It’s official: The Herb Good Basketball Club has named Ahmad Nivins of Saint Joe’s the 2009 Big 5 Player of the Year. Nivins, quite obviously, edged out Villanova’s Dante Cunningham and Temple’s Dionte Christmas in what was a clear-cut three-man race without a clear-cut winner. Christmas led the Atlantic 10 in scoring for a third straight year and was the Big 5’s leading scorer this season, while Cunningham improved tremendously to help lead ‘Nova to the Final Four. Yet Nivins got the nod. The Big Five first team is also out, and there are no surprises there: It’s the Big Three, plus ‘Nova’s Scottie Reynolds and La Salle’s Rodney Green. The text of the news release from the Herb Good Club — an affiliate of the Philadelphia Sports Writers Association — plus our thoughts, after the jump.

AHMAD NIVINS VOTED THE PHILADELPHIA BIG FIVE OUTSTANDING PLAYER OF THE YEAR

PHILADELPHIA – Ahmad Nivins of Saint Joseph’s has been voted the Philadelphia Big Five’s Outstanding Player of the Year by the Herb Good Basketball Club. He will receive the Robert V. Geasey Trophy at the Club’s 64th annual banquet on Monday, April 13, 2009 at The Savoy (formerly the Woodbine Inn), 1444 Route 73 North, Pennsauken, N.J.

Joining Nivins on the All-Big Five first team are Villanova’s Dante Cunningham and Scottie Reynolds, Temple’s Dionte Christmas, and La Salle’s Rodney Green.

The second team includes Temple’s Lavoy Allen and Ryan Brooks, Villanova’s Corey Fisher, Dwayne Anderson and Reggie Redding, and Tasheed Carr of Saint Joseph’s.

Tickets for the banquet can be reserved by calling Casey Heverling at the Big Five office (717 304-9277) or Al Shrier at Temple University (215 651-1821).

We touched on this debate several weeks back, right after Dick Jerardi of the Daily News declared the race over and done with, with Nivins as his choice. Jerardi did, however, leave himself open to considering the postseason, and this week he did — by basically annulling his earlier choice and going with Cunningham (it’s about halfway through the column).

But what do we think?

Statistically, Nivins has it over Cunningham and Christmas cold. He averaged 19.2 points, but he also made 61.2 percent of his shots and pulled down 11.8 rebounds, which both ranked fifth nationally. He also made 78.7 percent of his free throws, blocked 56 shots (1.8 per game) and averaged 39.3 minutes per game, which is remarkable in and of itself.

Cunningham? He averaged 16.2 points and 7.4 rebounds, made 69.3 percent of his free throws and 52.9 percent from the field, though he obviously took more jumpshots that Nivins did. He also averaged 1.3 blocks. And in the teams’ head-to-head meeting — a 59-56 ‘Nova win at the Ski Lodge on Dec. 11 — Nivins had the better game statistically.

As for Christmas, his 19.5 points per game were tops, but he also pulled down 5.8 boards, handed out 2.9 assists and swiped 1.5 steals. He made 75.3 percent of his free throws, knocked down 107 3-pointers and made 41.4 percent of his shots. And, yes, he was phenomenal in the A-10 tournament, willing the Owls back to the NCAAs for the second straight year.

As for the intangibles, there’s no doubt that Cunningham’s remarkable improvement was a reason ‘Nova got to the Final Four. His ability to score so consistently took a great deal of pressure off Reynolds, and as the ‘Cats picked up steam defensively, away they went. But Nivins often had everyone up to the popcorn vendor rushing to the post when he caught the ball, and he frequently took a beating. The Hawks finished 17-15 and never got any consistent play from their guards, unlike ‘Nova. Had Nivins had any help, there’s no telling what he might have done statistically. But above all, what jumps out at us is that Nivins played 39.3 minutes per game, which is nearly every minute of the season. Just incredible. He deserves this honor, even after Christmas got his team back to the dance and Cunningham got his to play until the final weekend.

Links: Remember when it was to early to pick the B5POY? [BIG FIVE POST]
Jerardi goes with Nivins [Daily News]
Jerardi goes with Cunningham [Daily News]
Saint Joe’s-’Nova box score [Saint Joseph's University]

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