Wooden Award finalists announced

[KoriEllis]

www.cantonrep.com/index.p...=92692&r=1

LOS ANGELES — Final Four participants Nick Collison of Kansas, T.J. Ford of Texas, and Dwyane Wade of Marquette were among the John R. Wooden Award finalists announced Wednesday.

Hollis Price of Oklahoma, and David West of Xavier are the other two contenders for the player of the year honor, which will be presented April 12 at the Los Angeles Athletic Club.

Ford won the Naismith Award last month.

The five finalists are part of the 10-member Wooden Award All-American team. Others on the squad are Kirk Hinrich of Kansas, Jason Gardner of Arizona, Josh Howard of Wake Forest, Brandin Knight of Pittsburgh, and Emeka Okafor of Connecticut.

n Penn State has hired one of its own to take over its beleaguered men’s basketball program. East Tennessee State coach Ed DeC is, a Penn State graduate and former Nittany Lions assistant, will be introduced today as the Big Ten’s newest coach. He replaces Jerry Dunn, who resigned last month after back-to-back 7-21 seasons.

n Kentucky’s Tubby Smith and Duke’s Gail Goestenkors have been chosen as the 2003 Naismith college basketball coaches of the year by the Atlanta Tipoff Club. Earlier, the club named T. J. Ford of Texas and Diana Taurasi of Connecticut as its college players of the year.

n Dominique Wilkins wants to coach in the NBA. He might be willing to go back to school if his alma mater calls. The former Atlanta Hawks star interviewed with Georgia Athletics Director Vince Dooley on Tuesday, a day after ex-Chicago Bulls Coach Tim Floyd talked with the Bulldogs. Georgia also has received permission to interview Mercer coach and Georgia alumnus Mark Slonaker, along with Western Kentucky Coach Dennis Felton.

[alamo50]

"Dominique Wilkins wants to coach in the NBA"

It would be awesome to see 'Nique back somewhat near the spotlight again!