LOUDONVILLE — First season, first team.
Siena College men’s basketball freshman Jalen Pickett was named Monday as an All-MAAC first-team selection, becoming the first freshman since La Salle’s Lionel Simmons in 1987 to do that.
Pickett has filled up box scores since arriving at Siena. Through the regular season, the 6-foot-4 guard has per-game averages of 15.7 points, 4.6 rebounds, 6.7 assists, 2.1 steals and 0.8 blocks. Per sports-reference.com, no other player in the country averages that all-around statistical output this season on a per-game basis.
Pickett leads Siena in minutes played, points scored, assists, steals and blocks this season. In the MAAC, Pickett ranks first in assists per game and assist-to-turnover ratio, second in steals and minutes played, sixth in blocked shots and seventh in scoring.
Pickett was also named Monday as the MAAC Rookie of the Week, his conference-record 11th win of the season for that award.
Siena’s last first-team selection was Brett Bisping in 2016.
Joining Pickett on the first team were Quinnipiac’s Cameron Young, Iona’s Rickey McGill, Canisius’ Takal Molson and Iona junior E.J. Crawford.
Additionally, Siena senior Evan Fisher was a second-team all-conference selection. Fisher has averaged 15.7 points and 6.0 rebounds per game this season.
Pickett also made the MAAC All-Rookie team, along with Siena freshman Sloan Seymour who has averaged 8.8 points per game this season.
Siena finished its regular season 11-7 in MAAC play and 16-15 overall. Last season, the Saints went 8-24.
No. 5 Siena plays 9:30 p.m. Saturday in the MAAC tournament quarterfinals at Times Union Center against No. 4 Rider.
SIMS, JONES HONORED
The Siena women’s basketball team had two players honored with All-MAAC selections, as junior Maddie Sims was a second-time pick and redshirt senior Aaliyah Jones was a third-team pick.
Siena plays in the MAAC tournament Thursday as the N0. 7 seed against No. 10 Iona.
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Categories: College Sports, Sports
