MBB: ALB shows up big in major awards

CALGARY – The perfect Alberta Golden Bears take three of the six major basketball awards this year. Canada West released its year-end winners Wednesday.

One athlete has earned two of the prestigious awards himself. Alberta's Tyus Jefferson has been named the Player of the Year and the Defensive Player of the Year with his astounding play on both ends of the court for the 16-0 Golden Bears.

The league's top rookie title goes to Victoria's Elias Ralph after an impressive first-year showing that had him captivate fans with his unique and stylish scoring abilities.

Regina's Benjamin Hillis earns the Student-Athlete Community Service Award as an impressive contributor on the court, in the classroom and within his community.

And the conference's Coach of the Year is Alberta's Barnaby Craddock, who instilled a winning mentality in a squad that has been spotless this season.

Alberta is now getting ready to host the CW Final Four this weekend, when a new champion will be crowned.

You can catch all the action on Canada West TV presented by Co-op.

PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Tyus Jefferson

The highly-coveted Player of the Year Award goes to Alberta’s Tyus Jefferson. The fifth-year guard led his Golden Bears to a perfect 16-0 record this season while showing up big on every inch of the court.

You can’t miss him on offensive, as he smoothly slashes to the basket or controls the ball movement in seamless plays.

On the scoring-balanced Golden Bears, Jefferson worked with extreme efficiency this season, scoring on more than half of his attempts as a guard.

His basketball IQ is always on full display as he reads the action on both ends of the court.

On the defensive end, Jefferson’s agility and effort shines through.

The Riverton, Utah product also makes those around him better – the key to the success of his powerhouse Golden Bears squad.

From the coach:

"Tyus' leadership and fantastic individual play this season has been instrumental to our teams success. He makes his teammates better every time they play with him, and he leads by example with his effort on the defensive end of the floor. It's great to see Tyus receive this well deserved honour as he plays basketball the way it's supposed to be played; with passion, determination and unselfishly as part of a united team."
​- Alberta Golden Bears head coach Barnaby Craddock

DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Tyus Jefferson

The Defensive Player of the Year is Tyus Jefferson. No, that’s not a mistake. Jefferson is the first-ever player to win both the Player of the Year Award and Defensive Player of the Year Award—and he did it in the same season.

Jefferson’s prowess shines through on the defensive side of the ball, where he averaged 2.1 steals and 4.4 rebounds on the season.

His anticipation is second to none, as he reads offences then uses his skill and speed to get himself into a prime position to stop them.

Jefferson’s intensity on this side is every coach’s dream – as he pokes balls free before his opponents even get the chance to score. ​

The head-on-a-swivel player beats the will out of opponents through his defensive excellence.

ROOKIE OF THE YEAR: Elias Ralph

The Rookie of the Year is Victoria’s Elias Ralph. The first-year guard proved a versatile scorer and contributor with his 17-1 Vikes.

Whether it’s a pull-up, spinning jumper, or step around, Ralph has all the tools to score against strong defenders and to put on a show while doing it.

Ralph can created his own opportunities, bringing a spark to his team when needed. He boasts mature control for a rookie, and displays a fearless, free and confident style of play night in and night out.

The Okotoks, AB product averaged 9.5 points and 4.3 rebounds over 19.4 minutes per game this season on a competitive team where playing time is never guaranteed.

He will be one to watch in the years to come.

From the coach:

“Elias is a unique player with his skill and size. He plays mature for a young guy. You rarely see a kid his size with his skill set: he's a terrific athlete, and his fitness and physicality were off the charts from the beginning. Most importantly, his practice habits are excellent, consistently bringing his best effort. We’re fortunate to have him and very proud of him for this achievement.”
​-Victoria Vikes head coach Craig Beaucamp

STUDENT-ATHLETE COMMUNITY SERVICE AWARD: Benjamin Hillis

The Student-Athlete Community Service award finds its home in Regina, where Benjamin Hillis shares his talents on the court, in the classroom and in the community.

The fifth-year guard has put up big numbers all over the court, ending the regular season averaging 13.6 points, 4.6 assists and 5.3 rebounds.

But he also posts impressive stats in the classroom. The actuarial science major is a five-time Academic All-Canadian and Dean’s List honouree.

Despite this already-busy schedule, he finds time to volunteer whenever his community needs him. He’s helped raise money for the local burn unit fund, created videos to help kids stay active during the pandemic, visited schools to talk with students and advocated for mental health while providing advice and resources.

A true leader in every sense of the word, Hillis is also a member of the student-athlete leadership council.

From the coach:

"I have known Ben his whole life and have watched him grow up. He is very deserving and it is truly special that he was chosen for this prestigious award. Ben is one of the finest examples of what a student-athlete should be. He is an incredible role model and ambassador for not only the Cougar basketball program, but for the University of Regina and for our entire community.”
​- Regina Cougars head coach Steve Burrows 

COACH OF THE YEAR: Barnaby Craddock

It takes a special type of team to go without a single loss during a season. This year, that team was led by Barnaby Craddock, who instilled a winning mentality in his players.

Craddock's Golden Bears play with a team-first approach, which has given them the success they've seen this season. That stems from the coach. From their defensive schematics and intensity to their offensive sharing of the ball, Alberta has cemented its reputation as an unshakable force.

Craddock's work goes beyond day-to-day practices and games, as his recruiting and leadership within the program has led them to where they find themselves today: the country's number-two ranked team.

This is the coach's fourth time earning this honour, his third as a Golden Bear.

From the Athletic Director:

"Barnaby's work as a coach, recruiter, and leader has once again pushed the Golden Bears up among the true national championship contenders. Even after losing some of the best players to wear the Green and Gold to graduation over the past two years, Barnaby guided the Bears to one of their best regular seasons ever. Having the enormous pressure of hosting the U SPORTS Championship hasn't fazed this team, and I can't wait to see the conclusion of this tremendous season."
​- Alberta Golden Bears and Pandas athletic director Ian Reade

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