Douglas, Walker Collect First-Team Nods, Stoutner Honorable Mention
William Penn University Athletics
Oskaloosa–While the Statesmen basketball team prepares to face the best in the NAIA at ‘The Dance’, it will need to take a break to recognize some individual achievements as the All-Midwest Collegiate Conference men’s basketball teams were announced by the league office today.
Alan Douglas (Sr., Champaign, Ill., Lakeland CC) and Blake Walker (So., Rose Garden, Ga., Campbell HS) were named to the MCC’s ten-player first team, while Taylor Stoutner (Jr., Keota, Keota HS) was one of 12 athletes that garnered honorable mentions.
The three awards are the most for the program since also having a trio in 2008-2009 (also with two first-teamers).
Douglas, the squad’s top offensive threat at 18.6 points per game, helped William Penn to a 17-14 campaign (12-6 MCC). Due to the regular season and tournament sweep by St. Ambrose, the Statesmen earned the MCC’s second bid to nationals as the #2 seed.
The senior is also averaging a team-best 8.6 rebounds in addition to 94 assists, 25 steals, and ten blocks.
A two-time first-team pick, Douglas posted a dozen double-doubles and 13 20-plus point games, including a career-high 39 points against Ashford on January 21.
The senior ranks second in the MCC in scoring and rebounding (tops in offensive rebounding). He is also second in minutes played (34.1), sixth in free-throw percentage (74.3%), seventh in assist/turnover ratio (0.87), and eighth in assists per game (3.03).
Walker, now also a two-time pick (honorable mention last season), has become a great leader at the point for the navy and gold, scoring 13.3 points with 7.5 rebounds. His greatest strength, though, has come in way of distribution as he has accumulated 192 assists, the most for William Penn since 1984.
The sophomore, who has amassed eight double-doubles and one triple-double, has also recorded 42 steals and eight blocks.
He easily leads the conference in assists (6.19) and assist/turnover ratio (2.43), and is also fourth in rebounding, eighth in steals (1.35), and tenth in scoring. Walker is tied for the MCC lead in offensive rebounds (3.00) and is fifth in minutes played (32.90) as well.
Stoutner has become a giant killer from beyond the arc, breaking school records for three-pointers and three-point attempts in a game and season.
The junior, a first-time honoree (past two years on the junior varsity squad), is scoring at a rate of 15.0 points per outing. He is also pulling down 4.4 rebounds in addition to 34 assists, 19 steals, and eight blocks.
Stoutner blew away the MCC field with 125 three-pointers (4.03/game), while he is also sixth in scoring and three-point percentage (37.7%).
Mike Kennedy of St. Ambrose was named MCC Player of the Year for the second year in a row, while teammate Nicholas Frazier earned MCC Newcomer of the Year honors. In guiding his team to both crowns, Ray Shovlain completed SAU’s sweep of the postseason honors, being picked as MCC Coach of the Year by his peers.
