Courtesy UM: Akpejiori Named to NABC Honors Court http://gocan.es/1bIRxXQ University of Miami forward Raphael Akpejiori has been named to the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) Honors Court, which recognizes those collegiate basketball student-athletes who excelled in academics during the 2012-13 season. Last season Akpejiori helped Miami to its first ACC regular season and tournament championship and an appearance in the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament. Akpejiori, majoring in mechanical engineering, joins more than 700 student-athletes from 287 colleges and universities on the academic list. The NABC Honors Court recognizes the talents and gifts that these men possess off the court, and the hard work they exhibit in the classroom. In order to be named to the Honors Court, a student-athlete must meet a high standard of academic criteria, by holding a cumulative GPA of 3.2 or higher, and be a junior or senior of an NCAA or NAIA institution. About the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) Located in Kansas City, Mo., the NABC was founded in 1927 by Phog Allen, the legendary basketball coach at the University of Kansas. Allen, a student of James Naismith, the inventor of basketball, organized coaches into this collective group to serve as Guardians of the Game. The NABC currently has nearly 5,000 members consisting primarily of university and college men’s basketball coaches. All members of the NABC are expected to uphold the core values of being a Guardian of the Game by bringing attention to the positive aspects of the sport of basketball and the role coaches play in the academic and athletic lives of today’s student-athletes. The four core values of being a Guardian of the Game are advocacy, leadership, service and education. For additional information about the NABC, its programs and membership, go to www.nabc.org.