SPRINGFIELD, Mass. – Three Peach Belt Conference men's
basketball players received All-America accolades on Tuesday as
both the NABC and Daktronics teams were announced. Augusta
State’s tandem of Garret Siler and Ben Madgen were named as
was USC Aiken's Chris Commons. Commons was named to both squads
while Siler appeared on the NABC team and Madgen on Daktronics.
Siler and Madgen become the fourth and fifth All-America
selections for the Jaguar men’s basketball program over the
last three seasons and the sixth and seventh different players in
school history to earn national accolades.
Augusta State was the only program in the nation and the first in
Peach Belt Conference to have two players to garner All- America
honors in the same season. The Peach Belt Conference totaled three
All-America selections with the selection of USC Aiken’s
Chris Commons to both squads.
A 7-0, 291-pound senior center from Augusta, Ga., Siler joins
former ASU All-American AJ Bowman as the only players in school
history to earn first-team, All-America honors by the NABC. Siler
leads the nation in field goal percentage for the third consecutive
season (.795) and ranks ninth in the nation in blocked shots at 2.7
bpg. On the season, he’s averaging 16.4 points and 7.8
rebounds and was tabbed the NCAA Southeast Regional’s Most
Outstanding Player after leading ASU to the regional title in an
85-57 victory over USC Aiken in Christenberry Fieldhouse on
Tuesday, March 17.
The only player in the PBC to rank in the top five in scoring,
rebounding, field goal percentage and blocked shots, Siler has
scored in double figures in 21 consecutive games and registered 20
or more points nine times. He has booked a team-best nine
double-doubles and led ASU in scoring on 12 occasions. He currently
ranks eighth in school history and PBC history with 1,573 points
after 25-point effort in Southeast Regional Championship game
victory over USC Aiken.
Madgen, a 6-4, 185-pound junior guard from Williamstown,
Australia, was named to the Daktronics Third-Team, All- American
squad. The 2009 Daktronics Southeast Region Player-of-the-Year,
Madgen was also selected first team All-Southeast Region and was a
first-team All-Peach Belt Conference pick. He was named to NCAA
Southeast Regional All- Tournament team after leading the Jaguars
to the Southeast Regional title on March 17. He was also voted the
Peach Belt Conference Tournament’s Most Valuable Player after
leading ASU to the PBC Tournament Championship on March 8.
The league scoring champion at 19.1 ppg., Madgen also led the PBC
in three-point percentage (.462), ranked second in free throw
percentage (.869), third in minutes played (33.06) and fourth in
3-point field goals made (2.39). He was the only player in the
conference to rank in the top 15 in scoring, field goal percentage
(12th/.499) and assists (14th/2.85). With 25 points vs. No. 16 USC
Aiken in the Southeast Regional Championship game, he moved into
fifth place on the ASU career scoring list with 1,642 points and
into sixth place on the PBC career scoring list.
He led ASU in scoring on 16 occasions, registered 20 or more
points 14 times and cracked the 30-point barrier twice, including a
career-high 33 points vs. USC Aiken on Jan. 5.
Commons (Toledo, Ohio/Findlay) earns All-America plaudits from the
two organizations for the second straight year. He was an NABC and
Daktronics All-America selection after the 2007-08 season as well.
Commons was a third team choice by Daktronics in both 2007-08 and
2008-09.
He is one of two Pacers to earn All-America accolades as Clint
Keown was also dubbed as a Daktronics All-America choice after the
conclusion of the 2001-02 season. Commons is the only Pacer in
program history to record back-to-back All-America seasons.
Commons was a part of the most prolific two-year span in USC Aiken
men’s basketball history. He was one of the main reasons that
the Pacers won 52 games and advanced to the Sweet Sixteen in 2009
for the first time in program history in his two years with the
program.
Commons ends his four-year college basketball career with 2,002
total points. The Findlay transfer scored 1,229 of those points in
a Pacer uniform. The point total ends Commons’ Pacer career
with him No. 2 all-time in scoring in USC Aiken men’s
basketball history.
