Convention play is now in full swing throughout the nation which suggests we’ve performed slightly greater than two months of normal season males’s faculty basketball with slightly greater than two months nonetheless to go.
With this being simply concerning the actual midway level of the common season, it appears like the right time handy out some midseason awards.
Midseason Nationwide Participant of the Yr: Cameron Boozer, Duke
The race for nationwide POY isn’t “already over” like some are suggesting, however Duke’s freshman sensation could be the clear selection for each main particular person award of this nature if the season ended at present. Boozer has been each bit nearly as good as marketed for Jon Scheyer, at present rating first within the nation in scoring (23.3 ppg), eleventh in rebounding (9.7 rpg), and seventh in double-doubles (7).
Midseason Nationwide Coach of the Yr: Mark Byington, Vanderbilt
With six undefeated groups nonetheless remaining and a lot of different squads with surprisingly gaudy midseason data, there are not any scarcity of candidates to place on this house. I’m going with the man who has taken a Vanderbilt staff picked to complete eleventh within the SEC firstly of the season and led them to an ideal 15-0 begin following Wednesday evening’s win over Alabama.
Byington, who spent seven seasons as the pinnacle coach at Georgia Southern and 4 at James Madison earlier than touchdown the Vandy gig, wasn’t as splashy as a few of the different SEC teaching hires of the final 5 years, however he’s already confirmed to be among the best. Via a season and-a-half in Nashville, Byington has posted a 35-13 total document. That’s music to the ears of Commodore followers who sat by 5 seasons the place Jerry Stackhouse’s groups went a mixed 70-92.
Midseason Nationwide Freshman of the Yr: Cameron Boozer, Duke
We might get cute right here and provides this award to A.J. Dybantsa, however any time a freshman wins a greatest total participant award however not a greatest freshman award, it simply feels foolish. Cam Boozer has been the very best participant in faculty basketball thus far this season, which suggests he’s additionally been the very best freshman in faculty basketball thus far this season.
Midseason First Group All-Individuals
Once more, he’s actually good.
Yaxel Lendeborg, Michigan
If we have been handing out a “midseason staff of the yr” award, it will virtually actually go to Michigan, and Lendeborg has been the participant most liable for the Wolverines’ traditionally dominant 14-0 begin. The 6’9 switch from UAB has had no hassle acclimating himself to the ability convention stage, averaging 14.7 factors, 7.0 rebounds, 3.4 assists, 1.4 blocks and 1.3 steals per recreation regardless of taking part in by a lingering calf harm in current weeks.
The best profile identify within the ballyhooed class of 2025, Dybantsa has been each bit nearly as good as marketed thus far this season for BYU. He’ll head into the weekend because the nation’s second-leading scorer at 23.1 ppg, and has been the driving drive of a Cougar staff that has a really actual shot to be the primary in program historical past to make a Remaining 4.
Joshua Jefferson, Iowa State
Whereas he may not have the identify recognizability of the three gamers above him, Jefferson is at present posting averages of 17.6 factors, 7.9 rebounds, 5.4 assists and 1.2 steals per recreation for an undefeated Iowa State staff that owns the very best win of the season — a 23-point beatdown of preseason No. 1 Purdue in West Lafayette. The 6’9 ahead is the one participant within the nation to common these numbers, and could be simply the third participant since 1996-97 to common these numbers. Jefferson just lately recorded the ninth triple-double in ISU historical past with a ten factors, 10 assists and 10 rebound effort in opposition to West Virginia.
You would actually make a case for Toppin’s teammate, Christian Anderson, to be on this spot, however Toppin has been each bit nearly as good as his preseason All-America accolades predicted he’d be. The 6’9 junior is averaging profession bests in factors (20.9 ppg), rebounds (10.9 rpg) and assists (1.7 apg).
Midseason Second Group All-Individuals
Braden Smith, Purdue
Christian Anderson, Texas Tech
Caleb Wilson, North Carolina
Thomas Haugh, Florida
Bennett Stirtz, Iowa
Midseason Third Group All-Individuals
Labron Philon, Alabama
Jaden Bradley, Arizona
Darius Acuff, Arkansas
Tyler Tanner, Vanderbilt
Kingston Flemings, Houston
