Associated Press
The college notebook …
DETROIT ó Josh Heytvelt expected to finish his career with a Final Four trip in Detroit, not a meaningless All-Star game.
His shot at the Final Four denied, Heytvelt still wanted to go out with a memory on the Ford Field court.
Heytvelt hit the winning 3-pointer in the final minute, scored 17 points and grabbed 11 rebounds to lead the Reese’s All-Stars to a 105-100 win over Hershey’s All-Stars in a college senior game Friday night.
Boston College’s Tyrese Rice, a Salisbury native, scored 24 points and Wisconsin’s Marcus Landry had 14 for the winners in a game played on the same court as the Final Four.
AP WINNERS
DETROIT ó In a season when the Big East dominated the polls and the NCAA tournament, the Big 12 won both major individual awards.
Blake Griffin, the sophomore forward from Oklahoma who led the nation in rebounding, collisions and hustle plays, was the runaway choice as The Associated Press’ college basketball player of the year Friday. Bill Self, who led Kansas from a decimated national champion to a fifth straight Big 12 title, was selected coach of the year.
“I think the biggest reason I won this award is that when we played Oklahoma, we held Blake scoreless,” Self joked.
Griffin averaged 22.7 points and national-best 14.4 rebounds.
APPALACHIAN STATE
CHARLOTTE ó Charlotte Bobcats director of player personnel Buzz Peterson is still mulling an offer to return to coaching at Appalachian State.
Peterson said before Charlotte’s game with Miami on Friday that he’s planning a meeting with Appalachian chancellor Kenneth Peacock.
GEORGIAATHENS, Ga. ó The Georgia Bulldogs introduced former Nevada coach Mark Fox as their new coach Friday with the gaudy goal of transforming a moribund program into a national power.
OKLAHOMAOKLAHOMA CITY ó Oklahoma coach Jeff Capel, a former Duke star, says he plans to stay with the Sooners. Capel and university president David Boren both say that work is underway on a new contract.