West Coast Convo’s Preseason Individual Awards

Feb 16, 2013; San Francisco, CA, USA; Gonzaga Bulldogs guard Gary Bell, Jr. (5) controls the ball against the San Francisco Dons during the first half at War Memorial Gym. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports

Defensive Player of the Year – Gary Bell Jr. (Guard, Gonzaga)

By Josh Horton

Game in and game out last season, Gary Bell Jr. guarded the opposing teams best backcourt player. Although many Gonzaga fans are a tad frustrated with his lack of offense over the last few seasons, Bell has been giving it his all on the defense side of the ball, and has not been asked to contribute as much on the offensive side of the ball.

In Gonzaga’s 2^nd round NCAA tournament loss to Wichita State, Gary Bell Jr. left the game with 18:29 left in the second half. After that point in the game, the Shockers three primary shooter – Fred Van Fleet, Ron Baker, and Tekele Cotton – shot 71.4 percent from beyond the arc. That just shows the defensive impact he has when he is on the floor, and partly why he was named our preseason Defensive Player of the Year.