Eastern Michigan Athletics
EMU Hoops Quartet Earns Honors From MAC
3/5/2018 2:00:00 PM | Men's Basketball
James Thompson IV was named First Team All-MAC to highlight the awards
CLEVELAND, Ohio (EMUEagles.com) — After its best Mid-American Conference season under Head Coach Rob Murphy, the Eastern Michigan University men's basketball team was rewarded with three players named to the All-MAC teams, and a pair to the All-Defensive squad, the league office announced Monday, March 5.
Junior James Thompson IV (Baton Rouge, La.-Parkview Baptist) earned spots on both the All-MAC First Team, as well as All-MAC Defensive Team. Joining Thompson on the defensive team was senior Tim Bond (Baltimore, Md.-City College), who was selected one of the best defenders in the league for the third straight season. Redshirt junior Elijah Minnie (Pittsburgh, Pa.-Lincoln Park-Robert Morris)) was named to the All-MAC Third Team, and fellow redshirt junior Paul Jackson (Stone Mountain, Ga.-Martin Luther King Jr.-Eastern Kentucky)) was named All-MAC Honorable Mention.
With his placement on first team, Thompson becomes the first Eagle since John Bowler in 2005-06 to be named All-Mid-American Conference First Team. The junior, who won MAC Player of the Week on two occasions this season, leads the league in rebounding at 11.5 boards per game. He is also averaging 15.3 points per game, good for 12th-best in the conference. Thompson paces the conference in field goal percentage (68.3), and double-doubles (19). Not only did Thompson help the MAC's best defense by cleaning up on the glass, but he also finished second in the conference in both total blocks (55) and blocks per game (1.8).
As Eastern's lone senior, Bond proved his defensive prowess yet again, being named to the MAC All-Defensive team for the third straight year. The Baltimore, Md. native set the Eastern Michigan record for career steals, passing all-time great Earl Boykins' record of 220 against Northern Illinois, Feb. 24. Bond finished second in the league in steals per game at 2.5, and also finished in the top 10 in blocks per game with a 1.1 average. With 77 steals, he now needs just one steal to tie the all-time single-season record for swipes.
Minnie, another two-time MAC Player of the Week winner, saved some of his best play for the end of the season. The redshirt junior has upped his scoring average to 16.8, good for sixth in the league, and is in the top 20 for blocked shots (1.7 bpg - 3rd), steals (1.8 spg - 5th), free throw percentage (84.5 percent - 5th), three-point field goals made (2.1 per game - 9th), and rebounding (5.9 rpg - 16th). He has been the Eagles' leading scorer for much of the season, and also leads the team in 20+ scoring games.
Wrapping up the honors was Jackson's spot on the honorable mention team. The redshirt junior finished with a scoring average of 14.9 points per game, while also leading EMU in assists per game with a 4.5 mark. His 1.6 assist-to-turnover ratio was good for eighth in the final league standings, and he also finished eighth in steals per game with 1.3.
EMU's three players named to all-conference teams marks the first time since the 2009-10 season, when Brandon Bowdry (2nd Team), and Carlos Medlock (2nd Team) were joined by Justin Dobbins (Honorable Mention).
2017-18 All-MAC First Team
Tre'Shaun Fletcher, Sr., G, Toledo
C.J. Massinburg, Jr., G, Buffalo
Nick Perkins, Jr., F, Buffalo
James Thompson IV, Jr., F/C, Eastern Michigan
Thomas Wilder, Sr., G, Western Michigan
2017-18 All-MAC Second Team
Eugene German, So., G, Northern Illinois
Jeremy Harris, Jr., G, Buffalo
Tayler Persons, Jr., G, Ball State
Jaelan Sanford, Jr., G, Toledo
Demajeo Wiggins, Jr., F, Bowling Green
2017-18 All-MAC Third Team
Wes Clark, Sr., G, Buffalo
Elijah Minnie, R-Jr., F, Eastern Michigan
Trey Moses, Jr., C, Ball State
Darrian Ringo, Jr., G, Miami
Jaylin Walker, Jr., G, Kent State
2017-18 All-MAC Honorable Mention
Jordan Dartis, Jr., G, Ohio
Daniel Utomi, So., F, Akron
Justin Turner, R-Fr., G, Bowling Green
Nike Sibande, Fr., G, Miami
Paul Jackson, R-Jr., G, Eastern Michigan
2017-18 MAC All-Defensive Team
Tim Bond, Sr., G, Eastern Michigan
Davonta Jordan, So., G, Buffalo
Bryce Moore, Jr., G, Western Michigan
Darrian Ringo, Jr., G, Miami
James Thompson IV, Jr., F/C, Eastern Michigan
2017-18 MAC All-Freshman Team
Dalonte Brown, Fr., F, Miami
Marreon Jackson, Fr., G, Toledo
Teyvion Kirk, Fr., G, Ohio
Nike Sibande, Fr., G, Miami
Justin Turner, R-Fr., G, Bowling Green
Junior James Thompson IV (Baton Rouge, La.-Parkview Baptist) earned spots on both the All-MAC First Team, as well as All-MAC Defensive Team. Joining Thompson on the defensive team was senior Tim Bond (Baltimore, Md.-City College), who was selected one of the best defenders in the league for the third straight season. Redshirt junior Elijah Minnie (Pittsburgh, Pa.-Lincoln Park-Robert Morris)) was named to the All-MAC Third Team, and fellow redshirt junior Paul Jackson (Stone Mountain, Ga.-Martin Luther King Jr.-Eastern Kentucky)) was named All-MAC Honorable Mention.
