The University of Kentucky men?s basketball team held its annual postseason awards banquet on April 14 at the Hyatt Regency in Lexington, Ky. Chuck Hayes was named Most Valuable Player for the 2004-05 season, one of five awards the senior captain took home that evening.
Ravi Moss won three awards, including Mr. Hustle, Best Individual Workout and Co-Most Improved. Moss shared the Most Improved award with sophomore center Lukasz Obrzut, while Ramel Bradley also took home a trophy for Best Individual Workout.
After totaling a school-record 87 steals this season, Rajon Rondo took home the Most Deflections Award. Rondo totaled 273 deflections on the year. Patrick Sparks took home the Most Assists award, while Hayes was named the Best Rebounder after leading the squad in the category for the third consecutive year. That feat had not been accomplished since the great Dan Issel led the Cats on the glass each season from 1968-70.
Hayes also took home the Best Defensive Player award, no surprise after the forward earned the same honor from the Southeastern Conference coaches this season. Bobby Perry was the Student-Athlete of the Year after recording the highest grade point average on the team. Kelenna Azubuike was the team?s leading scorer, earning him a plaque. Hayes and fellow senior co-captain Josh Carrier earned this year?s Leadership Award.
Sheray Thomas took home the Most Courageous award after battling back from an October surgery to remove a benign tennis-ball sized tumor from his adrenal gland. The sophomore played in 26 games after missing more than 50 days of training in the fall.
Al Robinson, former player and longtime friend of the program, was this year?s recipient of the Bill Keightley Award. The award goes to the individual who understands and exemplifies the pride, respect and the positive attributes associated with being a part of the Kentucky Basketball program.
The evening concluded with the introduction of a new award. Coach Tubby Smith introduced the Chuck Hayes ?Heart of a Champion? Award to honor the Modesto, Calif., native who has been an ambassador for the Kentucky Basketball program over the past four years. The award will serve to recognize players who use every ounce of God-given talent they were blessed with both on and off the court. Both Hayes and Smith were visibly emotional as the inaugural award was presented to its namesake. 2004-05 Team Awards
Best Individual Workout ? Ravi Moss and Ramel Bradley
Most Deflections ? Rajon Rondo
Most Assists ? Patrick Sparks
Best Rebounder ? Chuck Hayes
Leading Scorer ? Kelenna Azubuike
Most Courageous ? Sheray Thomas
Mr. Hustle ? Ravi Moss
Best Defensive Player ? Chuck Hayes
Student-Athlete of the Year ? Bobby Perry
Most Improved Player ? Ravi Moss and Lukasz Obrzut
Leadership Award ? Chuck Hayes and Josh Carrier
Most Valuable Player ? Chuck Hayes
Bill Keightley Award ? Al Robinson
Chuck Hayes ?Heart of a Champion? Award ? Chuck Hayes
