Jackson Free Press

The http://msfame.com/news-updates/finalists-for-the-2017-c-spire-howell-and-gillom-trophies-announced/">Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame and Museum has announced the finalists for this year’s Howell and Gillom Trophies. Seven players received votes for the Gillom Trophy, which is awarded to the best women’s college-basketball player in Mississippi, and nine players received votes for the Howell Trophy, given to the state’s best men’s college-basketball player. The vote recipients were then narrowed to three finalists for each award.

http://www.southernmiss.com/sports/w-baskbl/spec-rel/022617aaa.html">Brittany Dinkins of the University of Southern Mississippi, http://hailstate.com/news/2017/2/26/womens-basketball-vivians-william-named-gillom-trophy-finalists.aspx">Victoria Vivians of Mississippi State University and http://hailstate.com/news/2017/2/26/womens-basketball-vivians-william-named-gillom-trophy-finalists.aspx">Morgan William of Mississippi State University are the finalists for the Gillom Trophy. http://www.olemisssports.com/sports/m-baskbl/spec-rel/022617aaa.html">Sebastian Saiz of the University of Mississippi, http://www.gostatesmen.com/news/2017/2/26/mens-basketball-delta-states-schmidt-finalist-for-cspire-howell-trophy.aspx">Devin Schmidt of Delta State University and http://hailstate.com/news/2017/2/26/womens-basketball-vivians-william-named-gillom-trophy-finalists.aspx">Quinndary Weatherspoon of Mississippi State University are the three finalists for the Howell Trophy.

http://static.hailstate.com/custompages/stats/wbk/201617/teamcume.htm">Vivians is trying to become the first player to win the Gillom Trophy three straight times. She passed 1,600 points for her career this season and is averaging 17.2 points per game with 4.4 rebounds and 1.7 steals per game.

http://static.hailstate.com/custompages/stats/wbk/201617/teamcume.htm">Williams will try to dethrone her all-star teammate for the Gillom, as she is enjoying her best season at MSU. She is averaging 10.1 points, 5.4 assists, two rebounds and 1.7 steals per game, and has one of the best assists-to-turnover ratios in the SEC.

No one in the history of USM women’s basketball has played more games than http://www.southernmiss.com/sports/w-baskbl/stats/2016-2017/teamcume.html">Dinkins, who has appeared on the court 128 times. She is averaging 18.4 points, 4.1 rebounds, 3.8 steals and 3.8 assists per game. She is fifth in the nation in steals and tops in Conference USA in that category.

http://www.olemisssports.com/sports/m-baskbl/mtt/sebastian_saiz_861782.html">Saiz will try to make it five Howell Trophy wins in a row for the Rebels. The native of Madrid, Spain, is the first player in school history to achieve 1,000 points, 900 rebounds and 100 blocks during a career. He is averaging 15.1 points and 10.8 rebounds per game, and has upped his free-throw shooting from 65 percent as a junior to 75 percent as a senior.

http://static.gostatesmen.com/custompages/Stats/Men's%20Basketball/teamcume.htm">Schmidt is one of the best players in the history of Delta State and is 65 points away from becoming the all-time leading scoring in the Gulf South Conference. He is averaging 22.6 points and 6.5 rebounds per game.

Despite only being a sophomore, http://static.hailstate.com/custompages/stats/mbk/201617/teamcume.htm">Weatherspoon is a finalist for a second consecutive year following his explosive freshman season in 2016. He was named SEC Player of the Week back in January as he is averaging 16.5 points and 5.1 rebounds.

Fans can vote for their choice for best men’s and women’s player in our state by visiting csopavoting.com and can place votes until 5 p.m., Saturday, March 4. The fan vote will make up 10 percent of the final count, with the media making up the other 90-percent. All the finalists will attend a banquet on Monday, March 6, at 11:30 a.m. at the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame and Museum (1152 Lakeland Drive), where the winner will be announced.

Tickets to the banquet can be http://msfame.com/new/cspirehowellgillom/">ordered online or at the Hall of Fame office.