Albany, N.Y. - Southern New Hampshire senior forward Devin Gilligan (Amherst, N.H.) has top billing on the 2016-17 Division II Conference Commissioners Association (D2CCA) East Region Men's Basketball All-Region Team that was selected by NCAA Division II Sports Information Directors from institutions and conference offices.
Gilligan, the East Region Player of the Year, is accompanied on the first team by junior guard/forward Justin Reyes (Haverhill, Mass.) of Saint Thomas Aquinas and Southern Connecticut State senior guard Michael Mallory (Waterbury, Conn.), who were first-team All-Region selections a year ago as well. Wilmington senior guard Tyaire Ponzo-Meek (Wilmington, Del.) and sophomore guard Tim Guers (Langhorne, Pa.) round out the first team.
The Northeast-10 Conference Player of the Year, Gilligan averaged 20.2 points, on 57.7 percent (221-for-303) shooting from the floor, and 6.8 rebounds per game this past year for the Penmen (21-9). Reyes, the East Coast Conference Player of the Year each of the past two seasons, is scoring at a 20.2 ppg clip and averaging 9.3 rebounds and 2.8 assists for the Spartans (27-5) who face Saint Rose Tuesday in the NCAA Championship East Region Final. Mallory is the nation’s ninth leading point producer with an NE10 leading 23.2 scoring average for the Owls (18-13) while Ponzo-Meek, the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference Player of the Year, averaged 20.1 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 3.1 assists for the Wildcats (19-10). Meanwhile, Guers produced 21.7 points, 7.0 rebounds, and 4.0 assists on a regular basis for the Hawks (20-9).
In addition to the first-team, six other individuals have been recognized. The second team All-East squad is comprised of Saint Michael’s senior forward Matt Bonds (Accokeek, Md.), Molloy senior guard Charlie Marquardt (Rockaway Beach, N.Y.), graduate student forward Jon Feiler (Smithtown, N.Y.) of NYIT, junior forwards Nick Davidson (Lumberton, N.J.) of Bloomfield and Chris Walters (Stamford, Conn.) of Southern New Hampshire and Molloy senior guard Jaylen Morris (Amherst, N.Y.).
The 2016-17 D2CCA men’s basketball All-America team will be announced on Monday, March 20. The five first team members from each of the country’s eight regions are placed on the national ballot with NCAA Division II Sports Information Directors selecting first, second and third-team All-America honorees. The Ron Lenz Player of the Year will also be chosen from a list comprised of the eight Regional Players of the Year.
The Division II Conference Commissioners Association encourages and promotes Division II athletics and high standards of sportsmanship as important elements of higher education. The CCA is a key communications link among the conferences as they discuss views, policies and regulations that impact Division II intercollegiate athletics and works closely with the NCAA as a communications channel to NCAA Division II member colleges and universities.
2016-17 DIICCA Men's Basketball All-East Region
First Team
Devin Gilligan, Southern New Hampshire * (6-5, Sr., F, Amherst, N.H.)
Justin Reyes, St. Thomas Aquinas # (6-4, Jr., G/F, Haverhill, Mass.)
Michael Mallory, Southern Connecticut State # (6-1, Sr., G, Waterbury, Conn.)
Tyaire Ponzo-Meek, Wilmington (5-11, Sr., G, Wilmington, Del.)
Tim Guers, Saint Anselm (6-3, So., G, Langhorne, Pa.)
Second Team
Matt Bonds, Saint Michael's (6-5, Sr., F, Accokeek, Md.)
Charlie Marquardt, Molloy (6-3, Sr., G, Rockaway Beach, N.Y.)
Jon Feiler, NYIT (6-8, Gr., F, Smithtown, N.Y.)
Nick Davidson, Bloomfield (6-6, Jr., F, Lumberton, N.J.)
Chris Walters, Southern New Hampshire (6-4, Jr., F, Stamford, Conn.)
Jaylen Morris, Molloy (6-5, Sr., G, Amherst, N.Y.)
* - 2016-17 East Region Player of the Year
# - 2015-16 first team All-East Pick
Release provided by David Alexander, East Region DIICCA Men's Basketball Coordinator and Assistant A.D. for Communications at the College of Saint Rose.
