Thabeet Named Nation's Best Defender
SAN ANTONIO, Texas (April 6, 2008)-- University of
Connecticut sophomore center Hasheem Thabeet (Dar es Salaam,
Tanzania) has been named the 2007-08 NABC (National Association of
Basketball Coaches) National Defensive Player of the Year and will be
honored Sunday evening at the AT&T/NABC Guardians of the Game awards
show at the Lila Cockrell Theatre.
Thabeet's selection marks the third time in six seasons that UConn has had
the nation's top defensive player by the NABC and he becomes the second Husky to
earn the honor, joining Emeka Okafor (2003-04 & 2002-03).
Thabeet averaged 4.5 blocks per game this season, ranking No. 3 nationally
and leading the BIG EAST for the second straight season. He averaged 5.2 blocks
per game in league play and his 94 total blocks in BIG EAST play set a new
conference record, breaking the old mark of 93 held by Alonzo Mourning of
Georgetown, set in 1991-92.
Thabeet was the BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Year and was named to the
All-BIG EAST Second Team and was also an All-District Second Team selection by
the NABC. |
