Men's Basketball Anounces Post-Season Honors

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April 23, 1999

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – Donald Hand and Chris Williams were honored as co-recipients of the University of Virginia men’s basketball team’s Bill Gibson Cavalier of the Year Award for the 1998-99 season on Friday (April 23). The players were honored at the 1999 Virginia men’s basketball banquet at the Omni Hotel.

Hand also received the awards for the best free throw percentage and most assists on the team, while Williams received the award as the team’s leading rebounder.

Hand, a sophomore guard from Paterson, N.J., was an honorable mention All-Atlantic Coast Conference selection after leading the Cavaliers in scoring (17.1 ppg.), assists (123, 4.1 apg.), steals (57, 1.9 spg.), free throw percentage (162-188, .862), three -point field goals (50) and minutes played (34.9 mpg) during the 1998-99 season. He also averaged 4.8 rebounds a game and scored a career-high 41 points in an 82-79 overtime victory over North Carolina State at University Hall. His 41 points were the most by a Virginia since Barry Parkhill set the school record with 51 points vs. Baldwin-Wallace during the 1971-72 season, and were the most by an ACC player last season. Hand was one of the team’s tri-captains.

Williams, a freshman forward from Birmingham, Ala., was the ACC Rookie of the Year, a third-team All-ACC selection and a second-team All-Freshman selection by Basketball News in 1998-99. He averaged 16.8 points and 7.5 rebounds a game for the Cavaliers. He led the team in field goal percentage (51.2 percent, 188-367) in addition to rebounding, and he was second on the team in scoring and blocked shots (41, 1.4 bpg). Williams established a UVa freshman single-game scoring record with 34 points against Liberty University and he was named the ACC Rookie of the Week four times during the 1998-99 season.

Willie Dersch received the Michael McCann Leadership Award, Josh Hare received the Mr. Hustle Award, Chezley Watson was honored as the team’s Best Defensive Player, Adam Hall received the Mr. Intensity Award and Kris Hunter was honored as the team’s Most Improved Player.

Dersch, a junior forward from Floral Park, N.Y., was one of Virginia’s tri-captains during the 1998-99 season. He averaged 10.2 points and 2.8 rebounds a game, and shot 80 percent (60-75) from the free throw line.

Hare, a sophomore guard from Vernon, Conn., joined the team as a walk-on after the beginning of preseason practice and played in 17 games with two starts. He missed 13 games with a broken left ankle. Hare averaged 3.6 points and 2.5 rebounds a game. He averaged 20.8 minutes of playing time a game, and had 34 assists and just 18 turnovers for the season.

Watson, a sophomore guard from Gainesville, Ga., averaged 8.3 points and 3.0 rebounds a game. He shot 78.9 percent from the free throw line (45-57), and was second on the team in assists with 84 (3.0 apg.).

Hall, a freshman forward-guard from Katy, Texas, averaged 10.8 points and 4.5 rebounds a game. He played in all 30 of Virginia’s games, starting 17, and averaged 27.2 minutes of playing time a game. Hall was second on the team in steals with 49 (1.6 spg.) and was named the ACC Rookie of the Week once during the 1998-99 season.

Hunter, a junior center from Tallahassee, Fla., led the team in blocked shots with 88 (3.0 bpg). He ranked second in the ACC and eighth in the nation in blocked shots. Hunter also averaged 5.4 points and 5.6 rebounds a game.

Freshman guard Cade Lemcke (Hilton, N.Y.) received the Hardest Worker Award, freshman guard-forward Brandon Lloyd (Springfield, Va.) received the Academic Achievement Award, and freshman guard-forward Jason Dowling (Brooklyn, N.Y.), senior forward Raleigh Harbour (Hinsdale, Ill.), sophomore guard Greg Lyons (Mineola, N.Y.) and freshman forward Marcus Martin (Charlottesville, Va.) shared the Best Attitude Award.