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While we await the release of the West Coast Conference all-league honors tomorrow, I have compiled my choices for postseason honors. In the WCC, only the nine coaches get votes, and none of the coaches are permitted to vote for members of their own team, which as I understand it, is somewhat standard procedure for polls that are limited to coaches' input.
Many other conferences involve media members, who cast postseason ballots which are then aggregated with those of the league's coaches. The WCC has historically not involved media members in the voting, and I presume part of the reason is the relatively limited numbers of media representatives that cover WCC teams on a regular basis. Few league members have beat writers assigned solely to that team, and it is rare that writers or columnists travel to cover those teams. BYU and Gonzaga stand apart in terms of media coverage, on TV, radio, and print/internet, but most other WCC teams simply don't have consistently broad media representation, beyond the team's radio broadcaster.
To that end, I would like the league to consider inviting a single media member from each team's local market to participate in pre- and post-season balloting, along with national/regional TV broadcasters and/or writers who cover the conference and its schools on a regular basis. For schools which don't have beat writers assigned to their programs, use a member of the radio crew. For institutions with a more comprehensive media cadre, the league can rotate the selection from among radio broadcasters and print reporters/columnists. Such a change would:
a) expand the group that votes for these honors to a larger and more representative sampling
b) permit coaches to vote for their own players
c) minimize potential politicizing of the procedure
With that out of the way, I will now proceed with my picks for 2013 (note: all stats considered/referenced are for conference games only; only those stats are considered in the balloting)
PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Kelly Olynyk, Gonzaga: As was the case last season, when I picked St. Mary's point guard Matthew Dellavedova for this honor, I looked for the best player on the best team, and Olynyk more than qualifies on that account. Olynyk's consistently productive play drove the Zags to reclaim the West Coast Conference crown they relinquished to the Gaels last season, and helped GU to the top of the national polls and into prime position for a one seed on Selection Sunday.
Olynyk finished 3rd in WCC scoring, 1st in field goal percentage (67%), 10th in free throw percentage, 6th in rebounding, 2nd in blocked shots, and all while averaging just under than 27 minutes per game in league play. He scored in double figures in every WCC game, and recorded eight or more rebounds nine times in 16 games. His 26-point performance against BYU in Spokane was one of the most efficient single-game outings in the last decade of college hoops. In the Zags' 83-63 win over the Cougars, the Canadian center went 9-for-9 from the field and 8-for-8 from the free throw line, with nine rebounds and five assists. It was the kind of game that marked the difference between last season's second-place squad and this season's conference champion.
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Matthew Dellavedova, St. Mary's: An under-the-radar pick for this honor, Dellavedova finished in the top ten in steals, but he gets the nod for his overall defensive influence on a very good defensive team. Dellavedova was often guarding the opponent's best scoring guard/wing, and continually orchestrated the defensive movements and assignments of his teammates. A senior leader in every sense of the word, Delly is the Gaels' ringleader on both ends of the floor, even though his defensive acumen is not generally recognized. I recently went to the DVR for St. Mary's games, and started isolating the Gaels' defensive possessions, focusing solely on Dellavedova. I came away more impressed than I was when watching him live, with a better understanding of the all-encompassing role he has on that team.
A popular choice for DPOY will be Gonzaga's Mike Hart, who is a valuable defender and hustle guy for the best defensive team in the league, but interestingly, he played only 18 minutes per game (roughly half the amount of time that Dellavedova spent on the floor, on a per game basis), somewhat limiting his overall defensive impact.
I also like the Zags' Olynyk, who finished second in the league in blocked shots, but is also athletic enough to switch on the perimeter and guard smaller, quicker players. GU's Gary Bell, Jr., is another solid Bulldog defender, and will likely pick up votes. Any Gonzaga pick is a solid one, as the Zags led the WCC in points allowed, FG% defense and 3PFG% defense.
NEWCOMER OF THE YEAR
Stacy Davis, Pepperdine: A true freshman, Davis was the only newcomer in the league's scoring top 25 (10.7 ppg), and finished 6th in rebounding (7.3 rpg); he was also 15th in FG%. Davis recorded three double-doubles in league, including an 18-point, 15-rebound performance vs. USF—-the first 15/15 showing by a Wave in five years.
