Season 41 may be the last of some era's in the So-Cal.  With at least two long time coaches leaving, rare open windows will exist for new blood to enter on of the premier conferences in DIII.  At press time, we have 5 ranked teams, 7 NT locks, and 3 teams looking to go mini dancing.  It's time to see how these teams got where they are:

6th man of the year

A 6th man is the young man who bites his lip as he wants more minutes, but knows he is still a key player.  This season's 6th man of the year clearly couldn't start to his "Ole" defensive strategy, but could stack up next to anyone on the offensive end.  From West Valley, CA, California Lutheran's junior Taylor Braithwaite can wear this season's badge of honor.  He averaged almost a point per minute (14.3 points in 15.1 mins), and was a lethal shooter from beyond the arc (39.7%).  The scary fact is Braithwaite may line up next year to defend his 6th man title.

Runner up- C. Bogner, Redlands

Freshman of the Year

Impact on DIII's biggest stage can be difficult, but for some, starting games helps them get into the flow.  Out of Placerville, CA, our freshman of the year stood 6'2", dumped in 11.4 PPG, and stole 1 ball per game.  For California Tech, Joseph Wood.
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Runner up- W. Ahlberg, Cal Tech

Defensive Player of the Year

Defense (n.) resistance against attack; protection.  How could anyone compete with the reigning defensive player of the year?  One player tried (Norris, CSU Eastbay), but was still embarrassed by Mr. Cary White's resistance against his attack.  Last season the 6'10" senior from Etna, CA managed a mere 1.5 blocks, and 5.8 defensive boards a game (with a steal per game).  This season he upped his output, with fewer minutes, and had 1.7 blocks, .8 steals, and 5.5 defensive boards per game (in 3 fewer minutes a game.)  Maybe next season someone else can finally get his spotlight ;)

Runner up- C K. Norris, CSU-Eastbay

Coach of the Year

This season was a love-fest for our fellow coaches.  Eight received votes, and four different coaches received first place votes.  With three first place votes, pinkeye of Redlands garnered this season's honor.  At press time, Redlands had the #1 RPI, #1 SOS, #5 ranking, and went 14-2 (#1 record) in a killer conference.  The big question for Redlands is- can they make the trip to (insert city here) for the final four?

Runner up- theeyetest

Player of the Year

What else can be said about being a So-Cal player of the year.  This is the best D3 player in the best D3 conference in Knight.  Men want to be him, Women want to be with him, and D2 coaches want to coach him.  Sometimes all a player needs to break out is to play fewer minutes, and with the extra rest, Cary White of Whittier exploded offensively.  54.4% shooting, 8 RPG, 14 PPG, 1.7 BPG, .6 APG, .8 SPG all in 24.1 minutes, Mr. White (as we refer to him in coaches meetings) was the player that everyone feared, and knew they had to contain.

Runner up- PG J. Orr, Redlands

All-Conference Teams

First team-
PG J. Orr, Sr, Redlands
PG T. Hill, Sr, California, Santa Cruz
SG J. Pearson, Sr, Whittier
PF P. Bailey, Jr, Pomona
C C. White, Sr, Whittier

Second team-
PG W. Macri, Sr, Cal- Santa Cruz
PG J. Alger, Sr, La Verne
SG C. Dill, Sr, Redlands
C W. Bourg, Sr, Redlands
C R. Wyckoff, Sr, Occidental

Gaskin is the first back 2 back winner of freshman of the year! I think you forgot to update that section. Otherwise, awesome writeup. I really appreciate the effort put into this.

Great job asher. I think it's funny that Ted Hill won the sim CPOY but was likely 4th place at best in the coaches vote, heck I even only put him 3rd.

Massenburg is on my team and is a senior. Good job on the write-up asher.

Fixed the FOTY mistake (oops!)-

Top 5 CPOY results for ya: Name (1st), pts
White (2), 17
Orr (2), 11
Person (1), 8
Bailey, 7
Hill (1), 5

White is also the 2nd FOTY to go on to be CPOY.  I guess that means it's Bailey's turn next season!

Other random facts as I scan-
EVERY CPOY we've voted on has been a PF or C.
Still no repeats for COY.
Whittier is now the first team to have two players win CPOY.

