March 11, 2008

NEW YORK, N.Y.--The University of Pittsburgh men's basketball team earned three Big East postseason awards at the league's annual awards banquet Tuesday evening held at Manhattan's Grand Hyatt Hotel. Junior forward Sam Young earned the league's Most Improved Player Award, freshman center DeJuan Blair was honored as the co-Big East Rookie of the Year and senior guard Ronald Ramon was the co-Sportsmanship Award winner.

 

Pitt's three honors mark the second-most Big East postseason awards earned in a season. Pitt earned four Big East postseason honors following the 2003-04 season.

 

Young becomes Pitt's fifth Big East Most Improved Player in each of the last nine years. Pitt's four other Big East Most Improved Player honorees during that span include: Ricardo Greer (1999-00), Brandin Knight (2001-02), Carl Krauser (2002-03) and Aaron Gray (2005-06).

 

A Wooden and Naismith National Player of the Year candidate, Young went from averaging just 7.5 points and 3.6 rebounds in a reserve role in 2006-07 to leading the squad in scoring at 18.0 points and grabbing 6.4 rebounds per game in a starting role this season. He also became the seventh player in school history to earn All-Big East First Team honors on Monday. A native of Clinton, Md., Young leads Pitt in scoring (18.0 ppg.) and ranks second in rebounding (6.4 rpg.). He has converted 50.8 (213-419) of his field goal attempts and 42.4 percent (39-92) of his 3-point attempts. Young ranks among Big East leaders in scoring (3^rd) and field goal percentage (11^th).

 

Blair earns Pitt's fifth all-time Big East Freshman/Rookie of the Year honor. Other Pitt players to earn the award include: Charles Smith (1984-85), Sean Miller (1987-88), Brian Shorter (1988-89) and Chris Taft (2003-04). As only a freshman, Blair became Pitt's 11^th All-Big East Rookie Team selection. He also was named a Big East honorable mention selection. A three-time Rivals.com National Freshman of the Week and three-time Big East Rookie of the Week honoree, Blair has averaged 12.3 points, 9.5 rebounds per game and has converted 54.3 percent (151-278) of his field goal attempts on the year. Additionally, Blair is ranked among Big East leaders in scoring (28^th), field goal percentage (6^th), rebounding (3^rd), steals (6^th), offensive rebounds (1^st) and defensive rebounds (10^th). He has 13 double-doubles on the year and is pursuing Pitt's season record for most double-doubles during a freshman season held by Sam Clancy (15 in 1977-78). A Pittsburgh native, Blair is also a candidate for Freshman All-America honors.

 

Ronald Ramon becomes the first player at Pitt to earn the Sportsmanship Award since Jaron Brown took home the honors after the 2003-04 season. Ramon is the 36^th player in school history to surpass 1,000 career points. He is ranked among school career leaders in scoring (1,028 points), 3-point field goals made (4^th with 220), 3-point field goal percentage (5^th, .390), free throw percentage (4^th, .821), assist:turnover ratio (3^rd, 2.06) and minutes played (5^th, 129). This year, Ramon averages 7.9 points, 2.2 rebounds and leads the Panthers with 121 assists.

 

No. 7 seed Pitt (22-9, 10-8 Big East) opens Big East Championship play against No. 11 seed Cincinnati (13-17, 8-10 Big East) in a First Round game Wednesday at 7 p.m. ET. All games are played at Madison Square Garden and will be televised on ESPN.

 

2007-08 BIG EAST AWARD WINNERS

Most Valuable Player: Luke Harangody, Notre Dame

Oppenheimer Funds/Big East Coach of the Year: Mike Brey, Notre Dame

Most Improved Player: Sam Young, Pitt

Defensive Player of the Year: Hasheem Thabeet, Connecticut

Rookie of the Year: DeJuan Blair, Pitt; Jonny Flynn, Syracuse

Sixth Man Award: Patrick Ewing, Jr., Georgetown

Sportsmanship Award: Ronald Ramon, Pitt; Darris Nichols, West Virginia