NAC Men's Basketball All-Conference Announced
University of Maine at Farmington junior Ben Johnson was the overwhelming choice of the league's coaches for the 2012-13 North Atlantic Conference (NAC) Men's Basketball Player of the Year award. Johnson was a dominant force in the middle throughout the year, leading the conference in scoring (21.8 ppg) and rebounding (11.2 rpg) in 18 conference games. Johnson earned Player of the Week honors four times during the season and led the Beavers to the top seed in the conference tournament while shooting better than 60 percent from the field and blocking 20 shots.
Joining Johnson on the All-Conference First Team is 2012 Player of the Year Mark Comstock and his teammate from Castleton Logan White, Colby-Sawyer forward Mike Dias, and Lyndon forward Jason Gray.
The duo of White and Comstock was the highest scoring tandem in the league, averaging 18.8 and 18.3 points per game respectively, good enough for second and third in the conference. White led the league in three-pointers made, averaging 3.7 per contest while shooting better than 40 percent from long distance. Comstock was also over 40 percent from long range and ranked seventh from the floor at 54.6 percent.
The sophomore Dias led Colby-Sawyer to the third seed in the conference tournament, ranking fifth in league scoring at 16.3 points per game. Dias also ranked fifth in shooting percentage (57.4) and seventh in rebounding (7.4 rpg).
Gray was an impressive workhorse for the Hornets, ranking first in the league in minutes per game (36), defensive rebounds (7.6 rpg) and blocked shots (37). He also ranked second in total rebounds per game (9.9 rpg), and seventh in scoring (16.3 ppg).
Johnson and Comstock are the only repeat honorees on the first team, while Gray moved up after two-straight seasons as a second-team honoree. Dias and White are making their first appearances on the all-conference list.
Husson senior Eric Modica was named the conference's top defender, leading an Eagle squad which ranked third in opponent scoring (68.5 ppg). Modica ranked among the leaders in blocks (12) and steals (24) and was also named to the all-conference second team.
A six-time Rookie of the Week award recipient Thomas College freshman, Levi Barnes, was named the league's top rookie. Barnes ranked fourth in scoring (17.2 ppg), fifth in field goals made (111) while ranking third in three-pointers made (38) and shooting a conference-best 87.5 percent from the free throw line.
UMF Head Dick Meader was voted Coach of the Year by his peers after leading the Beavers to a 15-3 mark in conference play and the top-seed in the NAC Tournament Meader's team ranked in the top half of the league in every major statistical category, leading the way in rebounding, opponents' scoring and three-point field goal percentage.
Johnson State College was honored with the league's Sportsmanship Award.
2012-13 Men's Basketball All-Conference Teams
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First Team
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Mark Comstock
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Sr.
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F
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Castleton
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Mike Dias
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So.
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F
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Colby-Sawyer
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Jason Gray
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Sr.
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F
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Lyndon
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Ben Johnson
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Jr.
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C
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Maine-Farmington
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Logan White
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Jr.
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G
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Castleton
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Second Team
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Jarrad DeVaughn
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Sr.
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G
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Thomas
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Andrew Dickey
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Jr.
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F
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Maine-Farmington
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Eric Modica
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Sr.
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G
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Husson
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Abdirahman Mohamed
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Sr.
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G
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New England Col.
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Corey Willis
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Sr.
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G
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Colby-Sawyer
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Marc Zaharchuk
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Sr.
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C
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Husson
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Player of the Year
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Ben Johnson
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Jr.
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C
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Maine-Farmington
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Defensive Player of the Year
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Eric Modica
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Sr.
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G
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Husson
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Rookie of the Year
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Levi Barnes
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Fr.
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G
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Thomas
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Coach of the Year
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Dick Meader
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Maine-Farmington
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Team Sportsmanship Award
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Johnson State College
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All-Conference teams are selected by a vote of the league's coaches. Additional players are honored due to ties in voting.