Oct. 21, 2010
Atlantic 10 Release
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New York, N.Y. -
Fordham University sophomore forward Chris Gaston (Palisades Park, N.J./St. Anthony) was named Second Team Preseason All-Atlantic 10 in a vote of the conference coaches and media it was announced today. The announcement occurred during A-10 Media Day at the CBS College Sports Network Studio in Chelsea Piers.
Three-time defending Atlantic 10 Conference champion Temple were selected as the favorite to claim the 2011 A-10 Men's Basketball Championship at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, N.J.
The Owls, who will bid for their tenth A-10 title this year, received 19 first place votes to lead all schools with 350 points. Xavier (325) and Richmond (311) each received three first place votes and were picked to finish second and third in the league, respectively. Dayton was listed first on one ballot and finished with 310 points to place fourth in the preseason poll.
Rhode Island (233) was selected fifth followed by Saint Louis (223), Charlotte (218), Duquesne (172) and La Salle (133). George Washington (130) placed 10th in the voting followed by Massachusetts (126), Saint Joseph's (91), St. Bonaventure (80) and Fordham (28).
Four of the five student-athletes represented on last year's A-10 All-Conference First Team were named to this year's Preseason First Team including the reigning A-10 Player of the Year in Richmond's Kevin Anderson. The senior guard averaged 17.8 points in 35 games a season ago to lead all Spider players. Anderson is joined on the preseason first team by Temple's Lavoy Allen (11.5 ppg), Dayton's Chris Wright (13.7 ppg), Damian Saunders (15.0 ppg) of Duquesne and St. Bonaventure's Andrew Nicholson (16.4 ppg). Allen, Saunders and Wright earned A-10 first team honors last year. Saunders was named the Defensive Player of the Year after finishing first in the league in steals (2.8 spg) and blocked shots (2.9 bpg) and second in rebounding (11.3 rpg).
The A-10 Preseason Second Team consists of Temple's Juan Fernandez (12.6 ppg), Tu Holloway (12.1 ppg) of Xavier, Rhode Island's Delroy James (13.2 ppg), Charlotte's Shamari Spears (16.0 ppg) and last year's Rookie of the Year in Fordham's
Chris Gaston (18.0 ppg).
Gaston, who was named 2010 Atlantic 10 Rookie of the Year, Collegeinsider.com Freshman All-America, the Sporting News Atlantic 10 Rookie of the Year and the Metropolitan Basketball Writers Association (MBWA) Rookie of the Year, enjoyed one of the most successful freshman campaign for any Fordham men's basketball player. He led the 2009-10 Rams in both scoring, averaging 18.0 ppg, and rebounding, averaging 11.4 rpg and recorded a team-high 50 blocks, 26 steals, tying for the team lead, and 43 assists. Gaston's 504 points scored last season is a record for a Fordham freshman, surpassing Robin's former mark of 495 points in 1997-99, while his 319 rebounds is the second best for a Fordham rookie, four shy of Ed Conlin's freshman record of 323 set in 1951-52. Gaston's point total is the most for a Ram since Ken Charles netted 607 points in 28 games in 1972-73 while his rebound total is the best for a Fordham player since Damon Lopez pulled down 328 in 32 games in 1989-90.
On the season, Gaston recorded 19 doubles-doubles, the most doubles-doubles for a Fordham player over the past 40 years.
Gaston, who was named Atlantic 10 Rookie of the Week four times in 2009-2010, led the Atlantic 10 in rebounding and defensive rebounding (7.3/game), was ranked second in offensive rebounding (4.1/game), fourth in scoring, sixth in blocked shots (1.8/game) and tenth in field goal percentage (44.9%). In the national rankings, Gaston ranked fifth in rebounding and tied for ninth in double-doubles while tying for 66th in scoring and 72nd in blocked shots. He led all NCAA freshmen in rebounding and was second among all NCAA freshmen in scoring and doubles-doubles (Lehigh's C.J. McCollom led all freshmen in scoring, averaging 19.1 ppg, while Kentucky's DeMarcus Cousins had 20 doubles-doubles).
The Rams will open the 2010-11 season on Friday night, November 12th, as they host the Brown University Bears in the Rose Hill Gym at 8:00 p.m. Tickets go on sale tomorrow and can be purchased on line by clicking
here.
