It seemed that whenever the spotlight shined brightest or the stakes were at its highest, the Long Beach State men’s basketball team turned to its 5-10 floor general to lead the way.
The rest of the Big West Conference took notice, too.
Junior point guard Casper Ware was named Big West Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year by the league’s nine head coaches Monday. Ware is the first player in league history to earn both honors.
He was also selected to the all-conference first team along with teammate Larry Anderson. In fact, all five LBSU starters received honors along with fourth-year head coach Dan Monson, who was named Coach of the Year.
“I just owe it to my coaches and teammates for getting me to this level,” said Ware, who ranked among the top 10 in the conference in points (19.1), assists (3.5), steals (1.6), free throw percentage (.814), 3-point percentage (.409), 3-pointers made (45) and minutes played (35.8) in 16 Big West games.
The last LBSU player named the conference’s top player was Aaron Nixon in 2007 — the same year the 49ers last qualified for the NCAA Tournament. Ware is the eighth player in school history to earn the award, and the only 49er in history to be named the league’s top defender.
“It’s just an evolution of a person — not just a basketball player,” Monson said. “He’s just growing in so many areas.”
Anderson averaged 14.3 points, 6.0 rebounds and 3.3 assists in 24 games this season, and his return from a broken hand just in time for conference play helped put the 49ers over the top this season. The junior, a first-team selection for the second time in his career, also shot 54.1 percent from the field.
Monson earned the top coaching honor for the first time after guiding The Beach to a 20-10 record — 14-2 in conference play — and the Big West regular-season title.
Meanwhile, junior forward T.J. Robinson was named to the All-Big West second team, and teammates Greg Plater and Eugene Phelps earned honorable mention recognition.
Robinson averaged a double-double for the second consecutive season, tallying 13.6 points and 10.1 rebounds in 30 games.
Plater, the team’s senior 3-point specialist, averaged 11.8 points and shot 35.7 percent from beyond the arc while hitting a team-high 85 3-pointers.
Phelps rounded out a starting five that each averaged double figures, scoring 10.2 points in 30 contests. The junior forward also added 6.7 rebounds per game.
“To have all five of the kids get some sort of recognition is very gratifying as a coach,” Monson said.
The 2008 Cal State Northridge squad was the last team to have five players earn Big West honors in the same season.
Ware received his fair share of national attention this season. He made the cut as one of the top 20 finalists for the Bob Cousy Award, which is given to the nation’s top point guard, but he missed the top 10.
“It’s kind of a cliché, but it’s why you get into coaching: to see players develop and for young men to turn into men,” Monson said. “[Ware’s] just a man right now.”
Ware has scored 20 or more points 10 times this season, including a career-high 27 points at Cal State Fullerton on Jan. 19. In LBSU’s last 11 games, Ware led the team in scoring eight times.
He scored in double figures in 26 of the team’s 30 games this season.
In a conference call with the media, University of the Pacific head coach Bob Thomason joked that he would call NBA scouts to “get [Ware] out of the league early.”
“To not only get MVP, but also defensive player of the year, says a lot,” Thomason said.
With the game on the line, Ware has proven he can come through in the clutch, too. The junior knocked down what proved to be the game-winning jump shot with 10.1 seconds to play in a 70-69 victory over Pacific at the Walter Pyramid on Jan. 15.
“We trust him — I trust him a lot — with the ball at the end of the game,” Anderson said. “I know he’s going to make a good play.”
The award takes into account the nonconference games, as well.
On the road against Atlantic Coast Conference regular-season champion North Carolina, Ware notched a double-double with 22 points and 10 assists on Dec. 11.
“I just think he’s really confident right now,” Anderson said. “I don’t think anybody in the country can guard him 1-on-1. He’s a match-up problem.”
Top-seeded LBSU will open the first round of the Big West Tournament on Thursday against No. 8 UC Irvine at the Honda Center in Anaheim. Tipoff is scheduled for noon.
2010-11 BIG WEST PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Casper Ware (Long Beach State)
2010-11 BIG WEST NEWCOMER OF THE YEAR
Andre Hardy (Cal State Fullerton)
2010-11 BIG WEST CO-FRESHMEN OF THE YEAR
Maliik Love (Cal Poly)
Josh Ritchart (UC Davis)
2010-11 BIG WEST COACH OF THE YEAR
Dan Monson (Long Beach State)
2010-11 BIG WEST DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Casper Ware (Long Beach State)
2010-11 BIG WEST BEST SIXTH PLAYER
Isiah Umipig, Cal State Fullerton
2010-11 BIG WEST BEST HUSTLE PLAYER
Joe Harden, UC Davis
All-Big West first team:
+Larry Anderson (Long Beach State); Lenny Daniel (Cal State Northridge); +Orlando Johnson (UC Santa Barbara); Shawn Lewis (Cal Poly); Casper Ware (Long Beach State); Sam Willard (Pacific)
+Two-time selection
All-Big West second team:
Javon Borum (UC Riverside); David Hanson (Cal Poly); Rashaun McLemore (Cal State Northridge); Darren Moore (UC Irvine); T.J. Robinson (Long Beach State)
Honorable mention:
Joe Harden (UC Davis); Allen Huddleston (Pacific); Jer’Vaughn Johnson (Cal State Fullerton); James Nunnally (UC Santa Barbara); Mark Payne (UC Davis); Eugene Phelps (Long Beach State); Greg Plater (Long Beach State); Patrick Rembert (UC Irvine); Eric Wise (UC Irvine)
Assistant sports editor Sean Dillon contributed to this report.
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