Andre Hazel Named USF Most Valuable Player at Basketball Awards Banquet

April 8, 2004

Junior point guard Andre Hazel was presented with the Father William Dunne Award as the Most Valuable Player at the annual USF basketball awards banquet that was held at the Carnelian Room in San Francisco on Wednesday, April 7th.

Hazel won the award as the team's Outstanding Defensive Player, but he will probably be remembered for hitting three last minute shots that won games; a buzzer beater to give USF a 74-72 win at Delaware, a shot that gave USF the lead for good in a home win over Ohio and a three-pointer with five ticks left that defeated Pacific.

Hazel averaged 8.1 points, 1.9 rebounds and 4.7 assists per game in his first season in Green and Gold.

Redshirt sophomore Jerome Gumbs also collected two prestigious awards, "The Bob Giron Coaches Award" for effort and the "Arthur C. Zief Jr. Most Inspirational Award". Gumbs averaged 6.0 points and 3.5 rebounds per game and 7 points per game in West Coast Conference play. He also excelled on defense and shot 50% from the floor.

The "Sixth Man Club Team Captain Award" was presented to senior forward Alvin Broussard, who averaged 8.0 points and 5.3 rebounds despite playing most of the season with a very sore knee. He shot over 54% in WCC play, tops on the squad and won WCC Player of the Week" after USF swept LMU and Pepperdine on the road.

Freshman forward Alan Wiggins, Jr. was selected as the team's Most Improved Player. He was a solid post defender and shot nearly 50% from the floor.