(Argo Athletics Media Release)
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – University of Providence men's basketball star Zaccheus Darko-Kelly was named to the 2020 Bevo Francis Top 100 Watch List Wednesday morning.
The Bevo Francis Award is presented annually by Small College Basketball and the National Awards Committee to the player who has had the finest overall season within small college basketball programs from around the country. The list contains 100 players from the NCAA Division II and III, NAIA Division I and II, USCAA and NCCAA levels.
The list will be reduced to the top 50 players on February 15. On March 15 the list will be reduced to 25 players. Finalists will be announced on April 4, with the winner of the award being named on April 6.
"Obviously if you have a player that's on that list he must be pretty good," head coach Steve Keller said. "We're happy that Z is one of those players. He's worked very hard himself to get to that level. If everybody could have seen where he was when he first started compared to where he is now, nobody would probably believe what he's done. We're just happy he's playing on our team."
The committee takes into consideration season statistics, individual achievements, awards, milestones and team success as qualifications for the award. As the list continues to shrink, personal character is factored in as well.
Darko-Kelly is a big part of why the Argos are currently 15-1 and sitting at 8th in the nation. As of now, He is averaging 22.2 points, 7 rebounds, 5.1 assists, 2.5 steals and 1.5 blocks a game while shooting 59% from the field, 52% from beyond the arc and 88% from the free throw line. He leads the Frontier Conference in scoring, steals, blocks and free throw percentage.
Nationally, Darko-Kelly ranks in the Top 25 in a whopping 12 statistical categories. He ranks 4th in free throw percentage, 5th in three-point percentage, 7th in points per game, 9th in total scoring, 11th in total steals, 13th in steals per game, 13th in total blocks, 15th in assists per game, 15th in blocks per game, 17th in field goal percentage, 18th in total assists, and 25th in total three-pointers made.
Keller believes that Darko-Kelly has a good chance to be a finalist, if not win the award.
"You see a lot of guys that score a lot," he said. "Z leads our team in scoring, rebounding, assists, steals and blocked shots. He shoots the three at a high percentage, he's 88% from the free throw line. He just fills the stat sheet in all categories. Lately he's been guarding one of their best players on the other team every night. He's one of the best all-around players in the country."
