Ament, Gillespie Named to Naismith Trophy Late Season Team
Image: Andrew Ferguson/Tennessee Athletics
By Aidan Sidoti
Tennessee’s star-studded freshman Nate Ament and senior point guard Ja’Kobi Gillespie were both named to the Jersey Mike’s Naismith Trophy Men’s College Player of the Year Late Season Team, the Atlanta Tipoff Club announced Thursday afternoon.
Ament has been one of the most productive freshmen in college basketball, averaging 18.2 points, 6.4 rebounds, and 2.6 assists per game. The Manassas, Virginia native tied his career high Wednesday night against Oklahoma, pouring in 29 points while adding six rebounds and three assists. Over his last ten games, Ament has been playing out of his mind, averaging 21.1 points and 6.5 rebounds as Tennessee continues to push up the SEC standings.
Gillespie, a Maryland transfer in his first season in Knoxville, has been equally as vital to the Vols’ success. The senior guard is averaging 18.1 points, 5.5 assists, 2.8 rebounds, and 1.8 steals per game while serving as the pilot of Tennessee’s offense. On Wednesday night, Gillespie delivered a historic performance, setting a new program record with eight steals in the Vols’ 89‑66 win over Oklahoma. He paired the defensive showcase with 16 points and eight assists, further solidifying his status as one of the most complete guards in the country. He also appears at No. 9 on Evan Miya’s national player rankings.
Ament and Gillespie join an elite group of players on the Late Season Team, including Darius Acuff (Arkansas), Christian Andersen (Texas Tech), JT Toppin (Texas Tech), Flory Bidunga (Kansas), Darryn Peterson (Kansas), Cameron Boozer (Duke), Jaden Bradley (Arizona), Brayden Burries (Arizona), Silas Demary Jr. (UConn), Alex Karaban (UConn), AJ Dybantsa (BYU), Zuby Ejiofor (St. John’s), Jeremy Fears Jr. (Michigan State), Kingston Flemings (Houston), Keyshawn Hall (Auburn), Thomas Haugh (Florida), Graham Ike (Gonzaga), Joshua Jefferson (Iowa State), Yaxel Lendeborg (Michigan), Ebuka Okorie (Stanford), Lebaron Philon Jr. (Alabama), Pryce Sandfort (Nebraska), Braden Smith (Purdue), Bennett Stirtz (Iowa), Tyler Tanner (Vanderbilt), Bruce Thornton (Ohio State), Keaton Wagler (Illinois), and Caleb Wilson (North Carolina).
Ament, Gillespie, and the rest of the Volunteers will take the hardwood again Saturday afternoon in Nashville, taking on Vanderbilt at 2 p.m. ET on ESPN.
