The St. Thomas Aquinas College men's basketball team carries the #1 seed into this week's East Coast Conference Men's Basketball Tournament, as star forward Justin Reyes emerges as a finalist for national honors.
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Justin-credible - Spartans junior forward Justin Reyes, named as a preseason All-American, is now among the 50 finalists still eligible for the Bevo Francis Award, which is presented annually to the player who has had the finest overall season within small college basketball. Reyes was among the original group of 100 names released on January 15, and made the cut as one of the final 50 announced on February 15.
That list will be narrowed to 25 names when the next round is released on March 15, with 13 finalists to be announced on April 1, with the ultimate recipient awarded two days later, on April 3. Click Here for More Information about the Bevo Francis Award.
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Spartans in the ECC Tourney - St. Thomas Aquinas captured its third consecutive ECC Regular Season Championship and will carry the top seed into action, looking to reclaim their Tournament Championship of a year ago. This is their fourth appearance in as many years, with the Spartans having advanced to the finals each of the previous three seasons.
Tourney Pairings - The Spartans (23-5, 17-3) will watch on Wednesday as first round action takes place, with STAC facing the winner of #5 University of the District of Columbia traveling to #4 Damen College, while #6 Queens College journeys to the University of Bridgeport. The winner of that game will advance to face #2 Molloy College.
Semi-final action will take place on Saturday, March 4, with the Championship Final set for Sunday, March 5, at the University of Bridgeport. For Full ECC Tournament Schedule and Information, Click Here.
Hot Hands - STAC enters Saturday's action as the hottest team in the conference, having won their final four regular season games and 13-of-14 overall, good enough for a #3 ranking in this week's NCAA East Regional Poll. The Spartans boast five scorers averaging double-figures with Reyes (19.6 ppg) leading the way. Aaron Cust heads to the post-season on a roll, as the ECC Player of the Week poured in 53 points in his final two games to attain the 1,000 career point mark.
The Schedule - The Spartans will play at 5:00 pm Saturday in the first semi-final against either UDC or Daemen. The winner advances to the final, with tip set for 2:30 pm Sunday.
NCAA Bound? - St. Thomas Aquinas is in search of its second trip to the NCAA Division II Tournament in as many seasons. The ECC Tournament Champion receives an automatic berth to the NCAAs, but, unlike last season, the Spartans' current #3 regional ranking leaves them in excellent position for an at-large bid should they not take the title. Location, dates and pairings for the NCAA Tournament are to be determined.