Defensive Player of the Year Kevin Rice Headlines CBA All-Defensive Team
March 10, 2003 - Continental Basketball Association 1 (CBA 1) News Release
Boise, Idaho (March 10, 2003)â The Continental Basketball Association announced today that Dakota Wizards swingman Kevin Rice was named 2002-03 CBA Defensive Player of the Year and to the 2002-03 CBA All-Defensive Team. Also earning All-Defensive honors were Rockford Lightning center Livan Pyfrom, Idaho Stampede guard Michael Johnson, Gary Steelheads guard Jemeil Rich, and Yakima Sun Kings forward Alex Jensen. There is a post-season awards announcement schedule listed below.
Rice, a 6-3, 198 lb. Utah State ('98) product, averaged 2.3 spg (3rd in league), 5.7 rpg, and 13.1 ppg in all 48 contests for the Wizards. This is his second CBA All-Defensive Team honor in as many seasons, having tallied a league-high 2.7 spg for Dakota last season, to go along with his 5.0 rpg and 9.8 ppg.
Also making his second straight CBA All-Defensive Team is the Stampede's Michael Johnson, who last season made the squad as a member of the Wizards. In 36 games for Idaho this season, Johnson tallied 1.7 spg, 3.6 rpg, and 18.1 ppg. Joining him in the backcourt is Steelheads ironman Jemeil Rich, who averaged 2.6 spg (2nd in league) and 13.1 ppg in 48 games.
Lightning big-man Livan Pyfrom was the leading vote getter at center for his 9.3 rpg (5th in league) and 2.3 bpg (3rd in league), while the Sun Kings' Alex Jensen (7.4 rpg, 1.5 spg) filled the other forward position.
The Defensive Player of the Year award and All-Defensive Team were voted on by the CBA head coaches. Rice earned five of eight first-place votes for Defensive Player of the Year, significantly separating him from the rest of the competition. In the All-Defensive team balloting, DeSean Hadley of the Great Lakes Storm ranked third at guard, Antonio Harvey of the Stampede placed second at center, and three players tied for third at the forward position. To be eligible players must have played in at least 24 (1/2 of the 48 game schedule) games and must be in good standing with the CBA. Coaches could not vote for their own players.
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