OGDEN, Utah - Junior Troy Huff was named first team All-Big Sky and classmate Aaron Anderson landed on the second team as league officials announced men’s basketball all-conference and individual awards on Monday. The junior duo helped lead UND to a third-place finish in the team’s first season in the Big Sky, compiling a 12-8 league mark. The 12 wins are the most ever by a Big Sky newcomer.
Huff ranked second in Big Sky only games in scoring (19.7 ppg) and steals (2.4 spg) and was sixth in rebounding (6.9 rpg) as he returned from an eight-game absence early in the season to put together an impressive run in league play. He had 10 20-plus scoring games, including a career-high 34 in a road win at Eastern Washington.
Huff and MVP Kareem Jamar of Montana were the only unanimous selections on the first team. Both of those players were also the only ones to garner three Big Sky Player of the Week honors this season.
Anderson ranked 10th in Big Sky only games in scoring (14.6 ppg) and was ninth in steals (1.5 spg) and 12th in assists (3.3 apg). Anderson was the only UND player to start all 30 games this season. He reached double figures in 20 of those contests and established a career-high with 25 points in a home win over Portland State on Jan. 19.
Huff and Anderson became the first two junior teammates in UND history to reach the 1,000-point plateau in the same season. Huff currently ranks 14th on the all-time charts with 1,294 points, while Anderson is in 33rd at 1,022.
This is Huff’s third all-conference honor of his career after garnering All-Great West second team honors in 2011 and 2012. The second team honor is Anderson’s first all-conference accolade of his career.
UND will open the Big Sky Tournament on Thursday against No. 6 seed Southern Utah at 6:30 p.m. CT. Full-session passes are available for $30 at the Ralph Engelstad Arena Box Office and more information on the tournament in Missoula, Mont., is available at www.BigSkyConf.com.
Big Sky Invidual Awards
MVP – Kareem Jamar, Montana
Newcomer – Davion Berrry , Weber State
Freshman of the Year – Venky Jois, Eastern Washington
Defensive Player of the Year, Will Cherry, Montana
First Team
Kareem Jamar, Montana
Troy Huff, North Dakota
Davion Berry, Weber State
Derrick Barden, Northern Colorado
Scott Bamforth, Weber State
Gabe Rogers, Northern Arizona
Will Cherry, Montana
Will Cherry, Montana
Jamar and Huff were unanimous selections.
Cherry was named first team for the third time.
Jamar was named for the second time, as was Bamforth. Bamforth was first team in 2011 and 2013.
Second Team
Mathias Ward, Montana
Jackson Stevenett, Southern Utah
Tate Unruh, Northern Colorado
Kyle Tresnak, Weber State
Aaron Anderson, North Dakota
Damon Heuir, Southern Utah
Honorable Mention
Christian Moon, Montana State
Flavien Davis, Montana State
John Dickson, Sacramento State
Dylan Garrity, Sacramento State
Chris Hansen, Idaho State
Jordan Gregory, Montana
Stallon Saldivar, Northern Arizona
Aaron Moore, Portland State
Frank Otis, Weber State
— Go UND —
