Army West Point Athletics
Ethan Roberts Wins Patriot League Rookie of the Year; Jalen Rucker Named First-Team All-League
February 27, 2023 | Men's Basketball
BETHLEHEM, Pa – The Patriot League announced its 2022-23 Men's Basketball All-League Teams and Major Awards winners. Army West Point freshman Ethan Roberts was named the Rookie of the Year and Junior Jalen Rucker was selected as a First-Team All-Patriot League selection.
Roberts, a freshman from Arlington Heights, Ill has made an instant impact for the Black Knights during his rookie campaign. The 6-5 forward played in all 31 games (29 starts), averaging 12.7 points on .491% shooting from the field (130-265) and .422% from three-point range (57-135) with 4.4 rebounds per game.His 393 total points on the season was good for 11th most in the Patriot League. His .442% three-point percentage also ranked 8th best in the league.
Roberts is the first Army freshman to take home Rookie of the Year honors since Kyle Wilson did so in 2012-13, when he averaged 13.0 points per game and is now the fourth Black Knight to take home the award since 1990, joining Wilson, David Ardayfio (1990-91) and Alex Morris (1992-93). He scored in double figures in 18 of 31 games including a stretch of six straight from Jan. 11 to Jan. 28.
Roberts enjoyed a lot of memorable moments through his first season, including scoring a season high 32 points and sinking 6-8 from three-point at Bucknell on Feb. 4 to become one of four Patriot League players to score 30+ points in a contest this season, joining teammate Jalen Rucker. His performance led him to being named Patriot League Rookie of the Week. The freshman broke onto the scene in only the third game of the season for Army on Nov. 16 at Siena, drilling a three-pointer as Army trailed by five points with a minute left, working the game to a tie and eventual overtime victory. Roberts is also Army's first All-Rookie Team section since Jalen Rucker in 2020-21.
Jalen Rucker, a junior guard from Baltimore, Maryland averaged 15.8 points this season, second best in the Patriot League only behind Holy Cross' Gerrale Gates, 16.3 points.
His biggest performance came on Jan. 5 in a win over Loyola Md., scoring a career high 35 points on 6-9 shooting from three-point. His 35 points were tied for the most in a game by Patriot League players this season. On Jan. 9, Rucker scored his 1,000th career point, becoming the 37th Army player all-time to reach the milestone.
In a three-game stretch (Lafayette, Loyola, and Colgate) to start 2023, Rucker shot a ridiculous 13-18 (.722%) from three-point.
Last season as a sophomore, Rucker was selected as a Second-Team All-Patriot League selection and was an All-Rookie selection in 2020-21.
Rucker and Roberts will lead Army into the Patriot League Tournament as the #4 seed as they will host #5 Boston University in the quarterfinal on Thursday, March 2 at 6 PM at Christl Arena.
2022-23 PenFed Credit Union Patriot League Men's Basketball Major Awards and All-League Teams
Player of the Year – Tucker Richardson, Colgate, Sr., G
Defensive Player of the Year – Tucker Richardson, Colgate, Sr., G
Rookie of the Year – Ethan Roberts, Army West Point, Fr., F
Coach of the Year – Matt Langel, Colgate
First-Team All-Patriot League
Jalen Rucker, Army West Point, Jr., G
Keegan Records, Colgate, Sr., F
Keith Higgins Jr., Lehigh, So., G
Tucker Richardson, Colgate, Sr., G
Daniel Deaver, Navy, Sr., F
Second-Team All-Patriot League
Matt Rogers, American, Jr., F
Walter Whyte, Boston University, Gr., F
Gerrale Gates, Holy Cross, Sr., F
Evan Taylor, Lehigh, Sr., G
Sean Yoder, Navy, Sr., G
Third-Team All-Patriot League
Xander Rice, Bucknell, Sr., G
Ryan Moffatt, Colgate, Sr., G
CJ Fulton, Lafayette, So., G
Tyler Whitney-Sidney, Lehigh, So., G,
Tyler Nelson, Navy, Sr., F
Patriot League All-Defensive Team
Johnny O'Neil, American, Jr., F
Jonas Harper, Boston University, Gr., G
Keegan Records, Colgate, Sr., F
Tucker Richardson, Colgate, Sr., G
Sean Yoder, Navy, Sr., G
Patriot League All-Rookie Team
Ethan Roberts, Army West Point, Fr., F
Braeden Smith, Colgate, Fr., G
Will Batchelder, Holy Cross, Fr., G
Josh Rivera, Lafayette, Fr., F
Deon Perry, Loyola Maryland, Fr., G
Roberts, a freshman from Arlington Heights, Ill has made an instant impact for the Black Knights during his rookie campaign. The 6-5 forward played in all 31 games (29 starts), averaging 12.7 points on .491% shooting from the field (130-265) and .422% from three-point range (57-135) with 4.4 rebounds per game.His 393 total points on the season was good for 11th most in the Patriot League. His .442% three-point percentage also ranked 8th best in the league.
