April 13, 2010

PHILADELPHIA - La Salle freshman Aaric Murray was named the Big 5 Rookie of the Year and senior Yves Mekongo earned the Big 5 Sportsmanship Award, it was announced today by the Herb Good Basketball Club. The two Explorers, along with senior Rodney Green who earned first team honors yesterday, will be recognized on Monday, April 19, at the organization's 65th annual banquet at The Savoy in Pennsauken, NJ.

Murray, a second team all-city selection, led all Big 5 freshmen in scoring (12.2 ppg.), rebounding (6.6 rpg.) and blocks (70). An Atlantic 10 All-Rookie selection, Murray set the La Salle record for blocks by a freshman and was second on the school's single season list behind Lionel Simmons' 77 in 1987-88.

Mekongo is a two-time CoSIDA/ESPN The Magazine Academic All-America selection, including first team honors this season. A three-time Academic All-Atlantic 10 pick, he was named the A-10 Student-Athlete of the Year in 2009-10. Mekongo missed six games with a broken hand but remained vital part of the Explorers program during that span. He scored 1,014 points in his career.

Temple's Fran Dunphy was selected the Eastern College Coach of the Year by the Herb Good Basketball Club and Villanova's Antonio Pena has won the George Paull Award as the Big Five's Most Improved Player. Penn's Zack Rosen is the Big Five's Most Accurate Foul Shooter (86.2 average) and earns the Cy Kaselman Award.

Villanova's Scottie Reynolds gets the Palumbo Award as the Big Five's top scorer (18.8 average, 564 points). The Club will present a special achievement award to Philadelphia University's Herb Magee. The Eddie Gottlieb Award to the Outstanding 76er goes to Andre Iguodala.

Tickets for the banquet can be reserved by calling Brett Burchette at the Big Five Office (215 898-4747) or Al Shrier at Temple (215 651-1821).