The men’s basketball banquet was held Thursday night at the Washington Marriott. Freshman guard SirValiant Brown was named the team’s Most Valuable Player. Chris Monroe was named Rookie of the Year; senior guard Mark Lund was given the Academic Achievement Award; junior forward Antxon Iturbe took home the Desire Award; junior point guard Bernard Barrow was given the Defense Award; sophomore forward Jason Smith was named the Most Improved Player; and junior guard Mike King took home the Sixth Man Award. Rings were also finally awarded to the team for last year’s A-10 West championship.

Basketball Notes:

CBS SportsLine ranked its 2000-2001 very preseason top-40 last week. GW came in at No. 37. Said CBS: SirValiant Brown and everybody else is back. Now, about that defense.

The Dorien Brown saga continues. Saturday at the Smith Center, Brown would not confirm or deny that he is transferring, and in fact indicated that he wished to play again for GW, although he said, You’d have to ask Coach Penders about that.

Brown has been absent from team activities for several months, since a season-ending injury was diagnosed early in the year. His situation contrasts with forward Patrick Ngongba’s. Ngongba’s season ended in December and his GW career might in fact be over – but he was on GW’s bench all season and attended the banquet Thursday night.

Penders has declined to comment on Brown since confirming in January that Brown had asked him about a transfer. Although Penders will not confirm or deny the fact that he is actively trying to fill Brown’s scholarship, he is looking to fill four scholarships, and if Ngongba and Brown were to both return, only three would be available.