Jimmy Llinas named GPAC Defensive Player of the Year; Silas Bennion selected to first team
SIOUX CITY, Iowa-- Four members of the University of Jamestown men's basketball team were recognized by the Great Plains Athletic Conference in their annual postseason awards, announced Wednesday by the conference office.
Silas Bennion was selected to the first team. Bennion led the Jimmies in scoring with 18.0 points per game while shooting a team-best 42.6 percent from three-point range. He shot 50.1 percent from the field overall, 79.1 percent from the free throw line, and averaged 5.5 rebounds, 2.8 assists, and 2.0 steals per game. Bennion scored a season-high 38 points at Dickinson State on November 10 and reached double figures in 25 of 29 games played.
Jimmy Llinas was named Defensive Player of the Year and a second team selection. Llinas averaged 9.5 rebounds and 2.5 blocked shots per game, and shot 60.8 percent from the field while averaging 9.4 points per game. He had 10 or more rebounds in 15 games, including a high of 17 boards against Dordt on January 10. Llinas also blocked 69 shots, and had at least five blocks in six games.
Will Cordes and Cole Woodford were honorable mention selections. Cordes was one of five Jimmies to average double figures in points (11.7) and shot 41.0 percent from the field. He averaged a team high 3.0 assists per game and led UJ with a 2.1 assist to turnover ratio.
Woodford was second on the team with an average of 12.4 points per game, shooting 42.8 percent overall. He led the team with 81 three-pointers and was second with 36 steals.