Four Men’s Basketball Players Named To NABC All-Region Team

KANSAS CITY, Mo. - The National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) announced today the NABC Division II All-District teams for 2010, recognizing the nation's best men's collegiate basketball student-athletes. Four players from the South Atlantic Conference were named to the Southeast All-Region Team.

Kyle Moore from Tusculum College, the SAC Player of the Year, was named to the first team for the second year in a row. Jonathan Whitson from Brevard College was also named to the first team. Lincoln Memorial University's D'Mario Curry and Mars Hill College's Danny Sanders were named to the second team.

Selected and voted on by member coaches of the NABC, these student-athletes represent the finest basketball players across America. The 88 student-athletes, from eight districts, are now eligible for the State Farm® Coaches' Division II All-America team, selected by the NABC.

Moore, a 6-3, 190-pound senior guard from Gainesville, Fla., was named the 2010 South Atlantic Conference Player of the Year for a second straight season as he led the league in scoring for a second straight year, averaging 24.8 points per game, which is currently third in NCAA Division II and fifth nationally for all NCAA divisions. Moore's scoring average is the second highest in league history and fifth in school history. Moore accounted for 693 points this year, while leading the Pioneers to a 16-12 record and 10-6 in league play to finish second in the conference standings for a second straight season. His point tally this year is the second most in recorded school history and third in the league record book.

Kyle Moore

Jonathan Whitson

D'Mario Curry

Danny Sanders

The three-time All-SAC selection established a new school and SAC record with his 117 three-point field goals made this season. His 4.18 treys per game average are second in the country, while shooting 45.3 percent from beyond the arc (2nd in SAC/9th in NCAA II).

In just 87 games in a Pioneer uniform, Moore connected on 306 career three-point field goals, which are the most in conference history and the second-most ever by a Pioneer. He connected on 43 percent of his long-range attempts at Tusculum, which is the fourth-highest average in school history.

In his three seasons at Tusculum, Moore scored 1,813 points, ranking him fourth on the TC scoring list and the seventh-leading scorer in SAC history. He averaged 20.8 points per game at Tusculum, which is the third highest scoring average ever by a South Atlantic Conference player. Including his rookie campaign at NCAA Division I Winthrop University, Moore scored 1,863 points as a collegiate player.

Moore has been the model of consistency during his career, scoring 20 or more points an amazing 45 times in his three seasons at Tusculum, including 19 times this year. He has also poured in 30 or more points on 15 occasions, including 10 times this season. The Buchholz High School graduate was named SAC Player of the Week four times this season and nine times in the last two years combined.

The 2009 Division II All-American holds the school record with his 447 made free throws. While at Tusculum, Moore shot 85 percent from the foul line (447-of-526), which is the second highest career percentage in school history and third in SAC history. His .862 free throw percentage this season was second in the conference and 37th in the nation.

He finished his career at Tusculum similarly to how he started it at the charity stripe. He opened his TC career making his first 24 free throws. Moore finished the same way, connecting on his final 24 trips to the foul line. In his last 11 contests, Moore went 64-of-68 from the free throw line (94.1 percent), including a string of 33 in a row.

Whitson was named to the NABC All-Southeast Region men's basketball team for the second straight season. He was a second team selection following the 2008-2009 season.

This award continues the accolades given to Whitson as the senior has been selected to the All-Daktronics Southeast Second Team last week. Whitson was also named a First Team All-South Atlantic Conference selection and was the 2010 Food Lion South Atlantic Conference Tournament Most Valuable Player in leading the Tornados men's basketball team to Brevard College's first SAC title.

Throughout the year, Whitson achieved the personal milestone of reaching 2,000 points in his career and he currently is the BC career leader in points scored at 2,028, rebounds with 942, field goals made at 785, field goals attempted at 1,510, free throws made with 438, free throws attempted at 603 and will finish his career as the Brevard College all-time scoring average leader, averaging 18.0 points per game as a Tornados.

For the season, Whitson also set several records, including most free throws made and most consecutive free throws made in a row, while also setting the school record for most consecutive free throws made in a game and most field goals made in a game.

Curry, a 6-7 junior and two-time All-South Atlantic Conference First Team selection, led the Railsplitters to their first 20-win season since the 1988-89 campaign this year while helping the team finish the year with a 20-9 record in the semifinals of the 2010 Food Lion South Atlantic Conference Tournament. In only his second year with the LMU men's basketball program, Curry led the Railsplitters in scoring, rebounding and blocks this season with 16.9 points per game, 11.1 rebounds and 3.43 blocks each night.

Curry's efforts on the floor also ranked him sixth in the conference in scoring, first in rebounding, third in field goal percentage (58.7), seventh in steals (1.46) and first in blocked shots (3.43). Nationally, Curry ranks 30th in field goal percentage, ninth in rebounding and fourth in blocked shots.

"I am proud of D'Mario for being named First Team All-South Atlantic Conference for a second consecutive year," said LMU Head Coach Josh Schetz. "In a league filled with great players, I have said before and will say it again, if I could pick to coach any player in the league he would be the one. His impact on the game both offensively and defensively is so significant that his value really is impossible to measure."

Next season, Curry will headline a Railsplitter team that returns 13 lettermen when the LMU men take their next shot at capturing their first regular season and conference tournament titles since the late 80's. The Railsplitters report for preseason conditioning in mid October in preparation for the 2010-11 season.

Sanders, a senior guard from Shelby, N.C., leads the nation in steals per game (3.7) and is ranked eighth nationally in points scored per contest (23.0). He placed eleventh in the country in 3-point field goals per game (3.4).

Sanders ranked first in the league in steals; second in scoring and 3-pointers made; ninth in blocks (1.14) and minutes played (32.07); 11th in 3-point field goal percentage (.373); 13th in free throw shooting percentage (.740); and 16th in rebounding (5.1). Sanders was a first team All-SAC pick

Located in Kansas City, Missouri, the NABC was founded in 1927 by Phog Allen, the legendary basketball coach at the University of Kansas. Allen, a student of James Naismith, the inventor of basketball, organized coaches into this collective group to serve as Guardians of the Game. The NABC currently claims nearly 5,000 members consisting primarily of university and college men s basketball coaches. All members of the NABC are expected to uphold the core values of being a Guardian of the Game by bringing attention to the positive aspects of the sport of basketball and the role coaches play in the academic and athletic lives of today s student-athletes. The four core values of being a Guardian of the Game are advocacy, leadership, service and education. For additional information about the NABC, its programs and membership, Click here.

Southeast
First Team

Kendrick Easley, Mt. Olive
Ben Madgen, Augusta State
Kyle Moore, Tusculum
Jonathan Whitson, Brevard
Chris Woods, Pfeiffer
Fred Brathwaite, Augusta State

Second Team

Daniel Bailey, Queens
D'Mario Curry, Lincoln Memorial
Danny Sanders, Mars Hill
Brandon Young, Anderson
Mason Ambler, Coker

Coach of the Year: Joey Higginbotham, Mt. Olive