NABC Chooses 8 From MAAC For All-District Teams
MAAC Sports
EDISON, N.J. – Eight men’s basketball student-athletes who were standouts in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference this season were named to the National Association of Basketball Coaches District I first and second teams, it was announced today.
Named to the NABC’s All-District 1 First Team were Billy Baron of Canisius, George Beamon of Manhattan, Ike Azotam of Quinnipiac and Sean Armand of Iona. All-District 1 Second Team selections were A.J. English of Iona, Antoine Mason of Niagara, David Laury of Iona and Rhamel Brown of Manhattan.
Baron, the Pepsi MAAC Player of the Year, was also a first team All-MAAC selection after finishing second in the league in scoring (24.2), assists (5.2) and 3-point field goals made per game (3.2). Baron led Canisius to the MAAC Championship semifinals and its second consecutive 20-win season.
Beamon was a first-team All-MAAC selection, and was named Championship MVP after leading the Jaspers to the league title. Beamon is third in the conference in scoring at 19.2 points per game, and 10th in rebounding at 6.6 boards per game.
Armand was a first-team All-MAAC choice and was named to the All-Championship team after leading the Gaels to the title game. Armand is fourth in the MAAC in scoring (17.8) and is second in three point field goal percentage (.448) and 3-point field goals made per game (2.9).
Azotam averages a “double-double” for Quinnipiac, with16.5 points and 10.2 rebounds per game. He currently has 44 double-doubles in his career for the Bobcats, who reached the 20-win total for the third time in the last five years. Azotam was a first-team All-MAAC choice.
English is sixth in the MAAC in scoring, averaging 17.1 points per game, and third in assists with 4.3 per game. The sophomore is third in the league in minutes played at 36.5 per game, and was a first-team All-MAAC selection.
Armand’s and English’s teammate, Laury, provides a solid inside presence for the Gaels, now 22-10. Laury averages 13.8 points and 8.1 rebounds, currently fourth best, for Iona. He is second in the conference in field goal percentage, hitting .551 from the field, and adds 1.1 blocked shots per game. He was a second team All-MAAC selection.
Niagara’s Mason was one of the MAAC’s and the nation’s most prolific scorers. He led the nation I scoring for much of the season and finished second overall with 25.6 points per game. Mason was a workhorse throughout the year and was second in the conference in minutes played, averaging 37.6. He was a second team All-MAAC selection.
Manhattan’s Brown was the nation’s second leading shot blocker at the conclusion of the regular season, and is currently third at 3.74 per game. Brown leads the MAAC in field goal percentage (.554) and averages 10.1 points and 6.0 rebounds per game. He was a second team All-MAAC selection.