SPARTANBURG, S.C. – Western Carolina junior forward Carlos Dotson and freshman guard Kameron Gibson were both recognized Wednesday afternoon as the league announced its men’s basketball postseason awards. Dotson gathered third team All-SoCon plaudits from both the league’s coaches and voting media while Gibson claimed a spot on the All-Freshman team from the league’s coaches and voting media.
Dotson was Western Carolina’s leading scorer with 13.4 points per game as well as the top rebounder with 9.4 rebounds per game. The Riverdale, Md. native finished with a career-high 27 points against Furman on Dec. 1 and matched that output against VMI on Feb. 23. Against Wake Forest on Nov. 27, Dotson grabbed a career-high 16 rebounds with 11 of those coming on the defensive glass. Dotson posted 22 double-figure scoring games and 14 double-figure rebounding games along with 12 double-doubles. He ranks among the top 50 nationally in field goal percentage (26th), double-doubles (t-29th), rebounds per game (34th) and offensive rebounds (37th).
Gibson was named to the All-Freshman Team after averaging 15.3 points per game during his initial collegiate campaign. In his third collegiate game at SMU on Nov. 14, the Cincinnati, Ohio native scored a game-high 34 points, becoming the first Catamount to eclipse the 30-point mark since Mike Brown scored 34 points against Wofford on March 5, 2016 in a Southern Conference tournament game. Gibson surpassed the 20-point mark on five occasions this season, including 28 points against ETSU on Jan. 26 and 23 points against the Bucs in Johnson City last Saturday.
Wofford senior Fletcher Magee was named Player of the Year in both polls. Chattanooga’s Kevin Easley claimed Freshman of the Year honors. Wofford head coach Mike Young was tabbed as the Coach of the Year.
Western Carolina earned the No. 9 seed in the 2019 Ingles Southern Conference Tournament presented by General Shale and will face No. 8 seed VMI in a first round game on Friday at 5 p.m. inside the US Cellular Center. The game will be broadcast on ESPN+ (paid subscription required) as well as on the Catamount Sports Network. Tickets are available through the WCU Athletics Ticket Office, located on the first floor of the Ramsey Center, online at catamountsports.com or by phone at 800-34-GOWCU.
Coaches All-Southern Conference Men’s Basketball Teams
Player of the Year
Fletcher Magee, Sr., G, Wofford
Freshman of the Year
Kevin Easley, G, Chattanooga
Defensive Player of the Year
Isaiah Miller, So., G, UNCG
Coach of the Year
Mike Young, Wofford
First team
Matt Rafferty, Furman
Francis Alonso, UNCG
Isaiah Miller, UNCG
Cameron Jackson, Wofford
Fletcher Magee, Wofford
Second team
Lew Stallworth, The Citadel
Jeromy Rodriguez, ETSU
Ross Cummings, Mercer
Josh Sharkey, Samford
Bubba Parham, VMI
Third team
Patrick Good, ETSU
Bo Hodges, ETSU
Jordan Lyons, Furman
Kevin Easley, Chattanooga
Carlos Dotson, Western Carolina
All-freshman team
Daivien Williamson, ETSU
Noah Gurley, Furman
Robert Allen, Samford
Kevin Easley, Chattanooga
Kameron Gibson, Western Carolina
SoCon Sports Media Association (SCSMA)
Malcolm U. Pitt Player of the Year
Fletcher Magee, Sr., G, Wofford
Freshman of the Year
Kevin Easley, G, Chattanooga
Anton Foy Coach of the Year
Mike Young, Wofford
First team
Jeromy Rodriguez, ETSU
Matt Rafferty, Furman
Francis Alonso, UNCG
Cameron Jackson, Wofford
Fletcher Magee, Wofford
Second team
Lew Stallworth, The Citadel
Ross Cummings, Mercer
Isaiah Miller, UNCG
Josh Sharkey, Samford
Bubba Parham, VMI
Third team
Zane Najdawi, The Citadel
Bo Hodges, ETSU
Jordan Lyons, Furman
James Dickey, UNCG
Carlos Dotson, Western Carolina
All-freshman team
Daivien Williamson, ETSU
Noah Gurley, Furman
Robert Allen, Samford
Kevin Easley, Chattanooga
Kameron Gibson, Western Carolina
