Ball, Hart among Wooden finalists
Lonzo Ball of UCLA, Josh Hart of Villanova, Frank Mason III of Kansas, Purdue’s Caleb Swanigan and Gonzaga’s Nigel Williams-Goss are the finalists for the John R. Wooden Award as college basketball’s player of the year.
The five have been invited to Los Angeles for the trophy presentation at the College Basketball Awards on April 7.
The 10-member Wooden Award All American team was announced yesterday based on national fan voting from March 13-20, which included opening rounds of the NCAA tournament. Besides those five, the other members are: Dillon Brooks of Oregon, Josh Jackson of Kansas, Justin Jackson of North Carolina, Duke’s Luke Kennard and Kentucky’s Malik Monk.
Brooks, Justin Jackson and Williams-Goss will play at the Final Four this weekend in Arizona.
The women’s Wooden Award winner will receive her trophy on the same night.
Akron coach on move
Akron coach Keith Dambrot has left the school and, according to ESPN, signed a seven-year deal with Duquesne.
Dambrot spent 13 seasons at Akron, compiling a 305-139 record. The Zips won at least 20 games in 12 straight seasons and earned three NCAA tournament bids under Dambrot. Akron set a school record with 27 wins this season, but the top-seeded Zips were beaten in the Mid-American Conference championship by rival Kent State and played in the NIT. …
Youngstown State named Jerrod Calhoun as its new coach following his successful run in Division 2.
Calhoun took Fairmont State to the Division 2 title game this season. The Falcons lost to Northwest Missouri State, 71-61, in the final.
He had a 124-38 record at the West Virginia school, which won at least 20 games in each of his five seasons. Calhoun has also worked on Bob Huggins’ staff at West Virginia. …
Maurice Joseph signed a five-year contract to remain George Washington’s basketball coach. He spent one season with an interim title in place of the fired Mike Lonergan.
The Colonials were 20-15, losing in the quarterfinals of the lower-tier College Basketball Invitational, this season under Joseph. He was hired as head coach in late September, 10 days after Lonergan was fired following a school investigation that found he “engaged in conduct inconsistent with the university’s values.”
Feelin’ a draft
Marshall guard Jon Elmore is entering the NBA draft but will not hire an agent, meaning he could return to the Thundering Herd for his senior season.
Elmore led Conference USA with 19.7 points and 5.9 assists per game this season.
Elmore has until May 24 to decide if he wants to stay in the draft pool or return to school.