Ron Harper Jr. Wins the Haggerty Award, Geo Baker, Caleb McConnell also Honored by All-Met
Apr 25 | Men's Basketball
PISCATAWAY, N.J. – Rutgers men's basketball's senior forward Ron Harper Jr. has won the Lt. Frank J. Haggerty Award given to the All-New York Metropolitan NCAA Division I men's college basketball player of the year.
Harper Jr. adds the postseason accolade to a collection of awards received thus far, including Honorable Mention All-American (Associated Press), Second Team All-Big Ten and NABC Second Team All-District, and First Team All-ECAC.
Harper Jr. is the first Scarlet Knight since Quincy Douby (2006) to win the Haggerty Award and the third RU player ever to receive the honor. Rutgers legend Phil Sellers won the award twice in 1975 and 1976.
"It's an honor to win the Haggerty Award and it took a village to get here," Harper Jr. said. I'd like to thank my support system in my family, my coaches, my teammates, and everyone that has been around me on this great journey. There are a lot of well-deserving players for this award, and I am extremely honored the metropolitan writers voted for me. Winning the Haggerty Award has never been about myself and it's an honor to be in the same class as Rutgers greats Quincy Douby and Phil Sellers. It's a privilege to be where I am today. Growing up no one ever expected me to be put on this kind of platform in college. Thanks to the people around me, I have been able to overcome every obstacle that has come my way in the adversity I have been through in my four years at Rutgers. It's an honor to receive such a prestigious award."
"I'm real proud of Ron Harper Jr. for winning this prestigious award," head coach Steve Pikiell said. "When you think of the Haggerty award you think about the long tradition of legendary basketball players who have won this award in the New Jersey area. It's a credit to Ron and the hard work that he's put in since he got to Rutgers. Thank you to the metropolitan writers for voting Ron to receive this outstanding honor. To win the Haggerty Award as a kid who grew up in New Jersey makes this extra special for him."
Harper Jr. became the first Scarlet Knight to be named All-American since Douby in 2006 and earns the highest all-conference selection for a RU player since that Douby season. The Franklin Lakes native was also one of five finalists for the Julius Erving Award, given to the top small forward in the nation.
The senior from Franklin Lakes, N.J. announced this month that he has declared for the 2022 NBA Draft.
Harper Jr. opened a memorable senior season with four consecutive double-doubles, then scored 30 points with a buzzer-beating halfcourt shot to defeat No. 1 Purdue. He was named Metropolitan Player of the Week following the performance. He later scored 31 points to lead RU in a win at Maryland.
On the season, the Don Bosco Prep product averaged a team-best 15.8 points and was second with 7.8 rebounds. He shot 44.2 percent from the field and 39.8 percent from behind the three-point arc. He also had a career-best 33 steals and 20 blocks.
In four seasons at Rutgers, has played in 121 games with 109 starts, scoring 1,525 points and collecting 622 rebounds, 94 steals and 78 blocks. He is tied for 12th all-time with RU legend Roy Hinson in points scored and 19th all-time in blocks in RU history.
Rutgers had two more seniors honored by the metropolitan writers in senior guards Geo Baker and Caleb McConnell.
Baker was named to the All-Met Second Team and McConnell was named to the All-Met Third team.
"I am so proud of Geo and Caleb for continuing to be recognized in their illustrious careers at Rutgers," Pikiell said. Thank you to the metropolitan writers for voting for them. These seniors came to Rutgers when we were just selling the dream of making the NCAA Tournament. They have changed the culture for the Scarlet Knights men's basketball program, and we look forward to what's ahead for each of them."
Baker averaged 12.0 points-per-game, 3.9 assists-per-game and shot 39.1 percent from the field in 2021-22. In his career at Rutgers he is second all-time in assists (496), fifth all-time in three pointers made (237), fourth all-time in steals (180), eighth all-time in points (1,654) and eighth all-time in field goals made (599).
McConnell had 60 starts and 114 games played as a Scarlet Knight. McConnell is ninth all time on the RU steals list with 150 steals. He scored 718 points, had 177 assists, 452 rebounds and 33 blocks in his career with RU. McConnell averaged 7.1 points-per-game, 2.2 steals, 2.1 assists and 5.3 rebounds this season.
Below is a summary of each of the awards that will be given out at an event in Tarrytown, New York on Monday night:Congratulations to our guys on being named to All-Met Teams.@__RHJR - Haggerty Winner First Team ALL-MET@Geo_Baker_1 - Second Team ALL-MET@caleb_mcco - Third Team ALL-MET
— Rutgers Basketball 🏀 (@RutgersMBB) April 25, 2022
🔗: https://t.co/Mf1g9opHX1 pic.twitter.com/S5KxmFuKDA
First Team
Julian Champagnie, St. John's • 6-8, Jr., G/F, Brooklyn, NY
Aaron Estrada, Hofstra • 6-3, Jr., G, Woodbury, NJ
Ron Harper Jr., Rutgers • 6-6, Sr., G/F Franklin Lakes, NJ
Tyson Jolly, Iona • 6-4, Gr., G, Muskogee, OK
Alex Morales, Wagner • 6-6, Gr., G, Paterson, NJ
Jared Rhoden, Seton Hall • 6-6, Sr., G, Baldwin, NY
Second Team
Posh Alexander, St. John's • 6-0, So., G, Brooklyn, NY
Geo Baker, Rutgers • 6-4, Sr., G, Derry, NH
Ty Flowers, LIU • 6-9, Gr., F, Waterbury, CT
K.C. Ndefo, Saint Peter's • 6-7, Sr., F, Elmont, NY
Nelly Junior Joseph, Iona • 6-9, So., F, Benin City, Nigeria
Jose Perez, Manhattan • 6-5, Sr., F, Bronx, NY
Third Team
Daryl Banks III, Saint Peter's • 6-3, Jr., G, Los Angeles, CA
Caleb McConnell, Rutgers • 6-7, Sr., G, Jacksonville, FL
Chuba Ohams, Fordham • 6-9, Gr., F, Bronx, NY
George Papas, Monmouth • 6-5, Gr., G, Jersey City, NJ
Eral Penn, LIU • 6-7, Sr., F, Brooklyn, NY
Haggerty Award / Player of the Year: Ron Harper Jr., Rutgers
Rookie of the Year: Jao Ituka, Marist • 6-1, Fr., G, Gaithersburg, MD
Peter A. Carlesimo Coach of the Year: Shaheen Holloway, Saint Peter's
The All-Met teams are scheduled to be honored at the 89th MBWA Haggerty Awards dinner on Monday evening, April 25, at the Westchester Marriott in Tarrytown, NY. The event is to be livestreamed via the MBWA website. Here is the link: https://metbasketballwriters.org/sports/2022/4/23/haggerty-dinner-live-stream.aspx.
Players Mentioned
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