BOSTON ? The reigning America East Player of the Year, Jamar Wilson (Bronx, N.Y./All Hallows/Our Savior New American School) of Albany, and the league’s other returning first team all-conference selection, Blagoj Janev (Sydney, Australia/Australian Institute of Sport) of New Hampshire, highlight the 2006 America East Men’s Basketball Preseason All-Conference Team. Wilson and Janev were unanimous selections as they both received all eight possible preseason votes from the league’s head coaches (coaches were not permitted to vote for their own student-athletes).
Joining Wilson and Janev on the preseason squad is Kevin Reed (Yarmouth, Mass./Dennis-Yarmouth/St. Thomas More) of Maine, Mitchell Beauford (Queens, N.Y./Christ the King) of Stony Brook and Mike Trimboli (Norwalk, Conn./St. Luke’s School) of Vermont. Four of the five preseason picks come from teams that are slated to finish in the top half of America East, according to the preseason coaches’ poll, with Beauford being the only exception as Stony Brook was picked 7th.
The catalyst of the Albany offense, Wilson will be looked upon once again in 2006-07 to carry the load for the Great Danes. The 6-1 guard who is the conference’s leading returning scorer (17.7 points per game) and third-best returning assist man (3.91 apg) is coming off one of the most heralded season’s in program history. Not only was Wilson the recipient of the league’s Kevin Roberson Player of the Year award, but he was also a first team all-conference pick and took home the Reggie Lewis Award as the Most Outstanding Player of the 2006 America East Men’s Basketball Championship. Wilson’s ability to penetrate and create, coupled with the fact the he is the conference’s most accurate shooter from the guard position (45.4 percent), makes him a menace to the opposition’s backcourt. Last season, Wilson nearly piloted Albany to the greatest upset in NCAA Tournament history as the No. 16 Great Danes led No. 1 Connecticut by double-digits late in the second half before succumbing to the Big East power, 72-59.
In a conference that appears to be very guard-heavy for the 2006-07 season, New Hampshire’s Janev is expected to flourish once again for second-year head coach Bill Herrion. The 6-8 forward with long-range capabilities will most likely be a miss-match for other bigs around America East. Last season Janev, the league’s second-leading returning scorer (14.4 ppg), led the Wildcats to the semifinal round of the conference championship for the first time since 1995. The Australia native has proven to be the key to success for UNH as he averaged 17.6 ppg in the Wildcats’ eight league wins last year, compared to just 11.1 ppg in their conference losses. Another solid year from Janev could go a long way toward the revival efforts of UNH basketball.
After receiving a medical redshirt for the 2005-06 season, two-time all-conference selection Reed returns to the Black Bears for his senior campaign. The 6-2 guard with a knack for rebounding averaged 12.8 ppg in 2004-05, while connecting on 38.8 percent of his three-point attempts, and has been named to the preseason all-conference squad for the second-consecutive season. Reed’s ability to rebound (6.9 rpg in 2004-05) from the guard position could enable Maine to dominate the glass as teammates Olli Ahvenniemi (6.2 rpg) and Philippe Tchekane Bofia (5.5 rpg) are the conference’s second- and third-best returning rebounders.
Beauford, the only preseason pick to come from a team not in the top four of the preseason coaches’ poll, is the Seawolves’ leading returning scorer (14.1 ppg). Under second-year head coach Steve Pikiell, the 5-11 guard will be looked upon to help usher in a recruiting class that has been ranked 27th in the nation by HoopScoopOnline.com. Beauford scored in double figures 15 times last season, including eight times when he poured in 17 points or more.
Coming off an impressive rookie campaign that was highlighted by garnering America East Rookie of the Year honors and guiding the Catamounts to the title game for the fourth-consecutive season, sophomore Trimboli is expected to have a breakout season in 2006-07. The youngest member of the preseason all-conference squad, Trimboli led UVM in scoring (14.0 ppg) and paced the entire conference in assists (5.53 apg). If freshman Nick Vier (Franklin Lakes, N.J./Bergen Catholic) can step in and handle the point guard duties, look for Trimboli to become an even more effective scorer at the two-guard position.