Bell Named First Team All-WAC

Fresno State Sr. PG Kevin Bell is named first-team all-conference. The Western Athletic Conference men’s basketball postseason award winners as selected by the league’s nine head coaches were announced Sunday.

Kevin Bell becomes the first Bulldog since Damon Jackson in 2002-03 to earn first team honors. He joins a list of former Bulldog greats including Melvin Ely, Chris Jeffries, Courtney Alexander and Chris Herron.

"We are certainly pleased for Kevin," said head coach Steve Cleveland. "He's a young man who has worked hard to get to where he is in life, not only as a basketball player but a student who's on track to graduate this semester. We are very proud of his accomplishments."

Bell led the 'Dogs in scoring at 18.5 points and handed out 183 assists this season. He ranks 20th in Bulldog history in scoring (1,153 point) and second in assists (594. He needs five assists to become the all-time leader in assists.

The 2008 WAC Basketball Tournament is this week at the Pan American Center in Las Cruces, N.M. The men’s teams will compete March 11, 13-15. The No. 7 seed Bulldogs square off against No. 2 seed Nevada Thursday night at 5 p.m. PT.

ESPN FullCourt will carry the men’s quarterfinal and semifinal games while ESPN2 will show the men’s championship game on Saturday, March 15 at 7:00 p.m. (MT). All of the games will also be on WAC.tv except for the men’s title game.

2007-08 WAC Men’s Basketball Postseason Award Winners

All-Conference
First Team
Reggie Larry, Boise State, F, 6-6, 222, Sr., Newark, N.J. (College of Southern Idaho)
Kevin Bell, Fresno State, G, 5-10, 165, Sr., Los Angeles, Calif. (Fairfax HS)
Marcelus Kemp, Nevada, G, 6-5, 210, Sr., Seattle, Wash. (Garfield HS)
Justin Hawkins, New Mexico State, F, 6-7, 205, Sr., Anaheim, Calif. (Utah)
Jaycee Carroll, Utah State, G, 6-2, 175, Sr., Evanston, Wyo. (Evanston HS)

Second Team
Matt  Nelson, Boise State, F, 6-9, 233, Sr., Issaquah, Wash. (Eastern Washington)
Matt Gibson, Hawai‘i, G, 6-5, 180, Sr., Oklahoma City, Okla. (Three Rivers CC)
Jordan Brooks, Idaho, F, 6-3, 195, Jr., Houston, Texas (Midland College)
JaVale McGee, Nevada, F, 6-11, 235, So., Flint, Mich. (Hales Franciscan HS)
Gary Wilkinson, Utah State, F, 6-9, 240, Jr., South Jordan, Utah (Salt Lake CC)

Player of the Year: Jaycee Carroll, Utah State
Freshman of the Year: Armon Johnson, Nevada, G, 6-3, 190, Reno, Nev. (Hug HS)
Don Haskins Coach of the Year: Greg Graham, Boise State

All-Newcomer Team
Jordan Brooks, Idaho, F, 6-3, 195, Jr., Houston, Texas (Midland College)
Armon Johnson, Nevada, G, 6-3, 190, Fr., Reno, Nev. (Hug HS)
Herb Pope, New Mexico State, F, 6-8, 235, Fr., Aliquippa, Pa. (Aliquippa HS)
C.J. Webster, San Jose State, C, 6-8, 255, So., Missouri City, Texas (Texas State)
Gary Wilkinson, Utah State, F, 6-9, 240, Jr., South Jordan, Utah (Salt Lake CC)

All-Defensive Team
Matt Bauscher, Boise State, G, 6-3, 205, Sr., Caldwell, Idaho (Spokane CC)
Matt Gibson, Hawai‘i, G, 6-5, 180, Sr., Oklahoma City, Okla. (Three Rivers CC)
Lyndale Burelson, Nevada, G, 6-3, 190, Jr., Seattle, Wash. (Franklin HS)
JaVale McGee, Nevada, F, 6-11, 235, So., Flint, Mich. (Hales Franciscan HS)
Fred Peete, New Mexico State, G, 6-4, 200, Sr., Memphis, Tenn. (Kansas State)