In the end, the voters looked at the individual and not the teams when they voted for Big 5 Player of the Year. The Robert V. Geasey Award is not an MVP award, not an award based on team accomplishments. It is an award that goes to who the voters deem the Most Outstanding Player in the Big 5. This season, the voters determined that it was senior Ahmad Nivins, of Saint Joseph's.

Nivins averaged 19.2 points and 11.8 rebounds (sixth nationally) for the Hawks while shooting 61.2 percent (also sixth nationally). He was 203-for-258 (78.7 percent) from the foul line and also found time to block 56 shots. It was, quite simply, one of the greatest statistical seasons in city history.

That Nivins was on a team that had some obvious deficiencies was not held against him. In fact, the voters probably noted that he was often double- and triple-teamed, a circumstance that no doubt impacted his touches, scoring average and still terrific shooting percentage.

Given how many strong performances there were in the city this season, the voters had to decide what mattered most to them. In the end, they determined that Nivins was the best player.

Joining Nivins on the first team are seniors Dante Cunningham (Villanova) and Dionte Christmas (Temple) along with juniors Scottie Reynolds (Villanova) and Rodney Green (La Salle).

It certainly was not an easy choice at the top of the ballot among the seniors when you consider that Cunningham was the best player on the first city team to make the Final Four in 24 years or that Christmas became the only three-time Atlantic 10 scoring champion.

Villanova also had three players on a six-player second team, including sophomore Corey Fisher, junior Reggie Redding and senior Dwayne Anderson. Joining them on the second team are senior Tasheed Carr (Saint Joseph's), junior Ryan Brooks (Temple) and sophomore Lavoy Allen (Temple).

All the players will be honored Monday at the Herb Good Basketball Club banquet at The Savoy (formerly the Woodbine Inn), 1444 Route 73 North, Pennsauken, N.J. To reserve tickets for the banquet, call Casey Heverling at the Big 5 office (717-304-9277) or Al Shrier at Temple (215-651-1821). *