TALLAHASSEE, FLA.- Following a 28-1 regular season and an undefeated run through the Suncoast Conference, the Florida SouthWestern State Buccaneers had a league high seven players named to the Suncoast Conference All-Conference teams while Charles Manning Jr. was named the Player of the Year and Eric Murphy the league's Coach of the Year.
Charles Manning Jr. took home the league's top honor as the Player of the Year. The LSU signee led the Bucs in scoring at 16.7 points per game while shooting an even 50% from the floor on the year. He put together six 20 point games on the season including 28 and 30 point efforts in conference play against State College of Florida and St. Petersburg. He scoring in double figures in 24 of 27 games on the year.
Joining Manning Jr. on the first team were sharpshooters Maddox Daniels and Destin Barnes. Daniels was second on the team, averaging 14.2 points per game while shooting a scorching 45% from the three point line, leading the Suncoast Conference by a wide margin. Daniels had five 20 point games for FSW, including 23 against #8 Salt Lake and 29 against Hillsborough. Barnes was steady as an ox for the Bucs, averaging 8.4 points and 3.8 rebounds per game. He scored in double figures 12 times, pouring in a season high 21 against State College of Florida, a game in which he finished a perfect 6 for 6 from the three point line.
Four Bucs earned second team honors. Leading the group was Terence Lewis II who was Mr. Efficient for the Bucs, led the league and ranked in the top five nationally in shooting at 70% from the field while averaging 10.1 points and 5.6 rebounds per game on the season. Lewis scored in double figures 13 times and posted four double-doubles on the year.
Joining Lewis II on the second team were Tyler Morman, Keon Ellis, and DeShawn Thomas. Morman put up 4.9 points and 5.0 rebounds per game for the Bucs, while shooting 59% from the field. His best game of the season came late in conference play when he posted a season high 11 points and 10 rebounds in a double-double against Hillsborough. Ellis was the lone FSW freshman to receive honors as his 8.0 points and 2.3 assists per game off the bench were good for a second team nod. He had 10 double digit scoring efforts including a career high 21 against LSU-Eunice midseason. Thomas played in all 29 games for the Bucs, averaging 6.8 points and 4.1 rebounds per night for FSW. He scored 10 or more nine times and rejected 46 shots on the inside for the Bucs as a sophomore.
Leading the Bucs to an undefeated conference season and a #1 national ranking, Head Coach Eric Murphy was named the Suncoast Coach of the Year in his first season on the end of the FSW bench.
State College of Florida finished second in the league with five overall selections.
The 28-1 Bucs take the court Thursday afternoon at 1 PM in Ocala where they will battle Indian River in the quarterfinals of the FCSAA/Region VIII Tournament.