Select PDF link for list of all 15 NABC All-District teams
KANSAS CITY -- BYU juniors Lee Cummard and Trent Plaisted were honored Tuesday by the National Association of Basketball Coaches as both were named to the NABC All-District 13 First Team. The dual honors marks the first time since 1988 that two Cougars were selected to the First Team in the same season.
In all, 150 student-athletes representing 15 districts were recognized as the nation's best men's collegiate basketball players as voted on by members of the NABC.
"Both Lee and Trent are very deserving of this honor," said BYU head coach Dave Rose. "They've worked really hard and greatly improved their respective games. They are a big part of the success of our team."
Cummard and Plaisted currently share team-high scoring honors as each posts 15.9 points per game. Cummard is second for the Cougars in rebounds (6.5) and assists (3.4) while leading the Mountain West Conference shooting 57.2 percent from the field. He has scored in double figures in 26 of 29 games while topping 20 or more points on nine occasions and posting three double-doubles on the year. The MWC Player of the Year candidate has tallied season highs of 27 points, 11 rebounds and eight assists.
Plaisted paces the Cougars with 8.0 rebounds per contest while racking up nine double-figure rebounding games. He is third in the MWC shooting 53.9 percent from the field and has scored in double figures in 23 games, including 10 outings with 20 or more points. The Cougars' go-to player in the post has tallied season highs of 27 points, 18 rebounds and five blocks.
Cummard and Plaisted are two of seven student-athletes to represent the MWC and two of four players from a Utah university to earn all-district accolades this season.
Joining the pair on the District 13 First Team are New Mexico's J.R. Giddens, Nevada's Marcelus Kemp and Boise State's Reggie Larry. District 13 Second Team members include Lorrenzo Wade of San Diego State, Stefon Jackson of UTEP, Kevin Bell of Fresno State, Brandon Ewing of Wyoming and Luke Nevill of Utah, both of whom also earned second-team honors last season. UNLV's Wink Adams was named to the District 15 Second Team, while Utah State's Jaycee Carroll was honored as a second-team member of District 14.
Student-athletes selected to the all-district teams are now eligible for the NABC Division I All-America teams to be announced at the conclusion of the 2007-08 NCAA regular season.
Located in Kansas City, Mo., the NABC was founded in 1927 by Phog Allen, the legendary basketball coach at the University of Kansas. Allen, a student of James Naismith, the inventor of basketball, organized coaches into this collective group to serve as Guardians of the Game. The NABC currently claims nearly 5,000 members consisting primarily of university and college men's basketball coaches.
BYU players have received all-district recognition 84 times by the NABC since 1950. Keena Young was the most recent addition to the list as he earned first-team honors last season. Prior to this year, BYU had not had two first-team selections since Michael Smith and Jeff Chatman were so honored in 1988. Following is a list of BYU honorees:
BRIGHAM YOUNG
Yr.- Player (team)
50--Mel Hutchins
50--Joe Nelson
50--Roland Minson
51--Mel Hutchins
51--Roland Minson
52--Joe Richey
52--Harold Christensen (HM)
53--Joe Richey
53--Harold Christensen (HM)
53--Nick Mateljan (HM)
54--Nick Mateljan
54--Dean Larsen
54--Tom Karren
55--Terry Tebbs
56--Terry Tebbs
56--Herschel Pederson
57--Tom Steinke
57--John Benson
58--John Nicoll (1)
59--John Nicoll (1)
59--Gary Earnest (2)
60--Dave Eastis (1)
61--Gary Earnest (1)
61--Dave Eastis (2)
62--Bruce Burton (2)
62--Bob Skousen (3)
63--Bruce Burton (2)
64--John Fairchild (1)
65--John Fairchild (1)
65--Dick Nemelka (2)
66--Dick Nemelka (1)
66--Steve Kramer (2)
66--Jeff Congdon (3)
67--Craig Raymond (1)
67--Neil Roberts (2)
67--Jim Jimas (3)
68--Jim Eakins (2)
68--Kari Liimo (3)
69--Paul Ruffner (2)
71--Steve Kelly (3)
71--Kresimir Cosic (3)
72--Kresimir Cosic (1)
72--Bernie Fryer (1)
73--Kresimir Cosic (1)
73--Doug Richards (3)
74--Doug Richards (1)
76--Jay Cheesman (2)
78--Danny Ainge (2)
79--Danny Ainge (1)
80--Danny Ainge (1)
80--Alan Taylor (2)
81--Danny Ainge (1)
81--Fred Roberts (2)
82--Fred Roberts (1)
82--Steve Trumbo (1)
83--Devin Durrant (1)
83--Greg Kite (2)
83--Brett Applegate (2)
84--Devin Durrant (1)
84--Brett Applegate (2)
85--Timo Saarelainen (1)
86--Jeff Chatman (2)
87--Michael Smith (1)
88--Michael Smith (1)
88--Jeff Chatman (1)
89--Michael Smith (1)
90--Marty Haws (1)
90--Andy Toolson (2)
91--Shawn Bradley (2)
91--Steve Schreiner (2)
92--Gary Trost (1)
93--Gary Trost (1)
94--Russell Larson (1)
95--Russell Larson (1)
95--Ken Roberts (2)
96--Ken Roberts (1)
00--Mekeli Wesley (2)
01--Mekeli Wesley (1)
01--Terrell Lyday (2)
03--Travis Hansen (1)
04--Rafael Araujo (1)
07--Keena Young (1)
08--Lee Cummard (1)
08--Trent Plaisted (1)