Big East Preview; No NCAAs for Big East Locals
The Big East could send
The Big East could send
For the second straight year, Conncecticut’s shot-blocking stalwart Hasheem Thabeet has been named BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Year by a vote of the league’s head coaches who were not permitted to vote for their own players.
The BIG EAST also announced that Villanova forward Dante Cunningham has been named BIG EAST Most Improved Player. Cunningham’s teammate Corey Fisher , a former star at St. Patrick of Elizabeth (N.J.), is the winner of the BIG EAST Sixth Man Award and West Virginia senior guard Alex Ruoff is the recipient of the BIG EAST Sportsmanship Award.
Notre Dame forward Luke Harangody and Pittsburgh forward Sam Young are repeat selections on the 2008-09 All-Big East First Team chosen by the coaches.
Six players were named to the All-Big East First Team. The Big East Player of the Year will come from that list. The other individual awards will be announced March 9.
After an unofficial visit to Memphis this weekend, DeMarcus Cousins pulled the trigger and committed to John Calipari’s program.
“Me and my family came to a decision after talking about it. We just thought it was the best place for me to be,” Cousins told Slamonline.com. “Everything about the school, the city, whole visit was impressive. I already liked Memphis, so the visit was just icing on the cake.”
The 6-foot-10, 250-pound Cousins is the No. 2 overall player and No. 1 power forward in the Class of 2009. He joins an impressive recruiting class that includes
After claiming its first Big East regular-season title in the last game of the season, Louisville has earned the top seed in the 2009 Big East Championship.
The Cardinals, who were 62-59 winners at West Virginia late Saturday, took the outright regular-season title just one year after being denied by Georgetown in a virtual championship game to close the 2007-08 season.
“It’s awesome because it’s the toughest league in the history of the Big East,” Cardinals coach Rick Pitino told Erin Andrews of ESPN. “It’s an awesome accomplishment, I’m real proud of the guys.”
A couple of prized big men are making recruiting news.
Jarrid Famous, the 6-foot-11 center out of Westchester (N.Y.) Community College, said he enjoyed his recent visit to Missouri and plans to visit Xavier next.
“Xavier is next, I don’t know when yet,” said Famous, the Mid-Hudson Conference and Region XV Player of the Year. “I promised Xavier a visit. Once I get done with them then I’ll take the next step.”
Lance Stephenson and the Lincoln Railsplitters took yet another step Saturday toward an unprecedented fourth straight PSAL city championship.
With St. John’s head coach Norm Roberts and Red Storm players Sean Evans and D.J. Kennedy looking on, the 6-foot-5 Stephenson had 28 points, 12 rebounds and five assists as No. 1 Lincoln downed No. 9 Transit Tech 86-80 in the quarterfinals at St. John’s.
“Nobody can stop me down low,” Stephenson, playing at the renovated Carnesecca Arena for the first time, told FiveBorosports.com. “I had fun on the court.”
Maryland-bound power forward James Padgett added 13 points and 12 boards and St. Francis-bound point guard Darwin “Buddha” Ellis added 15 points.
Next up for Lincoln is a semifinal date with Brooklyn rival Boys & Girls next Sunday at 5 o’clock at St. John’s.
