By Blake Dowson
Iowa senior Peter Jok was named to the first-team All-Big Ten list on Monday, the league announced.
Jok led the league in scoring in his final year, scoring 20.2 points per game. The West Des Moines product expanded his game considerably this season, hitting the glass at a much improved clip, grabbing 5.7 boards per game, second on the team. He also averaged more than 2.5 assists per game.
“I was satisfied getting [first team All-Big Ten],” Jok said. “Mostly, I’m just proud of my younger teammates getting me ready. Especially Dom [Uhl], Riley Till, and Maishe Dailey. They’re the ones that guard me in practice, and they’re the ones that got me ready for it.”
This is the fourth year in a row Iowa has placed a player on the Big Ten’s first team, following Jarrod Uthoff (2016), Aaron White (2015), and Devyn Marble (2014).
Jok was joined on the first team by Caleb Swanigan of Purdue, Nate Mason of Minnesota, Melo Trimble of Maryland, and Ethan Happ of Wisconsin.
Cook, Bohannon named to Big Ten All-Freshman Team
The Big Ten All-Freshman team has a decidedly Hawkeye look to it; Tyler Cook and Jordan Bohannon both made the team.
Cook was second on the team in scoring this season, at 12 points per game. He also pulled down 5.1 rebounds per contest.
Bohannon, who has turned into a huge recruiting steal for Iowa, was arguably the Hawkeye’s best player down the stretch, averaging 9.8 points for the season, along with an Iowa freshman record 141 assists.
“It means a lot in terms of knowing our hard work paid off, both myself and Jordan,” Cook said. “We both did a good job this year of staying consistent when we needed to.”
Cook and Bohannon are joined by Miles Bridges of Michigan State, Amir Coffey of Minnesota, and Tony Carr of Penn State.
Baer named Big Ten Sixth Man of the Year
Baer, who both Jok and head coach Fran McCaffery said was the heart and soul of the Hawkeyes, was named the Big Ten Sixth Man of the Year on Monday. He is Iowa’s third Sixth Man since 2006.
“It’s great when you’re recognized by other people in the league for what you do,” McCaffery said about Baer. “But from where I sit, he’s one of the best players in our league. Happens to come off the bench for us, and I’m glad he plays for us.”
Baer has been one of Iowa’s most consistent players all season, but his outburst in the past four games is the reason Iowa is undefeated in that stretch.
It’s not that Baer fills up the scoring column (he’s averaging 7.6 points per game), it’s how he affects the entire stat sheet that got him recognized.
He averaged 6 rebounds, almost 2 assists, and more than 1 block per game.
Baer is one of only two Big Ten players in the past 20 years to accumulate 235 points, 45 steals, 40 3-pointers, and 35 blocks in a season. The other was Michigan State’s Draymond Green.