SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Sacramento State senior Jameel Pugh, and juniors Jason Harris and DaShawn Freeman were each named to the Big Sky All-Conference Men’s Basketball Team, it was announced by the league today. Pugh and Harris were each named to the first team while Freeman was an honorable mention selection. The three players make up the most in Sacramento State history to be named to the all-Big Sky team.
Sacramento State never had more than one player named to the first team since joining the Big Sky in 1996 until this season. Pugh and Harris were two of 12 players named to the first team while Freeman was one of five players to receive honorable mention honors.
Harris also received Big Sky Newcomer of the Year honors. The transfer from Chaffey Junior College becomes the first player in Sacramento State history to receive the newcomer award.
Portland State senior Seamus Boxley was a unanimous choice for Big Sky MVP. The power forward was also named the league’s defensive player of the year. Portland State, which was crowned the Big Sky regular-season champions and will host next week’s Big Sky Tournament semifinal and championship rounds, received the most first team selections (three).
Pugh, a senior guard/forward from Sacramento, is currently averaging 15.2 points, 4.5 rebounds and 1.3 steals per game this season. He has scored in double figures in 14 of his last 16 games (including four-straight games with at least 24 points going into this weekend) and ranks fifth in the Big Sky in scoring and fourth in scoring against Big Sky competition (17.6 ppg). Over his last nine games, Pugh, who was named Big Sky Player of the Week twice this season, is averaging 22.9 points, 5.7 rebounds, 5.1 three-pointers and 1.8 steals per game while shooting a blazing 50.0 percent (46-92) from beyond the three-point arc.
Pugh set the Sacramento State Div. I record with 40 points against William Jessup and his eight three-pointers in that same game tied the school record. Pugh, who was named the World’s Best Dunker in 2000 by Slam Magazine, was selected to compete in ESPN’s College Slam Dunk Competition in St. Louis on March 31.
Harris, a guard/forward from Henderson, Texas, leads the Hornets and ranks third in the Big Sky in scoring (17.2 ppg). In addition, among conference leaders, he also ranks second in offensive rebounds (2.4 per game), free throws made (5.7 per game) and free throws attempted (7.8 per game), third in steals (2.1 per game) and 15th in rebounding (4.5 per game). He has scored in double figures in 21 of his last 24 games, and has led or shared the team leading in scoring on 16 occasions.
Harris has posted 10 games with at least 20 points, tying him for the most 20-point games in Sacramento State Div. I (1991-pres.) history. The swingman has already shattered the Hornet Div. I season records for both free throws made (148) and free throws attempted (202). He needs just four more free-throw attempts to break the program record of 205, set during the 1965-66 season by Lynn Livie.
Freeman, a point guard from Oakland, Calif., is currently averaging career highs in points (9.9 per game), rebounds (3.3 per game), assists (4.9 per game), steals (2.9 per game), three-pointers (25), free throws made (85) and free throws attempted (107). He ranks among the top four Big Sky leaders in four different categories, including first in steals (eighth in the nation), second in assists, third in assist-to-turnover ratio (1.55) and fourth in free-throw percentage (.794).
Over his last eight games, Freeman, who just received Big Sky Player of the Week honors, is averaging 14.5 points, 6.0 assists, 3.8 rebounds and 2.5 steals per game. Earlier this season, the third-year player became the Sacramento State Div. I career leader in both assists (330) and steals (197). Freeman’s 10 steals against Montana were a program record and tied for the second-most in Big Sky single-game history. Freeman’s numbers could be even better had he not been battling a hamstring injury for the last two months which has limited his minutes.
Sacramento State, which finished the regular season with a program-best 8-6 Big Sky record, hosts Weber State this Saturday, March 5, in the Big Sky Tournament Quarterfinals. The Hornets are the No. 4 seed in the tournament while Weber State is the fifth seed. The tournament semifinals and championship game will be played in Portland, Ore., on March 8-9.
