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http://athletics.mcm.edu.
ATHLETICS
Moreno selected as finalist for Bob Cousy Award,
the nation’s top college point guard
UPDATE
McMurry senior point guard Robert Moreno was selected
as one of nine finalists for the Bob Cousy Award honoring
the top collegiate male basketball point guard annually at
the NCAA Division I, II and III levels.
The Brownsville native, Moreno, in his fourth year
with McMurry’s basketball program, leads the American
Southwest Conference for the second-straight year in both
assists per game (5.8) and assists-to-turnover ratio (2.1:1).
He is also among the conference leaders in steals per game
where he ranks third at 2.3 per game, and Moreno’s 3-point
field goal percentage of .556 ranks second in the ASC.
After battling injuries off-and-on his first two seasons,
Moreno has become a constant force for both McMurry
and the ASC. Through the game on January 3rd against
UT-San Antonio, the 5-7 guard has 380 career assists and
142 steals.
The Bob Cousy Award, sponsored
by The Hartford, is presented by the
Naismith Memorial Hall of Fame.
Cousy is considered to be one of the
best point guards to ever play the game
of basketball at any level. Cousy was an
all-American at Holy Cross and a fivetime
NBA champion with the Boston
Celtics.
“We’re very excited about Robert
being selected as one of the nine
finalists for the Bob Cousy Award
because of the history that Bob Cousy
brings to basketball,” said McMurry
head coach Ron Holmes. “He
revolutionized basketball and for
Robert to be considered as a finalist for
that means that he’s made a difference
in the lives of some Division III kids
that he’s made better players. You
can introduce four Boston Celtics
to Bob Cousy and you’ve got five
great players, and I think you can say the same thing about
Robert.”
Moreno has been an all-ASC selection twice. His
freshman year, despite playing just 13 games because of a
broken ankle the first game of the season, he came back
to play most of the league games and was selected to the
ASC West Division all-Defensive team. Then, last season
as a junior he was a second team all-ASC West Division
selection. Moreno has helped McMurry to two ASC
Tournament appearances his freshman and junior seasons.
So far, in his four-year college career, Moreno has
surpassed the 10 assists mark in a game seven times,
including a career-high 15 last season on January 31st
against Concordia-Texas. Earlier this season he scored a
career-high 19 points, including five consecutive 3-pointers
to help McMurry rally from a 12 point-deficit in the
second half to defeat the University of the Ozarks.
“For [Robert] to bring recognition to the school
through his hard work because he’s been a four-year starter
is really exciting and sets a goal for other freshmen to
attain,” said Holmes.
The Bob Cousy Award has been handed out
since 2004. Past NCAA Division I winners
include Ty Lawson (2009, North Carolina),
D.J. Augistin (2008, University of Texas),
Acie Law IV (2007, Texas A&M University),
Dee Brown (2006, University of Illinois),
Raymond Felton (2005, North Carolina),
and Jameer Nelson (2004, St. Joseph’s
University).
The award’s web site, www.
cousyaward.com, states that “the selection
criteria emphasizes leadership, teamwork,
success and fundamentals as being critical
parts for the game of basketball at point
guard.” •
Photo by Brian Schmidt