Senior forward Harding Nana had a standout season for the University of Delaware men’s basketball team, providing a bright spot as the team struggled through a 9-21 campaign.

Nana, a 6-foot, 8-inch native of Cameroon who transferred to UD from Virginia Tech, finished the season averaging 19 points and 10.9 rebounds per game. He also led the Fightin’ Blue Hens with 38 blocked shots. He was ranked ninth in NCAA Division I in rebounding average and 47th in scoring average.

His best game came in a 96-92 loss to Towson University on Jan. 14 at the Bob Carpenter Center, when he exploded for a career-high 38 points to go along with 12 rebounds. The 38 points were the most by a Hen since Mike Pegues scored 38 against the University of Hartford in 1999, and the most ever scored by a UD player at The Bob. And, he scored 28 of those points in one half.

Nana, who attracted the attention of professional scouts with his strong play underneath the basket and his ability to step outside and knock down shots, was named first team All-Colonial Athletic Association for the second straight season.

Named to the CAA first team alongside Nana were CAA Player of the Year Jose Juan Barea of Northeastern University, Nick George of Virginia Commonwealth University, Jai Lewis of George Mason University, which reached the NCAA Final Four, and Loren Stokes of Hofstra University.
Another plus for the Hens was the play of freshman point guard Zaire Taylor, who was named to the CAA All-Rookie team. Taylor, from Staten Island, N.Y., averaged 6.8 points per game and led the Hens with 112 assists.