Colorado men’s basketball ended a somewhat lackluster season on a high note on Tuesday evening as the team awarded a number of players for various special awards.
Perhaps the most special award, presented by director of basketball operations Bill Cartun to the most inspirational team member, went to Colorado’s newest teammate, 6-year-old Cason Turkaly. As the little guy took the stage to accept his own specialized, miniature trophy, everyone in attendance stood to give him a standing ovation.
Cason, who suffers from a rare autosomal disease called Shwachman-Diamond syndrome, was paired up with the team at the beginning of the season through the Team IMPACT program. Since then, he’s bonded with each of the coaches and players, especially “Big Tall Josh (Scott).”
“He’s the strongest guy we know,” Cartun said.
As far as the older, more experienced players, teammates voted for each other in the assists, rebounding, defense, most improved player and most valuable player categories.
The Chauncey Billups Award winner, which is given to the most valuable player, was junior forward Josh Scott. Scott averaged 14.5 points per game and 8.4 rebounds while finishing the season as the 36th best player in the country for field goal percentage at .544.
The award for the most improved player on the team went to sophomore guard/forward Tre’Shaun Fletcher, who saw a surge in his offensive and defensive game throughout the last few games of the regular season.
Aside from little Cason, the other most inspirational player award was given to Kevin Nelson. Though he didn’t get to see much playing time during his three-year stint with the Buffaloes due to perpetual injuries, associate head coach Jean Prioleau praised the senior guard for his undying work ethic and determination.
Assistant coach Rodney Billups presented the Jay Humphries Assist Award to senior guard Askia Booker, who collected 99 total relevant passes on the year and recorded eleven games with four or more assists. Booker is the only player in program history to win the award twice.
Sophomore forward Wesley Gordon, however, was the biggest winner on the night. He collected two separate but similar accolades in the Stephane Pelle Rebounding and Best Defensive Player Awards. Gordon grabbed a total of 233 boards and recorded a career-high 17 rebounds against Washington.
Every player on the roster lettered for participation.
Prior to the awards ceremony, head coach Tad Boyle took to the stage to review the season.
“We fell short of our goal, and we need to learn,” Boyle said. “Nothing is more frustrating than mediocrity. I’d rather be bad than mediocre.”
He touched on the team’s three main operating principles: trust, character and work ethic. He said the team needed to tweak trustworthiness among players as well as coaches, which he believed was the main sticking point for this year’s team.
Boyle said while he thinks the team members possess good character, he believes that area can improve as well. The work ethic, he said, was good, but he would like to see it improve in the offseason.
But in spite of the lost season, Boyle did mention some of the bright spots for this year’s basketball squad. The team finished seventh in the country for rebounds per game with 43.5 and in the top 100 for free throw percentage (.667) out of 351 division one teams.
He also took a few minutes to talk about his departing seniors.
Booker, who made Colorado history by etching his name into 14 different categories (listed here), is among one of the most unforgettable players in program history.
“What makes (Booker) great is his belief in himself and his ability to take and make great shots,” Boyle said.
When talking about Nelson, Boyle said, “When I think of work ethic, what I think of is Kevin Nelson…He has success written all over him.”
Finally, he talked about little-known guard Geoff Bates, who spent almost his entire three years with the team battling injuries of his own. Despite setback after setback, Boyle said that Bates was “one of the hardest-working guys I’ve ever been around.”
The three seniors will each be graduating next month.
Contact CU Independent Basketball Writer Alissa Noe at alissa.noe@colorado.edu.
Side note from the banquet:
Emcee and hilarious 850 KOA radio broadcaster Mark Johnson, who Boyle referred to as “Golden Throat,” commented on the wardrobes of the players in attendance. “It takes a real man to wear polka-dot socks, George King,” Johnson said. “And nobody can rock a bow tie like Xavier Johnson.” Apparently, according to director of basketball operations Bill Cartun, Johnson also has some strange fetish for desserts, noting, “I always get nervous when Mark leaves the stage up here and heads straight for the dessert table. He’s always eating dessert when he’s on the road with us.”
