McNeal second team All-American
Mar. 30, 2009 12:40 p.m.
Jerel McNeal was named second team All-American by the Associated Press on Monday, the highest individual honor for a Marquette Golden Eagles player in six years.
Dwyane Wade was a consensus first team AP All-American in 2003.
McNeal, who was also named first team all-Big East earlier in the month, is joined on the second team by Connecticut's Hasheem Thabeet, Notre Dame's Luke Harangody, North Carolina's Ty Lawson and Kentucky's Jodie Meeks.
McNeal averaged 19.8 points, 4.5 rebounds, 3.9 assists and 2.0 steals per game for MU, which advanced to the second round of the NCAA tournament and finished the season 25-10.
McNeal also leaves MU as the all-time leader in scoring (1,985 points), steals (287), field goals (726), field-goal attempts (1,649) and games played (130).
Travis Diener (2004-'05) and Dominic James (2006-'07) were each named honorable mention by the AP.
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http://www.jsonline.com/blogs/sports/42133022.html
Wow!! That is just huge for Jerel.
Who made first team?
griffin, hansbrough, blair, harden and curry
Congrats Jerel!
Shouldn't this be a headline?
That is GREAT news. I liked the Fox basketball reporter picking him 1st team early and hoped that might help people take a serious look at him.
The Pomeroy stats, which now have Marquette #19, say he is one of only 8 "Go-To players" (highest statistical category) in the country that led his team to a top 20 ranking. The others were Hansbrough (UNC), Griffin (Oklahoma), Clark (Lville), Evans (Memphis), Lyons (Missouri), Collins (Kansas) and Hardin (Arizona State).
He also ranks players per minute played, and ranks Jimmy Butler as the 4th best offensive player in the country behind Ty Lawson and a couple of small school guys.
Let's hope the NBA scouts see it the same way and grab Jerel in the 1st round, and then take Wes and Dominic in the 2nd!