The Bob Cousy Award Web Site
McMurry senior point guard
Robert Moreno was selected as one of nine finalists for the Bob Cousy Award honoring the top collegiate male basketball point guard annually at the NCAA Division I, II and III levels.
The Brownsville native, Moreno, in his fourth year with McMurry's basketball program leads the American Southwest Conference for the second-straight year in both assists per game (5.8) and assists-to-turnover ratio (2.1:1). He is also among the conference's leaders in steals per game where he ranks third at 2.3 per game, and Moreno's 3-point field goal percentage of .556 ranks second in the ASC.
After battling injuries off-and-on his first two seasons, Moreno has become a constant force for both McMurry and the ASC. Through Sunday night's game, the 5-7 guard has 380 career assists and 142 steals.
The Bob Cousy Award, sponsored by The Hartford, is presented by the Naismith Memorial Hall of Fame. Cousy is considered to be one of the best point guards to ever play the game of basketball at any level. Cousy was an all-American at Holy Cross and a five-time NBA champion with the Boston Celtics.
“We're very excited about Robert being selected as one of the nine finalists for the Bob Cousy Award because of the history that Bob Cousy brings to basketball,” said McMurry head coach Ron Holmes. “He revolutionized basketball and for Robert to be considered as a finalist for that means that he's made a difference in the lives of some Division III kids that he's made better players. You can introduce four Boston Celtics and then introduce Bob Cousy and you've got five great players, and I think you can say the same thing about Robert.”
Moreno has been an all-ASC selection twice. His freshman year, despite playing just 13 games because of a broken ankle the first game of the season, he came back to play most of the league games and was selected to the ASC West Division all-Defensive team. Then, last season as a junior he was a second team all-ASC West Division selection. Moreno has helped McMurry to two ASC Tournament appearances his freshman and junior seasons, and through Sunday, McMurry is atop the ASC West Division standings with 15 games to spare.
So far, in his four-year college career, Moreno has surpassed the 10 assists mark in a game seven times including a career-high 15 last season Jan. 31 against Concordia-Texas. Earlier this season he scored a career-high 19 points including five consecutive 3-pointers to help McMurry rally down from 12 points in the second half to defeat the University of the Ozarks Dec. 18.
“For [Robert] to bring recognition to the school through his hard work because he's been a four-year starter is really exciting and sets a goal for other freshmen to attain,” said Holmes.
The Bob Cousy Award has been handed out since 2004. Past NCAA Division I winners include Ty Lawson (2009, North Carolina), D.J. Augistin (2008, University of Texas), Acie Law IV (2007, Texas A&M University), Dee Brown (2006, University of Illinois), Raymond Felton (2005, North Carolina), and Jameer Nelson (2004, St. Joseph's University).
The award's web site, www.cousyaward.com, states that “the selection criteria emphasize leadership, team work, success, and fundamentals as being critical parts for the game of basketball at point guard.”
The other eight candidates for the Division III version of The Cousy Award are Aaron Williams (Kalamazoo College), Corey McAdam (Nazareth College), Jack Barrett (Wentworth College), John Hoch (Carroll University), Josh Sharlow (St. Lawrence University), Sean Wallis (Washington University), Tyler Ledford (Wilmington College), and Zach Ashworth (University of Scranton).
