April 20, 2010
ANNAPOLIS, Md. -- The Navy men's basketball team capped off its 2009-10 season with its annual team banquet held last Friday evening. The Mids finished the season with a 13-17 overall mark and in a fourth-place tie in the Patriot League at 7-7. The senior class, which was Billy Lange's second-recruited group, was honored and team awards were handed out.
The Mids recorded a 13-17 overall mark and with their 7-7 league mark are just one of two teams (American) to finish in the top half of the Patriot League standings in each of the last three years. The senior class posted a 62-58 record in its four years at Navy, including 48-42 mark in its final three years.
In addition, Navy countinued its stellar play at Alumni Hall, which once again led the Patriot League in attendance (league games only) despite horrible winter weather. The Midshipmen went 10-4 at home, and is now 30-13 at Alumni Hall in the last three years, including 22-7 over the last two seasons.
Navy also excelled in close games, recording a 9-3 mark in games decided by six or fewer points and since the start of the 2008-09 season, Navy is 20-9 in games decided by six points or less. The Midshipmen are 11-2 in games decided by three points or less in that span, with both losses coming to American this year.
Navy had a see-saw non-conference slate, starting the year 2-4 with losses to competitive teams such as Radford, Buffalo, Long Island and Mount St. Mary's in overtime. The Mids then won two games in a row to even their mark to 4-4 overall with wins over Northeast Conference regular-season champion Quinnipiac and Penn. However, Navy then suffered four losses in a row to George Washington, Maryland-Eastern Shore, Wofford and Seton Hall. Navy righted the ship with a pair of wins over Coppin State and Elon to head into Patriot League play with a 6-9 overall mark.
Navy started the league season hot, defeating Bucknell on the road and Lehigh at home. After dropping its next two league games, Navy rallied from a 14-point halftime deficit to top rival Army, 62-56, in front of a sold-out crowd of 5,710 at Alumni Hall. Navy would end the first half of league season at 4-3 following a 100-91 triumph over Colgate.
Navy then topped Bucknell and Lehigh in front of sparse crowds that braved back-to-back blizzards to move to 6-3 in league play and into first place with five games to play. The Mountain Hawks were the Patriot League's representative in the NCAA Tournament, meaning Navy has swept the league champion in two of the last three years. Bucknell, which finished second, was also swept by Navy for the second consecutive year. Lastly, Navy was the lone league team to win on Lehigh and Bucknell's home floor, as those teams combined to go 12-2 in league games at home.
On the NCAA leaderboard, Navy ranked 21st in three-pointers per game (8.2), making the third-most three-pointers in a season in school history. Navy was 62nd in turnover margin (+1.8) and finished 98th in free throw percentage (.713). Individually, Chris Harris was 18th nationally in points per game (21.1), 27th in three-pointers per game (2.9), 66th in three-point percentage (.342), 25th in free throw percentage (.873) and 34th in steals per game (2.0). Sophomore Jordan Sugars, who was one of just 10 freshmen or sophomores nationally to average 15.0 ppg and 8.0 rpg, ranked 14th in three-point percentage (.422), 55th in three-pointers per game (2.6) and 101st in rebounding (8.0). Lastly, junior O.J. Avworo was 14th in assists per game (5.8) and 68th in assist-to-turnover ratio (2.06).
Harris and Avworo both won Patriot League statistical crowns, as Harris led the league in scoring (21.1 ppg) and Avworo led the league in assists per game (5.8 apg). Its just the third time in league history that a pair of teammates have led those two categories. In addition, three different Navy players have now led the league in scoring in each of the last four years, something only one other program (Murray State, 1995-98) has accomplished in NCAA history.
Senior Chris Harris (Mechanicsville, Va.) was honored with a pair of awards, winning the David Robinson Award (awarded to a men's basketball player of the graduating class who has done the most for the team over his playing career) and the Charles McDonough Most Outstanding Team Player Award (awarded to the men's basketball player whose performance, ability and statistics had the greatest impact throughout the season). He is one of four players in school history (David Robinson, Greg Sprink and John Clune) to score 600 points in a season finishing sixth with 632 points, while ranking 11th on the Navy single-season list with a 21.1 points per game average. His 88 three-pointers this year were the second most in a season in school history, behind just his 91 he made as a sophomore and ahead of the 85 triples he connected on a year ago, to hold down the top three spots on the chart. In addition, his 178 free throws made are the fourth most in a season in school history. His 87.3 free throw percentage is the third-highest percentage in school history and he ranked fifth on the single-season steals list with 60.
