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IOWA CITY, Iowa — Sophomore Jordan Bohannon was named recipient of the Chris Street Award for the 2017-18 University of Iowa men’s basketball season. The Hawkeye sophomore received the award Tuesday evening at the team’s awards ceremony.
The Chris Street Award is presented annually to a Hawkeye player, or players, who best exemplify the spirit, enthusiasm and intensity of Chris Street. Street was an Iowa basketball player who died in an auto accident in 1993, midway through his junior year.
The native of Marion, Iowa, became sixth underclassmen to earn the award since the inception of the award in 1993. Bohannon’s numbers speak for themselves, but it was an incredibly selfless act by Bohannon that many fans remember from this past season. Bohannon made 34 consecutive free throws over a span of 15 games to tie Street’s program record before purposely missing the potential record breaking free throw to preserve Street’s name in the Hawkeye record books.
“When Jordan missed the free throw, the interaction between Jordan, and Mike and Patty was truly special. What Chris Street and the Street family means to this program is forever connected. Jordan’s incredible act of kindness speaks to his character,” said head coach Fran McCaffery.
Bohannon, who also earned the team’s Top Playmaker Award for the second consecutive season, became the sixth Hawkeye in program history to total more than 400 points and 150 assists in a season. The honorable mention all-conference honoree recorded three double-doubles as a sophomore to bring his career double-doubles in points and assists to a program-best six. Bohannon (6-foot, 180 pounds) is the only player nationally to post 150-plus assists and 80-plus 3-pointers as a freshman and sophomore over the last 25 years. He ranked first on the team in assists (178) and 3-point shooting (96-of-223, .430), and second in scoring (13.5) and steals (22). Bohannon’s 90.4 free throw percentage ranks first in program history by a sophomore; he led the league in percentage, missing only two free throws against Big Ten opponents this season (47-of-49, .949).
Other Hawkeyes recognized include Nicholas Baer, Tyler Cook, Luka Garza, and Isaiah Moss.
Cook (6-foot-9, 255 pounds) was the recipient of the team’s Best Rebounder Award and the Kenny Arnold Hawkeye Spirit Award. The Kenny Arnold Hawkeye Spirit Award is presented to the Hawkeye who exemplifies Arnold’s spirit of leadership, character, courage, determination and poise. This player inspires his teammates to be their very best in spite of the odds.
Cook led the team in six statistical categories as a sophomore: scoring (15.3), rebounding (6.8), double-doubles (7), dunks (60), and free throws made (121) and attempted (183). The native of St. Louis was an honorable mention all-conference honoree and became just the second Hawkeye to total more than 500 points and 200 rebounds as a sophomore.
Garza (6-foot-11, 235 pounds) was named the team’s Newcomer of the Year. Garza became just the fourth Hawkeye freshman in program history to score 400 points in his rookie season. A two-time Big Ten Freshman of the Week honoree, Garza started 26 of 33 games, ranked third on the squad in scoring (12.1), first in blocked shots (0.9), and second in rebounding (6.4). The Washington, D.C. native posted four double-doubles, becoming the first Hawkeye since Aaron White in 2012 to register at least four double-doubles as a freshman.
Moss (6-foot-5, 205 pounds) was the recipient of the team’s Most Improved Player Award. He ranked fourth on the team in scoring (11.1), third in assists (62), and tied for second in steals (22) as a redshirt sophomore. Moss increased his scoring average by 4.6 points from his freshman to sophomore seasons. Moss was voted to the Cayman Islands Classic All-Tournament team, averaging 18 points in three games. The Chicago native poured in a career-high 32 points at Minnesota on Feb. 21, including scorching the nets for 19 points in the final 1:36 of the game.
Baer earned the team’s Academic Excellence Award. The native of Bettendorf, Iowa, was a Dean’s List honoree last fall and earned Academic All-Big Ten laurels as a junior. On the court, Baer (6-foot-7, 210 pounds) became the first Hawkeye since Jeff Horner in 2005 and 2006 to lead the team in steals in back-to-back seasons.
2018 IOWA MEN’S BASKETBALL TEAM AWARDS
CHRIS STREET AWARD: Jordan Bohannon
TOP PLAYMAKER: Jordan Bohannon
NEWCOMER OF THE YEAR: Luka Garza
MOST IMPROVED: Isaiah Moss
BEST REBOUNDER: Tyler Cook
ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE AWARD: Nicholas Baer
KENNY ARNOLD HAWKEYE SPIRIT AWARD: Tyler Cook
