Diaz, Lee Garner Major Awards; PSAC Men's Basketball All-Conference Teams Announced

Diaz, Lee Garner Major Awards; PSAC Men's Basketball All-Conference Teams Announced

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LOCK HAVEN, Pa. --- Kutztown senior Anthony Lee and IUP senior Jacobo Diaz have been named the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Men’s Basketball Athletes of the Year, the league announced Thursday afternoon in conjunction with the release of the men’s basketball all-conference teams. 
 
All-conference teams and major award winners are voted on by the league’s head coaches. 
 
Lee is the sixth Golden Bear to garner the East Athlete of the Year award and first since 2016 (Josh Johnson). Kutztown has claimed a major award every season since 2015. Lee sits No. 5 in NCAA DII and No. 1 in the PSAC in scoring at 27.4 points per game. He is one of four players in the country to accumulate over 800 points this season. The senior shot 42.2% from long range; which is fifth-best in the conference. It marks the fourth time that Lee has landed on an all-conference team. Lee scored in double figures every game this season, including a season-high 50 in a game at Pitt-Johnstown (Dec. 8). He eclipsed 20 points in his last five contests and had at least 20 points in all but six games. The senior had 10 games of at least 30 points. 
 
Diaz claimed the West Athlete of the Year for the second time in his storied career. It marks the fifth consecutive season that IUP has boasted the award winner. The senior is the first since Edinboro’s Tyrone Mason (1995 & 96) to win the award twice in a career. Diaz sits seventh in the league in scoring (18.9) while claiming third in rebounds (9.2). The Crimson Hawk lands is a three-time first-team all-conference representative. Diaz is fourth in the league in shooting percentage (53.8). Diaz and IUP are No. 2 in the country and will host the PSAC semifinals and final this weekend. 
 
East Stroudsburg senior Jakwan Jones was tabbed East Defensive Athlete of the Year and is the first Warrior to win award. Jones paces the PSAC in steals (76) and steals per game (2.8) while his team allows 76 points per game. Jones has recorded three or more steals in 15 contests this season. The senior spearheads a defense that leads the country in turnovers forced (21.6). East Stroudsburg will battle Mercyhurst in a semifinal Saturday at 1 p.m. 
 
Pitt-Johnstown’s John Paul Kromka was named West Defensive Athlete and Freshman of the Year. He is the first PSAC athlete in either division to claim both awards in the same season. He is the second Mountain Cat to win Freshman of the Year accolades. Kromka claimed the weekly award on four occasions. Prior to Pitt-Johnstown’s quarterfinal on Wednesday, Kromka was fifth in the country and first in the PSAC in shooting percentage (63.2). He sat sixth in the league in free-throw percentage (80.3). He paced the league in blocks (76) and blocks per game (2.5). Kromka finished tied for 10th in the conference with 7.7 rebounds per contest. 
 
East Stroudsburg’s Ryan Smith was tabbed East Freshman of the Year. He is the fifth Warrior to garner the award and first since 2014 (Rasheed Moore). Smith claimed the weekly award on five occasions and sits in the top 20 in the PSAC in scoring (16.1) and rebounds (7.7). Smith is on a roll while scoring in double figures in 20 consecutive games while accumulating eight double-doubles. 
 
Pitt-Johnstown’s Bob Rukavina claimed West Coach of the Year for the second time in his career (2016). Under Rukavina’s direction, the Mountain Cats produced a pair of all-conference athletes while starting three freshmen most of the season. Pitt-Johnstown is one of five teams to average more than 80 points per game (81.2). The Mountain Cats advanced to the quarterfinals before falling to IUP. Rukavina is the winningest coach in the program’s history with 485 wins. 
 
East Stroudsburg’s Jeff Wilson was tabbed East Coach of the Year for the second consecutive season and for the fourth time in his career. He is the first since Kutztown’s Bernie Driscoll (2015 & 16) to win the award in back-to-back years. Under Wilson’s direction, three Warriors received all-conference recognition; including two major awards. East Stroudsburg paces the league in scoring (87.7) while boasting the league’s best turnover margin (+5.46). East Stroudsburg won the Eastern Division for the second consecutive season and for the fifth time in the past seven years. The Warriors will tangle with Mercyhurst Saturday at 1 p.m. at IUP in a semifinal. 
 
