The New York Knickerbockers will recognize Aliya Donn of St. Francis Preparatory in Queens and Zach Kriftcher of Schreiber High School on Long Island as the recipients of the Dave DeBusschere Award for the 2008-09 season. Both students excelled in the classroom as well as on the basketball court, and have exemplified the same heroic characteristics that Dave DeBusschere carried throughout his life. At tonight’s game versus the New Jersey Nets, Donn and Kriftcher will be presented with the award by Peter DeBusschere, son of Dave DeBusschere.

 

Donn maintained a 94 percent average at St. Francis Preparatory, served as the captain of her team and was named Most Valuable Player. She also received the Girls Catholic High School Athletic Association’s John Moran Sportsmanship Award. She is a member of the National Honor Society and her school’s ministry, with whom she traveled  to New Orleans last summer to rebuild homes and work with victims of Hurricane Katrina.

 

Kriftcher maintained nearly a 4.3 grade point average at Schreiber High School (Li town?) and averaged a double-double this season, 14.0 PPG and 11.0 RPG. As captain, he led his team to victory in the Long Island Conference AA-2 championship and was named to the All-Nassau County team. He also received the conference’s Scholar Athlete Award and is a member of the National Honor Society.

 

Dave DeBusschere starred at the University of Detroit and enjoyed a 12-year career in the NBA. He started his career in his home town of Detroit and played for seven seasons before being traded to the Knicks in December 1968. He helped lead New York to the playoffs in each of his six seasons, including NBA championships in 1970 and 1973. He made five NBA All-Star teams (1970-1974) and one All-NBA Second Team (1969). He retired as a Knick in 1974 before returning to the organization as executive vice president and director of basketball operations in 1982 where he presided for four seasons. He received the highest honor as a Knick on March 24, 1981, when his No. 22 jersey was retired to the rafters of MSG. He was elected to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1983.

 

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