Jaime Jaquez Jr.’s decision to return for his senior season worked out quite well for No. 2 UCLA.
Jaquez was named The Associated Press player of the year in the Pac-12 on Tuesday and Bruins coach Mick Cronin is the conference coach of the year. Washington forward Keion Brooks was named Pac-12 newcomer of the year by an eight-person panel of journalists who cover the conference.
Jaquez considered leaving Westwood for the NBA after three productive seasons that included a trip the Final Four and the Sweet 16 in consecutive years. The crafty 6-foot-7 swing man had another boxscore-stuffing season in his return, averaging 17.5 points, 8.0 rebounds and 2.4 assists per game while helping lead the Bruins to their first Pac-12 regular-season title in a decade.
Cronin has returned UCLA to prominence in four seasons since leaving Cincinnati. The Bruins had deep NCAA Tournament runs the past two seasons and were the class of the Pac-12 this year.
UCLA went 27-4 overall during the regular season, 18-2 in Pac-12 play and had its first undefeated home season (17-0) since 2006-07. The Bruins have the nation’s longest active home winning streak at 25 games and are the No. 1 seed in the Pac-12 Tournament this week in Las Vegas.
Brooks had an immediate impact at Washington after transferring from Kentucky. The 6-foot-7 forward was third in Pac-12 scoring at 17.8 points per game while grabbing 6.9 rebounds.
FIRST TEAM
u-Guard — Tyger Campbell, UCLA, Sr., 5-11, 180, Cedar Rapids, Iowa.
Guard — Boogie Ellis, USC, Sr., 6-3, 185, San Diego.
u-Forward — Jaime Jaquez Jr., UCLA, Sr., 6-7, 225, Camarillo, California.
u-Forward — Azuolas Tubelis, Arizona, Jr., 6-11, 245, Vilnius, Lithuania.
Center — Branden Carlson, Utah, Sr., 7-0, 228, South Jordan, Utah.
—“u” denotes unanimous selection.
SECOND TEAM
Guard — Drew Peterson, USC, Sr., 6-9, 205, Libertyville, Illinois.
Guard — Keion Brooks Jr., Washington, Sr., 6-7, 210, Fort Wayne, Indiana.
Forward — Mouhamed Gueye, Washington St., So., 6-11, 210, Dakar, Senegal.
Forward — N’Faly Dante, Oregon, Sr., 6-11, 230, Bamako, Mali.
Center — Oumar Ballo, Arizona, Jr., 7-0, 260, Koulikoro, Mali.
___
Player of the year — Jaime Jaquez Jr., UCLA.
Coach of the year — Mick Cronin, UCLA.
Newcomer of the year — Keion Brooks, Washington.
Additionally, in the Mountain West, three Utah State standouts earned all-Mountain West honors.
Aggies junior guard Steven Ashworth was named to the all-conference first team, junior guard Max Shulga was named as honorable mention all-conference and graduate forward Dan Akin was named as the sixth man of the year.
This season, Ashworth is averaging 16.3 points and 4.8 assists per game for the Aggies. Shulga averages 12.2 points, 4.9 rebounds and 4 assists per game for Utah State. Akin posts 12.1 points and 6.8 rebounds per game on the season for the Aggies.
