USD Men's Basketball 2002-2003

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2001-2002 SEASONREVIEW

TOREROS POST 4THSTRAIGHT WINNING SEASON WITH 16-13 MARK

At the end-of-the-season awards banquet at the Jenny Craig Pavilion, senior guard Andre Laws (Anchorage, AK) and junior forward Jason Blair (Phoen ix, AZ) shared the Most Valuable PlayerAward for the 2001-2002 season. Laws, who earned First Team All-West Coast Conference honors this past season for the 16-13 Toreros, led the team in scoring at 18.2 points per game. The lone Torero to start all 29 games, Laws also led the team in minutes played (966), three-pointers made (40), assists (64) and steals (48). He leaves USD as the school 's 4th all-time leading scorer for men 's basketball with 1,337 points. Blair, who completed his first season after transferring from Southwest Texas State two seasons ago, averaged 14.4 points per game and a team-best 6.8 rebounds per game while earn ing Honorable Mention All-WCC honors. Among all WCC players, Blair ranked first in field goal percentage (.555), 8th in scoring, 5th in rebound ing, and 6th in free throw percent– age(.777). In West Coast Conference play, Jason was even better, leading the Toreros in both

MVP

scoring (17.3 ppg) and rebounding (8.1 rpg).

AndreLaws,co-

In being handed the MVP award, Blair received a cut on his left fourth finger that

would later require five stitches from the USO athletic training and medical staff. Stated head ath letic trainer Carolyn Greer with a grin, "I can honestly say that this is our first inj ury at a end-of-the-year awards banquet! " Eighth-year coach Brad Holland and his staff handed out five other team awards at the banquet. Andre Laws received two other awards, the Bugelli Leadership Award and the Best Defensive Player Award. Jason Blair was the recipient of the Zable Athletic Excellence Award , presented to the player who by hi s effo1i level and commitment in practice and games, sets a standard for excel– lence. Blair, al ong with junior forward Matt Delzell (Plano, TX), shared the Miller Lite Student-Athlete of the Year Award ; both players are Business majors with 3.4 grade-point-averages. Junior guard RoyMorris (Bonita, CA), who battled back from two off-sea– son foot surgeries to pl ay a key role on the team, was selected the Bully's East Most Improved Player.

WCC All-Academic Team * Matt Delzell , 3.38 G PA in Business (3rd time) * Jason Blai r, 3.48 GPA in Business wee Player of the Week * Andre Laws (Dec. I0th) 2002 NCAA Foundation Leadership Conference * Matt Delzell, USO representative S.D. Hall of Champions Stars of the Month * Andre Laws, December * Jason Blair, January Notable * Andre Laws, 4th all-time in USO scoring with 1,337 po ints

Team Highlights * Final record of 16-13 * Advanced to semifinals of wee Tourney * Defeated UC Irvine * Defeated SDSU fo r 4th straight year * Defeated Santa C lara on road * Defeated San Francisco twice * Led wee in offensive rebounding ( 13.45) District 15 Second Team * Andre Laws (fi rst Torero since 1987) First Team AII-WCC * Andre Laws Honorable Mention AII -WCC * Jason Blair

2001-2002 Starting Lineups & Record (W-L) F- Adamo, F- Lippold, C- Hanson, G- McGrain, G- Laws (Nov. 17 to Dec. 1st; 2-3 record F-Adamo, F- Lippold, C- Blair, G- McGrain, G- Laws (Dec. 5 to Jan.19th; 8-4 record) F- Delzell, F- Lippold, C-Blair, G- McGrain, G- Laws (Jan. 24 to Feb. 1st; 1-2 record) F- Blair, F- Belser, C- Hegarty, G- McGrain, G- Laws (Feb. 2; 0-1 record) F-Adamo, F- Lippold, C- Blair, G- Morris, G- Laws (Feb. 7 to .Feb. 14th; 2-1 record) F-Adamo, F- Lippold, C-Hanson, G- Morris, G- Laws (Feb. 16; 1-0 record) F-Adamo, F- Lippold, C-Blair, G- Morris, G-·Laws (Feb. 22; 0-1 record) F-Adamo, F- Blair, C- Hanson, G- Morris, G- Laws (Feb. 23 to Mar. 3rd; 2-1 record)

Jason Blair, co-MVP

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