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The Pac-12 media day is today and most of the focus will be on the new talent in the league, including the heralded recruits at California, Washington, Arizona and UCLA, etc.
Because such an emphasis is placed on raw high school talent these days, what won’t be noted enough but should be are Arizona’s three newcomers who have extensive college experience — Ryan Anderson (Boston College transfer), Mark Tallefsen (San Francisco) and Kadeem Allen (Hutchinson, Kan., Junior College).
They have a combined 260 games post-high school in their experience, which is invaluable, especially on an Arizona roster that lost four starters from last season.
CLICK ON THE RIGHT ARROW AT THE TOP OR BOTTOM RIGHT TO CONTINUE IN THE SLIDESHOW
Judging from his credentials at Boston College, Anderson should not only be considered an All-Pac-12 type of player, his name should be mentioned as a Player of the Year candidate. But will it? Should be interesting to see how that develops.
Check out what he did at Boston College, which is in the ACC, considered by many East coast analysts as the best conference in basketball:
Junior Season (2013-14)
— Honorable mention All-ACC. The only BC player to start all 32 games. Averaged 14.3 points, 7.3 rebounds and 1.4 assists per game. Led BC in rebounds (7.3) and steals (0.8) per game, and ranked second in scoring (14.3). Scored in double figures in 26 games and posted five double-doubles.
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Site founder and award-winning sports journalist Javier Morales has published his first e-book, “The Highest Form of Living”, a fiction piece about a young man who overcomes a troubled upbringing without his lost father and wayward mother through basketball and hope. His hope is realized through the sport he loves. Basketball enables him to get past his fears. His experience on the court indirectly brings him closer to his parents in a unique, heartfelt way. Please order it at Amazon (for only $4.99) by clicking on the photo:
It's @pac12 Media Day on Thurs! Get the info & follow the news from San Fran here. http://t.co/3XVRzR1P4P #APlayersProgram #Pac12Hoops
— Arizona Basketball (@APlayersProgram) October 14, 2015
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Sophomore Season (2012-13)
— Third-team All-ACC. Averaged 14.9 points, 8.0 rebounds and 1.9 assists per game. Led the team in rebounding (8.0) and free throw attempts (177), and ranked second in scoring (14.9). Ranked fourth in the ACC in rebounding and free throw attempts, and eighth in scoring. Led BC and ranked sixth in the ACC with eight double-doubles.
Freshman Season (2011-12)
— ACC All-Freshman Team. Led BC with averages of 11.2 points and 7.4 rebounds per game, becoming just the 11th ACC player to lead his team in both categories as a freshman. Led all ACC freshmen and ranked seventh in the league overall in rebound average. Led all ACC rookies with seven double-doubles.
Those numbers and feats are certainly player-of-the-year material for a player entering his senior season. Look at how he fared against perennial power Duke, another measure of a player who is ready to play a significant role on a national stage:
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