March 4, 2008

Cullowhee, N.C. - Western Carolina sophomore guard Brandon Giles was today named to the media's second team All-Southern Conference by the voting members of the SoCon Sports Media Association (SCSMA). He is the 11th different Catamount to garner all-conference accolades from the media since it started selecting an honorary squad in 1990.

Giles was the Catamounts' leading scorer this season, ranking fourth in the SoCon with a 15.3 point per game average. He also ranks 12th in the league in 3-pointers made per game, averaging 1.85 per contest. Despite missing the final three regular season games due to injuries sustained in an automobile accident, the Auburndale, Fla., native continues to boast a career-best, 18-game double-digit scoring streak in games in which he has played.

This season, Giles has 22 double-figure scoring outings and has surpassed the 20-point plateau nine times including a career-high 32 points against the College of Charleston in Cullowhee back on Dec. 1. He has paced the Catamounts in scoring 13 times this season.

Davidson sophomore Stephen Curry was a unanimous choice as the conference's Malcolm U. Pitt Player of the Year, with Wildcat head coach Bob McKillop garnering the Anton Foy Coach of the Year. The two guided Davidson to a perfect 20-0 league record and a 23-6 regular season finish. The Citadel's Cameron Wells was the choice of the media for the league's Freshman of the Year after leading the league's freshmen with a 14.6 point per game average.

Overall, nine teams had players named to the SCSMA all-conference team. Davidson (Curry, Jason Richards and Thomas Sander), and College of Charleston (Jermaine Johnson, Andrew Goudelock and Tony White, Jr,.) each had three players earn all-conference honors. Appalachian State (Donte Minter and Jeremy Clayton) and Chattanooga (Nicchaeus Doaks and Stephen McDowell) each landed two players on the all-league squad. Elon (Ola Atoyebi), Georgia Southern (Louis Graham), UNC Greensboro (Kyle Hines), Western Carolina (Giles) and Wofford (Drew Gibson) all had one player represented.

Seeded ninth, Western Carolina will square-off against No. 8 Wofford at 3:00 pm on Friday afternoon in the first game of the men's SoCon Tournament at the North Charleston Coliseum. The two squads split their two regular season meetings, each winning on their home court with WCU upending the Terriers, 62-57, back on Feb. 28.

The 2008 Coaches' All-Southern Conference team is slated to be announced by the conference office on Thursday morning.

 

SCSMA Men's Basketball All-Southern Conference Teams
First Team
Stephen Curry, Davidson
Kyle Hines, UNC Greensboro
Louis Graham, Georgia Southern
Jason Richards, Davidson
Donte Minter, Appalachian State

Second Team
Nicchaeus Doaks, Chattanooga
Brandon Giles, Western Carolina
Stephen McDowell, Chattanooga
Jermaine Johnson, College of Charleston
Andrew Goudelock, College of Charleston

Third Team
Tony White, Jr., College of Charleston
Ola Atoyebi, Elon
Thomas Sander, Davidson
Drew Gibson, Wofford
Jeremy Clayton, Appalachian State

All-Freshman Team
Cameron Wells, The Citadel
Andrew Goudelock, College of Charleston
Donald Sims, Appalachian State
Willie Powers, Georgia Southern
Justin Dehm, Furman

Malcolm U. Pitt Player of the Year: Stephen Curry, Davidson
Freshman of the Year: Cameron Wells, The Citadel
Anton Foy Coach of the Year: Bob McKillop, Davidson