With lower than a month to go earlier than March Insanity, there are nonetheless many inquiries to be answered relating to virtually each facet of this 12 months’s school basketball season. One query the place the reply seems to be just a little bit extra clear pertains to the 2 most prestigious “Participant of the Yr” awards, the Naismith Trophy and the Picket Award, the place Gonzaga junior ahead Adam Morrison and Duke capturing guard JJ Redick have clearly separated themselves from the remainder of the sector.
The Naismith Trophy, gained in it is innaugural season by Kareem Abdul Jabbar in 1969, is introduced by Cingular Wi-fi and is chosen from an inventory of candidates nominated by the Atlanta Tipoff Membership. The ATC’s Board of Selectors is comprised of main journalists, coaches and directors from across the nation. ATC selects 50 gamers as pre-season candidates and that quantity was not too long ago culled to 30 finalists. Followers can take part within the choice course of by textual content messaging votes which can comprise as 25 p.c of the voting.
The Picket Award was based in 1976 in honor of legendary UCLA Bruin coach, John Picket. UCLA’s Marques Johnson was the primary of 29 winners which have included Larry Fowl, Michael Jordan, David Robinson, and Tim Duncan. The method is much like the Naismith the place a Nationwide Committe picks a 50 man pre-season All-American crew which is decreased to 30 and contains new additions at mid-season. Three of the final seven winners have come from Duke so it might seem that Redick has a leg up right here.
A 6-8 205 pounder from Spokane, Morrison shortly developed into one of many West Coast Convention’s main gamers by averaging 19.1 factors per recreation and grabing 5.5 rebounds per outing. His lengthy vary capturing and distinct Beatles haircut introduced the charismatic sophomore to nationwide consideration within the Zag’s second spherical loss in final 12 months’s NCAA event.
This 12 months, Morrison received off shortly scoring a profession excessive 43 in Gonzaga’s now traditional time beyond regulation victory over Michigan State in Hawaii. Morrison equaled his 43 level outburst in a 5 level loss to rival Washington and has hit the 40 mark on two different events. Morrison is averaging 28.8 ppg, 5.5 rpg, and 1.8 help via February fifteenth. Morrison usually “wills” Gonzaga out of dire predicaments as he did final Saturday because the Zags got here from seven down within the closing 5 minutes to down Stanford.
JJ Redick is a uncommon four-year starter at Duke and is averaging 28.9 ppg, 2.2 rpg, and a couple of.8 apg. The 6-4 sharpshooter from Roanoke, Virginia not too long ago broke the NCAA report for profession 3-pointers (653 at this writing) and has legendary capturing vary. As a sophomore, Redick led the NCAA’s in free-throe share at .953 and is a profession .923 performer from the charity stripe.
A generally streaky however pure shooter, Redick is famous for his close to good capturing machanics. Redick has hit the 40 mark on three events together with a season excessive 41 within the Blue Devils 97-66 route over then primary Texas after which duplicated that manufacturing in Duke’s lone loss at Georgetown.
Each gamers have wonderful supporting casts which can make issues all of the extra fascinating come voting time. Apart from Morrison, Gonzaga has 6-10 Brazilian C/PF JP Battista who averages 20.0 ppg and 9.1 boards per recreation. 6-3 Derek Raivio quarterbacks the Zags from the purpose averaging 11.0 ppg and in addition leads the nation in foul capturing at .922 p.c.
Redick has massive man and sure-fire first spherical choose Sheldon Williams (18.9 ppg, 9.8 rpg) within the paint doing the soiled work whereas all-purpose senior Sean Dockery (9.0 ppg, 2.8 rpg, 3.3 apg) joins Redick within the again court docket.
Different gamers having good years that may garner token consideration within the balloting for every award are Illinois level guard Dee Brown (14.3 ppg , 3.1 rpg, 5.6 apg), senior Villanova capturing guard Randy Foye (20.0 ppg, 5.0 rpg, 3.1 apg) and UConn’s Mr. The whole lot Rudy Homosexual (16.1 ppg, 6.7 rpg), however when it is all stated and performed, it will be Morrison or Redick taking residence the {hardware}.