Men's Basketball | 4/8/2008 3:02:00 PM

(PRINCETON, W.Va.)---The Pitt Johnstown men's basketball program is adding some individual hardware to go with their WVIAC regular season championship trophy.  Senior forward Chris Gilliam has been selected as the 2007-08 WVIAC Player of the Year, while veteran coach Bob Rukavina is the league's Coach of the Year.  Shepherd rebounding machine Liki Turner takes Freshman of the Year accolades.  All awards were selected via a vote of the conference's 16 head coaches.

Gilliam ranks among the league's top ten in scoring (19.7 ppg, 7th) and rebounding (8.7 rpg, 8th) as he helped lead UPJ to the WVIAC regular season title in the program's first year of eligibility.  The Baltimore native set the stage for a big senior campaign with a 23-point exhibition contest versus Big East Conference power Pitt in November.  Gilliam went on to lead the WVIAC in field goal percentage at 64.9% during the regular season.  The two-time WVIAC Player of the Week went over the 20-point mark 15 times, including in all three contests versus fellow championship contenders Alderson-Broaddus, West Virginia State, and West Liberty State.

The 6'7" senior 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 652 of 987 (66.1%) field goals during his four-year Mountain Cat stint.  His 1666 career points stands second on the all-time UPJ scoring chart.

Rukavina's program has made an immediate impact in the WVIAC.  The 19th year head coach has guided the Mountain Cats to a 20-6 regular season mark and currently stand fifth in the NCAA Division II East Region rankings. 

UPJ has already recorded their third consecutive 20-win season, the sixth under Rukavina's watch.  The veteran mentor owns a 300-210 overall career record and has graduated over 90% of his players.

Turner started his Shepherd career with a 13-point effort versus defending Division II national champion Barton and the Richmond, VA native hasn't slowed down during his first collegiate season.  He leads all Division II freshmen with 8.8 rebounds per game.  The 6'6" forward has racked up 11 double-doubles, including a 20-point, 17-rebound effort in a victory against Bluefield State.  Turner also leads SU in scoring with 14.3 points per game.

Alderson-Broaddus junior guard Stan Hall is the lone repeat selection on the All-WVIAC first team.  The remainder of the nine player all-conference squad includes: Gilliam, Chris Banal (West Liberty State), Terrell Eargle (Alderson-Broaddus), James Helton (West Virginia State), Jelani Jackson (Davis & Elkins), Thad McFadden (Fairmont State), Dannie Parker (Concord), and Robert Strickland (Charleston).

Members of the All-WVIAC first team hail from seven states.  Ohio was the only state to produce multiple members of the squad as three selections call the Buckeye State home.  West Liberty State's Chris Banal, a Wheeling native, is the lone West Virginia native.  Davis & Elkins senior forward Jelani Jackson (Harrisburg), the school's first All-WVIAC top squad pick since 2001, represents Pennsylvania.

Second team honoree Jordan Thomas and honorable mention pick Cody Boone become the first Seton Hill players to receive All-WVIAC men's basketball accolades.

The complete All-WVIAC squad follows:

2007-08 All-WVIAC Men's Basketball

First Team:
Chris Banal (West Liberty State, Sr., F, 6-4, Wheeling, WV, 21.5 ppg, 6.4 rpg, 3.3 apg, 2.0 spg, 56% FG)
Terrell Eargle (Alderson-Broaddus, Soph., G, 6-4, Youngstown, OH, 12.6 ppg, 7.8 rpg, 5.4 apg)
Chris Gilliam (Pitt Johnstown, Sr., F, 6-7, Baltimore, MD, 19.7 ppg, 8.2 rpg, 65% FG, 76% FT)
Stan Hall (Alderson-Broaddus, Jr., G, 6-3, Canton, OH, 18.3 ppg, 4.4 rpg, 3.9 apg)
James Helton (West Virginia State, Sr., F, 6-6, Columbus, OH, 17.7 ppg, 8.9 rpg, 53% FG, 83% FT)
Jelani Jackson (Davis & Elkins, Sr., F, 6-4, Harrisburg, PA, 21.1 ppg, 7.3 rpg, 51% FG)
Thad McFadden (Fairmont State, Jr., G, 6-2, Flint, MI, 20.7 ppg, 4.9 rpg, 97 3PT FG, 84% FT)
Dannie Parker (Concord, Sr., C, 6-4, South Bend, IN, 19.0 ppg, 8.4 rpg, 56% FG)
Robert Strickland (Charleston, Sr., F, 6-7, Chesapeake, VA, 19.9 ppg, 8.2 rpg, 2.2 bpg)

