King, Bruins dominate NSAA Awards
Jemeil King earned North Star Athletic Association MVP and Newcomer of the Year honors as four Bruins earned all-conference recognition, while Lucas Gabriel was named NSAA Coach of the Year.
WATERTOWN, S.D. -- Junior Jemeil King (Oakland, Calif.) doubled up on major awards as the Bellevue University men's basketball team dominated the league's All-Conference voting at the annual Awards Banquet at the Watertown Event Center on Friday evening.
King took home a slew of awards as the as the NSAA Most Valuable Player, Newcomer of the Year, and a first team all-conference selection. King, a four-time NSAA Player of the Week selection this season, is one of just four NAIA Division II players averaging at least 16.0 points, 5.0 rebounds and 5.0 assists per game.
Joining King on the first team was junior forward Lewis Hayes (Stockton, Calif.). He is the Bruins' second leading scorer and rebounder at 12.5 points and 4.9 rebounds per game, respectively. Hayes ranks 26th nationally in field goal percentage (56.2%) and 33rd with 34 blocked shots.
Niamey Harris (San Francisco, Calif.) and Connor Dukes (Plattsmouth, Neb.) each earned honorable mention all-conference recognition.
Harris is shooting better than 50 percent (52.3%) from the floor and 40 percent from deep (41.1%) on the season as he has averaged 9.0 points per game, leads BU with 47 steals and ranks third on the team with 79 assists.
Dukes is the third Bruin who averages scoring in double figures at 10.8 points per game. He has buried a team-leading 76 three-pointers – good for second in the league – and is shooting 45 percent from deep. His 86.5 percent mark at the charity stripe leads the team and would top the league if he had enough attempts to qualify.
First year head coach Lucas Gabriel earned Coach of the Year honors after leading the Bruins to their 11th-straight regular-season league title. Following a 5-5 start, Gabriel has guided the Bruins to a 19-2 record over their last 21 games and the number one seed in the league tournament.
Bellevue (24-7) continues played in the NSAA Tournament tomorrow at 6 p.m. when they take on fifth-seeded Waldorf (11-17) at 6 p.m. from the Watertown Civic Arena.