Sanders, Davis land on preseason All-SAC First Team
October 17, 2012

Sanders, Davis land on preseason All-SAC First Team

ROCK HILL, S.C. - Carson-Newman is the only men's basketball team in the SAC to place two players on the league’s preseason, all-conference team. After earning spots on the All-SAC Second Team last season, juniors Antoine Davis (Rustburg, Va.) and Ish Sanders (Cleveland, Tenn.) find themselves on the preseason first team for 2012-2013.

ROCK HILL, S.C. - Carson-Newman is the only men's basketball team in the SAC to place two players on the league's preseason, all-conference team.

After earning spots on the All-SAC Second Team last season, juniors Antoine Davis (Rustburg, Va.) and Ish Sanders (Cleveland, Tenn.) find themselves on the preseason first team for 2012-2013.

"I'm glad they're on our team" Carson-Newman head men's basketball coach Chuck Benson said. "They're both versatile, they both can shoot the three and they both can beat you off the dribble.  They make offensive scheming a little bit easier."

Davis and Sanders both averaged 16.8 points/game for their sophomore years. 

"I just need to work harder to make my team better," Davis said. "Personally, I think if we work hard enough, we can win the league, that's my goal."

Davis scored a career high 27 points in a one-sided win over Cincinnati Christian in November, and reached the 20-point plateau nine times. He scored 25 points twice in conference play with a 25-point effort at home in a loss to nationally-ranked Anderson (S.C.).

"(The selection) means a lot, but I've got to give most of the credit to my teammates and coaches," Sanders said. "Because my coaches put me in the right place and then my teammates find me.  It doesn't hurt to have a guy like Antoine out there either."

Sanders had a team-high 11 games with more than 20 points. He closed the regular season with back-to-back stellar games with 29 points in a win against LMU and 24 points in a loss at Anderson. He was also fourth in the SAC at 1.5 steals per game and was second on the team at 3.0 assists per game.

Sanders and Davis lead a C-N squad that returns all five starters from a year ago. 

The Eagles take to the court Nov. 3 for the first of two exhibition contests.  The Eagles start with ETSU before taking on Appalachian State Nov. 5. 

When Carson-Newman takes to the court for regular season play against Lees-McRae in Banner Elk, N.C. on Nov. 12, Benson's boys will be playing for the program's 1000th all-time victory. 

All men's basketball games will be broadcast on 106.3 ESPN Radio The Zone (WPFT-FM Sevierville). Free audio will be available for road games on cneagles.com, with pay-per-view video available for contests inside Holt Fieldhouse. 

 

2012-13 SAC Men's Basketball Preseason All-Conference Team

 

First Team

Denzail Jones, Anderson*

Vincent Bailey, Lincoln Memorial^

Antoine Davis, Carson-Newman^

Ishmael Sanders, Carson-Newman^

Dondray Walker, Newberry^+

Odell Turner, Wingate

 

Second Team

Allan Jones, Lenoir-Rhyne

Tyrece Little, Catawba+

Quayshun Hawkins, Newberry

Chandler Hash, Anderson

Jake Troyli, Lincoln Memorial

Paidrick Matilus, Wingate

 
 

*2011-12 All-SAC First Team

^ 2011-12 All-SAC Second Team

+ 2011-12 SAC All-Freshman Team

 

-CN-