Four Slam Players Named IBL All-Stars
Published on August 11, 2010 under International Basketball League (IBL)
Bellingham Slam News Release
BELLINGHAM, Wash. - Four players from the Bellingham Slam were named as International Basketball League all-stars this season, league officials announced. Guards Morris Anderson, Ryan Diggs and Jacob Stevenson and forward Ike Ohanson each earned the honor this season.
For both Diggs and Stevenson, it is the third consecutive season that they have been named league all-stars.
Stevenson, who has been with the Slam since the franchise was started in 2005, enjoyed his finest season yet as he led the team in scoring with 25.4 points per game. He was Bellingham's leading scorer in 12 of their first 13 games and posted a season-high 37 points on May 27 in Edmonton. He recorded both of the Slam's two triple-doubles this season on May 16 at British Columbia and June 25 against Tacoma. He also led the team in total assists with 153 and steals with 63.
Diggs also completed another fine season for the Slam, averaging 16.5 points and 5.2 assists per game, good for third-best on the team in both categories. After being hampered by an ankle injury late in the season, Diggs returned the line-up in the playoffs and helped Bellingham reach the IBL Championship game after scoring 39 points in their two conference tournament games in Portland against Los Angeles and Yamhill. Diggs was named the American Conference MVP for his efforts, and two weeks later was the Slam's leading scorer in the title game against Albany with 18 points.
The honor for Anderson caps an impressive rookie professional season that saw him average 6.7 assists per game, fifth-best in the league and first among rookies. Anderson scored in double figures in all but three games this season, and came one rebound shy of a triple-double on May 2 vs. British Columbia. He finished the season averaging 12.9 points and 4.9 rebounds per game, and also ranked second on the team in steals with 55.
Ike Ohanson proved to be a valuable asset in the post for the Slam, as he averaged 11.1 rebounds per game to lead the team and rank fourth in the league. Ohanson was also the team's best-scoring forward with a 13.7 points per game average, and finished the season with 11 double-doubles. He scored a season-high 34 points in the team's home opener on April 9 against Tacoma, and pulled down 20 rebounds on May 31 vs. Central Oregon.
Three of the four players named were standouts at Western Washington. Although Stevenson, Diggs and Anderson each played for the Vikings at different periods in the last ten years, each helped lead their squad to the NCAA Division-II postseason. Stevenson helped advance WWU to an Elite Eight appearance in 2001, while Diggs was a member of a Viking team that made consecutive West Regional Tournament appearances in 2005 and 2006. Anderson also helped WWU reach the postseason twice, most recently this past spring when the Vikings reached the second round before falling to eventual NCAA-II champion Cal Poly Pomona.
The Slam foursome highlights a group of 45 IBL players named as team all-stars by the league.
This season, Bellingham made their second appearance in the IBL Championship game in three years, but were defeated by the Albany Legends, 126-111, on July 16.
International Basketball League Stories from August 11, 2010
- Four Slam Players Named IBL All-Stars - Bellingham Slam
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