Bean, Merrill, Queta named to All-MW teams
This morning the Mountain West honors and all-conference teams as voted on by the coaches were released and three Aggies were selected on one of the three teams.
Senior guard Sam Merrill repeated as a first-team selection, although he did not maintain his conference player of the year honors, which went to San Diego State’s Malachi Flynn. Sophomore center Neemias Queta also repeated on the Mountain West’s second-team, but did not get honored with back-to-back defensive player of the year selections, despite having been named the media’s choice yesterday. Sophomore forward Justin Bean garnered his first two selections of his career by making the third-team and all-defensive teams. Bean joined teammate Queta on the all-defensive team, who was also a selection.
Yesterday, the Mountain West honors as voted on by the media were released, and were a little more favorable toward Utah State. Both Queta and Bean were named to the second-team and Queta held onto his belt as the conference’s best defensive player despite playing just 19 games.
Merrill, with his selection to the All-MW First Team, became the eighth Aggie — Dean Hunger (Big West 1979-80), Greg Grant (1985-86), Eric Franson (Big West 1995-96) Marcus Saxon (Big West 1997-98), Shawn Daniels (Big West 2000-01), Nate Harris (Big West 2004-05), Jaycee Carroll (WAC 2007-08) and Tai Wesley (WAC 2010-11) — as players that were two-time First Team selections to their respective conferences. Merrill, however, was the first to accomplish the feat in USU’s Mountain West era.
Full list of selections listed below
Player of the Year: Malachi Flynn, Jr., G, San Diego State
Defensive Player of the Year: Malachi Flynn, Jr., G, San Diego State
Freshman of the Year: Isaiah Stevens, Fr., G, Colorado State
Newcomer of the Year: Jalen Harris, Nevada
Sixth Man of the Year: Nisré Zouzoua, Nevada
Coach of the Year: Brian Dutcher, San Diego State
First Team
Malachi Flynn, Jr., G, San Diego State
Jalen Harris, Jr., G, Nevada
Sam Merrill, Sr., G, Utah State
Matt Mitchell, Jr., F, San Diego State
Bryce Hamilton, So., F, UNLV
Second Team
Yanni Wetzell, Sr., F, San Diego State
Neemias Queta, So., C, Utah State
Nico Carvacho, Sr., C, Colorado State
Justinian Jessup, Sr., G, Boise State
Derrick Alston, Jr., F, Boise State
Jazz Johnson, Sr., G, Nevada
Third Team
Justin Bean, So., F, Utah State
Lavell Scottie, Sr., F, Air Force
Seneca Knight, So., G, San José State
Isaiah Stevens, Fr., G, Colorado State
Amauri Hardy, Jr., G, UNLV
Defensive Team
Malachi Flynn, Jr., G, San Diego State
KJ Feagin, Sr., G, San Diego State
Neemias Queta, So., C, Utah State
Lindsey Drew, Sr., G, Nevada
Justin Bean, So., F, Utah State