DAHLONEGA – Junior forward Frank Champion and sophomore guard AJ White have been named as Peach Belt Conference All-Conference First Team selections the league announced Tuesday. This marks the second consecutive year the dynamic duo has been named as all-conference selections and the first time they've both been on the first team.
For Champion, this year's honor is his fourth consecutive All-Conference First Team honor. The 2022-23 PBC Player of the Year and D2CCA All-American has had another monster season.
In 27 games, Champions has reached double figure scoring 24 times with 10 games scoring 20 or more points. He's had 10 double-doubles and 11 double digit rebounding performances.
This season Champion is dropping 17.5 points, 8.0 rebounds, 5.0 assists and 1.2 steals while shooting 58.8 percent from the floor. The 6-foot-10 forward leads the PBC in assists per game (5.0), field goal percentage (58.8 percent), field goals (171), free throw attempts (180) and defensive rebounds per game (6.5). He ranks fourth or better in six other statistical categories.
Champion currently sits on the 2024 Bevo Francis Award Top 50 Watch List. Each year the Bevo Francis Award is given to the player who has the finest overall season in small college basketball.
For the sophomore White, this is his second consecutive all-conference postseason honor and his first time appearing on the All-Conference First Team.
White has been a scoring machine this year for the Nighthawks, leading the team with an average of 18 points per game on 48.2 percent shooting from the floor and a 45.4 percent mark from downtown.
The reigning PBC Freshman of the Year leads the conference in total points (499), points per game and made free throws (118) while ranking second in free throw percentage (85.7 percent). He ranks in the top five in field goal percentage (48.2 percent), free throw attempts (138), minutes per game (34.1), three-pointers per game (2.2) and three-pointers made (59).
White had 27 points on Saturday at Clayton State to help propel his team to a 90-69 win in the regular season finale. He's scored 20 or more points in three straight games and in 14 total outings this year.
2024 Men's Basketball All-Conference Team
First Team
Frank Champion, North Georgia
Tehree Horn, USC Aiken
Tyler Johnson, USC Aiken
Inady Legiste, Lander
AJ White, North Georgia
Second Team
Malik Bryant, Flagler
Destin Clark, Flagler
Demitri Gardner, Augusta
Jalen Johnson, Georgia Southwestern
Brendan Rigsbee, Georgia College & State University
Third Team
Jarrett Adderton, Columbus State
Phillip Burwell, Lander
Jacob Cooper, Lander
Jalen McCoy, USC Aiken
Marcus Overstreet, USC Beaufort
Player of the Year presented by College Ave: Tyler Johnson, USC Aiken
Defensive Player of the Year presented by College Ave: Jalen Barr, Flagler
Freshman of the Year presented by College Ave: Marcus Overstreet, USC Beaufort
Elite 18 Award presented by Barnes & Noble College: Jaylen Dibble, Lander
Herbert Greene Coach of the Year: Mark Vanderslice, USC Aiken
