UNC Basketball: Joel Berry II named Bob Cousy Award Finalist

North Carolina point guard Joel Berry II is one of 10 finalists for the 2017 Cousy Award

North Carolina Tar Heels’ junior point guard Joel Berry II has been named one of 10 finalists for the 2017 Bob Cousy Award.

The award has been given to the best point guard in college basketball each year since the 2003-04 season in which St. Joseph’s point guard Jameer Nelson won it.

2017 finalists include front-runner Frank Mason III of Kansas, Kentucky’s De’Aaron Fox and N.C. State freshman phenom Dennis Smith Jr.

Dec 31, 2016; Atlanta, GA, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels guard Joel Berry II (2) in action against Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets forward Kellen McCormick (32) at McCamish Pavilion. Mandatory Credit: Adam Hagy-USA TODAY Sports

Berry is just the latest on a long list of UNC players to be nominated for the award, and would be the fourth Tar Heel to win the prestigious honor. Roy Williams coached all three previous Cousy Award winners in Raymond Felton (2005), Ty Lawson (2009) and Kendall Marshall (2012).

Berry is averaging 14.8 points, four assists, and 3.2 rebounds per game this season and has started all 21 games that he’s played in. In 29 minutes per game, he shoots 42 percent from three-point range and better than 90 percent from the free-throw line.

With its three past winners, North Carolina leads all schools in Cousy Award winners, followed by Connecticut with two. Eight other schools have one each.

The complete list of 10 players is below:

Nigel Williams-Goss Gonzaga
Monte Morris Iowa State
Frank Mason III Kansas
De’Aaron Fox Kentucky
Melo Trimble Maryland
Joel Berry II North Carolina
Dennis Smith Jr North Carolina State
Lonzo Ball UCLA
Jalen Brunson Villanova
Markelle Fultz Washington