Robbins, Thompson named to 2014-2015 All-Pac-West first team

IRVINE, Calif. – Dixie State seniors Zach Robbins and DeQuan Thompson have captured first-team All-PacWest Conference honors and junior guard Mason Sawyer earned third-team acclaim, as announced by the conference office on Wednesday.

“What a great honor for the two seniors to get first-team and Mason on the third-team,” Dixie State head coach Jon Judkins said. “They are all deserving for having consistently great years and I am happy and proud of them.”

Robbins (16.5 ppg), Thompson (15.4 ppg) and Sawyer (12.8 ppg) have been the Red Storm’s three leading scorers all season, respectively. One of the trio has led Dixie State in scoring in 20 of the 26 regular season games this year.

Zach Robbins (42) shoots in the paint for the Red Storm, Dixie State University vs. Hawaii Pacific University, Men's Basketball, St. George,  Utah, Feb. 16, 2015 | Photo by Robert Hoppie, ASPpix.com, St. George News
Zach Robbins (42) shoots in the paint for the Red Storm, Dixie State University vs. Hawaii Pacific University, Men’s Basketball, St. George, Utah, Feb. 16, 2015 | Photo by Robert Hoppie, ASPpix.com, St. George News

Robbins has averaged closer to a double-double than any other player on the team, logging 8.2 rebounds per game. He finished second in the PacWest in rebounding, blocked shots (47) and field goal percentage (.570). Robbins also ranked fourth in the conference in scoring and sixth in free throw percentage (.810). He posted six double-doubles this season, with a career-high 19 rebounds posted alongside 13 points against Point Loma on Feb. 28 – for which he was named the PacWest Defender of the Week. Robbins had 10 games scoring over 20 points, highlighted by 29 points on the road against Academy of Art. For the senior center, it is the third straight first-team All-PacWest selection.

DeQuan Thompson drives to the hoop for the Red Storm, Dixie State University vs. Notre Dame De Namur, Mens Basketball, St. George, Utah, Feb. 7, 2015 | Photo by Robert Hoppie, ASPpix.com, St. George News
DeQuan Thompson drives to the hoop for the Red Storm, Dixie State University vs. Notre Dame De Namur, Mens Basketball, St. George, Utah, Feb. 7, 2015 | Photo by Robert Hoppie, ASPpix.com, St. George News

Thompson ranks 10th in the conference in scoring while also averaging 3.2 rebounds and 2.3 assists per contest as a senior. He shot 49.3 percent (41-93) from behind the 3-point arc, the best percentage among PacWest players not meeting the minimum of two makes per game. Thompson ranks 15th in foul shooting while playing the eighth most minutes on average in the PacWest. The Las Vegas native tallied 20 or more points in six games, including 24 points against Fresno Pacific on Feb. 21. He was named to the second-team last year as a junior.

Mason Sawyer (12) dishes to a teammate, Dixie State University vs. California Baptist University, Mens Basketball,  St. George, Utah, Jan. 19, 2015 | Photo by Robert Hoppie, ASPpix.com, St. George News
Mason Sawyer. Dixie State University vs. California Baptist University, Mens Basketball, St. George, Utah, Jan. 19, 2015 | Photo by Robert Hoppie, ASPpix.com, St. George News

Sawyer averaged 4.1 assists per game, the fourth-best mark in the PacWest. His 1.6 assist/turnover ratio leads all Dixie State players, having recorded 107 assists and just 67 turnovers. Sawyer scored 20 or more points three times, paced by a career-high 23 points in the Storm’s tough road loss at California Baptist on Dec. 6. He was named PacWest Player of the Week on Jan. 19 after leading the Red Storm to two wins against nationally ranked teams (BYUH, APU). Sawyer was named Defender of the Week after posting five steals, seven assists and no turnovers against Fresno Pacific.

The All-PacWest Team consists of six selections on each of the first and second teams, with eight being named to the third-team.

Azusa Pacific guard Troy Leaf secured PacWest Player of the Year honors, while APU forward Petar Kutlesic captured PacWest Freshman of the Year accolades. Justin Leslie merited Coach of the Year honors leading APU to a share of its first league title in their Division II tenure. Dominique Taplin of Dominican was named the league’s Defender of the Year, and California Baptist’s Gelaun Wheelwright was named Newcomer of the Year.

All-PacWest Conference First Team
Pablo Coro, Sr., G, BYU-Hawaii
Troy Leaf, Sr., G, Azusa Pacific
Hayden Lescault, Sr., G, Point Loma
Zach Robbins (Upland, CA/Upland), Sr., C, Dixie State
DeQuan Thompson (Las Vegas, NV/Lake Mead Christian Academy), Sr., G, Dixie State
Gelaun Wheelwright, Sr., G, California Baptist

All-PacWest Conference Second Team
Lee Bailey, Sr., G, Chamiande
Daniel Berger, Sr., G, BYU-Hawaii
Luke Hager, Jr., F, Hawai’i Pacific
Tre Johnson, Jr., F, Hawai’i Hilo
Robert Sandoval, Sr., G, Azusa Pacific
Dominique Taplin, Sr., G, Dominican

All-PacWest Conference Third Team
Trevon Clayton, Sr., F, Fresno Pacific
Matt Hayes, Jr., G, Dominican
Kevin Hu, Jr., G, Chaminade
Marek Klassen, Sr., G, Point Loma
Kuany Kuany, So., F, Chamiande
Justin Long, Sr., G, Hawai’i Pacific
Mason Sawyer (West Jordan, UT/West Jordan), Jr., G, Dixie State
Taj Spencer, Jr., F, California Baptist

PacWest Men’s Basketball Awards
Player of the Year: Troy Leaf, Azusa Pacific
Defender of the Year: Dominique Taplin, Dominican
Freshman of the Year: Petar Kutlesic, Azusa Pacific
Newcomer of the Year: Gelaun Wheelwright, California Baptist
Coach of the Year: Justin Leslie, Azusa Pacific

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Twitter: @oldschoolag

Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2015, all rights reserved.

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