Rock Hill, S.C. – The Big South Conference released its men's basketball annual awards and Winthrop's
Kelton Talford and
Cory Hightower earned all-conference honors.
Talford was voted to the All-Big South First Team after averaging 16.1 ppg, 8.1 rpg and leading the conference in field goal percentage during the regular season. In his first season as a starter he made an immediate impact and led the team in scoring and ranking fourth in the conference. Opened the season with double-figures in the first 19 games and has 27 games in double-figures and seven games with 20 or more points. His field goal percentage of .672 not only leads the league but ranks 5
th nationally. On the year he's posted seven double-doubles and hauled in a career-high 16 rebounds in the win over S.C. State. He also scored his career-best 28 points in that game.
Hightower was voted to the All-Big South Second Team and it is the second time in his career being named all-conference in the Big South. Hightower is second on the team in scoring at 13.8 ppg and second in rebounds per game at 5.6. He has scored 20 or more points in three of the last five games and posted 20 or more seven times on the season. On Feb. 11 he grabbed a career-high 17 rebounds against USC Upstate for his second double-double of the season and 10
th of his career. During the season Hightower reached over 1,700 career points, 800 rebounds, and 300 assists in his collegiate career. Became the 178
th player in league history to score 1,000 points and 18
th in conference history with 1,400 points and 700 rebounds. He also became the 26
th player in Winthrop history to reach 100 or more threes in a career and currently ranks 20
th on the all-time list with 116.
This is the fourth straight season the Eagles have landed at least two players on all-conference teams.
2022-23 MEN'S BASKETBALL ALL-CONFERENCE
First-Team
Drew Pember, UNC Asheville
Isaiah Wilkins, Longwood
Kelton Talford, Winthrop
Tajion Jones, UNC Asheville
Jordan Gainey, USC Upstate
Second-Team
DaQuan Smith, Radford
Ricky Clemons, Campbell
Claudell Harris Jr., Charleston Southern
Cory Hightower, Winthrop
DQ Nicholas, Gardner-Webb
Honorable Mention
Zack Austin, High Point
Jaden House, High Point
DeShaun Wade, Longwood
Bryan Antoine, Radford
Kareem Reid, Gardner-Webb
All-Freshman Team
Anthony Dell'Orso, Campbell
Justin Bailey, USC Upstate
Jalen Forrest, Presbyterian
Kenyon Giles, Radford
Jordyn Surratt, USC Upstate
All-Academic Team
Laurynas Vaistaras, Campbell
Ademide Badmus, Gardner-Webb
Bryson Childress, High Point
Jesper Granlund, Longwood
Owen McCormack, Presbyterian
Shaquan Jules, Radford
Fletcher Abee, UNC Asheville
Thomas Sheida, USC Upstate
Player of the Year
Drew Pember, UNC Asheville
Freshman of the Year
Anthony Dell'Orso, Campbell
Defensive Player of the Year
Drew Pember, UNC Asheville
Coach of the Year
Mike Morrell, UNC Asheville
Scholar-Athlete of the Year
Owen McCormack, Presbyterian
