AFFLALO EARNS A TOP HONOR JUNIOR NAMED FIRST-TEAM AP ALL-AMERICAN.Byline: JILL PAINTER Staff Writer The awards are getting bigger and better for UCLA UCLA University of California at Los Angeles UCLA University Center for Learning Assistance (Illinois State University) UCLA University of Carrollton, TX and Lower Addison, TX guard Arron Afflalo Arron Agustin Afflalo (born October 15, 1985) is an American professional basketball player, currently with the Detroit Pistons. He recently completed a three-year career at University of California, Los Angeles in the Pacific Ten Conference of the NCAA as the starting shooting . Afflalo was named a first-team All-American by the Associated Press Associated Press: see news agency. Associated Press (AP) Cooperative news agency, the oldest and largest in the U.S. and long the largest in the world. -- one of the most esteemed honors in college basketball College basketball most often refers to the American basketball competitive governance structure established by the National Collegiate Athletic Association, or NCAA. History
Afflalo has been named a first team All-American by five media outlets. "I've been told it's probably the biggest one," Afflalo said. "I'm very happy about it, but this is a team sport, and I'm so focused on this weekend that I haven't had time to celebrate." Afflalo will have plenty of time -- and desire -- to do that if UCLA is crowned national champion next Monday in Atlanta. UCLA beat No. 1 seed Kansas on Saturday in the West Regional final, earning the school's second trip to the Final Four in as many seasons. UCLA (30-5) drew a rematch with the Florida Gators Florida Gators is the team name used for all of the intercollegiate athletic teams that play for the University of Florida in Gainesville, Florida. Lady Gators is an alternative often used for the women's teams. , who dominated the Bruins 73-57 in the final last year. Joining Afflalo on the first team is Texas freshman Kevin Durant Kevin Wayne Durant (born September 29, 1988 in Washington, D.C.[6][7]) is a 6'9" basketball player for the Seattle SuperSonics, picked second in the 2007 NBA Draft from the University of Texas. , the only unanimous selection voted on by the 72-member national media panel, which made its selections before the NCAA Tournament NCAA Tournament can mean: Men's Sports
Florida, which earned the No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament, did not have a representative on the first team, although Joakim Noah, a preseason first-team selection, was a second-team pick, and Al Horford got honorable mention. Oden and Durant probably would be in the NBA NBA abbr. 1. National Basketball Association 2. National Boxing Association NBA (US) n abbr (= National Basketball Association) → Basketball-Dachverband (= if not for the new minimum age requirement. The newcomers were so impressive they became the first freshmen to be named to the first team since 1990. "I am not very big on individual honors, but I am very humbled to be included on the Associated Press All-America team," Durant told the AP. "When you look at the other four guys who are on the team, I am honored to be mentioned with them." Afflalo started all 35 games and is averaging 16.9 points per game. His most important contribution, however, is in guarding an opponent's best offensive player. Even when Afflalo struggled with his shooting touch late in the season and off and on in the NCAA Tournament, his defense and leadership have been constants. He has shot 90.9 percent from the free-throw line in the tournament and his rebounding average is up to 5.5 in those four games. "Arron is a great representative of UCLA, UCLA basketball and college basketball," Bruins coach Ben Howland said. "He's an impressive young man. I couldn't be prouder or happier for him." Afflalo made himself eligible for the NBA Draft after his sophomore season, along with Jordan Farmar, but later withdrew his name from consideration and returned to school. Farmar (Taft High of Woodland Hills) left UCLA and is now playing for the Lakers. Afflalo has an opportunity to bring UCLA is 12th NCAA NCAA abbr. National Collegiate Athletic Association title in basketball. "There's one thing I'm after," Afflalo said. And the road to that championship runs through Florida again. "Now that it's here, it's a great thing," Afflalo said. "If you want to be the best, you have to beat the best. They're the overall No. 1 seed. What better way to do it?" jill.painter@dailynews.com (818) 713-3615 CAPTION(S): photo, box Photo: (color) AFFLALO Box: FIRST-TIME AP ALL-AMERICANS |
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