He averaged 19.2 points per game in 64 games as a Pacer. Commons
scored over 20 points 33 times as a Pacer. He did not accomplish
the feat in 2008-09, but he netted 30 or more seven times in his
career.
The Peach Belt Conference Player of the Year in 2007-08 and
2008-09, Commons concluded USC Aiken’s first ever NCAA
Division II Sweet Sixteen appearance aveaging 16.8 points per game
and 5.8 rebounds per game.
2009 STATE FARM NABC
ALL-AMERICA TEAM
Lucas Alves, BYU-Hawaii, 6-9, Sophomore, Center, Casa Branca,
Brazil
Josh Bostic, Findlay, 6-5, Senior, Forward, Columbus, Ohio
Chris Commons, USC Aiken, 6-8, Senior, Forward, Toledo,
Ohio
Tyrone Curnell, Valdosta State, 6-7, Junior, Forward, Ocoee,
Fla.
Brandon Dagans, Lewis, 6-1, Senior, Guard, Harvey, Ill.
Ross Demasi, Southwest Minnesota State, 6-8, Senior, Forward,
Swanton, Vt.
Darren Duncan, Merrimack, 5-10, Junior, Guard, Briarwood, N.Y.
Larry Gordon, Cal Poly Pomona, 6-5, Senior, Forward, Pomona,
Calif.
Joe Jones, Edinboro, 6-3, Senior, Guard, Erie, Pa.
Nick Kohs, Christian Brothers, 6-8, Senior, Center, Cincinnati,
Ohio
Ted Scott, West Virginia State, 6-2, Senior, Guard, Columbus,
Ohio
Kevin Ratzsch, Northern State, 6-7, Senior, Forward, Bloomington,
Ill.
Nolan Richardson, Midwestern State, 6-2, Senior, Guard, Tulsa,
Oklahoma
Matt Rogers, Southwest Baptist, 6-11, Junior, Center/Forward,
Doniphan, Mo.
Garret Siler, 7-0, Senior, Center, Augusta,
Ga.
Jason Westrol, Bentley, 6-3, Junior, Guard, Brielle, N.J.
2009 DAKTRONICS ALL-AMERICA TEAM
First Team
Name School Pos. Ht. Wt. Yr. Hometown
Lucas Alves BYU-Hawaii F 6-9 230 Jr. Casa Branca, Brazil
Laurence Ekperigin LeMoyne F 6-7 215 Jr. Cortlandt Manor, NY
LaVontay Ferguson Wisconsin-Parkside F 6-4 215 Sr. Racine, WI
Josh Bostic# Findlay F 6-5 230 Sr. Columbus, OH
Nick Kohs Christian Brothers C 6-8 215 Jr. Cincinnati, OH
PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Lucas Alves, BYU-Hawaii
Second Team
Name School Pos. Ht. Wt. Yr. Hometown
Matt Rogers Southwest Baptist F/C 6-11 205 Jr. Doniphan, MO
Ted Scott% West Virginia State G 6-2 Sr. Columbus, OH
Thad McFadden Fairmont State G 6-2 175 Sr. Flint, MI
Stan Hall Alderson & Broaddus G 6-3 195 Sr. Canton, OH
Kevin Ratzsch Northern State F 6-7 180 Sr. Bloomington, IL
Third Team
Name School Pos. Ht. Wt. Yr. Hometown
Ben Madgen, Augusta State F 6-2 170 Jr. Williamstown,
Australia
Darren Duncan Merrimack G 5-10 170 Jr. Briarwood, NY
Chris Commons@, USC Aiken F 6-8 215 Sr. Toledo,
OH
Jesse Wagstaff Metropolitan State F 6-8 Sr. Canberra,
Australia
Anthony Hilliard# Elizabeth City State G/F 6-4 205 Sr.
Fayetteville, NC
% -- denotes 2007 first team selection
# -- denotes 2008 second team selection
@ -- denotes 2008 third team selection
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