Courtesy of LehighSports.com
BETHLEHEM, Pa. – For a third consecutive season, Lehigh men’s basketball senior Tim Kempton has been named a first team All-District 13 honoree, as announced by the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) on Wednesday. Kempton finished a record-breaking career by averaging career highs in points (20.4) and rebounds (10.4) during his senior season, both tops in the Patriot League. This marks the eighth time in nine years that the Mountain Hawks have placed at least one student-athlete on the NABC All-District team.
Prior to Kempton’s honor in each of the last two years, Gabe Knutson and Mackey McKnight were named to the second team in 2013. C.J. McCollum was named to the first team the previous three seasons while Zahir Carington earned second team laurels in 2009.
A Final Five Finalist for the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Award presented to the top center in the nation, Kempton finished his senior season, and career, with nine double-doubles in his last 10 games to reach 21 for the season and 54 in his career. His 21 double-doubles this season are good for seventh nationally. Kempton is one of just two players in the nation to average 20+ points and 10+ rebounds this season while he leads the nation in 20+ point, 10+ rebound games with 16 (Purdue’s Caleb Swanigan is second with 14).
Kempton averaged 24.3 points and 13.3 rebounds over Lehigh’s three Patriot League Tournament games as he helped lead the Mountain Hawks to the Patriot League Championship Game for a second consecutive season. One of the highlights came in the semifinals at Boston University when he tallied 15 points, five rebounds and two blocks in the 10 minutes of overtime, helping lead Lehigh to the thrilling 91-88 double overtime victory. Kempton averaged 24.3 points and 12.0 rebounds per game in six games against eventual NCAA Tournament teams.
Kempton broke the Patriot League record by winning seven Player of the Week awards this season. He leaves Lehigh as its all-time leading rebounder (1,095), while standing third in points (2,038). Kempton is second in Patriot League history in rebounds and stands fourth in points.
A three time first team All-League honoree, Kempton was a three-time major award winner – winning Rookie of the Year and twice winning Player of the Year. This season, Kempton was also named to the USBWA All-District team, Lehigh’s first honoree since C.J. McCollum since 2010-11. Kempton was named a finalist for the Senior CLASS Award as well.
The Mountain Hawks finished the 2016-17 season with a 20-12 record, Lehigh’s fourth time reaching 20 wins in the last eight seasons. Lehigh earned an impressive win over eventual Ivy League Champion Princeton while finishing 4-2 against eventual NCAA Tournament teams. The Mountain Hawks continue to put themselves in contention for a championship, reaching the title game for the fourth time in the last eight years.
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District 13
First Team
Tim Kempton, Lehigh
Nana Foulland, Bucknell
Zach Thomas, Bucknell
Steven Cook, Princeton
Eric Fanning, Boston University
Second Team
Bryce Aiken, Harvard
Steven Spieth, Brown
Spencer Weisz, Princeton
Devin Cannady, Princeton
Evan Boudreaux, Dartmouth
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