FHSU Sports Information
Fort Hays State sophomore point guard Craif Nicholson has been named to the Daktronics All-Central Region First Team, released on Thursday (Mar. 13). The team is voted on sports information directors throughout the Central Region, which combines the MIAA, NSIC, and GAC. Nicholson gives the Tigers an all-region selection for the second straight year after Dwayne Brunson earned second-team honors last year.
Nicholson joins Zach Monaghan of Minnesota State (Central Region Player of the Year), Josh Gibbs of Central Oklahoma, DeShaun Cooper of Northwest Missouri State, and Assem Marei of Minnesota State as first team selections.
Nicholson, a sophomore from Wichita, Kan., is averaging 17.3 points and 7.3 assists per game and was a unanimous All-MIAA First Team selection. He ranks sixth in NCAA Division II in assists per game and third in total assists (213). Nicholson owns four double-doubles and has scored in double figures 24 times this season.
Nicholson has made his mark on the FHSU record books this year, now the single-season record holder in free-throws made (188). He also became just the fourth player in school history to record at least 200 assists in a season. His 213 assists so far is fifth-most in a single season at FHSU. He is already third in career assists at FHSU with 405. He is on pace to break his single-season record for assists per game (7.3), which he set last year at 6.9 per game.
Monaghan was named NSIC Player of the Year and leads the nation with 8.1 assists per game (267 assists) and ranks second for Minnesota State in scoring with 15.3 points per game. He has nine double-doubles for the season.
Gibbs led the MIAA in rebounding (11.1 rpg) and ranked second in scoring (21.6 ppg). He recorded 20 double-doubles, which ranks fourth in NCAA Division II.
Cooper was named MIAA Player of the Year as he averages 16.7 points, 4.0 assists and 3.4 rebounds per game.
Marei currently leads Minnesota State with 16.5 points and 8.4 rebounds per game. The All-NSIC First Team selection has 10 double-doubles this season.
Below is the complete Daktronics All-Central Region Team for 2013-14…
Daktronics All-Central Region Men’s Basketball First Team
Name School Pos. Ht. Wt. Yr. Hometown
Zach Monaghan ! Minnesota State G 6-3 180 Jr. Palatine, Ill.
Josh Gibbs * Central Oklahoma F 6-5 235 Sr. Kansas City, Mo.
DeShaun Cooper Northwest Missouri State G 5-8 165 Sr. St. Louis, Mo.
Assem Marei Minnesota State F 6-9 250 Jr. Cairo, Egypt
Craig Nicholson Fort Hays State G 5-8 160 So. Wichita, Kan.
! – Central Region Player of the Year
Daktronics All-Central Region Men’s Basketball Second Team
Name School Pos. Ht. Wt. Yr. Hometown
Brock Lutes Bemidji State G 6-4 215 Jr. Portland, Ore.
Bryton Hobbs Northeastern State G 6-0 170 Sr. St. Louis, Mo.
Rod Camphor Southwestern Oklahoma State G 6-3 200 Sr. Baltimore, Md.
Marquis Addison Missouri Southern State G 6-4 180 Sr. Olathe, Kan.
Joey Woods Upper Iowa G 6-2 210 Sr. Naples, Fla.
Casey Schilling Augustana F 6-6 190 So. Ellsworth, Minn.