Posted: Apr 25, 2018
New York – Justin Reyes of St. Thomas Aquinas has been named the All-Met Division II men’s college basketball Player of the Year for a third consecutive season by the Met Basketball Writers Association.
Gerald Holmes of Bloomfield was selected Coach of the Year for a third time overall (2005, 2011).
This is the first occasion where anyone in Division II has been selected Player of the Year three times by the Met Writers. Reyes also earned the honor in 2016 and 2017.
The rest of the All Met First Team: Nick Davidson, Bloomfield; Jeffrey Hayden, NYIT; Daniel Grant, Dominican; Terrell Spaulding, Felician; Nick Corbett, Molloy.
The Second Team: Keith Washington, Bloomfield; Michael Coffey, Adelphi; Curtis Jenkins, Molloy; Jared Rivers, LIU Post; Peyton Wejnert, Pace; Dequawne Richards, Mercy..
The All-Met players and coach will be honored Wednesday, April 25, at the 85th NIT/MBWA Haggerty Awards dinner at the Westchester Marriott, Tarrytown, NY.
A 6-4 senior guard/forward from Haverhill, MA, Reyes --- who also was named East Coast Conference player of the year for a third straight season and was selected on the NABC East All District First Team --- led the Spartans (26-7) with 710 points (22.2 ppg, No. 16 in the nation) and 10.1 rebounds per game (No. 1 ECC, 24th in the nation). He shot 50.6% from the field, 80.5% at the free throw line and had 17 double-doubles (7th nationally). Reyes finished his career with 1,144 rebounds, and as No. 1 all-time in ECC scoring and second on the school roster with 2,247 points.
In his 16th season as head coach, Holmes --- who also was named CACC coach of the year for a third time --- guided the Bears (24-8) to their 10th first place regular season conference finish under his tutelage and to the school’s eighth NCAA Tournament appearance. At-large Bloomfield, which led the CACC in points per game (85.6), field goals made, rebounds per game and assists per game, won twice in the NCAAs before losing in the national round of 16. An NJIT grad who resides in West Orange, NJ, Holmes’ coaching record at Bloomfield is 277-174 (.614 win pct).
First Team
Justin Reyes, St. Thomas Aquinas (6-4, Sr., G/F, Haverhill, Mass.)
Nick Davidson, Bloomfield (6-6, Sr., F, Lumberton, N.J.)
Jeffrey Hayden, NYIT (6-4, Jr., F, Harlem, N.Y.)
Daniel Grant, Dominican (6-0, So., G, Middletown, N.Y.)
Terrell Spaulding, Felician (6-3, Jr., G/F, Paterson, N.J.)
Nick Corbett, Molloy (5-11, So., G, Staten Island, N.Y.)
Second Team
Keith Washington, Bloomfield (6-1, Jr., G, Philadelphia, Pa.)
Michael Coffey, Adelphi (6-1, Sr., G, Monroe, N.Y.)
Curtis Jenkins, Molloy (6-2, Jr., G, Farmingdale, N.Y.)
Jared Rivers, LIU Post (6-1, So., G, Westbury, N.Y.)
Peyton Wejnert, Pace (6-7, So., F, Point Pleasant, N.J.)
Dequawne Richards, Mercy (6-5, Jr., F, Bronx, N.Y.)
Player of the Year: Justin Reyes, St. Thomas Aquinas
Coach of the Year: Gerald Holmes, Bloomfield
Release provided by Chuck Stogel, MBWA