CSI's Fonseca Tabbed DIII Player of the Year; Baruch's Alesi Named Top Coach
2015 ALL-MET AWARDS PROGRAM - Men's Division III
FFI: Chuck Stogel, 914-428-6111, chstogel@aol.com
NEW YORK (April 15, 2015) – Will Fonesca of the College of Staten Island has been named the All-Met Division III men’s college basketball Player of the Year by the Met Basketball Writers Association. John Alesi of Baruch was named Coach of the Year.
The rest of the All-Met First Team: Terik Bridgeman, William Paterson; Granville Gittens, Baruch; Egzon Gjonbalaj, Brooklyn; Evan Kupferberg, NYU; David Louison, St. Joseph’s Brooklyn.
The Second Team: Hakeem Harris, NYU; Jordan McDaniel, Rutgers Newark; Benjy Ritholtz, Yeshiva; Frank Schettino, Staten Island; Tommy Soulias, Kean.
The Third Team: Sandy Burgos, William Paterson; Jonathan Greenfield, Lehman; Mike Klinger, Drew; Lorenzo Williams, Brooklyn; James Zuccaro, Mount St. Vincent.
The All-Met players and coaches in men's and women's Divisions I, II and III were honored on April 22 at the 82nd NIT/MBWA Haggerty Awards dinner at the Westchester Marriott, Tarrytown, NY.
Player of the Year: Will Fonseca, Staten Island (pictured left):
A 6-foot-5 junior forward from Brooklyn, NY, Fonseca led the Dolphins (20-9), the CUNY Athletic Conference and the nation in Division III with 732 total points --- a single-season school record --- along with 26 double-doubles and 278 field goals. Named the CUNYAC player of the year and to the NABC Atlantic Region First Team, he led his conference with 26.1 ppg (third in the nation) and 12.5 rpg (third in the NCAA). Fonseca added 65 assists and 44 steals, and shot 52.9% from the field, including 41.5% from 3-point range.
Coach of the Year: John Alesi, Baruch (pictured right):
In his third season at the helm, Alesi --- who also was named CUNYAC coach of the year --- guided the Bearcats to the CUNYAC regular season championship and second-ever CUNYAC tournament title (first since 2000). Baruch earned its fourth appearance in the NCAA Tournament (and first since 2009). Posting a 14-2 conference record, the Bearcats finished 21-7 overall (first 20-win season since 2009-10). Alesi produced a defense that ranked first in CUNYAC in fewest points per game allowed (61.4) and was tops in field goal defense (37.9%). Overall, the defense ranked fourth nationally.
All-MET MEN’S DIVISION III
First Team
Will Fonseca, Staten Island 6-5, jr, F Brooklyn, NY
Terik Bridgeman, William Paterson 6-6, jr, G/F Harlem, NY
Granville Gittens, Baruch 6-6, sr, F Brooklyn, NY
Egzon Gjonbalaj, Brooklyn 6-3, jr, G/F Brooklyn, NY
Evan Kupferberg, NYU 6-6, jr, F Boca Raton, FL
David Louison, St. Joseph-Brooklyn 6-4, sr, F Brooklyn, NY
Second Team
Hakeem Harris, NYU 6-1, jr, G New York, NY
Jordan McDaniel, Rutgers-Newark 6-5, jr, F Colonia, NJ
Benjy Ritholtz, Yeshiva 6-3, sr, G W. Hempstead, NY
Frank Schettino, Staten Island 5-11, so, G Staten Island, NY
Tommy Soulias, Kean 6-3, jr, G Middletown, NJ
Third Team
Sandy Burgos, William Paterson 6-2, sr, G Fort Lee, NJ
Jonathan Greenfield, Lehman 6-3, sr, G/F Hartford, CT
Mike Klinger, Drew 6-1, jr, G Franklin Park, NJ
Lorenzo Williams, Brooklyn 6-4, jr, F Brooklyn, NY
James Zuccaro, Mount St. Vincent 6-3, sr, G/F Gilbert, AZ
Player of the Year: Will Fonseca, Staten Island
Coach of the Year: John Alesi, Baruch
Links to: All-Time Men's Division III Players of the Year, All-Time Men's Division III Coaches of the Year, Recent All-Met Teams