2009 Daktronics Men's Basketball All-America Team
LUCAS ALVES NAMED 2009 DAKTRONICS MEN'S BASKETBALL DIVISION II PLAYER OF THE YEAR
EDINBORO, PA - Lucas Alves of Brigham Young University-Hawaii has been named the 2009 Daktronics NCAA Division II Men's Basketball Player of the Year. Voting was conducted among Division II sports information directors.
The team is sponsored by Daktronics, Inc., an acknowledged world leader in scoring, timing and programmable display systems for virtually every sport at every level of competition. The team is voted on by the members of the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA).
The online nomination and voting processes are powered by ATHLETICSITE.COM. Headquartered in Charleston, S.C., ATHLETICSITE.COM is the official provider for college athletic websites for over 30 sports organizations, including 26 colleges, universities and conferences primarily at the NCAA Division II level. To receive more information on how your institution can partner with ATHLETICSITE.COM for a customized website solution, visit www.athleticsite.com.
The 2009 Daktronics All-American Team features three players who previously were honored as Daktronics All-Americans, including one - Ted Scott of West Virginia State - who was a first team selection in 2007 and missed last year with a major knee injury. Scott was named to the second team this year. Anthony Hilliard of Elizabeth City State landed on the third team this year after earning second team accolades last season. Finally, USC Aiken's Chris Commons was named to the third team for the second straight year.
In addition, three of the Daktronics' All-Americans will be playing in the Elite Eight this week in Springfield, Massachusetts. First team members Josh Bostic of Findlay and Nick Krohs of Christian Brothers are still alive for a national title, as is Ben Madgen of Augusta State, a third team selection.
THE FIRST TEAM
Alves is a 6'9" junior from Casa Branca, Brazil and one of three foreign players on the All-American team. He led the Seasiders to a 27-2 record, falling just short of the Elite Eight. BYU-Hawaii lost to Cal Poly Pomona in the West Regional final.
The forward averaged 19.9 ppg. to lead the Pacific West Conference, along with 7.6 rpg. while playing just 27 minutes per game. He ranks 27th in Division II in scoring. In addition, he shot 52.7 percent from the floor (212 of 402), including 25 three-pointers in 71 attempts, and made 120 of 161 free throws (74.5 pct.). He also contributed 40 blocked shots.
Alves has already scored over 1,500 career points and pulled down over 600 rebounds with a season to play.
The rest of the first team includes two seniors and a pair of juniors. Bostic has led Findlay to a perfect 33-0 record and the number one ranking in the country. The Oilers will face C.W. Post in the Elite Eight quarterfinals on Wednesday.
A 6'5", 230 lb. forward, Bostic has 1,661 career points and is averaging 18.7 ppg. this season. He adds 6.1 rpg. while shooting 48.0 percent from the floor (194 of 404), with 50 three-pointers in 125 attempts. He has been a frequent visitor to the free throw line, making 180 of 216 (83.3 pct.). He ranks 22nd in the country in steals with 80.
The senior was the 2009 Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Player of the Year after earning NABC All-American honors as a junior.
The other senior on the first team is prolific scorer LaVontay Fenderson of Wisconsin-Parkside. The 6'4" forward earned a spot on the first team despite the Rangers finishing with a 7-20 record. The reason is obvious - a Division II-leading and school record 26.3 ppg. He adds 5.0 rpg. Fenderson scored 709 points, the second-highest total in school history, and concluded his career ranked second in career scoring with 1,808 points. He was the first player in Wisconsin-Parkside history to earn first team All-Great Lakes Valley Conference honors.
Juniors Laurence Ekperigin of LeMoyne and Christian Brother's Nick Kohs complete the 2009 first team. Ekperigin is a 6'7" forward who was named the Northeast-10 Player of the Year for the second time. He averaged 18.3 ppg. and 11.4 rpg., the latter figure ranking second in Division II, and he also ranks fourth in field goal percentage at 68.4 percent (221 of 323) and 13th in blocked shots (81). He was 125 of 222 from the free throw line (56.3 pct.). He led the Dolphins to a 20-11 record while becoming one of only four players in the program's 61-year history with 1,300 career points and 800 career rebounds.
Kohs is a 6'8" center who led Christian Brothers to the South Region title and a berth in the Elite Eight with a 25-6 record. The Bucs will play Augusta State in the quarterfinals. He was selected the Gulf South West Player of the Year, the first CBU player to win the award. Kohs is averaging 21.4 ppg. and 9.8 rpg., ranking 15th in the country in both scoring and rebounding. He has made 249 of 475 field goals (52.4 pct.) and 164 of 328 free throws (50.0 pct.). He has blocked 50 shots. Kohs ranks seventh in career scoring (1,752 points) and is second in career rebounds (1,100).
THE SECOND TEAM
The second team is dominated by a trio of West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference guards. Leading the way is Ted Scott of West Virginia State, a first team selection in 2007 who missed last season with a serious knee injury. The 6'2" senior returned to lead the Yellow Jackets to a 24-6 record, reaching the Atlantic Region quarterfinals. Scott averaged 23.4 ppg., third in Division II, while making 65 of 188 three-pointers. He shot 52.8 percent from the floor (251 of 499) and was 135 of 163 from the charity stripe (82.8 pct.). Scott was named the WVIAC Player of the Year after previously earning the honor in 2007. He concluded his career with almost 2,400 points.
