River States Conference

2016-17 All-River States Conference Men's Basketball Awards & Teams Announced

2/21/2017 12:00:00 AM

FLORENCE, Ky. -- The All-River States Conference Men's Basketball Teams & Awards have been selected and are released here at RiverStatesConference.com. The awards were voted on by the RSC's 13 men's basketball head coaches.

WVU Tech headlines the awardees as the winners of the three, big, individual awards and also as the only team with two players on the All-RSC Men's Basketball First Team. The Golden Bears are represented by RSC Player of the Year Ryan Atkins, RSC Coach of the Year Bob Williams and RSC Newcomer of the Year Elisha Boone.

Atkins, a junior guard from Miami, Fla., earned RSC Player of the year honors by averaging 21.4 ppg, 5.7 rpg and shooting 47 percent from the field. He leads the listing of 10 players named to the All-RSC First Team. Atkins was the top vote-getter on the first team and thus the player of the year.

Boone, a junior guard from Queens, N.Y., is also on the All-RSC First Team. He posted 15.1 ppg, 8.2 rpg and 49-percent shooting. He is the RSC Newcomer of the Year as the player with the most all-conference votes who is new to the league this year.

Williams, the head coach at WVU Tech since 2002, earned RSC Coach of the Year honors by leading the Golden Bears to a record of 22-7 overall, 14-3 RSC and a No. 11 ranking in the NAIA Division II Top 25 in the latest poll. WVU Tech is a top team in the conference in their second year in the RSC.

Marquis Jackson, a senior guard from Ohio Christian, finished runner-up in the player of the year voting and lands highly on the All-RSC First Team. He leads the RSC with 23.3 ppg, 5.9 apg and 108 made 3-point field goals. He is also second with 1.9 spg.

Demetrius Stanton, junior guard from IU Southeast, finished third in the all-conference voting and is on the All-RSC First Team after leading the Grenadiers to the RSC regular-season championship and the RSC West title. He averages 14.7 ppg and 4.7 apg.

Trenton Thompson, a forward from Asbury, is fourth in the voting and on the All-RSC First Team. He is third in the conference averaging 21.1 ppg and 80 made 3-pointers.

Jacoby Claypool from IU East is on the All-RSC First Team after the junior guard led the Red Wolves to the RSC East title and a No. 12 national ranking with 12.0 ppg and 3.6 apg.

Blake Walsman, a forward from Cincinnati Christian University, earns a spot on the All-RSC First Team with 18.6 ppg and 9.2 rpg to rank sixth and second in the conference in those categories.

Trent Eliott, a guard from IU Kokomo, is on the All-RSC First Team after ranking fourth in the conference with 21.1 ppg and third with 83 treys.

Will Hill, a guard from University of Rio Grande, is on the first team after putting up 20.5 ppg and 65 made 3-pointers in 19 games the second half of the year.

Dillion Geralds, a guard/forward from Brescia University, is on the first team with 19.5 ppg and 8.6 rpg to lead the Bearcats to a playoff spot.

The All-RSC Men's Basketball Second Team also has 10 players. Leading the way are two players each from IU Southeast, IU East and Cincinnati Christian.

IU Southeast's second teamers are guard Jamie Johnson and forward Robert Sawyer. IU East guards Jordan Furlow and Kyle Pipenger made the second team, as did CCU guards Nick Seibert and Khari Burton.

Ohio Christian forward Gary Hoover comes in highly on the second team. Rounding out the second-teamers are Point Park guard Gavin Rajahpillay, Alice Lloyd forward Jake Allen and Carlow forward Charlie Scharbo.

The RSC Men's Basketball Champions of Character Team was selected with one player from each school chosen who best exhibits the five character values of the NAIA's Champions of Character program of respect, responsibility, integrity, servant leadership and sportsmanship.

2016-17 ALL-RSC MEN'S BASKETBALL INDIVIDUAL AWARDS
RSC Player of the Year -- Ryan Atkins, Jr., G, WVU Tech
RSC Newcomer of the Year -- Elisha Boone, Jr., G, WVU Tech
RSC Coach of the Year -- Bob Williams, WVU Tech

2016-17 ALL-RSC MEN'S BASKETBALL FIRST TEAM

2016-17 ALL-RSC MEN'S BASKETBALL SECOND TEAM

2016-17 RSC MEN'S BASKETBALL CHAMPIONS OF CHARACTER TEAM