Fresno State Athletics
Al-Sayyad, Coleman Receive All-WAC Honors
3/6/2005 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
March 6, 2005
FRESNO, Calif. - The Western Athletic Conference men's basketball postseason award winners as selected by the league's 10 head coaches were announced today.For Fresno State, two players received honors. Mustafa Al-Sayyad was named to the All-WAC second team and to the All-Defensive Team. It marks the second year in a row Al-Sayyad was named one of the league's top defensive players.
The senior center averaged 11.1 points, 7.2 rebounds and a WAC-high 1.8 blocks in conference contests. It is the first time in Al-Sayyad's career he was named to an All-WAC first or second team.
Ja'Vance Coleman also was honored. The sophomore guard was voted to the All-Newcomer Team after establishing himself as one of the WAC's most electrifying players this year. He led the Bulldogs with a 15.6 scoring average, a number that placed him in the WAC's top 10 all season. He also chipped in 4.2 rebounds and 2.4 assists per game.
The All-WAC first team is led by Nevada sophomore forward Nike Fazekas who was also voted the WAC's Player of the Year. In 18 conference games, Fazekas averaged a WAC-best 21.8 points per game and was third in rebounding with 10.7 per contest. It is the second year in a row that Nevada has had the Player of the Year as Kirk Snyder won the award last season. Rice's Michael Harris, Louisiana Tech's Paul Millsap and UTEP's Omar Thomas and Filiberto Rivera were also first team selections. Harris and Rivera were first-team selections last season while Millsap and Thomas were voted to the second-team. Millsap was the 2003-04 WAC Freshman of the Year.
The All-WAC second-teamers this year were Bryan Hopkins, SMU; Kevinn Pinkney, Nevada; Jason McKrieth, Rice; Marquin Chandler, San Jose State; and Mustafa Al-Sayyad, Fresno State. McKrieth earned second-team honors last year as well.
Nevada guard Ramon Sessions was named the WAC's Freshman of the Year. In 18 conference games (in which he started 17) Sessions averaged 9.6 points, 4.9 assists and 1.7 steals per contest. Nevada first-year head coach Mark Fox was named the Don Haskins Coach of the Year after leading the Wolf Pack to the WAC's regular season title with a 16-2 record and a 24-5 mark overall. The 16 wins are the most ever for a WAC team.
The 2005 WAC Basketball Tournament is this week at the Lawlor Events Center in Reno, Nevada. Fresno State, the No. 4 seed, opens play Thursday at 6 p.m. against fifth-seeded Louisiana Tech. The game will be televised by KFRE.
2005 WAC Men's Basketball Postseason Award Winners
First Team All-WAC
Nick Fazekas, Nevada, F, 6-11, 225, So., Arvada, Colo. (Ralston Valley HS)
Michael Harris, Rice, F, 6-6, 240, Sr., Hillsboro, Texas (Hillsboro HS)
Paul Millsap, Louisiana Tech, F, 6-8, 235, So., Grambling, La. (Grambling HS)
Omar Thomas, UTEP, F, 6-5, 205, Sr., Philadelphia, Pa. (Panola College)
Filiberto Rivera, UTEP, G, 6-2, 175, Sr., Carolina, Puerto Rice (Southeastern CC)
Second Team All-WAC
Bryan Hopkins, SMU, G, 6-0, 195, Jr., Dallas, Texas (Lincoln HS)
Kevinn Pinkney, Nevada, F, 6-9, 245, Sr., Colton, Calif. (Colton HS)
Jason McKrieth, Rice, G, 6-4, 210, Sr., Schenectady, N.Y. (Schenectady HS)
Marquin Chandler, San Jose State, F, 6-7, 220, Sr., Fremont, Calif. (George Washington University)
Mustafa Al-Sayyad, Fresno State, C, 6-9, 230, Sr., Khartoum, Sudan (Washington College Academy)
Player of the Year: Nick Fazekas, Nevada
Freshman of the Year: Ramon Sessions, Nevada
Don Haskins Coach of the Year: Mark Fox, Nevada
WAC All-Newcomer Team
Ja'Vance Coleman, Fresno State, G, 6-3, 215, So., Fresno, Calif. (College of the Sequoias)
Ramon Sessions, Nevada, G, 6-3, 190, Fr., Myrtle Beach, S.C. (Myrtle Beach HS)
Matt Gibson, Hawaii, G, 6-5, 170, So., Oklahoma City, Okla. (Three Rivers CC)
Mo Charlo, Nevada, G, 6-7, 210, Jr., Eureka, Calif. (Diablo Valley College)
Miguel Ayala, UTEP, G, 6-6, 190, Jr., Tepic, Mexico (Fullerton College)
WAC All-Defensive Team
Mustafa Al-Sayyad, Fresno State, C, 6-9, 230, Sr., Khartoum, Sudan (Washington College Academy)
Kevinn Pinkney, Nevada, F, 6-9, 245, Sr., Colton, Calif. (Colton HS)
Jermaine Washington, Nevada, F, 6-5, 205, Sr., Columbia, S.C. (South Plains College)
Jarius Glenn, Tulsa, F, 6-6, 220, Sr., Decatur, Ga. (Avondale HS)
Jason Williams, UTEP, G/F, 6-6, 205, Jr., Marrero, La. (Kilgore College)
Jason Ellis, Boise State, F, 6-7, 216, Sr., Kent, Wash. (Kentridge HS)