Second Team:
Dan Binggeli (West Liberty State, Sr., G, 6-2, Olmstead Falls, OH, 10.4 ppg, 6.1 rpg, 4.5 apg, 2.0 spg)
Marquis Brooks (Charleston, Sr., G, 6-3, Dayton, OH, 16.6 ppg, 4.3 rpg, 2.4 apg, 78% FT)
Ben Howlett (West Liberty State, Jr., G, 5-11, Marietta, OH, 20.1 ppg, 3.2 rpg, 56% FG)
Chris Leborious (Ohio Valley, Sr., C, 6-8, Falling Waters, WV, 20.4 ppg, 9.0 rpg, 50% FG)
Ronnie Means (Fairmont State, Sr., G, 6-0, South Charleston, WV, 5.5 ppg, 8.1 apg)
Wade Pidock (West Virginia State, Jr., F, 6-7, Licking Heights, OH, 13.7 ppg, 5.8 rpg, 92 3PT FG)
Jordan Thomas (Seton Hill, Jr., G, 6-1, Jeannette, PA, 15.5 ppg, 4.3 rpg, 4.1 apg, 50 3PT FG)
Marcus Tullis (Pitt Johnstown, Jr., F, 6-6, Johnstown, PA, 14.1 ppg, 5.3 rpg, 61% FG)

Honorable Mention:
Cody Boone (Seton Hill, Soph., F, 6-9, Howard, PA, 11.6 ppg, 8.7 rpg, 3.2 bpg, 54% FG)
Samario Clancy (Alderson-Broaddus, Sr., F, 6-3, Cleveland, OH, 7.4 ppg, 7.3 rpg, 52% FG)
Quinton Davis (Pitt Johnstown, Jr., G, 6-3, West Mifflin, PA, 13.7 ppg, 6.0 rpg, 4.2 apg, 86% FT)
Curtis Dorsey (Salem International, Jr., F, 6-5, Philadelphia, PA, 17.0 ppg, 9.5 rpg, 1.1 spg)
Tryvan Leech (Glenville State, Jr., G/F, 6-5, Springfield, OH, 17.6 ppg, 4.4 rpg, 91 3PT FG)
Danny Manuel (Davis & Elkins, Soph., G, 5-9, Waynesboro, VA, 16.8 ppg, 4.1 rpg, 5.0 apg, 82% FT)
Brett Rector (Davis & Elkins, Sr., G, 6-2, Ravenswood, WV, 15.5 ppg, 2.0 apg, 106 3PT FG, 43% 3PT FG)
Jimmy Williams (Alderson-Broaddus, Sr., F, 6-4, Chicago, IL, 14.4 ppg, 8.6 rpg, 53% FG)
*---eight players on honorable mention list due to tie in voting

All-Freshman:
Danny Branch (Pitt Johnstown, G, 6-4, Washington, DC, 9.3 ppg, 2.5 rpg)
Justin Caldwell (West Virginia Wesleyan, G, 6-2, Mullens, WV, 14.0 ppg, 1.6 apg, 82% FT)
Adam McFerran (Wheeling Jesuit, F, 6-4, Stow, OH, 10.9 ppg, 3.7 rpg, 51% FG)
Corey Pelle (West Liberty State, G, 5-11, Silver Grove, KY, 11.2 ppg, 4.4 apg, 2.3 spg, 73% FT)
Liki Turner (Shepherd, F, 6-6, Richmond, VA, 14.3 ppg, 8.8 rpg, 50% FG, 77% FT)

