Harvey, Laing Earn All-Met Honors

WHITE PLAINS, N.Y. Seton Hall men’s basketball freshman Eugene Harvey (Brooklyn, N.Y.) was named 2006-07 Division I All-Met Rookie of the Year by the National Invitation Tournament and the Met Basketball Writers Association, it was announced on Tuesday.  Harvey also earned Division I First Team All-Met honors, while junior Brian Laing (Bronx, N.Y.) was named to the Division I All-Met Second Team. 

Harvey and Laing will be honored at the All-Met banquet at the Giants Stadium Club in East Rutherford on Tuesday night, April 10.

Harvey started all 29 games for the Pirates this season and led all BIG EAST Conference rookies in scoring, tying for fifth overall at 16.5 points per game.  One of only three unanimous selections to the BIG EAST All-Rookie Team, he was named conference Rookie of the Week three times and led Seton Hall with 4.24 assists per game and an .839 free throw percentage.  Harvey scored in double-figures in 27-of-29 games and exploded for a career-high 27 points in a victory over Penn State on December 9.  He becomes the seventh Pirate to be named All-Met Rookie of the Year and the first since Eddie Griffin in 2001.

Laing also started all 29 games for the Pirates this season and was named to the BIG EAST Conference’s All-Second Team.  One of the leading contenders for the conference’s Most Improved Player Award this season, he burst onto the scene tying Harvey for the team lead in scoring with 16.5 points per game and leading the Pirates with 6.7 rebounds per game.  A three-time BIG EAST Weekly Honor Roll member, Laing recorded six double-doubles this season and was named to the B.Y.U. Holiday Classic All-Tournament Team.  He capped this remarkable campaign with a career-high 29 points at Louisville in the season finale. 

Joining Harvey on the All-Met First Team are Jaret Jordan of Marist, Loren Stokes and Antoine Agudio of Hofstra, Lamont Hamilton of St. John’s and Jason Thompson of Rider.  Joining Laing on the All-Met Second Team are Bryant Dunston and Marcus Stout of Fordham, Will Whittington of Marist, Andre Harris of Fairleigh Dickinson, Anthony Mason Jr. of St. John’s and John Baumann of Columbia.  Members of the All-Met Third Team include Jarell Brown of Army, J.R. Inman of Rutgers, Arturo Debois and Devon Austin of Manhattan, Mike Van Schaick of Fairfield and Robert Hines of St. Francis.  

Jared Jordan of Marist was named winner of the 74th Haggerty Award as the 2006-07 All-Met Division I Men’s College Basketball Player of the Year, while Matt Brady of Marist won the Peter A. Carlesimo Coach of the Year award.

Voting for the All-Met teams was done by members of the media in the tri-state area.

All-Met First Team:
Antoine Agudio - Hofstra
Lamont Hamilton - St. John's
Eugene Harvey - Seton Hall
Jaret Jordan - Marist
Loren Stokes - Hofstra
Jason Thompson - Rider

All-Met Second Team:
John Baumann - Columbia
Bryant Dunston - Fordham
Andre Harris - Fairleigh Dickinson
Brian Laing - Seton Hall
Anthony Mason, Jr. - St. John's
Marcus Stout - Fordham
Will Whittingham - Marist

All-Met Third Team:
Devon Austin - Manhattan
Jarell Brown - Army
Arturo Debois - Manhattan
Robert Hines - St. Francis
J.R. Inman - Rutgers
Mike Van Schaick - Fairfield

2006-07 Haggarty Award:
Jared Jordan - Marist

2006-07 Rookie of the Year:
Eugene Harvey - Seton Hall

2006-07 Peter A. Carlesimo Coach of the Year:
Matt Brady - Marist