Men’s Basketball Garners Three First Team All-WCC Selections
Courtesy: TBD
Release: 03/02/2009
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SMC had three First Team All-WCC selections in 2009.
View larger Courtesy: Tod Fierner
SMC had three First Team All-WCC selections in 2009.
San Bruno, CA — The Saint Mary’s men’s basketball team garnered three First Team All-West Coast Conference selections, and Diamon Simpson was named the WCC Defensive Player of the Year on Monday. Saint Mary’s was the only team conference to have three first team selections, as Simpson, Patrick Mills and Omar Samhan were All-WCC honorees.
En route to his third straight First Team All-WCC selection, Simpson averaged a double-double with 13.6 points and 10.7 rebounds per game, to finish second in the WCC in rebounds per game and 11th in the conference in scoring. His 10.7 rebounds currently ranks 11th in the nation. Simpson currently ranks as SMC’s all-time leader in rebounds (1,062) and ranks third all-time in scoring with 1,513 points.
Simpson was also named the WCC Defensive Player of the Year, for the second straight year. En route to his selection as the conference’s top defensive player, he finished second on the team in blocks (51) and steals (46), while his 10.7 rebounds per game led the Gaels and was second in the WCC. Simpson finished the season with 14 double-doubles, in point and rebounds, bringing his career total to 34, while grabbing 10 or more rebounds 18 times as a senior.
Omar Samhan had a standout junior campaign, as he finished second on the team in scoring and rebounds. His 13.7 points per game ranked 10th in the WCC, while his 9.2 rebounds per game was third in the conference. Samhan ended the 2008-09 regular season with 10 points and 10 rebounds for his 12th double-double of the season and 20th of his career. He scored in double figures in 23 of 29 games, while scoring 20 or more points four times, and reached the 10-rebound mark 13 times this season.
Patrick Mills garnered his second straight First Team All-WCC selection despite missing the last nine games of the season with a broken hand. Prior to his injury, Mills led the Gaels with 18.7 points per game, 77 assists, and 47 steals, which is still tops in the WCC. In six games during WCC play, Mills was averaging 17.3 points, 4.6 assists and 2.4 steals per contest. His best game of the season came against Santa Clara to open conference play, as he scored 31 points and hit a game-winning 3-pointer with 2.4 seconds left on the clock. Mills scored in double figures in all 20 games this season and topped the 20-point mark eight times.
Santa Clara center John Bryant was named the WCC Player of the Year after averaging 18.0 points and a nation’s best 13.9 rebounds per game. The Newcomer of the Year award was split between Portland junior guard T.J. Campbell and Santa Clara freshman guard Kevin Foster. The WCC Coach of the Year went to Portland’s third-year coach Eric Reveno, who guided the Pilots to an 18-11 overall record and a third place WCC finish with a 9-5 mark.
2009 West Coast Conference Awards
MBB Player of the Year
John Bryant, SCU
Defensive Player of the Year
Diamon Simpson, SMC
Co-Newcomer of the Year
T.J. Campbell, POR
Kevin Foster, SCU
Coach of the Year
Eric Reveno, POR
MBB All-WCC First Team
Matt Bouldin, GON - JR - G
John Bryant, SCU - SR - C
T.J. Campbell, POR - JR - G
Josh Heytvelt, GON - SR - C
Dior Lowhorn, USF - JR - F
Patrick Mills, SMC - SO - G
Gyno Pomare, USD - SR - F/C
Nik Raivio, POR - JR - G
Omar Samhan, SMC - JR - C
Diamon Simpson, SMC - SR - F
All-WCC Honorable Mention
Austin Daye, GON
Kevin Foster, SCU
Steven Gray, GON
Jeremy Pargo, GON
Robin Smeulders, POR
Jared Stohl, POR
All-WCC Freshman Team
Keion Bell, Pepperdine - Guard
Jared DuBois, Loyola Marymount - Guard
Kevin Foster, Santa Clara - Guard
James Rahon, Santa Clara - Guard
Marc Trasolini, Santa Clara - Forward
