Men's Basketball | April 11, 2018

Purchase Tickets to Big 5 Banquet

PHILADELPHIA - La Salle University senior men's basketball standout B.J. Johnson was named to the Philadelphia Big 5 First Team, it was announced by the organization on Wednesday. Johnson will be honored at the Philadelphia Big 5 Banquet on Monday, April 16 at The Palestra, beginning at 6:00 p.m. Tickets are available via the link above.

Johnson was also named the top scorer and top free-throw shooter among all Philadelphia Big 5 players for the 2017-18 season. The 6-7 forward averaged 20.8 points per game, the most for an Explorer since the late Rasual Butler scored 20.9 points per contest in 2001-02. Butler, who passed away tragically this past January, will be inducted into the Big 5 Hall of Fame posthumously on the same evening Johnson is honored.

In addition to his scoring exploits, Johnson was one of the top rebounders in the Atlantic 10, pulling in 8.3 per outing. He shot nearly 45 percent from the field and almost 87 percent from the free throw line, and registered 17 games in which he scored 20 or more points. For his two-year La Salle career, the Philadelphia native scored 1,070 points to rank in the Top 50 in school history.

Johnson is scheduled to play in the Portsmouth Invitational, a premier pre-draft event held every season for some of the top collegiate seniors in the country, from April 11-15. Follow La Salle Men's Basketball on Twitter (@LaSalleMBB) for details and updates on the event.

Philadelphia Big 5 Men's Basketball Award Winners
PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Jalen Brunson, Villanova (Junior, Guard)
 
ROOKIE OF THE YEAR
Omari Spellman, Villanova (Redshirt Freshman, Forward)
 
COACH OF THE YEAR
Jay Wright, Villanova
 
TEAM CHAMPIONS
Villanova Wildcats
 
MOST IMPROVED PLAYER
Eric Paschall, Villanova (Junior, Forward)
 
SCHOLAR ATHLETE OF THE YEAR
Jalen Brunson, Villanova (Junior, Guard)
 
LEADING SCORER
B.J. Johnson, La Salle (Senior, Guard/Forward)
 
LEADING FREE THROW SHOOTER
B.J. Johnson, La Salle (Senior, Guard/Forward)
 
ALL-BIG 5 FIRST TEAM
Mikal Bridges, Villanova
Jalen Brunson, Villanova
Donte DiVincenzo, Villanova
B.J. Johnson, La Salle
Omari Spellman, Villanova

ALL-BIG 5 SECOND TEAM
Ryan Betley, Penn
AJ Brodeur, Penn
James Demery, Saint Joseph's
Shavar Newkirk, Saint Joseph's
Quinton Rose, Temple