The West Coast Conference released its all-conference teams today and sophomore
Devin Watson earned first team honors while senior
Tim Derksen was a second team selection.
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BYU's Kyle Collinsworth was named the WCC's Player of the Year, Eric McClellan of Gonzaga landed Defender of the Year honors while Saint Mary's Joe Rahon was named the WCC's Newcomer of the Year. Randy Bennett of Saint Mary's was honored as the WCC's Coach of the Year.
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All four individual awards – along with the All-West Coast Conference Teams and the All-Freshman Team – were voted on by the league's 10 head coaches.
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Watson currently ranks third in the WCC and 35th nationally in scoring with a 19.8 per game average. The Oceanside, Calif. native has scored in double figures in all but one game this season, including 17 games of at least 20 points. Watson has gone over the 30-point mark on two occasions this season against Coppin State (31) and Gonzaga (33). He also ranks sixth in the conference in assists per game (4.9) and is ninth in three-pointers made per game (2.1). Watson, who was selected to the conference's all-freshmen team last year, is the first USF sophomore to earn first-team All-WCC honors since Dior Lowhorn in 2007-08.
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"Devin has gone from a talented freshman player to one of the top guards in the WCC," said USF head coach
Rex Walters. "I know he has put a lot of time and hard work into the season and it has definitely paid off. He has done a heck of a job running our team and is very deserving of this honor."
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Derksen ranks seventh in the WCC in scoring (16.7) and rebounding (7.0) and also is fourth in three-point percentage (44.4). He is the only player in the WCC along with Gonzaga's Kyle Wiltjer to rank in the top-10 in all three of those categories. The Tucson, Ariz. native has scored 20 or more points in 10 games this season, including a career-high 27 points on three occasions. The team's leading rebounder, he has also recorded a team-high seven double-doubles (points-rebounds) this season, eight for his career.
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With 1,414 career points, Derksen ranks 14th on USF's all-time scoring list and needs one more point to move into a tie for 13th place. He also currently ranks sixth on USF's all-time career list for three-point percentage (44.0), fourth in games played (123) and fifth in minutes played (3,320).
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"Tim has had one heck of a season and is in the top-10 in many of the WCC statistical categories," said Walters. "I think it's pretty clear what Tim has done for USF and it was nice to see him recognized by the other WCC head coaches."
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USF will begin play in the West Coast Conference Basketball Championships on Saturday against Pepperdine. Tip-off is scheduled for 3:00 p.m. from Orleans Arena in Las Vegas. The game will be televised in the Bay Area on CSNBA and nationally in BYU.tv.
2015-16 All-WCC Men's Basketball First TeamName | Yr. | Pos. | School |
Jared Brownridge | Jr. | G | Santa Clara |
Kyle Collinsworth | Sr. | G | BYU |
Stacy Davis | Sr. | F | Pepperdine |
Chase Fischer | Sr. | G | BYU |
Emmett Naar | So. | G | Saint Mary's |
Joe Rahon | Jr. | G | Saint Mary's |
Domantas Sabonis | So. | F | Gonzaga |
Devin Watson | So. | G | San Francisco |
Kyle Wiltjer | Sr. | F | Gonzaga |
Alec Wintering | Jr. | G | Portland |
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2015-16 All-WCC Men's Basketball Second Team
Name | Yr. | Pos. | School |
Tim Derksen | Sr. | G | San Francisco |
Nick Emery | Fr. | G | BYU |
Adom Jacko | Jr. | F | Loyola Marymount |
Lamond Murray Jr. | Jr. | G/F | Pepperdine |
Bryce Pressley | Sr. | G | Portland |
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2015-16 All-WCC Men's Basketball Freshman Team
Name | Pos. | School |
Kameron Edwards | F | Pepperdine |
Nick Emery | G | BYU |
KJ Feagin | G | Santa Clara |
Evan Fitzner | C | Saint Mary's |
Josh Perkins | G | Gonzaga |
2015-16 WCC Men's Basketball Honorable Mention SelectionsBrandon Brown, Loyola Marymount; Alec Kobre, Pacific; Jett Raines, Pepperdine; T.J. Wallace, Pacific
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Player of the Year:Â Kyle Collinsworth, BYU
Coach of the Year:Â Randy Bennett, Saint Mary's
Defensive Player of the Year:Â Eric McClellan, Gonzaga
Newcomer of the Year:Â Joe Rahon, Saint Mary's
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