Courtesy of SJUHawks.com
HAVERTOWN, PA. – Junior DeAndre’ Bembry (Charlotte, N.C.) and senior Isaiah Miles (Baltimore, Md.) were named the Co-Most Valuable Players of the Saint Joseph’s University basketball team and each received the John P. Hilferty Memorial Award, as announced at the 61st Annual Men’s Basketball Awards Banquet held at Llanerch Country Club this evening.
In addition to honoring the Hawks’ seniors and the 2015-16 Atlantic 10 Champion team, former SJU standout Ahmad Nivins ’09 was inducted into the Saint Joseph’s Men’s Basketball Hall of Fame.
Bembry was named the 2016 Player of the Year in both the Atlantic 10 and the Philadelphia Big 5, as he averaged 17.4 points, 7.8 rebounds and a team-high 4.5 assists per game for the 28-8 Hawks. He scored double figures in 35 games, with nine double-doubles and 10 games of 20-plus points. He was also chosen to the USBWA All-District 2 Team, NABC All-District 4 First Team, the A-10 All-Championship Team and received all-league first team honors from the Atlantic 10 and Big 5. Having declared for the NBA Draft, Bembry closes out his career as the 15th leading scorer in Hawk history with 1,590 points, and a two-time All-Atlantic 10 First Team selection.
Miles was one of the most improved players in the nation turning in a career-best season and was recognized with the Most Improved Player Award from both the Atlantic 10 and the Big 5. He led the Hawks with 18.1 points and 8.1 rebounds per game while shooting 52.3 percent from the field and earned NABC All-District, A-10 All-Conference and All-Big 5 honors. Miles, who ranked ninth in the nation in free throw percentage with 88.8 percent, scored double figures in 35 consecutive games and posted 10 double-doubles and 11 games with 20 or more points. The senior was named the Most Outstanding Player of the 2016 Atlantic 10 Championship as he helped the Hawks to their second conference title in three years.
Nivins, who starred for the Hawks from 2005 to 2009, was the Player of the Year in both the Atlantic 10 and the Big 5 his senior year as he averaged 19.2 points and 11.7 rebounds. He was an Associated Press Honorable Mention All-America selection in 2009 and finished his career ranked third all-time in scoring (1,789) and sixth in rebounding (955). He still holds the school record for career field goal percentage with 62.7 percent, and currently ranks fifth in scoring among SJU’s all-time leaders.
Sophomores James Demery (Williamston, N.C.) and Shavar Newkirk (New York, N.Y.) each received the Robert O’Neill Memorial Award as the team’s most improved players. Demery was the team’s “sixth man” this season and averaged 8.1 points while shooting 50.5 percent from the field, an improvement from his 2014-15 field goal percentage of 36.6. Newkirk was the Hawks’ starting point guard and averaged 8.0 points per game, an increase from his 3.3 scoring average last year.
The Patrick D. O’Pake Unsung Hero Award was given to graduate student Papa Ndao (Dakar, Senegal) and senior Aaron Brown (Darby, Pa.). Ndao, who played in 115 games in his career, connected on a personal-best 37 three-pointers this season and scored a career-high 14 points in the Hawks’ win over Dayton in the Atlantic 10 Semifinals. Brown moved into a starting role this season and averaged a career-best 10.4 points per game, while scoring double figures in 20 games.
The Daniel J. Cummins, Jr. Memorial Award for spirit was presented to sophomores Michael Booth (Thornton, Pa.) andKyle Thompson (Mt. Laurel, N.J.) Booth and Thompson are two-year members of the Hawks as walk-ons and were cited for their dedication and enthusiasm.
Senior Skylar Scrivano (Doylestown, Pa.) received the George Senesky Memorial Award for academics. A sociology major, Scrivano was eligible to play this season at SJU after transferring from Rider, but suffered an injury which kept him out of action. He has earned recognition on both the Atlantic 10 Commissioner’s Honor Roll and the SJU Athletic Director’s Honor Roll.
The William J. Bennett Award for dedication to the program was given to director of basketball operations Rob Sullivan ’03. Sullivan, who played for the Hawks from 2003-06, has been a member of coach Phil Martelli’s staff for 10 seasons.
Taylor Trevisan (West Chester, Pa.), who played for the Hawks from 2011-13, received the Michael J. Conway Memorial Award, for an alumnus who has given back to the program.
Senior manager Claire Higgins (Merchantville, N.J.) was the recipient of the William F. Maher Memorial Award for loyalty while the Fr. Emory Ross, S.J. Sixth Man Award was given to Saint Joseph’s sophomore Ryan Lloyd.
The Hawks captured their second A-10 title in the past three years and reached the round of 32 in the NCAA Tournament. Saint Joseph’s recorded its second-most victories in school history with a 28-8 record.
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