Daktronics Atlantic Region release

EAST STROUDSBURG – East Stroudsburg University junior guard Whis Grant has been named to the Daktronics All-Atlantic Region first team for the second straight season, it was announced Thursday.

Grant (Plymouth Meeting/Plymouth Whitemarsh) led ESU (28-1) to the top seed in the NCAA Division II Atlantic Regional which will be held at Koehler Fieldhouse on Saturday, Sunday and Tuesday.

Four of the five members of the first team will compete in this weekend's regional, including region Player of the Year Cedric Harris of West Liberty (W.V.), the No. 2 seed. Also selected were Adam Blazek of Gannon, the No. 5 seed, and Mark Thomas of Livingstone, the No. 8 seed and ESU's opponent on Saturday at 6 p.m.

Grant was the only underclassman on last year's first team as a sophomore, and Harris was a second team pick as a junior.

Grant has led the Warriors to their second PSAC championship in three years, and third straight NCAA Tournament appearance, as part of a record-setting season for ESU - which is ranked No. 2 in Division II and was the final undefeated team in DII this season.

He leads ESU with 16.9 points per game and averages 3.6 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 1.5 steals per game. He set a school record this year with 77 three-pointers.

Grant averaged 19.3 points in 16 divisional games as ESU won its second straight PSAC East regular season title. He was ESU's leading scorer in 12 PSAC East games and scored 20+ in 10 games, including a career-high 31 in a 107-94 win at West Chester.

He scored 19 points in ESU's 92-80 win over West Chester in the PSAC championship game on Sunday.

Grant and backcourt mate Matt Tobin, the PSAC leader in assists, assist-to-turnover ratio and steals, were both named to the All-PSAC East first team last week.

Grant advances to the national ballot for All-America consideration, and was an All-America honorable mention selection as a sophomore by both Daktronics and the Division II Bulletin.

The Daktronics team is nominated and selected by members of CoSIDA (College Sports Information Directors Association). The NABC (National Association of Basketball Coaches) will also release an All-Region team later this month.

Grant is ESU's first two-time All-Region selection since Jonathan Roberts (1988-90) and the fourth in school history, along with Don Bones (1980-81) and Earle Greer (1983-84).

Last year, Grant was ESU's first All-Region selection since Eric White in 1994.

He enters the NCAA Atlantic Regional with 1,416 career points, sixth in school history and fourth-most among active DII juniors. He also ranks second at ESU with 199 career three-pointers, fifth with 331 free throws made and sixth with 139 steals.

ESU is 70-20 in Grant's three seasons, including a school-record 28 wins this year, surpassing the standard set by the 2009-10 team that finished 24-6.

Grant led the Warriors with 13.9 points per game as a freshman on their 2012 PSAC championship team that went 20-12, and averaged 17.6 points on last year's PSAC East regular season championship team that went 22-7.

Harris, a senior and the Atlantic Region Player of the Year for West Liberty (26-3), averages 17.6 points, 5.6 assists and 2.3 steals for the Hilltoppers, the No. 2 seed in this weekend's regional. West Liberty faces Glenville State in the second of four first-round games on Saturday at 2:30 p.m.

Blazek, a junior and the PSAC West Player of the Year (16.4 ppg, 3.1 apg), has led Gannon (19-9) back to Koehler Fieldhouse for the second straight week after the Golden Knights played in the PSAC semifinals last Saturday. Gannon, the No. 5 seed, faces Charleston (21-8) on Saturday at 8:30 p.m.

Thomas, a senior, was named the CIAA Player of the Year for tournament champion Livingstone (21-7), which faces ESU on Saturday at 6 p.m. Thomas is the top scorer in the regional, averaging 20.9 points per game, while adding 4.8 assists per game. He is one of two first team All-CIAA selections for Livingstone, along with senior guard Jody Hill (18.4 ppg).

Lock Haven junior Wali Hepburn is the fifth member of the first team. Second team selections are C.J. Hester (West Liberty), Joe Bell (Mansfield), Lawrence DeArmond (Notre Dame Ohio), Brantley Osborne (Shepherd) and Lamar Mallory (Glenville State).

Hester averages 14.8 points and 8.2 rebounds for West Liberty entering the weekend. Mallory paces Glenville State (18-10) with 18.7 points and 8.3 rebounds per game going into its third meeting with Mountain East Conference rival West Liberty on Saturday.


Daktronics Atlantic Region Basketball Teams

1st Team
Adam Blazek, Gannon
Whis Grant, East Stroudsburg
Cedric Harris, West Liberty (Player of the Year)
Wali Hepburn, Lock Haven
Mark Thomas, Livingstone

2nd Team
Joe Bell, Mansfield
Lawrence DeArmond, Notre Dame (Ohio)
C.J. Hester, West Liberty
Brantley Osborne, Shepherd
Lamar Mallory, Glenville State