With his placement on first team, Thompson becomes the first Eagle since John Bowler in 2005-06 to be named All-Mid-American Conference First Team. The junior, who won MAC Player of the Week on two occasions this season, leads the league in rebounding at 11.5 boards per game. He is also averaging 15.3 points per game, good for 12th-best in the conference. Thompson paces the conference in field goal percentage (68.3), and double-doubles (19). Not only did Thompson help the MAC's best defense by cleaning up on the glass, but he also finished second in the conference in both total blocks (55) and blocks per game (1.8).
As Eastern's lone senior, Bond proved his defensive prowess yet again, being named to the MAC All-Defensive team for the third straight year. The Baltimore, Md. native set the Eastern Michigan record for career steals, passing all-time great Earl Boykins' record of 220 against Northern Illinois, Feb. 24. Bond finished second in the league in steals per game at 2.5, and also finished in the top 10 in blocks per game with a 1.1 average. With 77 steals, he now needs just one steal to tie the all-time single-season record for swipes.
Minnie, another two-time MAC Player of the Week winner, saved some of his best play for the end of the season. The redshirt junior has upped his scoring average to 16.8, good for sixth in the league, and is in the top 20 for blocked shots (1.7 bpg - 3rd), steals (1.8 spg - 5th), free throw percentage (84.5 percent - 5th), three-point field goals made (2.1 per game - 9th), and rebounding (5.9 rpg - 16th). He has been the Eagles' leading scorer for much of the season, and also leads the team in 20+ scoring games.
Wrapping up the honors was Jackson's spot on the honorable mention team. The redshirt junior finished with a scoring average of 14.9 points per game, while also leading EMU in assists per game with a 4.5 mark. His 1.6 assist-to-turnover ratio was good for eighth in the final league standings, and he also finished eighth in steals per game with 1.3.
EMU's three players named to all-conference teams marks the first time since the 2009-10 season, when Brandon Bowdry (2nd Team), and Carlos Medlock (2nd Team) were joined by Justin Dobbins (Honorable Mention).
2017-18 All-MAC First Team
Tre'Shaun Fletcher, Sr., G, Toledo
C.J. Massinburg, Jr., G, Buffalo
Nick Perkins, Jr., F, Buffalo
James Thompson IV, Jr., F/C, Eastern Michigan
Thomas Wilder, Sr., G, Western Michigan
2017-18 All-MAC Second Team
Eugene German, So., G, Northern Illinois
Jeremy Harris, Jr., G, Buffalo
Tayler Persons, Jr., G, Ball State
Jaelan Sanford, Jr., G, Toledo
Demajeo Wiggins, Jr., F, Bowling Green
2017-18 All-MAC Third Team
Wes Clark, Sr., G, Buffalo
Elijah Minnie, R-Jr., F, Eastern Michigan
Trey Moses, Jr., C, Ball State
Darrian Ringo, Jr., G, Miami
Jaylin Walker, Jr., G, Kent State
2017-18 All-MAC Honorable Mention
Jordan Dartis, Jr., G, Ohio
Daniel Utomi, So., F, Akron
Justin Turner, R-Fr., G, Bowling Green
Nike Sibande, Fr., G, Miami
Paul Jackson, R-Jr., G, Eastern Michigan
2017-18 MAC All-Defensive Team
Tim Bond, Sr., G, Eastern Michigan
Davonta Jordan, So., G, Buffalo
Bryce Moore, Jr., G, Western Michigan
Darrian Ringo, Jr., G, Miami
James Thompson IV, Jr., F/C, Eastern Michigan
2017-18 MAC All-Freshman Team
Dalonte Brown, Fr., F, Miami
Marreon Jackson, Fr., G, Toledo
Teyvion Kirk, Fr., G, Ohio
Nike Sibande, Fr., G, Miami
Justin Turner, R-Fr., G, Bowling Green
Players Mentioned
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