April 3, 2012
FARMVILLE, Va. -- ODU seniors Kent Bazemore and Chris Cooper were named to the Virginia Sports Information Directors Association second team All-State squad.
Bazemore repeated as the CAA's Defensive Player of the Year. He averaged 15.4 points, 6.1 rebounds and 2.1 steals per game. The first team All-CAA selectoncompleted his career with 1,416 points, 250 career seals and a school record 140career games played.
Chris Cooper, the 6-9 senior forward averaged 10.5 points and 10.1 rebounds per game, becoming the first Monarchs since Cal Bowdler ('00) to average a double-double. Cooper's 17 double-doubles ranked him 13th nationally and his 10.1 reboundaverage ranked him 20th.
University of Virginia forward Mike Scott has been selected as Player of the Year, Norfolk State University head coach Anthony Evans is the Coach of the Year, and University of Richmond guard Kendall Anthony was picked as the Rookie of the Year in the annual voting by the Virginia Sports Information Directors Association (VaSID) for the 2012 University Division All-State Men's Basketball Team.
Scott, a 6-8 senior from Chesapeake, averaged 18.0 points and 8.3 rebounds while shooting 56% from the field and 81% at the free throw line. He led the Cavaliers to a 22-10 overall record, including 9-7 in the Atlantic Coast Conference, while named 3rd Team All-America by Sporting News, 1st Team All-District by both the U.S. Basketball Writers Association (USBWA) and the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC), 1st Team All-ACC, as well as the Richmond Times-Dispatch State Player of the Year.
Evans led Norfolk State to a 26-10 overall record, including 13-3 in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) regular season, before the Spartans won their first-ever MEAC Tournament and advanced to the NCAA Tournament for the first time in school history. His 15th-seeded Spartans upset No. 2 seed Missouri in the 2nd round of the NCAA West Region. Evans was named the 2012 MEAC Tournament Most Outstanding Coach, and the 26 wins are 10 more than the previous single-season Division I school record and the most at NSU since 1994-95.
Anthony, a 5-8 freshman from Jackson, Tenn., averaged 13.0 points, 1.3 rebounds, and 1.7 assists for Richmond and shot 42% from the field, including 42% on three-point field goals, and 80% at the free throw line. He helped the Spiders to a 16-16 overall record, including 7-9 in the Atlantic 10 Conference, while earning A-10 Rookie of the Year and All-Rookie Team honors.
Scott was joined on the VaSID 1st Team by Longwood senior Antwan Carter, Norfolk State senior Kyle O'Quinn, George Mason senior Ryan Pearson, and Hampton senior Darrion Pellum. Carter led all Virginia Division I players in scoring with his 19.4 average, adding 9.2 rebounds while named CollegeInsider.com, College Sports Madness, and CollegeHoops.net Independent Player of the Year. O'Quinn averaged 15.9 points and 10.3 rebounds while named the Lou Henson Mid-Major Player of the Year, MEAC Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year (1st in MEAC history to win both in same year), MEAC Tournament Most Outstanding Player, 1st Team NABC All-District 15, and 1st Team All-MEAC. Pearson averaged 17.0 points and 8.2 rebounds while earning Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) Player of the Year, 1st Team All-CAA, 1st Team NABC All-District 10, and 1st Team USBWA All-District III honors. Pellum averaged 18.3 points and 4.2 rebounds while named 1st Team All-MEAC.
The VaSID 2nd Team which included Monarchs Kent Bazemore, and Chris Cooper also had VCU senior Bradford Burgess (13.4 points, 5.0 rebounds), ODU senior Chris Cooper (10.5 points, 10.1 rebounds), Virginia Tech junior Erick Green (15.6 points, 3.3 rebounds), and Liberty senior Jesse Sanders (12.5 points, 7.8 rebounds, 8.0 assists).
Honorable mention honors went to UR's Anthony, James Madison senior Humpty Hitchins, William and Mary senior Quinn McDowell, Norfolk State senior Chris McEachin, and VMI junior Stan Okoye.