Baron Selected MAAC Preseason Player of the Year
MAAC Sports
EDISON, N.J. -- Senior guard Billy Baron has been chosen as the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference’s Preseason Player of the Year, as selected by the league’s head coaches.
Baron was a key for the Canisius men’s basketball team last season, helping the Golden Griffs engineer one of the nation’s top turnarounds en route to a 20-victory season, their first in 12 years.
It’s no surprise, then, that Baron is a major reason for Canisius’ expectations as the Golden Griffs enter the 2013-14 season. The senior point guard led Canisius in scoring last year, averaging 17.2 points per game, good for third in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference. His single season point total (584) was the most for a Griff in 28 years, and he also led the MAAC in assists with 5.0 per game.
As college basketball teams prepare for the 2013-14 campaign, Baron has already been named the MAAC’s Preseason Player of the Year by such publications as Lindy’s Sports College Basketball Preview and The Sporting News College Basketball Preview. Earlier this week he was selected Preseason Player of the Year by the Big 4, the alliance of Division I schools in western New York that includes Canisius, Niagara, St. Bonaventure and Buffalo.
Last season, his first year in the league, Baron was a first-team All-MAAC selection as a junior. In addition to his scoring prowess, Baron was third in the MAAC in assist/turnover ratio (+1.8), fifth in free throw percentage (.824), eighth in three-point field goal percentage (.382) and 10th in minutes played (34.8/game).
He played a key role as the Golden Griffs went from a 5-win team two seasons ago to a 20-win team last season, when they advanced to the quarterfinal round of the College Insiders Tournament.
Last year was also head coach Jim Baron’s, Billy’s father, first season at Canisius.
“Billy’s going to work, and he’s prepared himself. He’s gotten better, and he’s really firmed up his body, and I think that’s going to help him,” the elder Baron said. “He’ll continue to lead by example, and we have other guys to go with him.”
The Golden Griffs’ season gets underway on Nov. 11 when they host South Dakota. The season culminates with the 2014 MAAC Championships, March 6-10, in Springfield, Mass.