Thursday, March 13, 2014

PORTLAND, Ore. - Seattle Pacific senior guard David Downs has been voted the 2013-14 Daktronics NCAA Division II West Region Men’s Basketball Player of the Year.

Downs, who was named to the all-region first team for the second year in a row, led the Falcons to the Great Northwest Athletic Conference regular-season and conference tournament titles, ranking third in the GNAC in scoring averaging 20.2 points per game and fifth nationally in three-point percentage (79-167, 47.3).  He also paced the Falcons in assists (4.6).

Downs, who earlier was selected the GNAC Player of the Year along with the MVP in the GNAC post-season tournament, was one of four GNAC players selected to the region team, which is selected by sports information directors.  Joining him on the first team was guard Mark McLaughlin of Central Washington, who leads Division II in scoring (27.1).

Earning second team accolades were forward Patrick Simon of Seattle Pacific and center Austin Bragg of Western Washington.

Simon is the Division II national leader in three-point percentage, shooting 51.0 percent.  He also ranks seventh in the conference in scoring (16.5) and ninth in field goal percentage (54.8).

Bragg won the GNAC rebounding title this winter averaging 8.8 per game and finished fourth in scoring (17.3).  He also ended up second in blocked shots (1.8) and fifth in field goal percentage (58.7).

Joining Downs and McLaughlin on the all-region first team were guard Lacy Haddock of Cal State San Bernardino, forward Zach Robbins of Dixie State and center Marcus Bell of Cal State Stanislaus.  Haddock started his career at Central Washington averaging 15.7 points during the 2011-12 season.

McLaughlin and Robbins earned second team honors last year.

Selected to this year’s second team in addition to Simon and Bragg were guards Ryan Berg of California Baptist, DeRonn Scott of Cal Poly Pomona and Lee Bailey of Chaminade. Berg is the first freshman named to the team since Fred Hooks of Humboldt State made the first team in 2001.

Players selected to the region first team will now be listed on the Daktronics All-American national ballot.  The All-American team will be announced Monday, March 24.

DAKTRONICS ALL-REGION: First Team - David Downs, Seattle Pacific (G, 6-2, Sr., Kirkland, WA); Lacy Haddock, CSU San Bernardino (G, 6-3, Sr., Las Vegas, NV); Mark McLaughlin, Central Washington (G, 6-6, Sr., Bothell, WA); Zach Robbins, Dixie State (F, 6-10, Jr., Upland, CA); Marcus Bell, CSU Stanislaus (C, 6-9, Sr., Modesto, CA).  Second Team - Ryan Berg, California Baptist (G, 6-2, Fr., Scottsdale, AZ); DeRonn Scott, Cal Poly Pomona (G, 6-6, Sr., Etiwanda, CA); Lee Bailey, Chaminade (G, 6-0, Jr., Detroit, MI); Patrick Simon, Seattle Pacific (F, 6-8, Sr., Ephrata, WA); Austin Bragg, Western Washington (C, 6-9, Sr., Longview, WA).