Chris Williams Named MVP At 2001 Navy Men's Basketball Banquet

5/16/2001 - Men's Basketball
Chris Williams Named MVP At 2001 Navy Men's Basketball Banquet

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ANNAPOLIS, Md. - Senior swing man Chris Williams (Savannah, Ga.) headlined the list of honorees at the 2001 Navy Men's Basketball banquet this spring which celebrated the program's success and individual accomplishments.

Eight awards were dispersed among four different players including the evening's most anticipated honor - the Charles Evans McDonough Memorial Cup for the most valuable player - which was awarded to Williams.

"Chris is one of the finest athletes and competitors I have coached in my career and certainly here at Navy," said Navy head coach Don DeVoe.

Among the various records and honors achieved by Williams throughout the year was his third-consecutive First-Team All-Patriot League honor, while he was also named to the NABC District II Second Team. In leading the Midshipmen in nearly every statistical category this season, he became the first player in Navy history and just the second in the Patriot League logs to have scored 1,400 points, grab 500 rebounds and snatch 200 steals in a career. He finished his career sixth in the Navy scoring record book and just four points shy of reaching the 1,500-point plateau.

Meanwhile, Williams also won the individual awards for most rebounds with 192 (6.2 rpg) and assists with 76 (2.5 apg).

Long-range sniper sophomore Kyle Barker (Lyons, Mich.), who sparked a bench that accounted for nearly 50 percent of Navy's offensive output at 35.7 points per game, won individual honors for the best three-point field goal percentage, hitting 35.8 percent (43 of 120) from behind the arc, while his 88.5 free-throw shooting percent (46 of 52) also set the standard for the Mids. He finished off the season as the Mids' third-leading scorer, averaging 8.2 points per game.

DeVoe acknowledged senior captain Robert Reeder's (Pasadena, Calif.) efforts over the past four years, as the senior forward was given the Coaches' Award for being the team's best defensive player.

"Robert got the job done at any cost," said DeVoe. "Whatever it took to help this team out, he did it. He played with bumps, bruises, cuts, stitches, broken bones. He was a tremendous captain this season and a great leader throughout his career."

The final award handed out was the Rear Adm. R.F. Marryott Basketball Award which is given to the member of the team who has demonstrated the strongest will to win, team spirit, aggressiveness, improvement, sportsmanship and effort. Prior to naming the 2001 winner, Admiral Marryott delivered a quick analogy. He spoke about Shane Battier and Jason Williams of Duke and Joseph Forte of North Carolina's identity as superstars on the basketball court. And in the same breath, he was quick to point out that Navy, too, has superstars on its team - superstars in life. One of those superstars was the winner of the 2001 Rear Adm. R.F. Marryott Basketball Award - senior Michael Cunningham (San Antonio, Texas). After serving as a backup his sophomore and junior seasons, the 6-11 center finally earned his shot to shine and that he did. Cunningham, who posted the fifth-most blocks in Navy history with 107, finished his career in fine fashion, garnering Patriot League All-Tournament recognition. Additionally, Cunningham took home top honors for his team-high field goal percentage, hitting 55 percent of the shots he put up.

"This was Mike's year to step up and he did just that," said DeVoe. "He was a force defensively with his shot-blocking abilities and he was able to give us some buckets in the paint, too. He's fought through some adversity during his career and is a true testament to a team player."