SAULT STE. MARIE, Ont. - The top men’s basketball players in the Ontario Colleges Athletic Association (OCAA) were honoured Wednesday evening in Sault Ste. Marie, Ont. in advance of the 2011 OCAA men’s basketball championship hosted by Algoma University.

Eric Smith (Ajax, Ont.) of the Durham Lords is the 2010-11 player of the year. The OCAA East scoring champion led all players in the conference averaging 21.6 points per game. The third-year forward was the only OCAA player to eclipse 200 rebounds, grabbing 206 boards. He is also the only student-athlete to average a double-double for the regular season. Smith is a Canadian Colleges Athletic Association (CCAA) all-Canadian and an OCAA East first-team all-star.

Njuguna Waiganjo (Kenya) of the OCAA East champion Algonquin Thunder is also a CCAA all-Canadian. The third-year guard was one of five OCAA players to average 18.0 points per game and was a co-leader in assists with 83. Waiganjo contributed 42 steals and is an OCAA East first-team all-star.

Sault Cougars forward Randy Frimpong (Toronto) is the OCAA rookie of the year. Frimpong led the Cougars in points averaging 17.0 per game. He also had a team-high 17 blocks while adding 116 rebounds, 31 assists and 17 steals. The OCAA West rookie of the year is a member of the OCAA West second-team all-stars as well as the division all-rookie team.

Algonquin Thunder head coach Trevor Costello is a nominee for CCAA coach of the year. The Thunder flirted with a perfect regular season record, finishing at 19-1. Algonquin was also ranked No. 1 nationally for several weeks. The Thunder outscored their competition by 376 points to lead the OCAA. Costello is the OCAA East coach of the year.

Landry Ndayitwyeko (Windsor, Ont.) of the Algonquin Thunder is the OCAA East defensive player of the year. The second-year player contributed 66 rebounds and 11 steals on a team that was one of the stingiest in points allowed in the division.

Kern Lewis (Toronto) of the Humber Hawks is the OCAA West defensive player of the year. The fifth-year point guard earned 86 rebounds and 31 steals in 2010-11. OCAA West champion Humber tied Algoma for a division-best 1,163 points allowed.

Algonquin Thunder guard Derrek Mooney (Ottawa) is the OCAA East rookie of the year. Mooney averaged 8.0 points per game, contributing 53 rebounds, 22 assists and 12 steals. He is a member of the OCAA East all-rookie team.

Shawn Collins of the Humber Hawks is the OCAA West coach of the year. Humber led the division with a record of 17-1, outscoring the competition by 314 points to lead all OCAA West teams.

Joining Smith and Waiganjo as OCAA East first-team all-stars are Maxim Clarkson (Peterborough, Ont.) of Fleming (Peterborough); Vadim Halimov (Uzbekistan) of Seneca; and Mathieu Riendeau (Ottawa) of St. Lawrence (Kingston).

The OCAA West first-team all-stars are led by division scoring champion Rob Pierce (Windsor, Ont.) of Lambton. Pierce is joined by Dele Oworu (Winnipeg) of Algoma; Michael Acheampong (Toronto) of Humber; Aminu Bello (Hamilton, Ont.) of Mohawk; and Khalid Abdel-Gabar (Mississauga, Ont.) of Sheridan.

OCAA East second-team all-stars consist of Algonquin’s Abdul Kosar (Ottawa); Cambrian’s Josh Budd; Durham’s Courtney Small (Oshawa, Ont.); and George Brown’s Collin Whitely (Toronto) and Salissou Abdoulkader (Toronto).

Joining Frimpong as OCAA West second-team all-stars are Algoma’s Patrick Murray (Sault Ste. Marie, Ont.); Fanshawe’s Jordan Dixon (Kitchener, Ont.); Mohawk’s Jermaine Decosta (Hamilton, Ont.); and Niagara’s C.J. Smith (Scarborough, Ont.).

In addition to Mooney, Jason Miller of Cambrian; Christoff Pierre (Brampton, Ont.) of Durham; Russell Lagman (Ajax, Ont.) of George Brown; and Tevin Goodridge (Markham, Ont.) of Georgian are members of the OCAA East all-rookie team.

Taylor Dowhaniuk (Hamilton, Ont.) of Mohawk; Jimmy Bilenga (Hamilton, Ont.) of Niagara; Jameel Williamson (Pickering, Ont.) of St. Clair; and Michael Selkridge (Brampton, Ont.) of Sheridan join Frimpong on the OCAA West all-rookie team.

2011 OCAA MEN’S BASKETBALL AWARDS AND ALL-STARS

Men's Basketball East Division Champions
Algonquin Thunder

Men's Basketball West Division Champions
Humber Hawks

OCAA Men's Basketball Player of the Year
Eric Smith, Durham

CCAA Men's Basketball All-Canadians
Eric Smith, Durham
Njuguna Waiganjo, Algonquin

OCAA Men's Basketball Rookie of the Year
Randy Frimpong, Sault

OCAA Men's Basketball League Scoring Champion
Eric Smith, Durham

Men's Basketball CCAA Coach of the Year Nominee
Trevor Costello, Algonquin

Men's Basketball East Division Scoring Champion
Eric Smith, Durham

Men's Basketball West Division Scoring Champion
Rob Pierce, Lambton

Men's Basketball East Division Coach of the Year
Trevor Costello, Algonquin

Men's Basketball West Division Coach of the Year
Shawn Collins, Humber

Men's Basketball East Division Rookie of the Year
Derrek Mooney, Algonquin

Men's Basketball West Division Rookie of the Year
Randy Frimpong, Sault

Men's Basketball East Division Defensive Player of the Year
Landry Ndayitwyeko, Algonquin

Men's Basketball West Division Defensive Player of the Year
Kern Lewis, Humber

Men's Basketball East Division First-Team All-Stars
Njuguna Waiganjo, Algonquin
Eric Smith, Durham
Maxim Clarkson, Fleming P
Vadim Halimov, Seneca
Mathieu Riendeau, St. Lawrence

Men's Basketball East Division Second-Team All-Stars
Abdul Kosar, Algonquin
Josh Budd, Cambrian
Courtney Small, Durham
Collin Whitely, George Brown
Salissou Abdoulkader, George Brown

Men's Basketball East Division All-Rookie Team
Derrek Mooney, Algonquin
Jason Miller, Cambrian
Christoff Pierre, Durham
Russell Lagman, George Brown
Tevin Goodridge, Georgian

Men's Basketball West Division First-Team All-Stars
Dele Oworu, Algoma
Michael Acheampong, Humber
Rob Pierce, Lambton
Aminu Bello, Mohawk
Khalid Abdel-Gabar, Sheridan

Men's Basketball West Division Second-Team All-Stars
Patrick Murray, Algoma
Jordan Dixon, Fanshawe
Jermaine Decosta, Mohawk
C.J. Smith, Niagara
Randy Frimpong, Sault

Men's Basketball West Division All-Rookie Team
Taylor Dowhaniuk, Mohawk
Jimmy Bilenga, Niagara
Jameel Williamson, St. Clair
Randy Frimpong, Sault
Michael Selkridge, Sheridan

- OCAA -

ABOUT ONTARIO COLLEGES ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION

The Ontario Colleges Athletic Association (OCAA) is a recognized leader in intercollegiate athletics in the province, dedicated to student athlete and sport development. The OCAA has 30 members sponsoring 16 league and tournament championships.

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Ontario Colleges Athletic Association
Tel: 416-426-7041
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E-mail: bell-webster@ocaa.com