SAGE MEN'S BASKETBALL TEAM MEMBERS BORDERS AND MITCHELL HONORED BY EMPIRE 8
Hilton, NY — With the release of the 2019-2020 Empire 8 Men's Basketball All-Star Teams, Sage landed a pair of honorees.
Sage's sophomore guard Jalon Borders (Bartow, FL/Bartow) collected a spot on the First Team, while senior captain Senior Anthony Mitchell (Bronx, NY/Salesian) was named to the league's Sportsman of the Year Team.
Sage head men's basketball coach Brian Barnes said, "Our coaching staff is incredibly proud of Jalon being recognized as an all-conference player." Barned added, "His drive and determination have been key factors in our team's success and reaching the playoffs this season. Jalon has only cracked the surface as to his potential as a student athlete and we're thrilled to be able to help him achieve his goals for the next two seasons."
Borders, who is the team's leading scorer this year has started 24 of 25 games played for the Gators and owns a personal-best 15.6 ppg average on 390 points. He is also shooting 46.8% from the floor and ranks nationally with his field goals made and attempted. Borders is also averaging 5.5 rpg while also playing 30.7 minutes a game for the Gators this year. He has three double-doubles this year and has been the Gators' high scorer 16 times and high rebounder six times. His personal-best this year includes 26 points in the team's 73-63 win over Hartwick, while adding 12 rebounds in the same game.
Barned added, "Anthony Mitchell has been a terrific ambassador for our program each of the last four years. He makes us proud in so many ways. I admire his competitiveness, leadership and commitment to serve his teammates. It is great to see Anthony recognized as our program representative for sportsmanship. This honor is well deserved."
A four-year letterwinner for the Gators, Anthony Mitchell is now 10th in scoring with 583 points, seventh in rebounding (373), fourth in assists (176), eighth in blocks (46), and is now ninth in games played with 83. He is also currently No. 2 with 110 steals. This season, he has started 21 of 22 games played while adding 7.7 ppg with 5.1 rpg. He also a team-best 62 assists this season with 18 blocks and 24 steals. Honored last year with a selection to the NABC Honors Court for his excellent work in the classroom, Mitchell has been a team leader this year as the Gators' captain.
Sage stands at 15-10 overall and went 8-6 in the league and with their efforts this year have secured the program's first Empire 8 Playoff berth. Now in his 11th season leading the Gators, Head Coach Brian Barnes is 150-135 at the helm of the program as the team enters the E8 playoffs.
The Gators will open play on Friday, February 28 facing top seeded Nazareth College in the semifinals at 5:30 p.m. Utica the third seed, will face St. John Fisher College next Friday on the campus of Nazareth in the 7 p.m. semifinal contest. The two winners will meet at 4 p.m. on February 29 with the winner garnering the Empire 8's automatic bid to the NCAA Division III Tournament.