside of a guard whose passing responsibilities did not prevent him from becoming an aggressive perimeter scorer. OurSports Central — Green’s Threes Pace Riverdragons by Groove
Greg Stempin Stretch-Power Forward Creator (1.05) 23.6 Medium 10.6 4.8 1.6 0.7 40.89 Stempin brought a scoring-oriented forward game with legitimate perimeter range, and his arrival immediately gave Columbus another player capable of bending a defense. Against Fayetteville, he hit three threes in a two-minute fourth-quarter burst after saying his confidence had finally returned. OurSports Central — Stempin Leads Riverdragons over Patriots
Jeremy Veal Secondary Ball-Handling Scorer (1.05) 24.4 Medium 9.6 2.5 3.8 1.1 39.27 Veal served as a secondary creator who could relieve the primary guards and attack without needing the offense built entirely around him. Contemporary roster coverage identified him as one of the returning guards competing for the team’s point-guard responsibilities, alongside Saul Smith and rookie Sean Peterson. OurSports Central — Riverdragons Prepare for Preseason Opener
Derek Strong Veteran Interior Stabilizer (1.05) 26.8 Medium 9.1 5.9 0.6 0.8 37.88 Strong supplied veteran interior structure after a decade of NBA experience, giving Jeff Malone a dependable screener, rebounder and defensive body. Malone specifically identified him as likely captain material before the season, a useful indication of the leadership and stabilizing role expected from him. OurSports Central — Riverdragons Set 2002-03 Opening Day Roster
Tyrone Washington Interior Defense Specialist (1.05) 21.1 Medium 8.2 4.4 0.8 1.1 33.50 Washington was used as a physical interior defender and rebounder, giving Columbus size without demanding many possessions. He joined the club during the season and became a regular starter, while his Mississippi State background also gave him an established frontcourt connection with Hamilton. OurSports Central — Dragons in the News
Jermaine Walker Slashing Reserve Forward (1.0) 19.6 Medium 9.0 3.1 1.6 0.6 31.46 Walker supplied athletic reserve scoring and frontcourt versatility rather than functioning as a featured creator. His movement between Columbus and Huntsville during the season illustrates the fluid roster environment of the early NBDL, where players could shift between clubs as opportunities opened. OurSports Central — Riverdragons Set 2002-03 Opening Day Roster
Sean Daugherty Offensive-Rebound Specialist (1.0) 19.7 Low 6.1 4.5 0.7 0.6 23.80 Daugherty’s value came largely through physical work away from the ball, particularly on the offensive glass. In a January game, he and Shawn Igo combined for 10 offensive rebounds as Columbus repeatedly extended possessions against North Charleston. OurSports Central — Riverdragons Crush Lowgators
Shawn Igo Energy-Paint Reserve (1.0) 18.5 Low 4.9 4.6 0.6 0.7 21.60 Igo quickly established himself as an energetic interior reserve, producing rebounds and second-chance opportunities without requiring many touches. Shortly after joining Columbus, he came off the bench for 12 points and nine rebounds in only 16 minutes, just missing a double-double. OurSports Central — Riverdragons Crush Lowgators
Jonathan Kerner Emergency Size Reserve (1.0) 13.5 Low 4.0 3.0 0.0 2.0 18.00 Kerner’s brief stint was primarily about adding experienced size to a constantly changing frontcourt. Columbus signed him in January after waiving Strong, illustrating how roster turnover forced Malone to cycle through different interior options during the stretch run. OurSports Central — No Change at the Borders, Chaos In Between
Kitwana Rhymer Rim-Protection Reserve (1.0) 13.8 Low 4.0 3.9 0.1 0.7 17.40 Rhymer arrived as a defensive-minded center and quickly carved out a niche through physical rebounding and interior resistance. The Riverdragons’ season retrospective described his contribution as quality bench minutes featuring clutch rebounding and physical defense, with five offensive rebounds in the finale. OurSports Central — Dragons’ Lair
Sean Peterson Pass-First Point Guard (1.0) 11.8 Low 4.6 0.9 2.1 0.6 16.40 Peterson was developed primarily as a distributing point guard, with his role expanding when injuries or lineup changes opened additional minutes. By the final three games, he had started twice and averaged 16.6 points and 5.6 assists, suggesting the organization viewed him as a developing lead-guard option. OurSports Central — Dragons’ Lair
Saul Smith Veteran Floor Organizer (1.0) 14.5 Low 3.7 1.4 2.1 0.7 15.80 Smith’s role centered on ball security, organization and veteran guard play rather than volume scoring. He had already established himself as a capable point guard before Columbus, and contemporaneous coverage identified him as the team’s first allocated player and a key part of its early NBDL identity. OurSports Central — Riverdragons Bring Home a Couple of Bulldogs
Lonnie Jones Developmental Rim Runner (1.0) 15.4 Low 2.0 3.8 0.3 0.8 13.80 Jones was a developmental center whose responsibilities were concentrated around screening, rebounding and interior defense rather than offensive creation. Columbus selected him in the second round of the 2002 NBDL Draft after he had completed his Ball State career, making him one of the team’s younger frontcourt projects. OurSports Central — Riverdragons Get Bigger, Stronger in 2002 NBDL Draft
Marcus Evans Frontcourt Depth Big (1.0) 9.3 Low 2.0 1.3 0.0 0.0 6.60 Evans occupied a depth-center role, providing additional size behind the more established frontcourt options. He was one of the rookies who made Columbus’ opening roster after being selected in the fifth round of the 2002 NBDL Draft from Rhode Island. OurSports Central — Riverdragons Set 2002-03 Opening Day Roster
Eric Williams Physical Reserve Forward (1.0) 4.8 Low 1.2 1.6 0.0 0.0 5.60 Williams was used sparingly as frontcourt depth after joining Columbus during the season. The available contemporary reporting is limited, but the roster movement coverage places him among the late-season additions as Malone continued reshaping the team around its playoff push. OurSports Central — Riverdragons Game Notes