The independent newspaper of the University of Iowa community since 1868

The Daily Iowan

The independent newspaper of the University of Iowa community since 1868

The Daily Iowan

The independent newspaper of the University of Iowa community since 1868

The Daily Iowan

Basabe’s monster season earns him PTL MVP

The Prime Time League season has come and gone, after Falbo/Culver’s took home the title on Sunday. The season was full of excellent performances, and The Daily Iowan broke down the box scores to decide its annual list of Prime Time All-Stars.

MVP: Melsahn Basabe (Iowa)

Basabe was a force on the low block.

His size and speed caused trouble for most defenders, and the 2011 Big Ten All-Freshman team member made himself even more dangerous when he added a consistent midrange jumper to his game.

He played with a ton of confidence, which was evident in his numbers; through the regular season, he averaged a monster 24.6-point, 11.6-rebound double-double.

Anthony James (Northern Iowa)

James was one of Prime Time’s most dynamic players with a ball in his hand. The UNI point guard formed a formidable one-two punch with teammate Anthony Hubbard, and he was able to break his man down at will to either create a shot for himself or find his teammates.

James went down late in the season with an ankle sprain but finished the summer with a robust 24.2 points per game scoring average.

Roy Devyn Marble (Iowa)

Marble showed fans in North Liberty his full arsenal this summer. After a subpar freshman year, he was outstanding in the Prime Time League.

The guard was asked to carry most of the scoring load for a team that thought it would be a good idea to draft Devon Archie in the first round, and Marble responded with a league-best 27.5 points per game in the regular season.

Anthony Lee (Temple)

The 6-9 combo forward showed off his versatility this summer; he posted up, shot from midrange, passed, dribbled, and blocked shots.

His height alone was a problem for opposing players attacking the basket.

What makes Lee’s 21-point, 12.8-rebound average even more incredible is that the Prime Time games were the first action he had seen since he had a major back surgery to fix a herniated disk.

Matt Gatens (Iowa)

Gatens was a Mr. Consistent all season; he averaged 22 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 6.0 assists per game. He scored from the free-throw line, 3-point range, and by attacking the basket to help lead Falbo to the Prime Time championship.

Honorable Mentions: Bryce Cartwright and Eric May (Iowa)

Cartwright led his team in scoring, with 19.6 points per game, and was the Prime Time’s leading assist artist with 7.0 dimes per contest. He was a floor general, and he always kept his team in the game, even when his teammates struggled to score.

May was brilliant this summer and was able to score at will. May never had a consistent secondary scorer, because Andrew Brommer missed most of the season while recovering from off-season surgery, but the native of Dubuque still fought and played the tough defense Hawkeye fans have come to expect while scoring 23.3 points per game.

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