NSU picks up several top awards in league
Guard Bryant repeats as Player of the Year
Norfolk State picked up an impressive collection of MEAC basketball postseason honors Tuesday night, with men’s guard Joe Bryant Jr. repeating as player of the year, women’s guard Camille Downs repeating as defensive player of the year and Larry Vickers selected as the women’s coach of the year.
Bryant, a senior out of Lake Taylor High, ranks third in the league in scoring (17.3 points per game), first in free-throw percentage (.842), second in 3-pointers per game (2.3), fifth in assists (3.3) and sixth in steals (1.7). He becomes the first MEAC player to be named player of the year in consecutive seasons since Delaware State’s Jahsha Bluntt in 2005-06 and 2006-07 and the second NSU player to do so. Damian Woolfolk was the first in the 1998-99 and 1999-2000 seasons.
NSU forward Kris Bankston joined Bryant on the All-MEAC first team and guard George Beale Jr. made the All-Rookie Team. Bankston, who also made the MEAC All-Defensive Team, has averaged 14.3 points, 7.1 rebounds and 1.6 blocked shots this season.
Downs and Deja Francis made the All-MEAC women’s first team, while Kierra Wheeler was on the third team. Wheeler and Mahoganie Williams joined Downs on the All-Defensive Team.
Downs ranks fifth nationally in steals (100) and steals per game (3.4). She leads the Spartans in scoring (12.0) and is third in rebounding (4.7).
Vickers guided the NSU women to back-to-back MEAC regular-season crowns.
On the men’s side, Howard forward Shy Odom was the MEAC rookie of the year, while North Carolina Central center Brendan Medley-Bacon earned defensive player of the year. Howard’s Kenneth Blakeney was named coach of the year.
The Spartans’ men, the No. 3 seed in the MEAC Tournament, will open postseason play against No. 6 Coppin State at 8 p.m. today.
For the women, Howard’s Destiny Howell was MEAC player of the year and North Carolina Central’s Jerni Kiaku was rookie of the year.