Posted by asher413 on 9/20/2011 4:31:00 PM (view original):
Fixed the FOTY mistake (oops!)-

Top 5 CPOY results for ya: Name (1st), pts
White (2), 17
Orr (2), 11
Person (1), 8
Bailey, 7
Hill (1), 5

White is also the 2nd FOTY to go on to be CPOY.  I guess that means it's Bailey's turn next season!

Other random facts as I scan-
EVERY CPOY we've voted on has been a PF or C.
Still no repeats for COY.
Whittier is now the first team to have two players win CPOY.

Too bad the good players at Whitter can't make up for the lack of coaching!!!

Man, no love for CSU Eastbay at all despite our best finish in a long time. Guess whoever takes over next year will have their work cut out for them.

CoY was a very hard ballot to fill out.  Usually I spend most time on the DPoY.  Congrats pinkeye.

Nice job asher.

Posted by asher413 on 9/20/2011 4:31:00 PM (view original):
Fixed the FOTY mistake (oops!)-

Top 5 CPOY results for ya: Name (1st), pts
White (2), 17
Orr (2), 11
Person (1), 8
Bailey, 7
Hill (1), 5

White is also the 2nd FOTY to go on to be CPOY.  I guess that means it's Bailey's turn next season!

Other random facts as I scan-
EVERY CPOY we've voted on has been a PF or C.
Still no repeats for COY.
Whittier is now the first team to have two players win CPOY.

Updated the yearly winners on page 1.

Awards have been very F/C dominated....all the POTY, and all but one of the DPOTY and FOTY winners have been bigs.

Aaaand I did win the first two COTY awards :P

Another season, another set (pardon these being shorter, it's been a long night!)

42 seasons are now complete in the So-cal.  8 teams will be NT bound, and for the first time in a while, the conference is fighting to be above .600 in RPI.  Never fear, the SoCal is just as strong, and it looks like the North has risen again...

6th man of the year

Unanimous.  That's how important this senior was to his team.  In only 21 games, Taylor Braithwaite managed a repeat of So-Cal 6th man of the year.  He only led the team (#1 in RPI, #2 in SOS) in scoring per game at 20.4 PPG in 16.9 MPG.  Imagine how badly he would have made us cry if he had a 40+ D rating...

Runner up- C. Arce, Pomona

Freshman of the Year

In an strange season for freshman in the So.Cal (5 teams started a freshman at least twice, and 12 freshman started), the vote for freshman of the year was very split.  Two players were first place on ballots, and received no other votes.   While CSU, Eastbay was the hotbed for freshman, Clovis, CA is the home of this season's freshman of the year- James Mueller (wasn't that the Bills FB in Tecmo Super Bowl?).  4.3 RPG and .9 BPG highlighted his resume.

Runner-up- two way tie

Defensive Player of the Year

A lot of defensive studs we have could be DIII leaders with more PT, and weaker foes.  But, with everyone having top 25 SOS's, it's rare to see a player average a block and a steal per game.  Ronald Boland traveled all the way from White Hall, AR to play for Redlands, and in his senior season is honored with the DPOY award.  1.0 SPG, and 1.5 BPG made Boland a beast (and he could probably contribute on DI rosters his senior season!).

Runner up- W. Bucci, Cal-Lutheran

Coach of the Year

Winning coach of the year in the So-Cal is not easy.  We have multiple national championship coaches, 13-3 is the best in conference record, and many of us were a basket or five away from top tier regular seasons.  The coach who weathered this storm has taken a team with four previous NT bids, to their second straight NT, and a #1 RPI.  Thanks rusticity for making the rest of us bottom half coaches look bad!

Runner up- theeyetest

Player of the Year

Player of the year is the man that DII teams wish they had, and I for one will not miss when he leaves.  Leading his team in Blocks, FG%, Free throw attempts, scoring, rebounding, minutes, IQ, facial stubble and bruised defender egos, the pride of San Dimas, CA, Pete Bailey.  Bailey was the only non-senior on last season's all conference teams, and is now the third (of four possible) coaches' selection for Freshman of the year to become Player of the year.  He also leaves Pomona as the all time leader in minutes, rebounds (he'll get nine more), and in a close heat for all time FG%.  Simply put, he may be the man that future fans relate with Pomona basketball.

