Philadelphia's Burns Chosen As Division II Player Of The Year

Monday, March 19th 2007, 6:59 pm

By: News On 6

EDINBORO, Pa. (AP) _ Christian Burns of Philadelphia University was chosen as the NCAA Division II men's basketball player of the year Monday in voting by college sports information directors.

Burns averaged 21.7 points and 11.2 rebounds per game and had 61 blocked shots. He played two seasons at Philadelphia after transferring from Division I Quinnipiac.

Burns edged Winona State's John Smith and Ted Scott of West Virginia State in the player of the year voting.

Smith has led his team to a 33-0 record and a berth in the NCAA round of eight. Winona State, last year's Division II national champion and the winner of 55 consecutive games, meets Bentley on Wednesday in the Division II quarterfinals.

Scott is the leading scorer in Division II with a 27 points-per-game average and ranks sixth in three-pointers made per game, with 125 made in 287 attempts.

Also making the Division I All-America first team were Gil Goodrich of Bowie State and Kevin Johnson of Humboldt State. Chosen for the second team were Eric Babers of Southeastern Oklahoma State, Dusty Jura of Nebraska-Kearney, Marcus Kennedy of Montevallo, Damien Lolar of West Texas A&M and Zack Whiting of Chaminade.

Chosen for the third team were Luke Anderson of Minnesota State Mankato, who was on the second team last season, Tyrone Anderson of Concord, Sean Barnette of Wingate, Jonte Flowers of Winona State and Ricky Volcy of Northern Michigan.

Smith, Flowers, Barnette and Kennedy all reached the Division II quarterfinals.