Men's Basketball 11/18/2015 11:39:00 AM Atlantic 10 Conference

Saint Joseph's Bembry Named To Wooden Award Preseason Top 50 List

LOS ANGELES - Saint Joseph’s junior DeAndre’ Bembry has been named to the 2016 John R. Wooden Award presented by Wendy’s Preseason Top 50 list. Chosen by a preseason poll of national college basketball experts, the list is comprised of 50 student-athletes who are the early front-runners for college basketball’s most prestigious individual honor.

Bembry, a 6-6 forward, has received a number of preseason accolades, including selection to the Preseason All-Atlantic 10 First Team and the “watch lists” for the Julius Erving Small Forward Award and the Lute Olson National Player of the Year Award.

He’s off to a strong start this year, leading Saint Joseph’s in scoring with 17.5 points per game, along with 4.5 rebounds and 4.5 assists in the Hawks’ two wins. Bembry was named the Big 5 Co-Player of the Week for the first week of the season.

Bembry entered the 2015-16 season as the reigning scoring leader in the Atlantic 10 after averaging 17.7 points per game in 2014-15. An All-Atlantic 10 and All-Big 5 first team selection, he led the Hawks in practically every category last year, including rebounding (7.7), assists (3.6) and steals (1.9). He also averaged a league-best 19.1 points per game in Atlantic 10 play.

Saint Joseph’s great Jameer Nelson won the Wooden Award in 2004 and was the consensus National Player of the Year after leading the Hawks to a 30-2 record and a berth in the NCAA Elite Eight. Nelson, a first-round NBA Draft pick, is currently in his 12th season in the NBA playing for the Denver Nuggets.

The Wooden Award National Advisory Board will select 25 players to the Midseason Top 25 in early January. In early February, the John R. Wooden Award will announce one final leading candidate list—the Late Season Top 20—prior to the selection of 15 players to the National Ballot. Nearly 1000 voters will rank order 10 of those 15 players, who have been qualified as meeting the standards set forth by Coach Wooden. Voting will open prior to the start of the NCAA Tournament and will allow voters to take into consideration performance during the early round games. The Wooden Award All American Team will be announced the week of the “Elite Eight” round of the NCAA Tournament. The winner of the John R. Wooden Award will be announced during the ESPN College Basketball Awards Show presented by Wendy’s on Friday, April 8, 2016.