A-Sun Trio Continue to Capture Postseason Accolades
Date Posted: 4/1/2008
MACON, Ga. - The postseason accolades for Gardner-Webb's Thomas Sanders, Belmont's Justin Hare and Campbell's Jonathan Rodriguez continued this week, each earning nods from varous media outlets.
Thomas Sanders earned an honorable mention spot on the 2008 Associated Press All-America Team, which was announced Monday and joined Rodriguez on the North Carolina Collegiate Sports Information Association 2007-08 University Division All-State Men’s Basketball Teams. Sanders made the second time while Rodriguez made the first team.
Sanders, a 6-foot-4, 210-pound forward, is the first GWU men’s basketball player to earn All-America honors since swing man Robbie Turner was named third-team Division II All-America following the 1995-1996 campaign.
The Sugarland, Texas, senior becomes the school’s first NCAA Division I All-America selection in basketball, and is the 16th All-America choice in Gardner-Webb’s history-rich tradition on the hardwood – joining Hall of Famers Artis Gilmore (NJCAA), Dennis Childress (NJCAA), George Adams (NAIA), John Drew (NAIA), Jim Blanks (NAIA), Lew Young (NAIA), Dave Bormann (NAIA), Stan Easterling (NAIA), Ben Davis (NAIA) and Eddie Lee Wilkins (NAIA), among others.
Sanders, who spent two seasons at Gardner-Webb after transferring from Otero (Colo.) Junior College, led the ‘Dogs in scoring and rebounding this past season – earning A-Sun Player of the Year honors with averages of 18.0 points, 10.8 rebounds and 3.3 assists per game. A dynamic player, Sanders finished third nationally with a school-record 20 double-doubles – and became the first GWU player to average a season double-double since Easterling did so 20 years ago.
Rodriguez has been named honorable mention Mid-Major All-American by CollegeInsider.com in addtion to his first-team all-state selection by the NCCSIA.
A 6-foot-5 sophomore from Miami, Fla., Rodriguez led the conference and ranked 22nd nationally in scoring (20.9), while rating 20th in the country (second in the league) in rebounding (10.1).
Rodriguez has scored in double figures in 38-straight games and recorded 12 games of 20-plus points and 10-plus rebounds during his sophomore year. He is one of only six players in Division I to average 20 and 10 boards per game.
He also finished 9th among A-Sun leaders in field goal percentage (.488), 7th in free throw accuracy (.765), 10th in steals (1.57), 2nd in offensive rebounds (3.1), 2nd in defensive boards (7.03) and 3rd in minutes played (35.03).
With 626 points in 30 games, the 6-foot-5 forward is only the 2nd player in CU Division I history (since 1977-78) to reach 600 points in a season, joining Clarence Grier (739 in ‘86-87). Rodriguez is the only player in Campbell senior college (since 1961) history to score more than 500 points in both his freshman and sophomore seasons.
Hare joined Rodriguez in earning honors from CollegeInsider.com. He, along with 20 other stars from mid-major schools made up the site's the 2008 Mid-Major All-America Team.
The Cleveland, Tenn. native led the Bruins to a third consecutive Atlantic Sun Conference Championship and third consecutive appearance in the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament. Seeded 15th in the West Region, Belmont challenged three-time national champion Duke to the final horn, before losing 71-70.
Among his numerous accolades, the 6-2 guard is a two-time First Team All-Atlantic Sun honoree and a two-time Atlantic Sun Tournament MVP. All told, Hare ranks second in the Bruins’ NCAA era and eighth in Atlantic Sun Conference history in career points with 1,761 points.
But beyond the hardwood, Hare personified the academic success of the Bruin program. Twice Academic All-American and three-times Academic All-District, Hare also received the signature award of his league being named the 2007 Atlantic Sun Conference Male-Student Athlete of the Year.
Last week, Hare was also chosen as Atlantic Sun Conference Most Valuable Player by the college basketball website for a second consecutive year.