Runner up- C. Lape, California, Santa Cruz

All-Conference Teams

First team-
PG C. Lape, Sr, California-Santa Cruz
PG T. Wiltz, Sr, California Lutheran
SG R. Mason, Sr, Occidental
PF P. Bailey, Sr, Pomona
C T. Harris, Sr, California-Santa Cruz

Second team-
PG W. Bucci, Sr, California Lutheran
PG J. Warner, Sr, Texas-Tyler
SG O. Nordin, Sr, Occidental
PF B. Barker, Sr, California-Tech
C R. Boland, Sr, Redlands

After missing the conference awards last season for Turkey, Christmas can't stop me!

The So-Cal is lined up for a historic season.  With a solid postseason (and 11 teams NT bound... man I stink...), the So.Cal can beat it's all-time conference RPI record.  We've even added a former Big Ten coach, and will have a VERY nice opening this next season.  Without further ado...

6th man of the year

Being a sixth man can be a glamor spot.  Sometimes a player with a defensive weakness can simply shine when coming off the bench.  This season, the junior from Naperville, IL averaged 16.4 points off the bench this year, adding 1.5 steals per game.  Brian Miller of Cal Tech stepped up to win 6th man of the year.

Runner up- D. Francis, Cal. Lutheran

Freshman of the Year

What a difference a redshirt can make.  This season's freshman of the year came all the way from the east coast to grace the So. Cal with his presence.  Starting 23 games, Mikey Stroman didn't add a lot on the offensive side, but was solid (50% from the field), and added .6 blocks and steals per game, and 5.1 rebounds.  As always, this could be a ticket to serious fame.

Defensive Player of the Year

Redshirts once again help out.  This season's defensive player of the year managed to create 2.8 takeaways a game, 7.1 rebounds, and still played offense!  Off the bench, this season's defensive player of the year hails from Oakland, David Francisof California Lutheran.

Runner up- C. Jasso, Sr, Occidental

Coach of the Year

Let's be honest, this award takes something exceptional.   Turn around a program?  Not enough.  Top 10 RPI?  Not enough.  To win the coach of the year here, you have to go 13-3 against the best conference in DIII. ki87 was able to do this at La Verne, in only his first season.  We'll see how long he can keep La Verne at the top of the So-Cal regular season heap.

Runner up- tie- thewizard10 and kmasonbx

Player of the Year

Normally I gush that this player could play DII, but after my recent DI experiences, I'm starting to this this is a DI worth player.  With only 701 attribute points, this seasons' player of the year shot 200 free throws, averaged 18.2 points per game, stole the ball 1.4 times a game, added 4 rebounds, tutored high school students, and helped old ladies cross the street.  Kenneth Corona the Senior from Orland, CA helped Redlands to another top 3 seed in the postseason.

Runner up- J. Wood, Cal. Tech

All-Conference Teams

First team-
PG K. Corona, Sr., Redlands
PG J. Wood, Sr. Cal. Tech
PG H. Tignor, Sr. CMHMS
C C. Jasso, Sr. Occidental
C D. Francis, Jr, Cal Lutheran

Second team-
PG M. Grant, Sr, Occidental
PG M. Giron, Sr, Texas-Tyler
SF C. Pfarr, Jr, CMHMS
PF A. Maltsberger, Jr., Redlands
PF J. Owens, Jr., Redlands

My apologies for any errors- the in-laws are staring at me as I do this ;)

does anyone remember recruiting corona? i feel like i got him for <$1000

you guys are fish for not having pfarr be on the first team. dude is going to have 30 every game next season bc he's so angry.

Sorry for the delay- life is happening on me- so here's the really short form:

6th Man- Koch, CalTech
Freshman- Issac, CMHMS
Defensive- Francis, Cal Lutheran
POY- Yates- Pomona
COY- eyetest

All-Conference:
1st team-
Yates- Pomona
Pfarr- CMHMS
Brown- Cal, Santa Cruz
Francis- Cal Lutheran
Maltsberger - Redlands

2nd team-
Henriquez- Cal Santa Cruz
Allison- Redlands
Williams- CSU Eastbay
Wilson- CMHMS
Wildermuth- Whittier