Our runner up for Top NC-Double-Eh Player of the Decade is Tristan Thompson. He was a star in the making since he legendary high school career and he became one in college. See why he almost made the top spot right here ...
Tristan Blackwood, Guard – Central Connecticut State (2004-08)
Career Stats: 33.3 mpg, 13.5 ppg, 2.5 rpg, 4.3 apg, 1.2 spg, 40.4 FG%, 89.0 FT%, 37.6 3PT FG%, 119 games
How many Canadian basketball fans know who Tristan Blackwood is? It’s unfortunate that not too many especially if you’re not from the Toronto area. Blackwood was a star at Eastern Commerce Collegiate, which is saying a lot since at the time there were other equally good players on the team that played in the NCAA, which dominated the prep ball in Ontario in the 90s into the early 2000s (coincidentally Jermaine Anderson was among those players). He helped lead the Saints to three Provincial Gold Medals and took that success with him to Central Connecticut State where he would flourish.
At CCSU, all Blackwood would do is become a legend. He began as a freshman starter and would not give up his spot in the lineup. Over his four years wearing the blue and white he would go on to score over 1,600 points, 500 assists and 100 steals as a Blue Devil, being the only player to do so. For his career, Blackwood averaged 13.5 points, 2.5 rebounds, 4.5 assists and 1.2 steals while shooting a stellar 89.0% from the line and 37.6% from the arc in a workhorse like 33.3 minutes per.
Blackwood would become known as a defensive blanket and a deadly outside shooter over his time and his latter two seasons would be his best in New Britain where he would unleash his entire package on opponents nightly. He averaged a team high 17.1 ppg and 4.1 apg to go with 2.5 rpg and 1.2 spg as a junior helping lead the team to the trifecta of the Northeast Conference regular season and conference tournament championship as well as an NCAA Tournament appearance. He then followed that up by putting up 16.4 ppg, a team leading 5.2 apg, 2.7 rpg and 1.2 spg as a senior. He was named to the Northeastern Conference First Team in both years while being named conference Co-Defensive Player of the Year as a junior and then winning it outright as a senior. He would graduate in 2008 in the top ten of several CCSU season and career statistical categories highlighted by being sixth all time in scoring, second all time in assists and first in threes made in a career. Since graduating Blackwood has taken his shooting and passing skills across the pound having played professionally in Europe.
Post Season Honors
Two time All Northeast Conference First Team (2007, 2008)
Two time Northeast Conference Defensive Player of the Year (2007, 2008)
Central Connecticut State Records
3rd Most points in game (40)
2nd Most 3s in game (10)
5th All time points in season (583)
4th Most points in two seasons (1074 between 2006-08 seasons)
1st, 2nd and 7th in Threes made in a season (122, 105, 71)
4th and 6th in Assists in season (155, 140)
6th All time career scoring (1605)
10th All time FGM (520)
1st All time threes made (328)