Perris Blackwell Earns Honorable Mention, Cody Doolin All-Freshman Team
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(San Bruno, CA) – Junior guard Rashad Green and sophomore guard Michael Williams lifted the University of San Francisco to its first 10-win West Coast Conference season since 1982 and captured first team all-league honors as announced today by the conference office. Sophomore forward Perris Blackwell was named to the honorable mention list while first year guard Cody Doolin was tabbed for the all-freshman squad.
It is the first time two Dons have earned selection on the 10-player first team since the late Kenyon Jones (WCC Player of the Year) and Darrell Tucker earned all-league accolades in 2000. Williams is the first sophomore to land on the first team since standout Dior Lowhorn accomplished the feat in 2008. Doolin is the first USF frosh to make the all-freshman team since Myron Strong earned a nod in 2008.
Green (Babylon, NY) ranked second on the team in scoring (11.4), third in rebounds (5.4) and was second in assists (2.7) during the regular season and elevated his game in league play, leading the Dons in scoring at 13.6 points to go along with 5.5 rebounds and 2.6 assists. The New Yorker posted two double-doubles and captured WCC Player of the Week honors after scoring a team-high 18 points in a 68-62 win against ancient Bay Area rival Santa Clara (2/5/11).
Williams (Van Nuys, CA) led the Dons in scoring (14.9) and 3-point field goal percentage (.419), ranking among the top-five in WCC leaders in both categories. Williams enters the 2011 Zappos.com WCC Tournament ranked third on the USF single-season list in 3-pointers (65) and scored a career-high 23 points with 13 rebounds in a 50-48 overtime win against Montana (12/12/10).
"I'm really happy for both of them," USF head coach Rex Walters said. "Both of them were really marked men during conference with defenses directed towards stopping them. I thought Rashad was really good in the conference season. His nose for the basketball, his ability to get to the paint and score it in different ways, while playing against the other team's top defender, shows how capable he is. Mikey was even more of a marked man, especially early in the conference when defenses were set to try to stop him. He's made some big, big plays for us down the stretch. His ability to shoot the basketball and play a couple positions really helped us go."
Blackwell (Etiwanda, CA) turned in strong sophomore campaign for the Dons. The SoCal native led the team and ranked third among WCC field goal percentage (.540) and rebounding (7.2) leaders during the regular season. Blackwell posted a team-high eight double-doubles, including a career night at Santa Clara (1/8/11) where he posted career-highs with 18 points and 16 rebounds.
Doolin (Austin, TX) started every game for the Dons and ranked second on the team in minutes in his first season in the Green and Gold. The floor general averaged 7.5 points, 3.4 rebounds and 3.2 assists per game and broke through for a career-high 23 points in a 96-91 overtime win against defending league champion Gonzaga (1/22/11).
"Perris missing two games during conference may have had something to do with him being an honorable mention selection," Walters said. "For him to be a 10 or 11, seven rebound guy says that he's doing it on both ends of the floor. He really rebounds the basketball and I feel his best is truly in front of him. Cody did a little bit of everything for us and got everyone involved. He ran our team. A lot was thrust upon him early when Domo (Dominique O'Connor) went down and got hurt and he's handled it like an absolute champ. With the exception of (Mickey) McConnell, they're not too many guys better at that position than Cody."
2011 ALL-WEST COAST CONFERENCE TEAM
Player School Yr. Pos.
Matthew Dellavedova Saint Mary's So. G
Kevin Foster Santa Clara So. G
Steven Gray Gonzaga Sr. G
Rashad Green San Francisco Jr. G
Rob Jones Saint Mary's Jr. F
Mickey McConnell Saint Mary's Sr. G
Nemanja Mitrovic Portland Jr. G
Robert Sacre Gonzaga Jr. C
Luke Sikma Portland Sr. F
Michael Williams San Francisco So. G
Honorable mention: Perris Blackwell, USF; Elias Harris, GON; Lorne Jackson, PEP; Jared Stohl, POR; Vernon Teel, LMU; Mychel Thompson, PEP; Drew Viney, LMU
2011 ALL-WEST COAST CONFERENCE FRESHMAN TEAM
Player School Pos.
Cody Doolin San Francisco G
Sam Dower Gonzaga C
Stephen Holt Saint Mary's G
Anthony Ireland LMU G
Evan Roquemore SCU G
Player of the Year
Mickey McConnell, Saint Mary's
Defensive Player of the Year
Troy Payne, Santa Clara
Newcomer of the Year
Marquise Carter, Gonzaga
Coach of the Year
Randy Bennett, Saint Mary's
