Muhlenberg basketball players Becky Richmond and Anthony Strachan have been named to the 2003 Lehigh Valley Small College Basketball Team of the Year.

Both were honored today at the third and final Lehigh Valley College Basketball Media Organization luncheon of the season. The Team of the Year consists of one player from each of the seven schools in the Organization.

Richmond is the leading scorer and rebounder on the Muhlenberg women’s team, averaging 9.6 points and 7.9 rebounds per game. She also is tied for second on the Mules with 29 steals and is tied for third with 15 three-pointers. Richmond has a team-leading four double-doubles on the season and was named Centennial Conference co-player of the week in late January.

“Becky’s had a tremendous season as a junior,” said Head Coach Ron Rohn. “She’s very tough on the boards as a 5-9 power forward and she is a leader on the floor and in practice every day.”.

Like Richmond, Strachan is his team’s leading scorer (12.6 ppg) and rebounder (7.9 rpg). The senior also paces Muhlenberg in steals (50) and free throws made (91) and attempted (151) and is second in assists (39). Strachan became the program’s all-time steals leader earlier this season and was named MVP of Moravian’s Greyhound Rock Classic.

“Anthony has willed us to win at times,” noted Head Coach Dave Madeira. “He’s not the greatest shooter, he’s not the greatest passer and he’s not the greatest ball-handler, but he’s the heart and soul of our team. He will be sorely missed.”

Strachan’s 17 rebounds were the most by a Mule this season.

The win kept the Mules’s faint playoff hopes alive. With one game remaining in the regular season, Muhlenberg (10-13, 4-8) is tied with Haverford in the Centennial Conference East Division, one game behind both Washington (9-15, 5-7) and Swarthmore. If the Mules win their finale Saturday at Ursinus, Haverford beats Swarthmore and Washington loses to McDaniel, a four-way tie for second place would result. The final CC playoff spot would then be determined by a series of tiebreaker games.

Muhlenberg never trailed in defeating the Shoremen at home for the 10th straight year. The Mules led by as many as 14 points early in the second half, but the pesky visitors chipped away, getting to within two points before senior Toomey Anderson hit two free throws with 6.5 seconds left to seal the win.

The Mules dominated on the boards against Washington, which did not play anyone taller than 6-3. Muhlenberg had a 57-33 rebounding advantage, including a 36-13 edge in the first half.

Senior Aaron Holden also had a double-double, his fourth of the season, with 14 points and 11 rebounds. He added four blocked shots. Freshman Jimmy O’Brien tied a career high with eight points and pulled down a career-best seven rebounds.

The win gave Muhlenberg double digits in victories for the 21st consecutive season, matching the school record for any sport set by the men’s basketball teams between 1939 and 1959.

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