ROCK HILL, S.C. – On the eve of the South Atlantic Conference Tournament semifinals and championship tilt, Anderson University sophomore standout Crosby James II has earned Honorable Mention All-Conference honors as announced by the league office, Wednesday morning.
James started all 19 games for the Black and Gold this season and led the Trojans with his 15.3 points per game average, which ranked him 12th in the conference. The Columbia, S.C., native also ranked among league leaders in both free throw percentage (80.9%) and steals (19).
He posted double-digit scoring in 12 contests, while reaching the 20-point plateau in seven games, and equaled his career high with 27 points in the Trojans' 96-91 loss to top-ranked Queens in the SAC Tournament Quarterfinals. James recorded a double-double with 24 points and a career-high 11 boards at Wingate and drained a career-best eight 3-pointers against Carson-Newman.
The 6-foot guard dished out a career-best six assists in AU's early January win over Limestone and swiped a career-high five steals in the Trojans overtime setback at Queens in early February.
Tusculum guard Trenton Gibson was voted the 2020-21 Men's Basketball Player of the Year, while Lenoir-Rhyne's Davion Bradford was voted the Conference's Defensive Player of the Year and Carson-Newman's Ren Dyer was voted the SAC Freshman of the Year. In addition, Carson-Newman head coach Chuck Benson was tabbed as the Coach of the Year.
Gibson, a junior from Murfreesboro, N.C., was the only player in the SAC to be ranked in the top-five in scoring (third), rebounding (third), and assists (fourth). He averaged 18.8 points, 7.7 rebounds and 4.8 assists per game. The 2019 SAC Freshman of the Year and 2020 SAC Elite 20 Award winner, Gibson scored 20 or more points on seven occasions this season including a career-high 31 points against UVA Wise. In addition to being named Player of the Year, Gibson was also a first team All-SAC selection.
Bradford, a senior guard from Pontiac, Mich., was one of the top defenders in the league averaging two steals and 4.4 rebounds per game. In all he finished the year with 28 steals, two blocks and 62 rebounds. In addition to guarding some of the top offensive threats in the SAC, Bradford added his own offense, averaging 6.9 points per game, while shooting a league-best 65.6 percent from the field.
Dyer, a freshman guard from Weaverville, N.C., had an outstanding freshman campaign. He is the first player in Carson-Newman history to score in double-digits in seven consecutive games and he is the first Eagle freshman to record three double-doubles in a single season. He averaged 11.3 points, 6.8 rebounds, and 2.3 assists per game this season, while helping lead the Eagles to a 14-5 overall record.
Benson led the Eagles to a 14-5 overall record and finished fourth in the league after being a preseason No. 9 pick in the SAC coaches poll. His Eagle squad finished the regular season with a league-leading defense that allowed just 65.4 points per game, held opponents to a field goal percentage of 39.3 and were first in the conference in blocked shots with 77. Benson and the Eagles are currently under consideration for an NCAA Division II Southeast Bid.
In addition to Gibson, Lincoln Memorial's Devin Whitefield received First Team honors, along with Newberry's Quadaveon McCollum, Wingate's Jarren Cottingham, UVA Wise's Cameron Whiteside, and Lenoir-Rhyne's R.J. Gunn.
2020-21 South Atlantic Conference Men's Basketball All-Conference
First Team
Trenton Gibson, Tusculum
Devin Whitfield, Lincoln Memorial
Quandaveon McCollum, Newberry
R.J. Gunn, Lenoir-Rhyne
Jarren Cottingham, Wingate
Cameron Whiteside, UVA Wise
Second Team
Cameron Henry, Lincoln Memorial
Kenny Dye, Queens
Gavin Rains, Queens
TJ Brown, Newberry
Darius Simmons, Lenoir-Rhyne
Jamari Smith, Queens
Honorable Mention
Tripp Davis, Carson-Newman
Francis Sio, Wingate
Marcus Burwell, Catawba
Crosby James II, Anderson
James West IV, Tusculum
Luke Brenegan, Carson-Newman
All-Freshman
Ren Dyer, Carson-Newman
Inady Legiste, Tusculum
AJ McKee, Queens
Isayah Owens, Limestone
Bernard Pelote, Catawba
Player of the Year
Trenton Gibson, Tusculum
Freshman of the Year
Ren Dyer, Carson-Newman
Defensive Player of the Year
Davion Bradford, Lenoir-Rhyne
Coach of the Year
Chuck Benson, Carson-Newman
Statistical Champions
Points Per Game – Cameron Whiteside, UVA Wise, 21.1
Three-Pointers Per Game – Devin Whitefield, Lincoln Memorial, 3.4
Rebounds Per Game – Quandaveon McCollum, Newberry, 9.1
Blocked Shots Per Game – Bryant Thomas, Carson-Newman, 1.9
Field Goal Percentage – Davion Bradford, Lenoir-Rhyne, 65.6
Assists Per Game – Kenny Dye, Queens, 5.7
Assist-to-Turnover Ratio – David Elkins, Mars Hill, 2.4
Steals Per Game – Tripp Davis, Carson-Newman, 2.4
Three-Point Field Goal Percentage – Luke Brenegan, C-N, 45.0
Free Throw Percentage – Marcus Ford, Newberry, 93.3
Team Scoring Offense – Lincoln Memorial, 92.9
Team Steals – Tusculum, 140
Team Field Goal Percentage – Lincoln Memorial, 52.7
Team FG Percentage Defense – Carson-Newman, 39.3
Team Assists – Lincoln Memorial, 433
Team Rebounds – Lincoln Memorial, 785
Team Blocked Shots – Carson-Newman, 77
Team Three-Point FG Percentage – Carson-Newman, 41.1
Team Scoring Defense – Carson-Newman, 65.4
Team Free Throw Percentage – UVA Wise, 78.5
Team Assist-to-Turnover Ratio – Lincoln Memorial, 1.59
