SPRINGFIELD, Mass. – La Salle sophomore Tyreek Duren (Philadelphia, Pa. / Neumann-Goretti) has been named a candidate for Bob Cousy Collegiate Point Guard of the Year Award, the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame announced today. The annual honor, named for Hall of Famer and former Boston Celtic Bob Cousy, recognizes the top point guards in college basketball. Almost 60 candidates have been nominated for the 2012 Bob Cousy Award.
“The Hall of Fame is honored to be working with Mr. Cousy once again to present this prestigious award,” said John L. Doleva, President and CEO of the Basketball Hall of Fame. “The list of candidates include the top players from across the country that have shown the same leadership, hard work and determination that Mr. Cousy exemplified on the court for many years. We are excited to honor his legacy with the winner of this year’s award.”
“Bob was an extraordinary all-around basketball player, he was a fierce competitor and a great leader,” said Ken Kaufman, Chair of the Bob Cousy Award and former president of the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC). “With this award we want to continue to honor his legacy and make certain that the best collegiate point guards are appropriately recognized.”
Duren is averaging 12.9 points and 4.4 assists per game for the Explorers (7-3), which visit Delaware on Monday night. He ranks sixth in the conference in assists and eighth in steals (1.9 spg.). His assist/turnover ratio of 2.0 ranks fifth in the Atlantic 10 as well.
This original list of candidates will be narrowed down to a final twenty by January 1, final ten by February 1, and final five by March 1. A premier Selection Committee will be appointed by the Hall of Fame to review the final five candidates in contention for the nation’s top collegiate point guard award. These Hall of Fame committees are made up of top college basketball personnel including media members, head coaches, Sports Information Directors and Hall of Famers. The winner of the 2012 Bob Cousy Award will be presented at the Hall of Fame’s Class Announcement on Championship Monday in New Orleans as part of NCAA Final Four weekend.
Previous winners of the Bob Cousy Award have included Jameer Nelson (Saint Joseph’s), Raymond Felton (North Carolina), Dee Brown (Illinois), Acie Law (Texas A & M), DJ Augustin (Texas), Ty Lawson (North Carolina), Greivis Vasquez (Maryland) and last year’s recipient Kemba Walker (Connecticut). For more information on the 2012 Bob Cousy, log onto www.CousyAward.com.
Duren is one of four Atlantic 10 guards on the list and one of three Philadelphia Big 5 players. He is joined by Tu Holloway of Xavier, TJ McConnell of Duquesne, and Tony Taylor of George Washington in the A-10 and Penn’s Zack Rosen and Villanova’s Maalik Wayns in the Big 5.
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