Great programs produce great players.
Archbishop Wood, fresh off a girls PIAA 5A title and boys 6A final four run, had four products honored with significant end of the season awards.
Senior Jalil Bethea earned the Gatorade Pennsylvania Boys Basketball Player of the Year award for 2023-24. Bethea, Wood’s all-time scorer and co-Philadelphia Catholic League MVP, averaged 22.4 points and 6.9 rebounds per game. The Miami signee will be the first PCL player in seven years to appear in the McDonald’s All-American game on April 2 in Houston’s Toyota Center.
In the college ranks UMass junior guard Rahsool Diggins, who previously was Wood’s all-time scorer, was the co-winner of the Atlantic 10’s Most Improved Player Award. Diggins averaged 12.6 points and 2.5 rebounds per game. He connected on over 36% of his 3-point attempts. Diggins’ 25 points on Jan. 20 against George Washington were a new career high.
Drexel sophomore Justin Moore was tabbed to the CAA’s third team. Moore led Drexel in scoring (12.6 points per game), assists (3.4 per game) and steals (1.1 per game). Moore dropped 34 points against Bryant three days before Christmas, a career high, and he closed the regular season with two 20-point games. Moore had a better than 2-to-1 assist-to-turnover ratio.
On the ladies’ side, Albany freshman Deja Evans put the “Great” in “Great Danes.” Evans was named to three All-America East teams: the conference third team, the All-Defense team and the All-Rookie team. She claimed the conference Rookie of the Week four times and finished fourth in the America East with over seven rebounds per game and second in blocks with 1.6 per game. Evans had two double-doubles this season.
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