Villanova's Bell is Big 5 Player of Year

VILLANOVA'S James Bell became a big shotmaker as a junior. He became the best player on the best team in the city as a senior. Bell did not have the best numbers in the city this season, but his value as a scorer, defender and leader for a team that won its four Big 5 games by the most points in history was more than enough to sway the voters as he was named the 2013-14 Big 5 Player of the Year.

Bell is part of a first-team All-Big 5 unit that includes La Salle senior Tyreek Duren, Saint Joseph's seniors Langston Galloway and Halil Kanacevic and 'Nova teammate JayVaughn Pinkston, the lone junior on the team.

The four first-team seniors finish their college careers with 5,926 points and 2,527 rebounds. Duren, a repeat first-team selection, finished with 1,726 points, 500 assists, 409 rebounds and 227 steals, a serious superfecta of numbers. Kanacevic had 1,163 points, 1,028 rebounds, 407 assists and 220 blocks. Galloway (1,991 points) ended up as the second-leading scorer in SJU history.

The second team includes SJU senior Ronald Roberts, Temple senior Dalton Pepper, Villanova junior Darrun Hilliard, Temple junior Will Cummings, La Salle junior Jerrell Wright and Villanova's Ryan Arcidiacano, the only sophomore on either team.

Penn's Alyssa Baron was named Big 5 women's Player of Year. Befitting the season the Ivy League champion Quakers had, Penn's Mike McLaughlin was named Coach of the Year and Sydney Stipanovich was the Rookie of the Year. Villanova's Devon Kane, La Salle's Alicia Cropper, and Natasha Cloud and Erin Shields from Saint Joseph's are also on the first team. The second team includes Feyonda Fitzgerald (Temple), Kara Bonenberger (Penn), Sarah Fairbanks (Saint Joseph's), and Caroline Coyer and Emily Leer (both Villanova).

The players and coaches will be honored during the annual Big 5 banquet on April 14 at the Palestra.