The UConn Huskies are just one step away from scripting another glorious campaign. While the entire roster is responsible for UConn’s dominance in the March Madness, the 2024 Bob Cousy Award winner, Tristen Newton, had his fair share behind the team’s tremendous run. The defending champions stormed their way into a second consecutive national championship game, showcasing sheer might over Alabama in the Final Four. As a supreme point guard leading the Huskies with both points and assists per game, the 22-year-old has been making headlines for quite some time now. So, who is Tristen Newton, and where does the superstar hail from?
Tristen Jamal Newton was born on April 26, 2001, in El Paso, Texas. His mother Erika and father, Montreal Newton, have been his cheerleaders throughout his college basketball journey. However, he is not the only hooper in the family, with older brother Jawaun also earning glory as a seasoned baller, wearing jerseys for Evansville and Southern Illinois. Additionally, Newton’s cousins, Aaron and Alvin Jones, are also dedicated athletes. Aaron Jones is the current running back for the Minnesota Vikings of the NFL. At the same time, his older fraternal twin, Alvin Jones, is now a free agent at the linebacker position.
As a high schooler at Burges, Tristen made quite a name for himself. Although their school had to travel long distances to compete with teams posing better numbers, he graduated with 3,266 points. Moreover, Tristen Newton was also scoring leader in the state, securing 37.2 ppg as a senior. Embracing his college basketball career with the East Carolina Pirates, he had a great career with the team, grabbing the record for most assists in the school’s history.
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As a junior, Tristen further improved his outputs on the floor and swept the All-American Athletic Conference (AAC) second-team title. After his head coach, Joe Dooley, was excused from the school, the 6-foot-5 guard committed to UConn as a senior.
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Tristen Newton and his family of Huskies
Leading the conference in assists and having 15+ double-double games, Newton was a stellar addition to UConn’s already formidable squad. In fact, he made his presence and worth known to everyone. Contributing double figures to the team, he helped elevate their total throughout the year for 17 games. As a senior, Tristen set the record with two triple-doubles, that too in the same season.
He even led the team to their fifth NCAA championship trophy, scoring a double-double against SDSU in the championship game. Entering the 2022–23 NBA draft, Tristen returned to play another season for the Huskies. Currently, Tristen Newton is leading the team with an average of 14.9 points and 6.2 assists per game (22nd in the nation.) With such impressive numbers, there is no wonder why many are confident that UConn can repeat the history.
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It will be interesting to see how this fifth-year senior makes it all possible for the reigning champions and if his parent’s blessings will work this time.
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