The St. Thomas Aquinas College Men's Basketball team continues to be well-represented with postseason honors this spring, as the annual Metropolitan Basketball Writers Association awards were released on Thursday. Shaun Arnold and Hartnel Haye were both named Second Team selections, while Derrick James and Luis Risquez were each tabbed with Honorable Mention kudos.
Arnold (Indianapolis, Ind.) topped the ECC and ranked 4th nationally in total steals (86), swiping the ball away 2.5 times per game in 34 contests, and ranked third in total rebounds (237), and ninth in total blocks (27). The ECC Defensive Player of the Year totaled 17 games with three or more steals and dropped six double-doubles after averaging 11.3 points per game on 47.0 percent shooting from the field. Arnold helped anchor STAC to a nation-leading 17.29 offensive rebounds per game and 18.86 turnovers forced per game, which topped the ECC and ranked ninth nationally.
Arnold was also named a Second Team All-Conference selection and the Defensive Player of the Week on November 11, 2024.
Haye played in all 35 games while averaging 24.6 minutes per game. The Camden, New Jersey native ranked fourth on the team in points per game (11.2) and second in total points (392), first on the Spartans (3rd ECC) in rebounds per game (7.7) and (2nd ECC) total rebounds (271), sixth on the maroon and gold in assists per game (1.0) and fifth in total assists (33) and second in blocks per game (0.6) and third in total blocks (21). Haye was also named an ECC First Team All-Conference pick and the Player of the Week on November 11, 2024.
James suited up in 32 games while averaging 28.4 minutes per game. The Columbus, Ohio resident ranked second on the team in points per game (11.3) and fourth in total points (361), first on the Spartans (3rd ECC) in assists per game (4.7) and (1st ECC) total assists (151) and second on the maroon and gold (7th ECC) in steals per game (1.9) and (3rd ECC) total steals (60). James was also tabbed for ECC Second Team All-Conference honors.
Risquez took the court in 34 games while averaging 22.2 minutes per game. The Barcelona, Venezuela native ranked first on the team in points per game (11.6) and total points (396), third on the Spartans (4th ECC) in field goal percentage (51.2%), third on the maroon and gold in rebounds per game (6.1) and total rebounds (206) and second in blocks per game (0.6) and total blocks (22). Risquez also took home ECC Second Team All-Conference accolades.
The 2024-25 All-Met teams will be honored at the 92nd MBWA Haggerty Awards dinner on Thursday, April 24, at the Sleepy Hollow Hotel & Conference Center in Tarrytown, NY. The Haggerty dinner is the longest running, media-managed college basketball awards program in the United States.