OKLAHOMA CITY – Joshua Kashila from Southwestern Assemblies of God hauled in Sooner Athletic Conference men’s basketball player of the year to spotlight the all-Sooner Athletic Conference honors as voted upon by conference coaches.
Southwestern Assemblies of God collected the SAC newcomer of the year (Joel Polius) and John Hudson coach of the year (Delton Deal). The SAC freshman of the year went to Wayland Baptist’s Devin Avent, John Brown’s Ira Perrier nabbed league freshman of the year and Mid-America Christian’s Damarius Brooks picked up the conference’s sportsmanship award.
Kashila, a senior guard from Euless, Texas, provided the Lions with 20.1 points, 4.6 rebounds and 3.3 assists per game with a 47.1 percent 3-point shooting percentage this season. He started the season off with two 30-point performances. Kashila took SAC player of the week for Jan. 18-24 after stuffing the stat sheet with 30 points, six rebounds, two assists and six 3-pointers against Science & Arts of Oklahoma on Jan. 23. Kashila followed up with 31 points and four treys vs. Oklahoma City University on Feb. 2.
Polius, a senior forward from Castries, St. Lucia, turned in 13.8 points, 10.6 rebounds and 1.36 blocked shots a contest with a 50.8 field-goal percentage on the season. He led the league in rebounding. Polius, also a first-team all-conference selection, had two 20-point showings and twice grabbed 15 or more rebounds.
Deal took Southwestern Assemblies of God to its second SAC regular-season championship in 2020-21 and its first since 2013-14. Under Deal, the Lions have gone 78-30 with two conference tournament titles in four seasons. He has a 215-118 career mark in 11 years.
Avent, a freshman guard from Fort Worth, Texas, produced 18.0 points, 4.0 rebounds, 3.2 assists and 1.25 steals a game while knocking down 47 percent from 3-point range. He posted two 30-point totals.
Perrier, a junior guard from Brighton, England, averaged 1.07 steals a game and helped John Brown hold opponents to 70.4 points per game, which rated third in the conference this season.
Kashila, Cameron Hines of Science & Arts of Oklahoma and Mid-America Christian’s Terrance Jones were unanimous choices to the all-conference first team. Densier Carnes of John Brown rounded out the first-team all-SAC honorees. Peyton Sallee of Texas Wesleyan made the all-SAC team for the third year, while Carnes, Hines, Jones, Kashila, Tony Dorsey of Mid-America Christian, USAO’s Stephon Hall, John Brown’s Luke Harper and Isaiah Rivera from Central Christian reeled in their second all-conference nods.
| 2020-21 All-Sooner Athletic Conference Men’s Basketball Teams and Individual Honors |
| Player of the Year: Joshua Kashila, Sr., G, SW Assemblies of God |
| Newcomer of the Year: Joel Polius, Sr., F, SW Assemblies of God |
| Freshman of the Year: Devin Avent, Fr., G, Wayland Baptist |
| Defensive Player of the Year: Ira Perrier, Jr., G, John Brown |
| John Hudson Coach of the Year: Delton Deal, SW Assemblies of God |
| Sportsmanship Award: Damarius Brooks, Sr., G, Mid-America Christian |
| FIRST TEAM |
| F |
Densier Carnes |
John Brown |
Sr. |
Atlanta |
| G |
Cameron Hines* |
USAO |
Sr. |
Fort Cobb, Okla. |
| G |
Terrance Jones* |
Mid-America Christian |
Sr. |
Dallas |
| G |
Joshua Kashila* |
SW Assemblies of God |
Sr. |
Euless, Texas |
| F |
Joel Polius |
SW Assemblies of God |
Sr. |
Castries, St. Lucia |
| SECOND TEAM |
| G |
Devin Avent |
Wayland Baptist |
Fr. |
Fort Worth, Texas |
| G |
Vydal Bradford |
Texas Wesleyan |
Sr. |
Fairfield, Calif. |
| G |
Stephon Hall |
USAO |
Jr. |
Oklahoma City |
| G |
Luke Harper |
John Brown |
Jr. |
Plano, Texas |
| G |
Payton Sallee |
Texas Wesleyan |
Jr. |
Fort Worth, Texas |
| THIRD TEAM |
| G |
Charles Dickson |
Southwestern Christian |
Sr. |
Chicago |
| C |
Chinedu Okonkwo |
Wayland Baptist |
Sr. |
Samaru, Nigeria |
| G |
Isaiah Rivera |
Central Christian |
Jr. |
San Antonio |
| G |
Elvin Rodriguez |
USAO |
Sr. |
New York |
| G |
Jalen Thomas |
Panhandle State |
Fr. |
Amarillo, Texas |
*Unanimous selections
HONORABLE MENTION
York Benjamin, SW Christian
Isaiah Boling, SW Assemblies of God
Noah Boling, SW Assemblies of God
Tamarcus Butler, Langston
Rashaun Coleman, Oklahoma City
Tony Dorsey, Mid-America Christian
Kori Guest, Oklahoma City
Sebastian Karwoski, Texas Wesleyan
Jasiah Lewis, Mid-America Christian
Gerard Makuntae, USAO
Ira Perrier, John Brown
Jibrael Washington, Wayland Baptist
Khristien White, SW Christian