The Big West Conference unveiled its postseason awards on Monday with Long Beach State landing a player on the men’s and women’s all-conference first teams.
T.J. Robinson and Karina Figueroa earned a spot on the Big West men’s and women’s first teams, respectively, for the first time in their careers.
Robinson was the lone player in the Big West to average a double-double this season with 15.7 points and 10.3 rebounds per game. The sophomore also led the conference with 112 offensive rebounds.
“I thought T.J. was a great selection,” 49ers head coach Dan Monson said. “I thought he was our most consistent player from game to game, and to average a double-double is a great accomplishment no matter where you finish in the league. … To lead the league in rebounding is quite an accomplishment.”
Casper Ware also picked up a postseason award as the sophomore was named to the conference’s second team. Ware, the 49ers’ starting point guard, finished the season atop the Big West’s assists rankings by averaging 4.9 assists per game this year.
“Cas is one that when he’s played well, we’ve played well,” Monson said. “He’s been a great leader for us and I thought that for him to get second team was a great honor.”
Ware also finished second in the conference in steals (1.9 per game) and fourth in the Big West in minutes played (33.3 per game).
UC Santa Barbara pulled in the two biggest honors on Monday as the Gauchos’ Orlando Johnson earned Big West Player of the Year while head coach Bob Williams was named Coach of the Year.
Johnson, a sophomore transfer from Loyola Marymount, scored in double-figures in every game that he played this season and finished as the conference’s leading scorer, averaging 18 points per game.
49er women earn accolades
Figueroa has been a workhorse all season long, scoring in double figures in 27 of the 49ers’ 29 contests, including 12 games in which she scored 20 or more points.
The 5-foot-8 Corona native is averaging a career-high and team-best 17.8 points per game heading into the postseason, and finished second in overall points scored (515) behind Big West Player of the Year Kristina Santiago of Cal Poly. Santiago scored 556 points, good for a 19.9 average.
Figueroa has turned out to be more than the player Wynn expected.
“She’s done a remarkable job with her play-making ability and making her teammates better,” Wynn said. “We are riding on her shoulders right now.”
In addition to putting points on the scoreboard, Figueroa, a four-time conference selection, distributed a league-leading 162 assists (5.6 per game) and also hauled in 4.9 rebounds per contest.
Teammates Lauren Sims and Ally Wade received honorable mention recognition.
Sims, who averaged a career-best 11.8 ppg, concluded the regular season at the top of the Big West in 3-point field goals made with 67.
Wade is also averaging a career-high (11.3 ppg) going into the conference tournament. The senior forward led The Beach in rebounds, accumulating 178 total and averaging 6.1 per game.