League stars dominate 04-05"Baad Team"
CIAA Player of the Year, 6-10 senior Lee Cook of Bowie State, leads the selectees for the 2004-05 Baad Team of black college men's all-star basketball talent.
Cook, from Omaha, Nebraska, led the 26-5 Bulldogs to the top of the NCAA Div. II national rankings by the end of the regular season, powering his way to averages of 20.7 points and 12.0 rebounds, both best in his conference and among the best in the land. His averages were 21st in scoring and fourth in rebounding nationally. Cook also shot 55% from the field.
He is joined on the first team by players of the year from the three other conferences.
Norfolk State guard Chakowby Hicks took home the top individual award in the MEAC by virtue of his all-around game. The 6-4 Washington, D. C. native averaged 14.4 points per game, added 3.9 assists per game, second in the conference, and led in steals at 3.3 per game.
SWAC Player of the Year, 6-1 Alabama A&M junior guard Obie Trotter, was also a stat-stuffer. The Robertsville, Alabama product averaged 15.3 points per game, was second in the conference in assists (4.75 apg.) and led the conference and the nation in steals at 3.91 per game while leading the Bulldogs to their first SWAC title and NCAA tournament berth.
Six-seven senior forward Joseph King of Miami, powered Miles to its run at the SIAC crown averaging a league-best 19.2 points per game and 10.9 rebounds per game, second in the league, numbers good enough to earn him conference player of the year honors.
Rounding out the first team is a member of Virginia Union's NCAA Div. II national championship squad, 6-4 swingman Darius Hargrove. Hargrove led the balanced Panthers' attack in scoring at 16.2 points per game and was perhaps their most talented if not their most consistent performer. The Warfield, Va., native and two-time all-CIAA performer won his second straight CIAA Tournament MVP award.
Players of the year also spearhead the women's teams.
Junior forward Sherrie Tucker of Philadelphia helped lead Coppin State to its MEAC crown averaging a league-best 15.3 points per game. She also ranked in the top ten in both field goal and free throw percentages. She helped the Lady Eagles to their best conference record (15-3) in school history and their fist outright MEAC regular season title.
Rolonda Monroe, a native of Arcadia, La., led the SWAC in scoring (20.5 ppg.), free throw percentage (.767) and steals (2.85 spg.) to take home her conference's top individual award.
Fort Valley State senior guard Sherika Tarpkins finished off her career taking the league's player of the year award. Tarpkins, from Eatonton, Ga., topped the conference with a 21 points per game average and was best in steals (3.96 spg.) and second in 3-pointers. Tarpkins also made 77% of her free throw attempts.
Senior guard Allyson Hardy of Bowie State was chosen as the top player in the CIAA. Hardy's 22.8 points per game was second in the league while she was the loop's most accurate free throw shooter at 84%. Hardy hails from Germantown, Md.
Senior guard Kiarsha Curtis of Shaw rounds out the women's first team. Curtis was the scoring leader for the Lady Bears (18.3 ppg.) that took them to the national quarterfinals, winning CIAA Tournament and South Atlantic Region MVP honors along the way.
MEN - 2nd TEAM - Luqman Jaaber, Sr., G, Va. Union; Jonathan Moore, Sr., F, NC Central; Jayson Williams, Jr., C, Lane; Mike Sneed, Sr., G/F, Texas Southern; Tony Cornett, So., F, W. Va. State 3rd TEAM - Antwan Walton, Sr., C, Va. Union; Bruce Price, So., G, Tenn. St.; Sean Walker, Jr., G, Texas Southern; Brion Rush, Jr., G, Grambling State; Bruce Brown, Jr., C, Hampton
WOMEN - 2nd TEAM - Crystal Kitt, Sr., C, Alab. St.; Cassie King, Jr., F, NCCU; Shemika Stevens, Jr., G, Benedict; Daisha Hicks, Sr., G, Howard; Juleen Smith, Jr., G, Grambling 3rd TEAM - Latoya Johnson, Sr., G, Alcorn St.; Shereika Glover, Jr., G, NC A&T; Monica Mason, Sr. F, Fayetteville St.; Amanda Ray, So., F, FVSU; Joy Hairston, Sr., F, Shaw
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