At 6'6", 235 lbs., Davis is already one of sturdiest bodies in the league; I expect him to continue to serve as a centerpiece of coach Marty Wilson's rebuilding effort in Malibu.
COACH OF THE YEAR
Mark Few, Gonzaga: The leader among active NCAA Division I coaches in win percentage (81%), Few led Gonzaga on an undefeated romp to the top of the WCC, with GU capturing its 12th regular-season title in the last 13 years, and 10th outright title. Coach Few schedules aggressively out of conference, and as a result his winning teams are annually rewarded by the NCAA Tournament Selection Committee.
The Zags will this year make their 14th consecutive tourney appearance, and will certainly receive their highest seed ever—a likely one seed.
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ALL-CONFERENCE TEAM (listed alphabetically, by institution)
Brandon Davies, BYU: 5th in scoring, 2nd rebounding, 6th in FG%, 14th in apg, 10th in steals, 14th in blocked shots; scored 20+ points five times in his last ten league games. Arguably the WCC's best passing big man, Davies recovered from a mid-season ankle injury to regain his old form in the back half of league play.
Tyler Haws, BYU: 1st in scoring, 10th in FG%, 4th in FT%, 12th in steals, 18th in rebounding, 2nd in minutes played. Although his shooting numbers fluctuated late in the season, he could basically be counted for 20+ points per night, and proved to be among the hardest players to guard, capable of hitting from every spot on the floor.
Elias Harris, Gonzaga: 9th in scoring, 7th in FG%, 3rd in rebounding, 9th in FT%. Olynyk gets all of the attention, but Harris is the perfect inside complement: a prototypical power forward who racked up four double-doubles in league play, while coming a single rebound shy of three more. He led the Zags on the glass, outrebounding teammate Kelly Olynyk.
Kelly Olynyk, Gonzaga: see Player of the Year notes above.
Kevin Pangos, Gonzaga: 18th in scoring, 14th in FG%, 12th in assists, 3rd in FT%, 7th in 3PFG%, 4th in 3PFGM, 14th in steals. As the starting point guard for one of the most prolific offensive teams in the country, Pangos produced numbers that were more steady than spectacular, but led the team in three-pointers made and was automatic from the free throw line, where his 31-for-35 performance fell a handful of attempts short of qualification.
Matthew Dellavedova, St. Mary's: 7th in scoring, 1st in assists, 4th in FT%, 3rd in 3PFGM, 14th in 3PFG%, 15th in steals, 2nd in a/to ratio, 2nd in minutes played. Last year's WCC Player of the Year, Dellavedova was even more of a focal point this season, without Rob Jones around to ease some of the scoring burden. Dellavedova was the only Gael in the top 15 in scoring, but teammates Brad Waldow, Stephen Holt and Beau Levesque in particular benefited from the Aussie's proficiency as a distributor. All three were among the top 15 in FG%, in large part because of where Delly got them the ball.
Stephen Holt, St. Mary's: 15th in scoring, 14th in rebounding, 13th in FG%, 5th in FT%, 15th in 3PFG%, 13th in 3PFGM. Finishing second to the Zags at 14-2, the Gaels deserve a second representative on the team, and Holt was their second-most important player, albeit with numbers that don't jump off the page.
Cole Dickerson, San Francisco: 8th in scoring, 6th in rebounding (1st in defensive rebounding), 9th in FG%, 10th in 3PFG%, 9th in 3PFGM. Dickerson recorded four double-doubles in league play, and for an inside player, was quite effective when stepping out to the arc. Securing the five seed in Las Vegas after a staggering start to league play, the Dons deserved to have a player on the team, and it came down to Dickerson and point guard Cody Doolin; tough call, and a flip-flop could be easily justified.
Kevin Foster, Santa Clara: 4th in scoring, 7th in assists, 6th in FT%, 3rd in steals, 1st in 3PFGM, 13th in 3PFG%, 8th in a/to ratio, 7th in minutes played. The WCC's all-time leader in three-point field goals made, Foster had his ups and downs, but could get hot faster than any other player in the league. For a big-time scorer, he is an excellent distributor and a disruptive defender. His absence contributed to SCU's 0-16 performance last season; this year, he helped secure for the Broncos a winning league record and top four seed in the conference tournament.
