AIKEN, S.C. – The University of South Carolina Aiken
athletic department and head coach Vince Alexander released the
2000-10 Men's Basketball All-Decade team on Monday, Aug. 1,
2011.
The 2000-10 USC Aiken Men's Basketball All-Decade team
features 10 student-athletes on two teams.
Chris Commons (2007-09) is the most decorated
player in USC Aiken men's basketball history. He ended his
two years at USC Aiken as an NCAA Division II consensus All-America
selection in 2008-09. In addition to his All-America plaudits from
Basketball Times and the Division II Bulletin All-America Team,
Commons was also chosen to the All-America team by both the NABC
and Daktronics. He was an NABC and Daktronics All-America selection
after the 2007-08 season as well. Commons was a third team choice
by Daktronics in both 2007-08 and 2008-09. He is the only Pacer in
program history to record back-to-back All-America seasons. Commons
averaged 19.2 points per game in 64 games as a Pacer. Commons
scored over 20 points 33 times as a Pacer. The Peach Belt
Conference Player of the Year in 2007-08 and 2008-09, Commons
concluded USC Aiken's record-setting 2008-09 season averaging 16.8
points per game and 5.8 rebounds per game. Commons ended his
collegiate career by scoring 20 points in the NABC Division II
All-Star game at the Basketball Hall of Fame. He is currently
playing professionally in the Asian Basketball League.
In his only season at USC Aiken in the 2007-08 season,
Jeremy Fears (2007-08) averaged 17.3 points, 4.4
rebounds and 4.1 assists per game in helping the Pacers to a Peach
Belt Conference championship and a trip to the NCAA Division II
Tournament. Fears played in 27 games, starting 19. He was named
First-Team All-Region and All-Conference. Fears is presently
playing professional basketball in Poland.
Kingsley Oguchi (2005-09) was a four-year
starter at USC Aiken. He concluded his career in the top six in
school history in total points with 1,112 in his career. Oguchi is
USC Aiken's all-time leader in steals with 162. He is currently
playing professional basketball in Libya.
A member of the Baseball All-Decade team as well, Clint
Keown (2001-02) suited up on the hardwood just one season
for the Pacer men's basketball team. It was a memorable one
though as he ended his lone year on the court as a Pacer as a
Daktronics Second Team All-America selection. In 28 starts for the
Pacers in the 2001-02 season, Keown averaged 24.7 points, 5.0
rebounds and 2.9 assists. Keown set numerous school single-season
records in 2001-02, including most points (691), scoring average
(24.7), field goals attempted (562), 3-point field goals made (84),
3-point field goals attempted (227), free throws made (163), free
throw percentage (.872) and steals (79).
Josh Dollard (2008-09) averaged 15.3 points and
7.4 rebounds per game in his lone season as a Pacer. He finished
his lone Pacer campaign shooting 56.4 percent from the field.
During the 2008-09 season, Dollard was selected to both the Peach
Belt Conference All-Conference team and the Peach Belt Conference
All-Tournament team. The 2009 Daktronics all-region selection was
also tabbed to the 2009 NCAA Southeast All-Tournament team. Dollard
is currently playing professional basketball in Canada.
Cody Ballard (2007-09) was the only player on a
star-studded Pacer squad to start all 33 games in the 2008-09
season, averaging nine points, 4.5 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 28.7
minutes per game. He collected a team-high 47 steals during the
year. As a junior in the 2007-08 season, Ballard averaged 10.9
points and 3.9 rebounds per game. Despite playing just two seasons
at USC Aiken, Ballard is seventh all-time in school history with 82
steals. He is currently playing for the Cleveland Vipers of the
Universal Basketball Association.
Richard Blocker (2004-06) was chosen to the
2006 Peach Belt Conference All-Conference team. As a senior in the
2005-06 season, Blocker averaged 13.6 points and 6.6 rebounds per
contest. Blocker stayed with the program for three more years as an
assistant, helping to lead the Pacers to the Peach Belt Conference
title in 2007-08 and the NCAA Division II “Sweet
Sixteen” in the 2008-09 season.
Brian Egwuatu (2007-09) averaged just over a
block a game and 4.0 points per game in the 2007-08 season. His
1.15 blocks per game average placed him in the top seven in the PBC
in the category. In his final season as a Pacer in 2008-09, Egwuatu
finished second on the squad with 52 blocks. Egwuatu's 82 blocks as
a Pacer leave him fourth all-time in school history. In total, he
averaged 4.1 points and 4.1 rebounds per game in 33 games for USC
Aiken in the 2008-09 season. He is currently playing professionally
in the Czech Republic.
Byron Faison (2009-11) is a two-time All-Peach
Belt Conference second team selection. In the 2010-11 season,
Faison averaged a team-best 14.3 points per game. Faison scored in
double figures 18 times during the 2010-11 season. He scored 20 or
more in seven outings. A preseason All-America selection prior to
the 2010-11 campaign, Faison was named the 2010 Peach Belt
Conference Tournament Most Valuable Player.
Javonte Clanton (2008-09) was a member of the
Pacer men's basketball program for one season as he was
killed in a one-car accident just hours after USC Aiken's
first ever appearance in the NCAA Division II “Sweet
Sixteen.” In his lone season in a Pacer uniform, Clanton
averaged 11.9 points, 3.1 assists and 2.8 rebounds per game. He was
named to the Peach Belt Conference All-Conference second team.
The head coaches of each of USC Aiken's teams selected the
2000-10 USC Aiken Athletic Department All-Decade teams.
Over the course of the coming weeks, an All-Decade team will be
released each week by the USC Aiken athletic department.
Please visit USC Aiken's official athletic website at
www.PacerSports.com the remainder of the summer to see the
All-Decade teams.
Men's Basketball All-Decade Team
First Team
Chris Commons
Jeremy Fears
Kingsley Oguchi
Clint Keown
Josh Dollard
Second Team
Cody Ballard
Richard Blocker
Brian Egwuatu
Byron Faison
Javonte Clanton