Roberts is the first Army freshman to take home Rookie of the Year honors since Kyle Wilson did so in 2012-13, when he averaged 13.0 points per game and is now the fourth Black Knight to take home the award since 1990, joining Wilson, David Ardayfio (1990-91) and Alex Morris (1992-93). He scored in double figures in 18 of 31 games including a stretch of six straight from Jan. 11 to Jan. 28.
Roberts enjoyed a lot of memorable moments through his first season, including scoring a season high 32 points and sinking 6-8 from three-point at Bucknell on Feb. 4 to become one of four Patriot League players to score 30+ points in a contest this season, joining teammate Jalen Rucker. His performance led him to being named Patriot League Rookie of the Week. The freshman broke onto the scene in only the third game of the season for Army on Nov. 16 at Siena, drilling a three-pointer as Army trailed by five points with a minute left, working the game to a tie and eventual overtime victory. Roberts is also Army's first All-Rookie Team section since Jalen Rucker in 2020-21.
Jalen Rucker, a junior guard from Baltimore, Maryland averaged 15.8 points this season, second best in the Patriot League only behind Holy Cross' Gerrale Gates, 16.3 points.
His biggest performance came on Jan. 5 in a win over Loyola Md., scoring a career high 35 points on 6-9 shooting from three-point. His 35 points were tied for the most in a game by Patriot League players this season. On Jan. 9, Rucker scored his 1,000th career point, becoming the 37th Army player all-time to reach the milestone.
In a three-game stretch (Lafayette, Loyola, and Colgate) to start 2023, Rucker shot a ridiculous 13-18 (.722%) from three-point.
Last season as a sophomore, Rucker was selected as a Second-Team All-Patriot League selection and was an All-Rookie selection in 2020-21.
Rucker and Roberts will lead Army into the Patriot League Tournament as the #4 seed as they will host #5 Boston University in the quarterfinal on Thursday, March 2 at 6 PM at Christl Arena.
2022-23 PenFed Credit Union Patriot League Men's Basketball Major Awards and All-League Teams
Player of the Year – Tucker Richardson, Colgate, Sr., G
Defensive Player of the Year – Tucker Richardson, Colgate, Sr., G
Rookie of the Year – Ethan Roberts, Army West Point, Fr., F
Coach of the Year – Matt Langel, Colgate
First-Team All-Patriot League
Jalen Rucker, Army West Point, Jr., G
Keegan Records, Colgate, Sr., F
Keith Higgins Jr., Lehigh, So., G
Tucker Richardson, Colgate, Sr., G
Daniel Deaver, Navy, Sr., F
Second-Team All-Patriot League
Matt Rogers, American, Jr., F
Walter Whyte, Boston University, Gr., F
Gerrale Gates, Holy Cross, Sr., F
Evan Taylor, Lehigh, Sr., G
Sean Yoder, Navy, Sr., G
Third-Team All-Patriot League
Xander Rice, Bucknell, Sr., G
Ryan Moffatt, Colgate, Sr., G
CJ Fulton, Lafayette, So., G
Tyler Whitney-Sidney, Lehigh, So., G,
Tyler Nelson, Navy, Sr., F
Patriot League All-Defensive Team
Johnny O'Neil, American, Jr., F
Jonas Harper, Boston University, Gr., G
Keegan Records, Colgate, Sr., F
Tucker Richardson, Colgate, Sr., G
Sean Yoder, Navy, Sr., G
Patriot League All-Rookie Team
Ethan Roberts, Army West Point, Fr., F
Braeden Smith, Colgate, Fr., G
Will Batchelder, Holy Cross, Fr., G
Josh Rivera, Lafayette, Fr., F
Deon Perry, Loyola Maryland, Fr., G
Players Mentioned
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