After wowing NBA scouts in the Portsmith Invitational earlier this month, Hofstra senior Norman Richardson hopes to be asked to compete in the next pre-draft camp for NBA hopefuls in Phoenix next month.
“My stock has risen a lot,” Richardson said last night. “A lot of scouts were impressed.”
But the 6-foot-5 senior swingman had excelled throughout this past season, as well. Leading the Pride to their second straight NCAA Tournament berth, Richardson has been named the winner of the Haggerty Award, presented annually to the most outstanding college player in the Metropolitan area. The award, given by the NIT/Metropolitan Basketball Writers Association, is named in memory of Lt. Frank J. Haggerty, the co-captain of St. John’s 1939-40 team.
Richardson, who averaged a team-high 16.7 points and 6.0 rebounds as a senior, was the America East Conference Player of the Year. The Coney Island native and Grady High star finished sixth all-time at Hofstra with 1,677 points and his 192 three-point field goals set a school record.
While the Pride lost in the NCAA’s first-round two years in a row (this year to UCLA), Richardson feels that his teams helped put the school on the basketball map.
“That was amazing what we did over there,” said Richardson, who accepted the Haggerty at an award dinner at the Pegasus Restaurant at the Meadowlands Racetrack. “We came in with an idea of how to build a program. The coaches pushed us and we took it to a level that got us national publicity.”
New Villanova coach Jay Wright, who coached the past seven seasons at Hofstra, was named the Peter A. Carlesimo All-Met Division I Coach of the Year. NBA-bound Eddie Griffin, the 6-9 freshman from Seton Hall, was named the All-Met Division I Rookie of the Year.
On the women’s side, Tasha Pointer, Rutgers’ 5-6 senior guard, was named All-Met Division I Player of the Year.