PHILADELPHIA, Pa. – The Philadelphia Big Five announced its 2019-20 Men's Basketball Award winners Wednesday afternoon. A group of Villanova Wildcats led the way.
Sophomore forward Saddiq Bey (Largo, Md./Sidwell Friends School) was named the Robert V. Geasey Philadelphia Big Five Player of the Year. He is the fourth different Wildcat player to have earned this honor over the last four seasons, joining Phil Booth (2018-19), Jalen Brunson (2017-18) and Josh Hart (2016-17). Bey led the Wildcats in scoring at 16.1 points per game and was tabbed the Julius Erving Award as the nation's top small forward.
Freshman Jeremiah Robinson-Earl – who announced his intention to return to Villanova in 2020-21 – is the Philadelphia Big Five Rookie of the Year. Bey took this honor home in 2018-19. Robinson-Earl (Overland Park, Kan./IMG Academy) was selected as the BIG EAST Freshman of the Year last month.
Villanova's Jay Wright was named the Philadelphia Big Five Coach of the Year after helping guide the Wildcats – without a scholarship senior in 2019-20 – to a 24-5 overall record and 4-0 slate in the City Series.
Junior guard Collin Gillespie (Huntingdon Valley, Pa./Archbishop Wood High School) was selected first team All-Big Five, joining Bey there. Robinson-Earl was selected Second Team All-Big Five alongside junior forward Jermaine Samuels (Franklin, Mass./The Rivers School).
The 2019-20 Villanova Basketball season – the program's 100th – is presented by Hartford Funds and Coca-Cola.