IUP senior Dante Lombardi joins Lee as a four-time all-conference member. West Chester’s Malik Jackson and Diaz land on all-conference team for the third time in their respective careers. 
 
A full list of honorees is below. 

WESTERN DIVISION FIRST TEAM 
Pos.  Player  University  Cl.  Hometown / Previous School
 G  Trevor Blondin^  Seton Hill  Sr.  Haymarket, Va. / Battlefield
 F  Jacobo Diaz**  IUP   Sr.  Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain / CBA Gran Canaria
 G  Dante Lombardi*^*  IUP  Sr.  Indiana, Pa. / The Kiski School
 G  Jason Massey  Mercyhurst  Gr.  Cooper City, Fla. / Brown
 G  Malik Miller  IUP   Jr.  Farrell, Pa. / Farrell
 F  Micah Till*  Slippery Rock  R-Jr.  Upper Marlboro, Md. / Harford
 G  Josh Wise  Pitt-Johnstown  Jr.  Washington, Pa. / Washington

WESTERN DIVISION SECOND TEAM
Pos.  Player  University  Cl.  Hometown / Previous School
 G  Jared Armstrong  Slippery Rock  Jr.   Philadelphia, Pa. / Butler Cc
 G  Nathan Davis  Seton Hill  Jr.  Bellwood, Pa. / Bellwood-Antis
 F  John Paul Kromka  Pitt-Johnstown  Fr.  Monroeville, Pa. / Gateway
 G  Brent Pegram  California  So.  Upper Marlboro, Md. / Dr. Henry A. Wise Jr.
 G  Daryl Porter  Gannon  Sr.  Southfield, Mich. / Walled Lake Western
 G  Jaryn Simpson  Edinboro  So.  Erie, Pa. / Cathedral Prep
 F  Pat Smith  Mercyhurst  Sr.  Cheverly, Md. / Montgomery CC

EASTERN DIVISION FIRST TEAM
Pos.  Player  University  Cl.  Hometown / Previous School
 G  Marcus Adkison^  Millersville  Sr.  Annadale, Va. / St. Andrews Episcopal
 G  Jake Biss  Shippensburg  So.  Latrobe, Pa. / Greater Latrobe
 G  Matt Cerruti  Lock Haven  So.  Huntingdon Valley, Pa. / Archbishop Wood
 F  Jackson Hyland^  West Chester  Sr.  Avondale, Pa. / Kennett
 G  Antonio Kellem  Shippensburg  Sr.  Conway, Pa. / Lincoln Park
 G  Anthony Lee^^*  Kutztown  R-Sr.  Willow Grove, Pa. / Abington
 F  Josh Williams  East Stroudsburg  R-Sr.  Trenton, N.J. / Rider
 
EASTERN DIVISION SECOND TEAM
Pos.  Player  University  Cl.  Hometown / Previous School
 F  John Castello^  Shippensburg  Jr.  Mars, Pa. / Mars Area
 G  Jaden Faulkner  Millersville   Fr.  Glenn Dale, Md. / Eleanor Roosevelt
 G  Malik Jackson^^  West Chester  Jr.  Lansdowne, Pa. / Penn Wood
 G  Jakwan Jones^  East Stroudsburg  R-Sr.  Philadelphia, Pa. / Imhotep Charter
 F  Christian Kelly  Lock Haven  R-Jr.  Phoenixville, Pa. / Phoenixville
 G  Matt Penecale  West Chester  Sr.  Jenkintown, Pa. / Abington
 F  Ryan Smith  East Stroudsburg  Fr.  Willow Street, Pa. / Lampeter-Strasburg
 
*Indicates previous First Team All-PSAC selection
^Indicates previous Second Team All-PSAC selection

EASTERN DIVISION                                                                           
Athlete of the Year: Anthony Lee, Kutztown                    
Defensive Athlete of the Year: Jakwan Jones, East Stroudsburg
Freshman of the Year: Ryan Smith, East Stroudsburg      
Coach of the Year: Jeff Wilson, East Stroudsburg             
 
WESTERN DIVISION                                                                          
Athlete of the Year: Jacobo Diaz, IUP
Defensive Athlete of the Year: John Paul Kromka, Pitt-Johnstown
Freshman of the Year: John Paul Kromka, Pitt-Johnstown
Coach of the Year: Bob Rukavina, Pitt-Johnstown