From IUP Sports Information
Despite an abrupt end to the year, awards season is still full-go as IUP guards Malik Miller and Armoni Foster were honored by the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) Monday, each landing on the All-Atlantic District first team.
The NABC announced its 2020 NABC Coaches’ Division II All-District teams and coaches Monday afternoon, recognizing the best men’s collegiate basketball student-athletes and coaches in the division. Selected and voted on by member coaches of the NABC in NCAA Division II, the 88 total student-athletes represent the finest basketball players across America.
IUP is the only school in the Atlantic and one of four in Division II to boast two players on the first team of their respective regions. This marks the first time since the 2011-12 season that the Crimson Hawks have put two players on the NABC All-Atlantic District first team. It’s also the sixth straight year – and ninth time in the last 11 years – that IUP has a first team selection.
Among the best in the region
Miller, a senior, was also a first team All-Atlantic Region pick by the Division II Conference Commissioners Association (D2CCA) and was the 2020 Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Western Division Athlete of the Year.
One of the best players in Division II, he finished the year seventh in the conference and 16th in the region with 18.5 points per game. Miller scored in double-figures 27 times in 30 games played with 14 20-point outings. He posted a career-high 32 points against Seton Hill and had games of 30 points against Gannon, 28 against Slippery Rock and 27 against Clarion.
Miller had two double-doubles from his guard spot and made history back on February 19 with the program’s third ever triple-double. He scored 20 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists against Edinboro. He finished the year averaging 5.0 rebounds and 3.7 assists per game.
Miller finished his career 12th in IUP history with 1,525 career points.
Foster stands out as first year starter
Foster, a redshirt sophomore, was a second team all-region pick by the D2CCA and a first team All-PSAC West selection. He led the Crimson Hawks and finished fourth in the conference in scoring at 19.8 points per game. He had 15 20-point games, hitting double-figures in all but two of his 30 games during the season.
Foster finished the year on a hot streak, averaging 23.3 points over the final four weeks. Foster went for a career-high 33 points in the PSAC quarterfinal win over Cal U and followed that with 28 points against East Stroudsburg in the conference semis.
Foster finished the year with 595 points, tied for 10th most in single season program history. He was the top shooting guard in the PSAC with a 49.6 field goal percentage and was third in the league with 154 made free throws. He also played a huge part in IUP’s defense as his 56 steals ranked third in the conference.
NABC All-District honors
In addition to Miller and Foster’s first team nods, IUP head coach Joe Lombardi was named the NABC Atlantic District Coach of the Year for the second straight season.
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