ROCK HILL, S.C. --- Tusculum University guard Trenton Gibson was named to the All-South Atlantic Conference team while rookie forward Joshua Scott garnered SAC All-Freshman Team recognition with the release of the league's men's basketball awards.
Gibson, a sophomore from Murfreesboro, Tennessee, is leading the Pioneers in scoring and assists and earns All-SAC honorable mention distinction. The 2019 SAC Freshman of the Year is posting 13.7 points per game (20th in SAC) while dishing out 4.0 assists per contest (6th in SAC). He is the team's third leading rebounder, grabbing 6.0 boards per outing (16th in SAC) including 2.4 offensive boards per game (8th in SAC).
Gibson is shooting 40.1 percent from the floor and 81 percent from the free throw line (13th in SAC). He has scored in double figures in 24 of his 31 appearances this year including a span of 11 straight from Jan. 22 to Feb. 26. He has eclipsed 20 or more points on three occasions including a season-best 26 markers in a 77-70 road win at Lenoir-Rhyne. He notched 19 points in Wednesday's 86-65 SAC Quarterfinal victory over Anderson University. In this year's season-opener against USC Aiken, he finished with 17 points, 11 rebounds and 12 assists for only the second recorded triple-double in program history.
Gibson has also shined off the court this year where he was named to the CoSIDA Academic All-District 3 first team.
Scott, a native of Pompano Beach, Florida, earns SAC All-Freshman Team accolades. Scott is averaging 5.6 points and 2.9 rebounds per game in his 28 appearances including eight starts. He is shooting 44.1 percent from the floor and 65.5 percent from the free throw line. He has totaled 81 rebounds and 17 steals in his first TU campaign.
SAC statistical champions (regular season only) were also announced with Tusculum leading the conference in total rebounds (1228) and total steals (268).
The Pioneers (19-12) finished fourth in the league for a second straight season and have advanced to the SAC semifinal for the first time since 2011. Tusculum will face top-seed and No. 2 nationally ranked Lincoln Memorial University on Saturday at 5 p.m. from Timmons Arena in Greenville, South Carolina.
All-South Atlantic Conference Men's Basketball Team
First Team
Courvoisier McCauley, Lincoln Memorial
Daniel Carr, Queens
Devin Whitfield, Lincoln Memorial
Devin Cooper, Catawba
Ja'Shawn Brooks, Mars Hill
R.J. Gunn, Lenoir-Rhyne
Second Team
Quin Nottingham, Anderson
Shawn Benard, Anderson
Angelo Sales Jr., Newberry
Cameron Henry, Lincoln Memorial
Cameron Whiteside, UVa-Wise
Anthony Brown, Lincoln Memorial
Honorable Mention
Marcell Haskett, Catawba
Jarren Cottingham, Wingate
Darius Simmons, Lenoir-Rhyne
Jamari Smith, Queens
Trenton Gibson, Tusculum
Van Turner Jr., Queens
SAC All-Freshman Team
Crosby James II, Anderson
Gavin Rains, Queens
Cooper Fowler, Lenoir-Rhyne
Zim Field, Lenoir-Rhyne
Joshua Scott, Tusculum
SAC Player of the Year: Courvoisier McCauley, Lincoln Memorial
SAC Freshman of the Year: Crosby James II, Anderson
SAC Defensive Player of the Year: Cameron Henry, Lincoln Memorial
SAC Coach of the Year: Josh Schertz, Lincoln Memorial
Statistical Champions
Points Per Game – Cameron Whiteside, UVa-Wise, 20.8
Three-Pointers Per Game – Van Turner Jr. Queens, 3.32
Rebounds Per Game – Angelo Sales Jr., Newberry, 8.7
Blocked Shots Per Game – Nassyr Daniel, Mars Hill, 2.21
Field Goal Percentage – Devin Whitfield, Lincoln Memorial, 52.4
Assists Per Game – Anthony Brown, Lincoln Memorial, 5.6
Assist-to-Turnover Ratio – Anthony Brown, Lincoln Memorial, 3.32
Steals Per Game – Cameron Henry, Lincoln Memorial, 2.17
Three-Point Field Goal Percentage – Luke Gibson, Newberry, 45.9
Free Throw Percentage – Austin Gilyard, Mars Hill, 88.5
Team Scoring Offense – Lincoln Memorial, 93.7
Team Steals – Tusculum, 268
Team Field Goal Percentage – Lincoln Memorial, 52.1
Team FG Percentage Defense – Lincoln Memorial, 37.2
Team Assists – Lincoln Memorial, 580
Team Rebounds – Tusculum, 1,228
Team Blocked Shots – Lincoln Memorial, 126
Team Three-Point FG Percentage – Lincoln Memorial, 41.5
Team Scoring Defense – Lincoln Memorial, 70.2
Team Free Throw Percentage – Mars Hill, 79.3
Team Assist-to-Turnover Ratio – Lincoln Memorial, 1.51
