Pitt Johnstown senior forward Chris Gilliam (Baltimore, MD) was named Daktronics NCAA Division II East Region Player of the Year and First Team Daktronics East Region when this season's honors were released on Monday. Gilliam and the other four first team selections will be put on the national ballot for voting to become a Datronics All-American. The squad is selected by sports information directors representing the region's 43 institutions... (WVIAC Release)
Joining Gilliam on the first team are forwards Ryan McLemore (Edinboro), Chris Banal (West Liberty State), and Brandon Streeter (Mount Olive) and guard Charlie Parker (Millersville). All five advance to the national Daktronics NCAA Division II All-America ballot.
Gilliam captured a tight vote to be selected as the Daktronics East Region Player of the Year. The 6'7" Baltimore, MD native led Pitt Johnstown to the West Virginia Conference regular season championship and a 22-7 record heading into the NCAA postseason. The WVIAC Player of the Year paces the league with 64% accuracy from the field and also ranked among the conference's best in scoring (19.7 ppg) and rebounding (8.4 rpg). The senior forward has posted nine double-doubles and has led the Mountain Cats in scoring on 20 occasions and rebounding 18 times this season.
In the most recent national statistics, Gilliam ranks 14th in Field Goal Percentage (64.0%), 22nd in Points Per Game (19.7 ppg.) and 55th in Rebounding (8.4 rpg.).
Gilliam is on a pace to end his career as one of the top ten most accurate shooters in Division II history. Gilliam has connected on 675 of 1027 (65.7%) field goals during his four-year Mountain Cat stint. Gilliam's 1,726 career points stands second on the All-Time Pitt Johnstown Scoring List, while his 676 career rebounds are third on the Mountain Cat All-Time Rebounding List.
Gilliam is the first Mountain Cat to garner Daktronics All-East Region honors since 1999-2000, when Justin Walther, Pitt Johnstown's all-time leading scorer and second all-time leading rebounder was named to the first team.
2007-08 Daktronics NCAA Division II Men's Basketball All-East Region
First Team:
Chris Banal (West Liberty State, 6-4, Sr., F, Wheeling, WV, 21.5 ppg, 6.4 rpg, 3.4 apg, 56% FG, 75% FT)
Chris Gilliam (Pitt Johnstown, 6-7, Sr., F, Baltimore, MD) 19.7 ppg, 8.4 rpg, 2.0 apg, 64% FG, 76% FT
Ryan McLemore (Edinboro, 6-9, Sr., F, Cleveland, OH, 10.9 ppg, 10.5 rpg, 5.5 bpg, 54% FG)
Charlie Parker (Millersville, 6-4, Sr., G, Fawn Grove, PA, 16.5 ppg, 5.3 rpg, 4.7 apg, 2.7 spg, 46% FG)
Brandon Streeter (Mount Olive, 6-6, Sr., F, Jacksonville, NC, 18.0 ppg, 9.1 rpg, 68% FG)
Second Team:
Kendrick Easley (Mount Olive, 6-1, Soph., G, Norfolk, VA, 17.4 ppg, 4.5 rpg, 2.3 apg, 49% FG, 82% FT)
Darnell Evans (Queens, 6-3, Sr., G, Largo, MD, 16.8 ppg, 4.7 rpg, 2.0 spg, 46% FG, 84% FT)
Stan Hall (Alderson-Broaddus, 6-3, Jr., G, Canton, OH, 17.6 ppg, 4.2 rpg, 3.8 apg, 49% FG)
James Helton (West Virginia State, 6-6, Sr., F, Columbus, OH, 18.4 ppg, 8.9 rpg, 1.0 bpg, 52% FG, 85% FT)
Thad McFadden (Fairmont State, 6-2, Jr., G, Flint, MI, 21.4 ppg, 5.1 rpg, 110 3ptFG, 82% FT)
