Monday, March 9, 2009

Big East Awards and The Rant's Thought

Not 24 hours after the last game in league play was completed, the Big East announced their All-Big East teams. Take a look.

ALL-BIG EAST FIRST TEAM
Hasheem Thabeet, Connecticut, C, Jr., 7-3, 263, Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania
Terrence Williams, Louisville, F, Sr., 6-6, 210, Seattle, Wash.
Jerel McNeal, Marquette, G, Sr., 6-3, 200 Chicago, Ill.
Luke Harangody, Notre Dame, F, Jr., 6-8, 251, Schererville, Ind.
DeJuan Blair, Pittsburgh, C, So., 6-7, 265, Pittsburgh, Pa.
Sam Young, Pittsburgh, F, Sr., 6-6, 215, Clinton, Md.

ALL-BIG EAST SECOND TEAM
A.J. Price, Connecticut, G, Sr., 6-2, 181, Amityville, N.Y.
Wesley Matthews, Marquette, G, Sr., 6-5, 215, Madison, Wis.
Jonny Flynn, Syracuse, G, So., 6-0, 185, Niagara Falls, N.Y.
Dante Cunningham, Villanova, F, Sr., 6-8, 230, Silver Spring, Md.
Da’Sean Butler, West Virginia, F, Jr., 6-7, 225, Newark, N.J.

ALL-BIG EAST THIRD TEAM
Deonta Vaughn, Cincinnati, G, Jr., 6-1, 195, Indianapolis, Ind.
Jeff Adrien, Connecticut, F, Sr., 6-7, 243, Brookline, Mass.
Earl Clark, Louisville, G/F, Jr., 6-8, 220, Rahway, N.J.
Levance Fields, Pittsburgh, G, Sr., 5-10, 190, Brooklyn, N.Y.
Jeremy Hazell, Seton Hall, G, So., 6-5, 185, Bronx, N.Y.

BIG EAST HONORABLE MENTION
Weyinmi Efejuku, Providence, G, Sr., 6-5, 210, Fresh Meadows, N.Y.
Dominique Jones, USF, G, So., 6-4, 205, Lake Wales, Fla.
Scottie Reynolds, Villanova, G, Jr., 6-2, 195, Herndon, Va.
Alex Ruoff, West Virginia, G, Sr., 6-6, 220, Spring Hill, Fla.

BIG EAST ALL-ROOKIE TEAM
Yancy Gates, Cincinnati, F, Fr., 6-9, 255, Cincinnati, Ohio
Kemba Walker, Connecticut, G, Fr., 6-0, 175, Bronx, N.Y.
Greg Monroe, Georgetown, C, Fr., 6-10, 240, Gretna, La.
Samardo Samuels, Louisville, F, Fr., 6-8, 240, Trelawny, Jamaica
Mike Rosario, Rutgers, G, Fr., 6-3, 180, Jersey City, N.J.
Devin Ebanks, West Virginia, F, Fr., 6-9, 205, Long Island City, N.Y


Surprisingly, I actually I agree with the first team, for the most part. I think that Luke Harangody got on the team this year more based on his name and reputation then anything else, but he did put up big numbers. He led the conference in scoring and finished 2nd in rebounding. However, my argument is that his team stunk, and would not have been much worse without him. If you take any of the other five first teamers off their teams and there is a dramatic drop off in that teams play. Also, Harangody is 100% offensively driven. He was a matador on defense for the most part, making breaks down court to be the outlet and score easy baskets.

I would have put Levance Fields on the first team in place of Harangody. Fields is the premier point guard in the league and maybe the best in the nation, yet he gets third team All-Big East.

The Player and Coach of the year awards will be announced on Tuesday between sessions. My Coach of the Year would be Jay Wright. As much as I think that Jamie Dixon, Buzz Williams and Keno Davis all would be strong candidates, Wright took seven or eight good players and made them a great team. That is harder to do then most people think. He does not have a true center, and basically plays with four guards, but he made it work this season.

My Player of the Year is between three players. Terrence Williams of Louisville is what makes that team go. He can do a little bit of everything, and does. DeJuan Blair has become the face of the Big East. His smile and toughness can be seen every time he hits the floor. Putting up double-doubles all season also does not hurt his case for POY. The third player is Sam Young. Young flies under the radar a little because of Blair and the recognition he has gotten this season at Pitt. But it is Young who leads the team in scoring. It is Young who scored 25 in the first win over UCONN and 31 Saturday on his senior day. I could take the easy road and give a Co-POY to Blair and Young, but I won’t do that. If I had to cast my vote I would vote for DeJuan Blair. Not to take anything away from Young and Williams, but I think that Blair has more of an overall effect on the game than those two players.

I’ll have more the rest of the week with other post-season honors as well as the weekly rankings.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

i think your opinions are a little biased being a pitt fan and all. no way fields is first team over harangody. yes the irish woulda been worse without his scoring and rebounding. i do however love pitts game and blair and young are both so tuff and work hard.fields is great to dont get me wrong. i think pitt is my fav. to win it. the only thing i dont like about blair is his shit talkin and cockiness. but his game is top notch.

The Reitmeyer Rant said...

I hear you about Fields. 1st team may have been a little bit of a push, but there is no way that he should be behind Price or Flynn. He is the best PG in the conference, and putting him 3rd team is like a slap in the face. As for Blair, you should want your players to have a swagger about them. And knowing DeJuan, I think it is more of a confidence thing then anything.