Harris scored in double figures in 29-of-30 games, including a 27-game stretch to start the season, the fifth-longest streak in school history. He scored at least 30 points in a game five times during the year, including a Navy-conference record 40 points in an 85-78 win over Lehigh in early February, the most for a Navy player since David Robinson had 50 against Michigan on March 12, 1987, the 11th most in school history and the 16th most in the country so far. In that contest, he had eight three-pointers, tied for the third most in a game in Navy's history.
For his career, Harris finished fifth on the career scoring list with 1,635 points, ranking 11th all-time in the Patriot League annals. His 288 career three-pointers are the program's best by almost 50 triples (Greg Sprink - 237), and he ranked third all-time in career free throw percentage (.848). He is one of two Navy players (Kaleo Kina) to score 1,500 points, dish out 250 assists and grab 150 steals in a career. He played in all 120 games during his career (91 career starts; 89 of last 90 games), the fifth most in program history, while his 3,448 minutes played are the fourth most in Navy history. In addition, he is one of two Patriot League players (Bucknell's Kevin Bettencourt) to rank in the Patriot League record books for points (11th), steals (14th), three-pointers made (4th) and free throw percentage (3rd).
Junior Mark Veazey (Lilburn, Ga.) was named the Kevin Sinnett Academic Achievement recipient (awarded to the men's basketball player who demonstrates work ethic, commitment and pride in the classroom and in his efforts to represent the team in the academic arena). Veazey owns a 2.86 GPA in information technology and has been named to the Commandant's List twice during his time at Navy. On the court, Veazey overcame injuries to average 5.7 ppg and 2.8 rpg while ranking second on the team with 17 blocked shots.
Senior T.J. Topercer (Scottsdale, Ariz.) was earned the team's Defensive Player of the Year (awarded to the men's basketball player who performed exceptionally as an individual and team defender. The award is given for his attitude to NAVY DEFENSE). Topercer played in 27 games, starting the last three games of the season and averaging 2.3 ppg and 2.0 rpg. Despite playing the eighth-most minutes on the squad, Topercer ranked third on the team in charges drawn (9).
Junior O.J. Avworo (Houston, Texas) was named the team's Most Improved Player (awarded to the men's basketball player who demonstrated a desire and will to improve for the benefit of himself and his teammates) as well as the recipient of the Rear Admiral Marryott Award (the highest honor bestowed upon a Navy basketball player, it is awarded to the men's basketball player who embodies what a Navy basketball player is about. He plays for Navy while demonstrating a commitment to character, to leadership and to his teammates). Avworo had an outstanding junior campaign, averaging 8.1 ppg, 5.8 apg and 2.8 rpg. He led the Patriot League in assists and during league games only, averaged 10.2 ppg and 6.4 apg. Over the last 13 games, Avworo recorded three doubles-doubles of points and assists, including dishing out 13 assists against Holy Cross, the most for a Navy player in a Patriot League game. Avworo averaged 10.5 ppg and 7.0 apg over the last 13 games while shooting 43.1 percent from the field for the entire season. His 169 assists rank as the sixth most in school history and he is averaging 4.7 apg in his 59 career games at Navy, the fourth-best mark in school history. During the season, Avworo set career highs in points (17), assists (13), blocked shots (1), field goals made (6), field goal attempts (12), three-pointers made (2), free throws made (8) and free throw attempts (17).
Entering next season, head coach Billy Lange will welcome back four starters in Avworo, Jordan Sugars, Jeremy Wilson and Romeo Garcia, as well as other letterwinners Greg Brown and Alex Newsome. The Mids will open the season against either Maryland, Pitt, Texas or Illinois in the 2010 Coaches vs. Cancer Class on Nov. 8-12.
# GO NAVY #