Marc Trasolini, Santa Clara: 6th in scoring, 4th in FG%, 3rd in rebounding (2nd in offensive rebounding), 5th in blocked shots. Largely overlooked as a marquee performer, Trasolini's season-ending injury in 2011-12 was the other main reason Santa Clara plummeted to the bottom of the league standings. With the Canadian big man back in the lineup, the Broncos were back to their high-scoring and opportunistic ways. SCU led the league in offensive rebounds, and Trasolini was a big factor in that effort. His all-around numbers are among the best of any player in the WCC.
Also considered--
Matt Carlino, BYU: 11th in scoring, 4th in assists, 1st in steals, 6th in a/to ratio. Impressive numbers, but his sluggish finish over the last three weeks knocked Carlino off the team. In BYU's biggest games, Carlino was not at his best, and his inconsistency is somewhat of a red flag for the Cougars heading into the postseason; he's a very important player for BYU in the weeks ahead.
Gary Bell, Jr., Gonzaga: 30th in scoring, 13th in assists, 11th in 3PFG%, 9th in 3PFGM. If the Zags get a fourth player on the team, this would be the guy. In Gonzaga's two toughest conference games, at St. Mary's and BYU, Bell scored 20 and 15 points, respectively.
Anthony Ireland, Loyola Marymount: 2nd in scoring, 10th in assists, 2nd in FT%, 7th in steals, 6th in 3PFGM, 8th in a/to ratio, 1st in minutes played. It was hard for me to leave Ireland off the team, but it came down to wins, and LMU went 1-15. Yes, he produced some strong stats across the board, but was unable to lead the Lions to a better league standing after a fourth-place preseason placement.
Christopher Anderson, San Diego: 29th in scoring, 3rd in assists, 5th in steals, 5th in a/to ratio. Joining with Johnny Dee to form the Toreros' dynamic backcourt duo, Anderson is one of the league's most exciting and impactful players. His end-to-end overtime game-winner at LMU remains one of the best individual plays in this past season of college hoops.
Johnny Dee, San Diego: 9th in scoring, 1st in FT%, 6th in 3PFGM, 9th in minutes played. Dee hit double figures 12 times in 16 conference games, and is among the WCC's most dangerous shooters when he gets going.
Cody Doolin, San Francisco: 12th in scoring, 11th in FG%, 2nd in assists, 7th in FT%, 5th in steals, 3rd in a/to ratio. Doolin paced USF in its recovery from an 0-5 league start to a 7-9 finish and tie for 5th place. Doolin's speed won't blow anyone away, but like Dellavedova, he plays with the crafty ability to change pace and find openings to the basket, while serving as an extremely proficient facilitator. As noted above, I could have replaced Dickerson with Doolin and felt good about it.
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ALL-FRESHMAN TEAM
Stacy Davis, Pepperdine: See Newcomer of the Year notes above.
Bryce Pressley, Portland: Assumed a starter's role midway through league play and proved to be a versatile difference-maker. Pressley hit late-game deal-sealing free throws in a late-season win over USD; averaged five points, three rebounds and two assists per game (almost 7 ppg in his final six conference games).
Tim Derksen, San Francisco: Derksen often drew the opponent's best wing as a defensive assignment, but also contributed on the offensive end, averaging 6 ppg and 3 rpg, while shooting better than 40% from the three-point line.
Avry Holmes, San Francisco: Averaged better than 8 ppg, while lighting it up from the arc, shooting 53% from distance—good for 3rd place. Made 28 of 35 free throws.
Mark Tollefsen, San Francisco: Shot 53% from the field and 90% from the stripe; averaged just under seven points per game, and finished league play on a tear, at 16 ppg over his last three games as he joined the starting lineup.
Also considered--
Przemek Karnowski, Gonzaga: Made more of an impact in nonconference play than in league competition, but gave the Zags another big body (7'1", 305 lbs.) to play alongside and in place of Kelly Olynyk. Shot only 44% from the field in averaging 3.6 points and 2.4 rebounds per game.
Jett Raines, Pepperdine: Averaged six points and three rebounds per game, shooting 49% from the field and 75% from the stripe.
Jito Kok, San Diego: Led the league in blocked shots; averaged three points and three rebounds per game, while shooting 50% from the field and playing about 20 minutes per game.
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Photo: Courtesy BYU Photo
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