March 9, 2010

2010 ALL-INDEPENDENT MEN'S BASKETBALL TEAM

FARMVILLE, Va. -- Seattle University forward Charles Garcia has been selected as Player of the Year, Seattle head coach Cameron Dollar is the Coach of the Year, and North Carolina Central University guard C.J. Wilkerson was picked as the Newcomer of the Year in voting by both the Independent head coaches and sports information directors for the 2010 All-Independent Men's Basketball Team. Longwood senior Dana Smith/Woodbridge (C.D. Hylton) and sophomore Antwan Carter/St. Petersburg, Fla. (St. Petersburg) each earned All-Independent 1st-Team honors.  This year's Independent schools include CSU Bakersfield, Longwood, North Carolina Central, Savannah State, Seattle, SIU Edwardsville, and Winston-Salem State.

Smith, also named the Most Valuable Player among Independents by CollegeInsider.com, led Longwood in scoring (565-18.2), field goal attempts (408), free throws (142), free throw attempts (214), games (31), starts (31), and minutes (986-31.8). His 565 points were the sixth-best single season point total all-time, including a season and career-high 27 points, and scored 25 points at both Maryland and James Madison. He posted season-highs of 13 rebounds, four steals, and two blocks, and career-highs of seven assists and four three-point field goals. Smith had 29 double-figure scoring games, including 28-straight to end his season and career with twelve 20-point games, ten 10-rebound games, and 10 double-doubles. He led the Lancers in scoring 21 times, in rebounding 13 times, and had four 40-minute games among nine 35-plus minute games. Smith earned South Padre Island Invitational All-Tournament Team honors in November as well, and ranks 62nd nationally in Division I scoring while only the second player in program history with 1,500 career points (1,540, fourth all-time) and 700 career rebounds (708, second).

Carter led Longwood in field goals (196), field goal percentage (.524), rebounding (265-8.5), and blocks (20). He posted career-highs of 22 points, 19 rebounds, five assists, three blocks, three steals, and two three-point field goals. Carter had 28 double-figure scoring games, including 12-straight to end the season with four 20-point games, ten 10-rebound games, and ten double-doubles. He led the Lancers in scoring 10 times, in rebounding 20 times, and ranks 46th nationally in Division I field goal percentage, and 72nd in rebounding.

Garcia, a 6-10 junior from Los Angeles, California, averaged 18.7 points and 8.3 rebounds while shooting 47% from the field and 62% at the free throw line during his only season with the program. He led the Redhawks to a 17-14 record while posting season-highs of 41 points against Wofford, and 16 rebounds against Cal Poly, with 11 double-doubles as well. Garcia announced yesterday his intention to declare for the NBA Draft at the conclusion of the season as Seattle hopes to earn a berth in the National Invitational Tournament (NIT), the College Basketball Invitational (CBI), or the CollegeInsider.com Tournament (CIT).

Dollar led Seattle to the 17-14 record, including road wins at Utah, Oregon State, Portland State, San Jose State, and UC Davis along with home wins past Fresno State, Weber State, Cal State Northridge, and UC Irvine. The Redhawks enjoyed their fifth-straight winning season overall, though the first winning record while playing a full Division I schedule for the first time. Dollar was in his first year as he took over the program last April (2009).

Wilkerson, a 6-3 junior from Oxford, North Carolina, averaged 16.3 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 2.7 assists while shooting 39% from the field, including 36% on three-point field goals (42), and 77% at the free throw line during his first season with the program. He led North Carolina Central to a 7-22 record while posting 20-plus points 11 times, including a season-high of 30 points against The Apprentice School. Wilkerson was named MVP of the B.C. Powder Classic with 53 points in two games, both homecourt victories by the Eagles.

Garcia and Wilkerson were joined on the All-Independent 1st-Team by Longwood senior Dana Smith, SIU Edwardsville sophomore Mark Yelovich, and Longwood sophomore Antwan Carter. Smith averaged 18.2 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 2.5 assists for the Lancers (12-19). Yelovich averaged 16.7 points and 5.9 rebounds for the Cougars (5-23). Carter averaged 14.6 points and an Independent-best 8.5 rebounds while shooting 52% from the field for Longwood.

The All-Independent 2nd-Team includes Trent Blakley of CSU Bakersfield (15.2 points, 4.5 rebounds), Cervante Burrell of Seattle (11.4 points, 3.5 assists), Rashad Hassan of Savannah State (11.0 points, 5.5 rebounds), Paul Davis of Winston-Salem State (10.9 points, 7.8 rebounds), and Santwon Latunde of CSU Bakersfield (10.7 points, 7.8 rebounds).