The USCAA announced its Division II men's basketball All-Americans on Saturday evening at the 2019 USCAA Basketball National Tournament Banquet at Seven Springs Mountain Resort in Uniontown, Pennsylvania, and Berkeley College's men's basketball team was represented by senior Ricardo Ayuso and junior Deylon Bovell. Ayuso was selected as the conference's Player of the Year and a First Team All-American, and Bovell earned Honorable Mention recognition. Following the announcement of the awards, Head Coach Jonathan Pena spoke.
"I'm extremely gratified for Ricardo, because I know how hard he's worked not only this season, but throughout his tenure as a member of this program" Pena said. "Not only is he a tremendously versatile player for us on both sides of the court, but he also has a knack for coming up big when the moments are the grandest. Ricardo is an extremely gifted individual who is always motivated to continue to improve his game. I'm very proud of him, and I look forward to seeing him finalize his Berkeley career in a big way during this upcoming tournament. As for Deylon, he was a key contributor in helping us accomplish some of our primary goals this past season, and we're looking forward to seeing him compete for the first time on the National stage."
Ricardo Ayuso earned Player of the Year and First Team All-American status thanks to his vital contributions to Berkeley College's men's basketball team this past season. Ayuso – who started and played in 21 of the team's 25 games - averaged a team best 16.3 points per evening, while also leading the Knights in steals per game with two. His 59 three-point baskets led Berkeley, and the senior scored in double figures 18 times, while also netting 20 points or more on five different occasions. He currently has 1026 points as a Knight, and he was also tabbed as an HVIAC All-Conference player 13 days ago.
Deylon Bovell started in 20 of the Knights' 25 games this season, averaging 14.3 points per contest, which was good for second-highest on the team. His 5.9 rebounds per evening led Berkeley College, and his 1.6 steals per game were tied with Anthony Hemingway for second-most on the squad.
The Knights will open tournament play on Monday evening at 8:00pm, as they'll face either No. 8 seeded Central Penn or No. 9 Penn State York. To follow the Berkeley College men's basketball team's quest for its fifth consecutive National Championship, visit the USCAA website at www.theuscaa.com. Live statistics and live video streaming will be available for select games. Recaps of all Berkeley College contests will be available by the Knights' athletics website – www.berkeleycollegeknights.com.