April 3, 2017
It's a big day for the Leopards as the Patriot League awards are announced.
HTML Code:
2016 PATRIOT LEAGUE AWARDS
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Player of the Year:
SR SF Charles Davis Holy Cross 16.3 PPG, 5.4 RPG, 2.2 APG 1.7 SPG, 0.2 BPG
Freshman of the Year:
FR SF Daniel Warnock Lafayette 11.2 PPG, 4.1 RPG, 1.3 APG 0.5 SPG, 0.2 BPG
Coach of the Year:
Graham Sims Lafayette 28 - 7 (12 - 2)
All-league 1st Team:
C SO Samuel Davis Lafayette 6.9 PPG, 5.7 RPG, 1.1 APG, 0.8 SPG, 2.7 BPG
PF SO Otis Hall Lafayette 7.3 PPG, 7.7 RPG, 1.2 APG, 0.5 SPG, 0.6 BPG
SF SR Charles Davis Holy Cross 16.3 PPG, 5.4 RPG, 2.2 APG, 1.7 SPG, 0.2 BPG
SG SR Alvaro Kinard Lafayette 10.6 PPG, 4.0 RPG, 2.1 APG, 1.8 SPG, 0.2 BPG
PG SR Frank Adams Holy Cross 7.6 PPG, 4.4 RPG, 6.8 APG, 0.9 SPG, 0.1 BPG
All-league 2nd Team:
C SR Hagan Loeffler American 9.9 PPG, 5.0 RPG, 1.1 APG, 0.3 SPG, 1.8 BPG
PF SO Daniel Layfield Holy Cross 10.1 PPG, 6.1 RPG, 0.8 APG, 0.2 SPG, 0.8 BPG
SF JR Joe Lien Lafayette 18.3 PPG, 4.6 RPG, 3.5 APG, 0.8 SPG, 0.2 BPG
SG SO Joey Sweeney Holy Cross 12.4 PPG, 4.7 RPG, 1.9 APG, 1.0 SPG, 0.0 BPG
PG SR Pete Truman Lehigh 10.4 PPG, 3.8 RPG, 5.8 APG, 0.7 SPG, 0.2 BPG
All-freshman Team:
C FR Robert Wiley Holy Cross 4.9 PPG, 3.1 RPG, 0.4 APG, 0.2 SPG, 0.2 BPG
PF
SF FR Daniel Warnock Lafayette 11.2 PPG, 4.1 RPG, 1.3 APG, 0.5 SPG, 0.2 BPG
SG FR Timothy Pinto Lehigh 9.9 PPG, 3.7 RPG, 1.2 APG, 0.6 SPG, 0.3 BPG
PG FR Frances Lewallen Colgate 5.2 PPG, 0.7 RPG, 0.5 APG, 0.1 SPG, 0.1 BPG
If I'd bet on which Lafayette player would be most likely to make the All-League first team, I would have picked league-leading scorer
Joe Lien. Joe does earn post-season honors, but he's on the second team at his "official" position, SF (although he's run the point for us all year).
Instead, THREE other players earn spots on the first team!
I'm delighted to see our pair of sophomore big men,
Samuel Davis and
Otis Hall, recognized for their hard-nosed play. The voters dig blocked shots, and nobody in the league does that better than
Big Sazzy. O-Hall's performance earns him the team's respect as our
Blue Collar Man.
I'm even happier for
Alvaro Kinard. I'll tell the story of the meandering path he took through his collegiate career in his Senior Tribute. It's great to see it end on such a positive note.
To nobody's surprise,
Daniel Warnock is named Freshman of the Year, and earns a spot on the All-Freshman Team.
Robert Wiley, to whom we offered a scholarship, joins him.
And
Graham Sims wins his third Patriot League Coach of the Year Award.
Then I spot this message in my inbox...
"SF Joe Lien has decided to forgo his remaining college eligibility in order to enter the draft. His scholarship is now available for the current recruiting period."
I didn't see this coming. Joe's good, but I didn't think he was THAT good. Joe isn't listed among the top 50 in the association-wide rankings.
I check the uncommitted players who remain in this season's recruiting pool, and there's nobody I care about signing. I'll hold on to Joe's scholarship and offer it to a player in the Class of 2018.