WVIAC Player of the Year: Chris Gilliam (Pitt Johnstown)
WVIAC Coach of the Year: Bob Rukavina (Pitt Johnstown)
WVIAC Freshman of the Year: Liki Turner (Shepherd)

WVIAC Players of the Year:
1976: Dave Moore (Fairmont State)
1977: Dave Moore (Fairmont State)
1978: Vance Carr (Fairmont State)
1979: John Bates (WV Wesleyan)
1980: Leroy Loggins (Fairmont State)
1981: Kevin Beaford (Fairmont State)
1982: Phil Dailey (Salem)
1983: Sedale Threatt (WV Tech)
1984: not available
1985: Tim Murphy (Fairmont State)
1986: Sam Cooke (WV Tech)/Keith Tyler (Charleston)
1987: Matt Bullett (Glenville State)
1988: Antonio Martin (Charleston)
1989: Willie Davis (Alderson-Broaddus)
1990: Willie Davis (Alderson-Broaddus)
1991: Ron Ward (Concord)
1992: Ron Ward (Concord)
1993: Willie Coleman (Salem-Teikyo)
1994: Willie Coleman (Salem-Teikyo)
1995: Antoine Hatcher (Salem-Teikyo)
1996: Shawn Harvey (WV State)
1997: Sean Hampton (Alderson-Broaddus)
1998: Sean Hampton (Alderson-Broaddus)
1999: Dewayne Richardson (Fairmont State)
2000: Ajamu Gaines (Charleston)
2001: Kalan Smith (Charleston)
2002: Wykeen Kelly (Salem International)
2003: Wykeen Kelly (Salem International)
2004: Mike Taylor (WV State)
2005: Lewis Muse (Concord)
2006: Shaun McKie (Salem International)
2007: Ted Scott (WV State)
2008: Chris Gilliam (Pitt Johnstown)

WVIAC Coaches of the Year:
1980: Joe Retton (Fairmont State)
1981: Joe Retton (Fairmont State)
1982: Ray Barnhart (Salem)
1983: Jim O'Brien (Wheeling)
1984: not available
1985: Tex Williams (Charleston)/Rich Cameron (WV Wesleyan)
1986: Tex Williams (Charleston)
1987: Terry Brown (Bluefield State)
1988: Tom Sutherland (WV Tech)
1989: Jay DeFruscio (Wheeling Jesuit)
1990: Tom Sutherland (WV Tech)
1991: Steve McDonald (WV Wesleyan)
1992: Greg White (Charleston)
1993: Gary Nottingham (Glenville State)
1994: Mike Carey (Salem-Teikyo)
1995: Butch Haswell (Fairmont State)
1996: Dan Petri (West Liberty State)
1997: Mike Carey (Salem-Teikyo)
1998: Butch Haswell (Fairmont State)
1999: Mike Carey (Salem-Teikyo)
2000: Jayson Gee (Charleston)
2001: Jeff Kepreos (WVU Tech)
2002: Charlie Miller (WV Wesleyan)
2003: Jay DeFruscio (Wheeling Jesuit)
2004: Bryan Poore (WV State)
2005: Jim Crutchfield (West Liberty State)
2006: Greg Zimmerman (Alderson-Broaddus)
2007: Greg Zimmerman (Alderson-Broaddus)
2008: Bob Rukavina (Pitt Johnstown)

WVIAC Freshmen of the Year:
1999: Michael Jebbia (West Liberty)
2000: Delonta Jones (WVU Tech)
2001: Brian Atkins (Concord)
2002: Stephen Dye (Alderson-Broaddus)
2003: Chris Dunn (WV State)
2004: Tony Cornett (WV State)
2005: Shane Maynard (West Liberty State)
2006: Chris Carey (Fairmont State)
2007: Terrell Eargle (Alderson-Broaddus)
2008: Liki Turner (Shepherd)