BLOOMFIELD'S KNOX NAMED CACC MEN'S BASKETBALL PLAYER OF YEAR
NEW HAVEN, CT (March 5, 2009) - Bloomfield College senior guard Omari Knox was named Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference (CACC) Men's Basketball Player of the Year as All-Conference balloting was released. Holy Family freshman forward Justin Swidowski was named Rookie of the Year, while Bloomfield head coach Gerald Holmes was the pick for Coach of the Year. The University of the Sciences in Philadelphia earned the annual Team Sportsmanship Award. The announcement was made by Commisioner Daniel Mara of Waterbury.
Knox, a 6-2 guard from Brooklyn, NY, finished the regular-season as the CACC's-leading scorer with an average of 20.2 points per-game. In addition, Knox ranks among league leaders in rebounds (T-ninth, 6.6), fre e-throw percentage (12th, .728), steals (eighth, 1.74), three-point field-goal percentage (third, .411) and three-pointers made per-game (first, 3.26). Knox, who was named the CACC Player of the Week twice this season, led Bloomfield to a 15-1 conference record and a North Division regular-season championship. The Deacons are the top overall seed for this week's CACC Tournament and are the eighth-ranked team in the East Region. Knox was a second team All-Conference selection last season.
Swidowski, a 6-8 forward from Cinnaminson, NJ, made a huge splash in his first collegiate season and was named CACC Player of the Week twice and Rookie of the Week on seven occasions. He finished the regular-season ranked ninth in the conference in scoring (15.7), third in rebounds (8.1), second in field-goal percentage (.553), fourth in free-throw percentage (.782) and third in blocked shots (2.33) per-game. Swidowski led the Tigers in rebounding, blocked shots, free-throw and field-goal percentage and was second in scoring.
Gerald Holmes led Bloomfield to its first CACC Division Championship and first regular-season crown since 2005-06. The Deacons entered the week ranked eighth in the East Region with an overall record of 21-6. The Deacons opened the conference season by winning its first 10 games by an average of 15.7 points. Of BC's 15 CACC wins, 12 came by double digits.
The rest of the All-Conference team consists of two Philadelphia Rams in juniors Malcolm Ingram and Russell Frederick, Bloomfield sophomore guard Gage Daye and Caldwell senior forward Manny Perez. Ingram is a repeat first team pick, while Perez was a three-time second team honoree. Frederick made the third team in 2007-08.
Ingram ranks among league leaders in numerous categories, including points (seventh, 16.1), rebounds (second, 8.6), field-goal percentage (ninth, .479) and offensive rebounds (first, 3.33). Frederick stands sixth in the CACC in scoring (16.4), 13th in field-goal percentage (.453), second in assists (4.48), eighth in free-throw shooting (.737), and ninth in long range shooting percentage (.373) and three-pointers made per-game (2.07).
Daye is the league-leader in steals with 2.52 per-game and he is also second in scoring at 19.2 ppg, 12th in assists with 3.00 per-game and 12th in three-point field-goals made with 1.52 per-contest.
Perez paces the CACC in field-goal percentage (.577), is third in scoring (18.7), fourth in rebounds (7.8) and fourth by pulling down 2.76 offensive boards per-game.
The All-CACC second team includes Holy Family's Ceazer Johnson and Swidowski, Philadelphia junior center Mike Yocum, Goldey-Beacom College junior guard Kyle White and Felician College sophomore guard Devon White.
The third team is Post University freshman guard Brandon Romain and senior forward AJ Reitter, Nyack College senior forward Stedford McLeod, USP sophomore forward Adewale Adefemi and Wilmington University senior forward Antonio Sherrod.
The complete All-CACC team is listed below.
FIRST TEAM | |||
G Gage Daye | Bloomfield | So. | Newark, NJ |
G Russell Frederick | Philadelphia | Jr. | Baltimore, MD |
F Malcolm Ingram | Philadelphia | Jr. | Philadelphia, PA |
G Omari Knox | Bloomfield | Sr. | Brooklyn, NY |
F Manny Perez | Caldwell | Sr. | Egg Harbor Twp., NJ |
SECOND TEAM | |||
G Ceazer Johnson | Holy Family | Sr. | Monroe, LA |
F Justin Swidowski | Holy Family | Fr. | Cinnaminson, NJ |
G Kyle White | Goldey-Beacom | Jr. | Georgetown, DE |
F Mike Yocum | Philadelphia | Jr. | Dresher, PA |
G Devon Young | Felician | So. | Monmouth Jct., NJ |
THIRD TEAM | |||
F Adewale Adefemi | USP | So. | Chesilhurst, NJ |
F Stedford McLeod | Nyack | Sr. | Bronx, NY |
F AJ Reitter | Post | Sr. | Baltimore, MD |
G Brandon Romain | Post | Fr. | Brooklyn, NY |
F Antonio Sherrod | Wilmington | Sr. | Glen Burnie, MD |
Honorable Mention: Valiant Jones, Sr., G, Nyack; Julian McFadden, Jr., G, Chestnut Hill; Brandon Brock, Sr., G, Dominican; Quincy Marshall, Sr., G, Holy Family; Mike Dunn, Sr., G, Philadelphia; Cecil Stinson, Jr., G, Post
Player of the Year: Omari Knox, Sr., G, Bloomfield
Rookie of the Year: Justin Swidowski, Fr., F, Holy Family
Coach of the Year: Gerald Holmes, Bloomfield College
Team Sportsmanship Award: USP