UAA's Rohde, Walker picked to All-GNAC team

SPOKANE, Wash. (Feb. 25) – Junior Taylor Rohde was named first team and senior Brandon Walker was a second-team honoree Friday as the Great Northwest Athletic Conference announced its All-Conference team for men’s basketball, while junior guard Mario Gill was an honorable-mention selection.

 

Rohde, a 6-9 center from Phoenix (Pinnacle HS), has made an immediate impact in his first year after transferring from Arizona State, leading the Seawolves in scoring (16.8 ppg), rebounding (7.0 rpg), blocked shots (0.6 bpg) and field-goal percentage (.611). Rohde has scored double digits in 22 of the last 23 games and shot 50 percent or better in 20 of the last 23 contests, helping the Seawolves to a 21-8 record and a No. 7 West Region ranking.

In the GNAC stats, Rohde is the only player ranked 7th or higher in scoring (7th), rebounding (6th) and FG% (5th). Against No. 11 Central Washington on Dec. 30, Rhode became the first Seawolf since Nov. 2004 to post at least 25 points and 15 rebounds in a game when he went for 28 and 16 in the double-overtime win. Rohde earned all-tournament honors at all of UAA’s regular-season tourneys — the Disney Tip-Off Classic, the Carrs/Safeway Great Alaska Shootout and the AT&T Jamboree, and he has earned two GNAC Player of the Week awards.

Walker, a first-team honoree as a junior in 2009-10, is UAA’s second-leading scorer at 14.2 points per game, along with 4.6 rebounds and 2.3 assists per contest. The 6-3 swingman from Hayward, Calif. (Bishop O’Dowd HS/Loyola Marymount) recently moved into UAA’s career top 10 in scoring with 1,158 points, becoming one of only seven Seawolf men to total at least 1,100 points and 400 rebounds.

On Saturday at Western Oregon, Walker became just the fourth Seawolf ever to score 40 points in a game when he hit that mark in UAA’s 88-83 victory. His 10 three-pointers against the Wolves also tied the GNAC record and broke UAA’s previous school record of nine.

 

Gill, a 6-2 guard, is averaging 9.3 points and 4.7 rebounds in his first season after transferring from Eastern Arizona College. The Portland, Ore. (Wilson HS) product paces the Seawolves in both three-point (.429) and free-throw (.831) percentages, scoring double digits on 17 occasions. Gill has raised his statistics considerably in conference games, averaging 11.2 points and 5.1 rebounds to help UAA to a runner-up finish with a 13-5 GNAC record.

 

The Seawolves open the inaugural Great Northwest Athletic Conference Tournament when they host Saint Martin’s on Monday, Feb. 28 at 7:30 p.m. at the Wells Fargo Sports Complex.

2010-11 All-GREAT NORTHWEST ATHLETIC CONFERENCE

MEN’S BASKETBALL TEAM

 

FIRST TEAM: Blake Poole, Saint Martin’s (F, 6-5, Sr., Eugene, OR); Taylor Rohde, Alaska Anchorage  (F/C, 6-9, Jr., Phoenix, AZ); Michael Duty, Western Washington (F, 6-6, 6-6, Sr., Seattle, WA); Parrish West, Alaska Fairbanks (F, 6-5, Sr., Chicago, Ill.); Chris Sprinker, Central Washington (C, 6-9, Sr., Tacoma, WA); Jamar Berry, Central Washington (G, 6-5, Sr., Tacoma, WA).

 

SECOND TEAM: Blair Wheadon, Western Oregon (G, 6-2, Jr., Junction City, OR); Jeff Downs, Seattle Pacific (W, 6-4, Sr., Kirkland, WA); Brandon Walker, Alaska Anchorage (G, 6-3, Sr., Hayward, CA); Brian Barkdoll, Northwest Nazarene (C, 6-11, Sr., Portland, OR); John Allen, Western Washington (G, 6-0,  So., Mountlake Terrace, WA); Drew Harris, Central Washington (G, 6-0, Sr., Yakima, WA).

 

HONORABLE MENTION: Andy Poling, Seattle Pacific (P, 6-11, So., Portland, OR); Ryan Sweet, Seattle Pacific (P, 6-6, Sr., Port Orchard, WA); Ricky Berry, Simon Fraser (G, 6-3, Sr., Phoenix, AZ); Jeremy Green, Saint Martin’s (C, 6-7, Jr., Kent, WA); Mario Gill, Alaska Anchorage (G, 6-2, Jr., Portland, OR); Rory Blanche, Western Washington (F, 6-6, Jr., Ashland, OR); Jaxon Myaer, MSU Billings (G, 5-10, Jr., Salt Lake City, UT).

 

SPECIAL AWARDS:

Player-of-the-Year – Blake Poole, Saint Martin’s

Newcomer-of-the-Year – Jamar Berry, Central Washington.

Co-Freshmen-of-the-Year – Paul Egwuonwu, Northwest Nazarene (F, 6-8, Fr., Boise, ID) and David Downs, Seattle Pacific (PG, 6-2, 185, Fr., Bellevue, WA).

Co-Coaches-of-the-Year – Greg Sparling, Central Washington, and Tim Hills, Northwest Nazarene

 

 

--GoSeawolves.com--

 

 

Nate Sagan
Sports Information Director

University of Alaska Anchorage
3211 Providence Dr. / Anchorage, AK 99508
(907) 786-1295 / Fax: (907) 563-4565
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