Most Valuable Player: Cinmeon Bowers
It took me a few minutes to sit and think which player really deserved this award, but after deciding on Cinmeon Bowers, the reasoning became even easier.
Last season, Bowers had a lot of weight on his shoulders (and his body), but after dropping the physical weight in the offseason, he still seemed to come into this season with even more expectations. Bowers was often the scapegoat of this team, and that’s not totally unfair. He had his fair share of bad games, but also had games where he deserved to be praised for how he played.
This season Bowers once again earned his nickname of “Mr. Double-Double” and was once again just short of averaging a double-double over the course of the entire season.
On top of dominating the glass for the Tigers, Cinmeon Bowers also had to step in as the starting point guard when Kareem Canty was kicked off the team. Not only did Canty’s dismissal from the team hand over the point guard spot to Bowers, but it pretty much put Bowers in the drivers seat for the Most Valuable Player.
Bowers did better than most people expected as a point guard and really showcased his ability to pass for a big man. I would argue that Cinmeon Bowers was more than an average point guard for the Tigers, and did a very good job if you take into consideration his size.
When Auburn needed someone to step up, it was often Bowers who answered the call. When Bowers was playing well, Auburn was a totally different team and usually looked much better on the way to wins.
Bowers also had many ugly games and shooting performances this season, but I think those were often weighted way more than his success. At the end of it all, he still managed to average 10.5 points per game, 9.6 rebounds per game in just 28.5 minutes per game.
Bowers also improved both at the free throw line and behind the three-point arch, although no one will ever remember Bowers as a shooter.
All-in-all, Cinmeon Bowers did a lot of good things for Auburn, and had probably the best overall talent. After Kareem Canty was kicked off the team, it seemed like a pretty obvious choice to give this award to Bowers. Unfortunately, other good players had to deal with injuries and Auburn as a team didn’t achieve much.
I’ll miss Bowers next season, and hopefully other Auburn fans will as well.
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