Green Bay's Brown named 1st-Team All-Horizon League, Sykes named to All-Newcomer Team
By: Nick Goddard
Updated: March 7, 2012
GREEN BAY, Wis. (GreenBayPhoenix.com) - Sophomore Alec Brown (Winona, Minn.) was one of the most consistent players in the Horizon League this season, and the 7-foot-1 sophomore was rewarded for that consistency on Monday afternoon when he was named first-team All-Horizon League.
The postsason awards were handed out after voting by the league's head coaches, media relaions contacts and select media members. Head coaches were the only voters for the All-Defensive Teams, Defensive Player of the Year and Sixth Man of the Year.
Joining Brown on the first team was Valparaiso's Ryan Broefjoff, the League's Player of the Year, Detroit's Ray McCallum, Youngstown State's Kendrick Perry and Valparaiso's Kevin Van Wijk.
Brown ranks in the top-10 in the league in a number of categories with averages of 13.6 points, 8.2 rebounds and 3.1 blocked shots per game this season and has notched eight double-doubles. The sophomore tied for the league lead in rebounds in Horizon League play at 8.4 per game and also ranks in the top-10 in free throw percentage (77.3%). He scored in double figures in 22 games and blocked at least one shot in 27 of 29 games.
In addition, Brown has tallied a school-record 89 blocked shots. On Jan. 14 against Wright State, he swatted a school and Horizon League record 11 shots in a 57-56 win at the Resch Center. Brown is tied for 10th nationally in blocked shots per game, and the 11 against WSU are the most by a player nationally this season.
Freshman Keifer Sykes (Chicago, Ill.), who has scored in double figures in 10 games in a row and finished the year in the top-10 in scoring, assists and assist-to-TO in league play, missed out on All-League honors and the Newcomer of the Year award but earned a spot on the All-Newcomer Team.
Sykes was the league's top freshman, averaging 11.2 points and 3.3 assists per game while shooting an impressive 47 percent from the field. In league play, he ranks eighth in the league in scoring (13.8 points per game), third in assists (4.5 per game) and tied for first in assist-to-TO ratio (2-to-1). Since turning 18, Sykes is averaging 15.2 points per game and 4.8 assist per game.
In Saturday's 71-63 win at UIC which moved the team's winning streak to five heading into the Horizon League Tournament, Sykes scored a career-high 27 points and added six assists. The performance helped him earn co-Player of the Week honors on Monday.
Sykes was also named the co-Horizon League Player of the Week on Monday after averaging 17.7 points and 6.3 assists per game in three wins last week.
Now winners of five games in a row, Green Bay will open the Horizon League Tournament on Tuesday at Youngstown State at 6:05 p.m. The seventh-seeded Phoenix and the sixth-seeded Penguins have split two previous meetings this season.
All-Horizon League Awards
First Team
Ryan Broekhoff, Jr., F, Valparaiso
Ray McCallum, So., G, Detroit
Kendrick Perry, So., G, Youngstown State
Kevin Van Wijk, Jr., F, Valparaiso
Alec Brown, So., F/C, Green Bay
First Team
Ryan Broekhoff, Jr., F, Valparaiso
Ray McCallum, So., G, Detroit
Kendrick Perry, So., G, Youngstown State
Kevin Van Wijk, Jr., F, Valparaiso
Alec Brown, So., F/C, Green Bay
Second Team
Kaylon Williams, Sr., G, Milwaukee
Trevon Harmon, Sr., G, Cleveland State
Julius Mays, Jr., G, Wright State
Ben Averkamp, Jr., F, Loyola
Ronald Nored, Sr., G, Butler
Kaylon Williams, Sr., G, Milwaukee
Trevon Harmon, Sr., G, Cleveland State
Julius Mays, Jr., G, Wright State
Ben Averkamp, Jr., F, Loyola
Ronald Nored, Sr., G, Butler
All-Newcomer Team
Julius Mays, Jr., G, Wright State
Keifer Sykes, Fr., G, Green Bay
Anton Grady, Fr., F, Cleveland State
Roosevelt Jones, Fr., F, Butler
Gary Talton, Jr., G, UIC
Julius Mays, Jr., G, Wright State
Keifer Sykes, Fr., G, Green Bay
Anton Grady, Fr., F, Cleveland State
Roosevelt Jones, Fr., F, Butler
Gary Talton, Jr., G, UIC
All-Defensive Team
Ronald Nored, Sr., G, Butler
Damian Eargle, Jr., C, Youngstown State
D'Aundray Brown, Sr., G, Cleveland State
Trevon Harmon, Sr., G, Cleveland State
Ryan Allen, Sr., G, Milwaukee
Ronald Nored, Sr., G, Butler
Damian Eargle, Jr., C, Youngstown State
D'Aundray Brown, Sr., G, Cleveland State
Trevon Harmon, Sr., G, Cleveland State
Ryan Allen, Sr., G, Milwaukee
Player of the Year
Ryan Broekhoff, Valparaiso
Ryan Broekhoff, Valparaiso
Newcomer of the Year
Julius Mays, Wright State
Julius Mays, Wright State
Defensive player of the Year
Ronald Nored, Butler
Ronald Nored, Butler
Sixth Man of the Year
Eli Holman, Detroit
Eli Holman, Detroit
Coach of the Year
Bryce Drew,
Bryce Drew,
