University of Memphis Athletics
Precious Achiuwa was selected to the All-AAC first team by the league's coaches.
Photo by: Matthew A. Smith
Mar 10, 2020 | Men's Basketball
Achiuwa chosen to first team; Quinones, Achiuwa named to all-freshman team
PROVIDENCE, R. I. – University of Memphis 6-foot-9 freshman forward Precious Achiuwa earned a spot on the American Athletic Conference First Team and joined teammate Lester Quinones on the league's All-Freshman Team.
The AAC's first-, second- and third-teams were announced Tuesday, along with the league's all-freshman team. The league's 12 head coaches selected the teams.
Achiuwa, from Queens, New York, was the only freshman chosen on a first team that included four seniors: Jarron Cumberland and Trevon Scott from Cincinnati, Christian Vital from UConn and Martins Igbanu from Tulsa. Achiuwa was the only unanimous selection.
The second team consisted of ECU's Jayden Gardner, Houston's Nate Hinton, Houston's Caleb Mills, Temple's Quinton Rose and Wichita State's Jaime Echenique. Mills is the lone freshman on the second team.
The third team was James Bouknight of UConn, Kendric Davis, Tyson Jolly and Isiaha Mike of SMU and Tulsa's Brandon Rachal. Bouknight was the only freshman on the third team.
The AAC All-Freshman team was Achiuwa, Quinones, Bouknight, Mills and Houston's Marcus Sasser. Achiuwa, Booknight and Mills were unanimous selections.
The individual awards will be announced Wednesday.
Achiuwa earned his selection on the first team by putting together a remarkably consistent season, particularly on the boards. He has been the team's leading rebounder in 25 of 26 games since a Nov. 20 win over Little Rock and is averaging 15.8 points and 10.8 rebounds. In league play, he averaged 16.6 points and 11.2 rebounds.
In a win over Tulane Feb. 29 in New Orleans, Achiuwa had one of the league's most impressive performances in a single game. He scored 22 points and pulled down 22 rebounds and tied a career-high with five blocked shots. The 22 rebounds were a conference record for a freshman and the most by a freshman in NCAA Division 1 play this season.
The 20-point, 20-rebound game was only the third 20/20 game in conference history.
His 18 double-doubles rank seventh in a single-season in UofM history, one shy of Tigers' legendary rebounder Ronnie Robinson, who had 19 double-doubles during the 1971-72 season.
Quinones, from Brentwood, N.Y. and a former high school teammate of Achiuwa's, ranks third on the team in scoring behind Achiuwa and D.J. Jeffries. Quinones, a 6-foot-5 guard, is averaging 10.7 points per game. His 29.4 minutes per game ranks second on the team to Achiuwa and his 80.4 percent shooting from the free throw line is second to Tyler Harris.
The Tigers (21-10) open play in the American Athletic Conference Men's Championship at Dickies Arena in Fort Worth, Texas, at 9 p.m. Thursday against ECU in a first-round matchup. ESPNU will carry the game. Memphis is the No. 6 seed.
AMERICAN ATHLETIC ALL-CONFERENCE TEAMS
FIRST TEAM
F Precious Achiuwa/Fr./Memphis
F Trevon Scott/Sr./Cincinnati
F Martins Igbanu/Sr./Tulsa
G Jarron Cumberland/Sr./Cincinnati
G Christian Vital/Sr./UConn
SECOND TEAM
C Jaime Echenique/Sr./Wichita State
F Jayden Gardner/So./ECU
G Nate Hinton/So./Houston
G Caleb Mills/Fr./Houston
G Quinton Rose/Sr./Temple
THIRD TEAM
F Isiaha Mike/Jr./SMU
G Kendric Davis/So./SMU
G Tyson Jolly/Jr./SMU
G James Bouknight/Fr./UConn
G Brandon Rachal/Jr./Tulsa
ALL-FRESHMAN TEAM
F Precious Achiuwa/Memphis
G Lester Quinones/Memphis
G James Bouknight/UConn
G Marcus Sasser/Houston
G Caleb Mills/Houston
The AAC's first-, second- and third-teams were announced Tuesday, along with the league's all-freshman team. The league's 12 head coaches selected the teams.
Achiuwa, from Queens, New York, was the only freshman chosen on a first team that included four seniors: Jarron Cumberland and Trevon Scott from Cincinnati, Christian Vital from UConn and Martins Igbanu from Tulsa. Achiuwa was the only unanimous selection.
The second team consisted of ECU's Jayden Gardner, Houston's Nate Hinton, Houston's Caleb Mills, Temple's Quinton Rose and Wichita State's Jaime Echenique. Mills is the lone freshman on the second team.
The third team was James Bouknight of UConn, Kendric Davis, Tyson Jolly and Isiaha Mike of SMU and Tulsa's Brandon Rachal. Bouknight was the only freshman on the third team.
The AAC All-Freshman team was Achiuwa, Quinones, Bouknight, Mills and Houston's Marcus Sasser. Achiuwa, Booknight and Mills were unanimous selections.
The individual awards will be announced Wednesday.
Achiuwa earned his selection on the first team by putting together a remarkably consistent season, particularly on the boards. He has been the team's leading rebounder in 25 of 26 games since a Nov. 20 win over Little Rock and is averaging 15.8 points and 10.8 rebounds. In league play, he averaged 16.6 points and 11.2 rebounds.
In a win over Tulane Feb. 29 in New Orleans, Achiuwa had one of the league's most impressive performances in a single game. He scored 22 points and pulled down 22 rebounds and tied a career-high with five blocked shots. The 22 rebounds were a conference record for a freshman and the most by a freshman in NCAA Division 1 play this season.
The 20-point, 20-rebound game was only the third 20/20 game in conference history.
His 18 double-doubles rank seventh in a single-season in UofM history, one shy of Tigers' legendary rebounder Ronnie Robinson, who had 19 double-doubles during the 1971-72 season.
Quinones, from Brentwood, N.Y. and a former high school teammate of Achiuwa's, ranks third on the team in scoring behind Achiuwa and D.J. Jeffries. Quinones, a 6-foot-5 guard, is averaging 10.7 points per game. His 29.4 minutes per game ranks second on the team to Achiuwa and his 80.4 percent shooting from the free throw line is second to Tyler Harris.
The Tigers (21-10) open play in the American Athletic Conference Men's Championship at Dickies Arena in Fort Worth, Texas, at 9 p.m. Thursday against ECU in a first-round matchup. ESPNU will carry the game. Memphis is the No. 6 seed.
AMERICAN ATHLETIC ALL-CONFERENCE TEAMS
FIRST TEAM
F Precious Achiuwa/Fr./Memphis
F Trevon Scott/Sr./Cincinnati
F Martins Igbanu/Sr./Tulsa
G Jarron Cumberland/Sr./Cincinnati
G Christian Vital/Sr./UConn
SECOND TEAM
C Jaime Echenique/Sr./Wichita State
F Jayden Gardner/So./ECU
G Nate Hinton/So./Houston
G Caleb Mills/Fr./Houston
G Quinton Rose/Sr./Temple
THIRD TEAM
F Isiaha Mike/Jr./SMU
G Kendric Davis/So./SMU
G Tyson Jolly/Jr./SMU
G James Bouknight/Fr./UConn
G Brandon Rachal/Jr./Tulsa
ALL-FRESHMAN TEAM
F Precious Achiuwa/Memphis
G Lester Quinones/Memphis
G James Bouknight/UConn
G Marcus Sasser/Houston
G Caleb Mills/Houston
Players Mentioned
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