Scott isn't even the leading scorer in the WVIAC. That honor belongs to Fairmont State's Thad McFadden, who averages 25.4 ppg., second in Division II. While leading the Falcons to a 20-9 finish, he added 5.4 rpg. and had 112 assists and 57 steals. He made 233 of 512 field goals (45.5 pct.), and ranks
fifth in Division II in three-pointers made per game thanks to making 106 of 286 trifectas (37.1 pct.). He also was 164 of 206 from the line (79.6 pct.). McFadden was a two-time All-WVIAC first team choice.
Stan Hall, a 6'3" senior, paced Alderson-Broaddus to a 27-6 record, losing in the Atlantic Region semifinals. Hall is the third WVIAC player in the top five in scoring, ranking fifth with an average of 23.0 ppg. He added 5.5 rpg. with 111 assists and 57 steals. Hall shot 52.0 percent from the floor (299 of 575), 28.6 percent on three-pointers (20 of 70), and 74.2 percent from the line (141 of 190). He was a three-time All-WVIAC first team pick.
Kevin Ratszch of Northern State and Southwest Baptist's Matt Rogers complete the second team. Ratszch, a 6'7" senior, averaged 20.5 ppg. and 7.4 rpg. to help the Wolves finish with a 19-11 record. Northern State lost in the Central Region quarterfinals. The Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference Player of the Year, Ratszch made 235 of 465 field goals (50.5 pct.), with 31 of 94 three-pointers (33.0 pct.), and was 114 of 128 at the line (89.1 pct.). He ranks eighth in school history in scoring with 1,852 points.
Rogers also led his team into the NCAA regionals, as the 26-5 Bearcats reached the South Central Regional finals before losing to Central Missouri. A 6'11" junior, he was recognized as the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletic Association MVP and also the Defensive Player of the Year. He averaged 18.3 ppg. and 8.7 rpg. with a Division II-leading 123 blocked shots. Rogers shot 51.2 percent from the floor (169 of 33) and was 160 of 211 from the line (75.8 pct.).
A pair of former Daktronics honorees lead the third team. Anthony Hilliard of Elizabeth City State was a 2008 second team All-American, while Chris Commons of USC Aiken repeats as a member of the third team.
Hilliard is a 6'4" senior who was named the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association Player of the Year for the second time. He ranks seventh in Division II in scoring at 23.2 ppg. and third in rebounding at 11.1 rpg for a Vikings team which finished 21-6. He led the Vikings to back-to-back 20-win seasons for the first time in nearly 40 years. He scored 1,967 career points, fourth in school history, and added over 1,000 career rebounds.
Commons helped USC Aiken to a 25-8 record and a berth in the Southeast Region finals. He was named the Peach Belt Conference Player of the Year for the second straight season, and including time at Findlay, totaled 2,002 career points. The 6'8" forward averaged 16.8 ppg. and 5.8 rpg. while shooting 53.2 percent from the floor (26 of 406) as a senior.
Ben Madgen is averaging 19.1 ppg. and 4.6 rpg,. and will have a chance to improve on those numbers as he has led Augusta State to a berth in the Elite Eight. The Jaguars are 29-4 and won the Southeast Regional. He was a first team All-Peach Belt Conference selection for the third straight year.
Madgen hails from Australia, as does fellow third team member Jesse Wagstaff of Metropolitan State. A 6'8" forward, the senior was named the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Player of the Year while helping the Roadrunners to a 27-4 record and a berth in the Central Regional. He ranks fourth all-time at Metro State in scoring (1,545 points) and rebounding (751 rebounds). Wagstaff averaged 17.8 ppg. and 7.5 rpg.
Merrimack's Darren Duncan concludes the third team. A 5'10" guard, Duncan is a junior who averaged 19.5 ppg., with 230 assists, second in the country. He also recorded 65 steals. Duncan has scored 1,465 points in three seasons. He led the Warriors to a 21-9 record this season, advancing to the East Regional semifinals.
2009 DAKTRONICS NCAA DIVISION II MEN'S BASKETBALL ALL-AMERICAN TEAMS
First Team
Name School Pos. Ht. Wt. Yr. Hometown
Lucas Alves,
BYU-Hawaii
F
6-9
230
Jr. Casa Branca,
Brazil
Laurence Ekperigin,
LeMoyne
F
6-7
215
Jr. Cortlandt Manor,
NY
LaVontay Ferguson,
Wisconsin-Parkside
F
6-4
215
Sr. Racine, WI
Josh
Bostic#, Findlay
F
6-5
230
Sr. Columbus, OH
Nick Kohs, Christian
Brothers
C
6-8
215
Jr. Cincinnati, OH
PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Lucas Alves, BYU-Hawaii
Second Team
Matt Rogers, Southwest
Baptist
F/C 6-11
205
Jr. Doniphan, MO
Ted Scott%, West Virginia
State
G
6-2
Sr. Columbus, OH
Thad McFadden, Fairmont
State
G
6-2
175
Sr. Flint, MI
Stan Hall, Alderson &
Broaddus
G
6-3
195
Sr. Canton, OH
Kevin Ratzsch, Northern
State
F
6-7
180
Sr. Bloomington, IL
Third Team
Ben Madgen, Augusta
State
G
6-4
185
Jr.
Williamstown, Australia
Darren Duncan,
Merrimack
G
5-10 170
Jr. Briarwood,
NY
Chris Commons@, USC
Aiken
F
6-8
215
Sr. Toledo, OH
Jesse Wagstaff, Metropolitan
State
F
6-8
Sr. Canberra,
Australia
Anthony Hilliard#, Elizabeth City
State
G/F 6-4
205
Sr. Fayetteville, NC
% 2007 first team selection
# 2008 second team selection
@ 2008 third team selection
