Six MAAC Men's Basketball Players Named to 2009-10 All-Met Division I Teams

4/21/2010 5:00:00 PM

MAAC Sports

Edison, N.J. - Six MAAC men's basketball players were named to the 2009-10 All-Met Division I men's college basketball teams, announced Wednesday by the National Invitation Tournament and Met Basketball Writers Association.

Rider Thompson of Rider University earned a spot on the First Team. Thompson, a 6-foot-6 senior guard from Mt. Laurel N.J., was a two-time member of the All-MAAC First Team. He finished second in the MAAC in scoring, registering 17.2 points per game for the Broncs. He also tied for 11^th in assists (2.8), 17^th in rebounding (5.0), seventh in field goal percentage (.422), and third in free throw percentage (.813).

Fairfield University's Anthony Johnson and Iona College's Scott Machado were named to the Second Team. Johnson, a 6-8 senior forward from Lakes Wales, Fla., was named the 2009-2010 MAAC Defensive Player of the Year and was also a member of the 2009-2010 All-MAAC First Team. He averaged 16.1 points for game, good for seventh place on the MAAC scoring chart, while pulling down 9.8 rebounds a night, ranking him third in the conference. Johnson led the MAAC in blocks per game, recording 2.4 an outing. Machado, a 6-1 sophomore guard from Queens, N.Y., averaged 12.5 points per game for the Gaels this past season, while ranking in the top 10 in assists (fifth - 3.9 apg), free throw percentage (sixth - .792), steals (eighth - 1.6 spg) and assist/turnover ratio (eighth - 1.3).

In addition, Derek Needham from Fairfield, Rico Pickett from Manhattan College and Wesley Jenkins from Saint Peter's College were Third Team selections. Needham, a 5-foot-11, 180-pound freshman guard from Dalton Ill., was named the 2009-2010 MAAC Rookie of the Year. He led all freshmen and ranked fourth in the MAAC scoring chart with 16.4 points per game. Needham was also ranked third in assists (5.2), fifth in steals (1.8), 10th in field goal percentage (.382) and 11th in free throw percentage (.724).

Pickett, a 6-4 junior guard from Decatur, Ala., led the MAAC in scoring with 17.7 points per game for the Jaspers. He also netted 44.0 percent of his attempts from the field (sixth in the MAAC) and 33.3 percent from three-point range (T14th), while averaging 1.3 steals per game (15th).

Jenkins, a 6-2 junior guard from Jersey City, N.J., was the top scorer for the Peacocks last season, registering 13.8 points per game, placing him 11th on the MAAC scoring chart. He also pulled down 5.2 caroms a night (15th in the MAAC), dished out 2.8 assists an outing (ninth), and recorded 1.3 steals per game (14th).

The All-Met players and coaches will be honored Wednesday evening, April 21, at the Westchester Marriott in Tarrytown, N.Y.