Jesse Sanders has been named to the 2011-12 Big South All-Conference first team, as voted on by the league's head coaches and media panel.
Liberty senior guard Jesse Sanders has been voted to the Big South All-Conference men's basketball first team by the league's head coaches and media panel. The announcement was made by the conference office, Sunday afternoon. In addition to his on-court accolade, Sanders was also named to the Big South All-Academic team. The honor marks Sanders' second straight first team selection. Last season, the Sugar Land, Texas native was voted Big South Player of the Year, along with receiving first team accolades. Sanders closed out the 2011-12 regular season No. 3 in the country in assists with 8.0 per game. In addition to leading the conference in helpers, Sanders finished fifth in rebounds (7.8 rpg) and 19th in scoring (12.4 ppg), pacing the Flames in all three statistical categories. The senior made history on several occasions throughout the 2011-12 campaign. In Liberty's game against conference leader UNC Asheville (Jan. 7), Sanders recorded 10 assists to surpass Radford's Amir Johnson (2007-10) as the Big South's all-time assist leader. Three weeks later, Sanders broke a 32-year old record, surpassing Karl Hess (1977-1980) to become Liberty's all-time assist leader. Sanders became the first player in Division I history to record a triple-double in each of his four collegiate seasons, posting 14 points, 10 rebounds and 13 assists in Liberty's 84-78 win at High Point (Jan. 21). The floor general is the only player in Big South history to have four career triple-doubles and at least 1,000 points (1,221), 800 rebounds (807) and 700 assists (720). Sanders and the Flames head to Asheville, N.C. for the 2012 Advance Auto Parts Big South Men's Basketball Championship on Wednesday. No. 5 Liberty will meet No. 4 Charleston in the Southern quarterfinals at 8 p.m. The contest will be televised live on the Liberty Channel and streamed on the Big South Network.
2011-12 Men's Basketball All-Conference
First-Team All-Conference Matt Dickey, G, Sr., UNC Asheville Nick Barbour, G, Sr., High Point Jesse Sanders, G, Sr., Liberty Kelvin Martin, F, Sr., Charleston Southern Eric Griffin, F, Sr., Campbell (tie) Al'Lonzo Coleman, F, R-Sr., Presbyterian College (tie)
Second-Team All-Conference J.P. Primm, G, Sr., UNC Asheville Stan Okoye, F, Jr., VMI Anthony Raffa, G, R-Jr., Coastal Carolina Darren White, G, Jr., Campbell Chris Gradnigo, F, R-Sr., Coastal Carolina
All-Freshman Team Trey Freeman, G, Campbell Saah Nimley, G, Charleston Southern Arlon Harper, G, Charleston Southern R.J. Price, G, Radford Javonte Green, F, Radford
All-Academic Team Sam McLaurin, F, R-Jr., Coastal Carolina Mike Byron, C, Soph., Gardner-Webb Landon Harris, F, Jr., High Point Jesse Sanders, G, Sr., Liberty Jay Reynolds, C, Jr., Presbyterian College Tolga Cerrah, F, Jr., Radford Matt Dickey, G, Sr., UNC Asheville Stan Okoye, F, Jr., VMI
Player of the Year Matt Dickey, G, Sr., UNC Asheville
Freshman of the Year Trey Freeman, G, Campbell
Defensive Player of the Year Kelvin Martin, F, Sr., Charleston Southern
Coach of the Year Barclay Radebaugh, Charleston Southern
Scholar-Athlete of the Year Tolga Cerrah, Jr., F, Radford
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