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AUGUSTA, Ga. – The Peach Belt Conference released the 2018-19 All-Conference team on Friday night at the tournament banquet and Augusta University dominated the accolades. With the tournament semifinals and finals approaching this weekend in Augusta, Ga., Augusta senior Deane Williams was named the Defensive Player of the Year, the Co-Player of the Year, and first-team All-Conference. AU rookie Miguel Arnold was voted Co-Freshman of the Year, Dip Metress was named Coach of the Year, and junior Rafael Monteiro was named second team All-Conference. AU senior Aaron Byrd received the Mike & Amy Wood Foundation Graduate Scholarship.
Deane Williams (2018-19 Defensive & Co-Player Of The Year)
Senior Deane Williams is the second Jaguar ever to earn PBC Defensive Player of the Year, joining Daniel Dixon (2010) in the history books. This is the eighth Player of the Year award for the Jaguars all time. Williams becomes the first player in league history to earn Player and Defensive Player of the Year honors. A senior from Bristol, England, he averaged 15.6 points and 9.1 rebounds per game. He is ranked second in the league in rebounding and leads the conference with 63 blocked shots on the year. The PBC Player of the Week on Feb. 18, Williams has scored 20 or more eight times this season. He is sixth in the league in field goals made, eighth in field goal percentage and sixth in free throws made.
Miguel Arnold (2018-19 Co-Freshman of the Year)
Joining Augusta this season, freshman Miguel Arnold became the eighth Jaguar all time to earn PBC Freshman of the Year honors – joining Oliver Ottley, Jr. (1997), Gary Boodnikoff (1999), Tommy Greer (2004), Cameron Tovey (2005), Ben Madgen (2007), Devon Wright-Nelson (2012), and Keshun Sherrill (2014). Arnold started in 23 of Augusta's 28 games in his freshman season. The guard from San Juan, Puerto Rico, was third on the team in scoring with 12.5 ppg, a number that rose to 13.2 against conference opponents. The PBC's leader in three-point field goal percentage, he is second in the conference with 91 made threes. Arnold went for 20 or more five times during the season, including a career-high 27 at USC Aiken with nine three-pointers made, tied for second-most in a single game this year.
Rafael Monteiro (Second-Team All-Conference)
In his first season playing in the PBC, Jaguar junior-transfer Rafael Monteiro averaged 15.7 points per game and 5.8 rebounds per game in conference play. He Made 24 starts and saw action in every game. He scored in double-figures 26 times this season and scored 19 points or more seven times.
Dip Metress (2018-19 PBC Coach of the Year)
For the third time in his tenure, Dip Metress was voted the league's top coach. This is the fifth PBC Coach of the Year award for AU all time. Metress won his sixth PBC regular-season championship in his 15th year with the program this season. The Jaguars are currently nationally-ranked in two polls and are the No. 1 seed for this weekend's PBC Tournament with a league-best 11-game winning streak. Augusta leads the Peach Belt in field goal percentage, three-point percentage, free throw percentage and scoring defense. Ranked No. 2 in the southeast region in the latest NCAA regional poll, the Jaguars are a lock to return to the NCAA Tournament for the ninth time under his tenure.
2018-19 PBC MEN'S BASKETBALL ALL-CONFERENCE TEAM & AWARDS
Co-Players of the Year
Brandon Parker, Francis Marion
Deane Williams, Augusta
Co-Freshmen of the Year
Miguel Arnold, Augusta
Kailex Stephens, Francis Marion
Defensive Player of the Year
Deane Williams, Augusta
Coach of the Year
Dip Metress, Augusta
First Team
Xavier Barmore, USC Aiken
Ty'lik Evans, USC Aiken
Brandon Parker, Francis Marion
Akia Pruitt, UNC Pembroke
Deane Williams, Augusta
Second Team
Ryan Davis, Francis Marion
Brian Harper, Young Harris
Rafael Monteiro, Augusta
James Murray-Boyles, UNC Pembroke
Jordan Thomas, Georgia College
Third Team
Shawn Hopkins, North Georgia
Landrius Horton, Columbus State
Justin Jones, Young Harris
Isaac Thomas, Georgia College
Marquel Wiggins, Lander
Elite 15 Award Presented by EAB
Kyle Tackeberry, USC Aiken
Mike & Amy Wood Foundation Graduate Scholarship
Aaron Byrd, Augusta
About Augusta Men's Basketball
The Augusta University men's basketball team is led by head coach Dip Metress. On May 10, 2004, Metress was introduced as the fifth head coach in program history. He previously led the Belmont Abbey Crusaders (1996-04) and was an assistant for the Jaguars under Clint Bryant (1989-95). He has never had a losing season in his 15 seasons at the helm of the Jaguars. A two-time Peach Belt Conference Coach of the Year, Metress and the Jags hosted five straight NCAA Regional Tournaments from 2007-11 and advanced to the NCAA Elite Eight three seasons in a row. He was named the South Atlantic Coach of the Year in 2007, the Southeast Region Coach of the Year in 2009, and the NABC Southeast District Coach of the Year in 2011.
Augusta men's hoops has retired four numbers in its 52-year history: Ben Madgen (1), Keshun Sherrill (10), Tyrekus 'AJ' Bowman (23), and Keenan Mann (32). The Jaguars have reached the NCAA tournament 11 times and won their region three times.
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