John Williams Named First Team All-Region

ALBANY – Bryant University junior guard JOHN WILLIAMS (Springfield, Mass. / Longmeadow HS) has been named to the 2004-05 Daktronics NCAA Division II men's basketball All-Northeast Region which was announced Thursday afternoon.  Sports Information Directors throughout the Northeast Region conducted the voting.

Williams, a First Team All-Northeast-10 Conference selection, poured in 20.1 points, distributed 4.0 assists and recorded 2.0 steals on a regular-basis for the Bulldogs who are 20-8 heading into the NCAA Tournament this Saturday where they'll face Adelphi in the first round (12 p.m.) in Waltham, Mass. His 20.1 ppg represents the second highest scoring average in the NE-10.  Williams set a school record with 96 three-pointers this season and is ranked 11th nationally with 3.56 three-point field goals per game.

Senior forward Stacey Moragne of UMass Lowell was named the Northeast Regional Player of the Year while Philadelphia University junior guard Tayron Thomas earned first-team All-Northeast honors for the second consecutive year. Three other newcomers in Bridgeport senior center Ramel Allen, Bentley junior guard Tim Forbes and Bryant's John Williams, join Moragne and Thomas on the first team.
 
Moragne was named the Northeast-10 Conference Player of the Year and is a two-time All-League pick. He was ranked among the conference’s top players in six statistical categories for the 18-10 River Hawks. The New York Collegiate Athletic Conference Player of the Year, Thomas led the NYCAC with 22.7 points to go with 9.5 rebounds per-outing while directing the Rams to a 21-9 slate.

Forbes, a first-team All-Conference pick in the NE-10, set a school single-season record with 94, 3-pointers en route to 18.1 ppg. Forbes also passed out 4.6 assists and came up with 1.9 steals per-game.   

The 2004-05 Daktronics Men’s Basketball All-America team will be announced in conjunction with the 2005 NCAA Division II “Elite Eight” in Grand Forks, North Dakota on Tuesday, March 22. The five first-team members from each of the country’s eight regions are placed on the national ballot with Division II SIDs selecting first, second and third-team All-America honorees.