Chargers’ Wendling, Martin Voted 1st-Team All-Arrowhead Conference

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GALESBURG — After helping the Carl Sandburg College men’s basketball team to its first Arrowhead Conference championship since 1990, Chargers sophomores Matt Wendling (Athens, Ill./Athens) and Kourtlandt Martin (Evansville, Ind./Central) have been rewarded with first-team all-conference selections.

Chargers coach Ryan Twaddle, who guided Sandburg to a share of the Arrowhead title with Highland at 9-1, was named Arrowhead Co-Coach of the Year with the Cougars’ Chad Boudreau.

Wendling and Martin, who were named second-team All-Region IV earlier this month, were the only teammates to earn first-team All-Arrowhead honors.

In 10 conference games, Wendling, a 6-foot-5 sophomore forward, paced the Chargers in scoring at 19.2 points per contest while also leading the team in field goals made (72 of 116) and 3-pointers made (27 of 53). Wendling was a remarkably efficient scorer all over the floor, shooting 62.1 percent from the floor, 50.9 percent from beyond the arc and 91.3 percent (21 of 23) at the line. Wendling also averaged 5.9 rebounds — second on the team — and 2.6 assists against conference opponents.

Wendling scored in double figures in all 10 Arrowhead games, including a 31-point effort Feb. 15 at Black Hawk. He had a double-double with 17 points and 12 rebounds in the Chargers’ victory Feb. 20 at home against Highland to keep the Chargers’ conference title hopes alive. Wendling finished his Chargers career with 1,012 points in two seasons, averaging 15.6 points per game.

Martin, a 6-1 sophomore point guard, did a little bit of everything in his only season as a Charger. A starter in all 10 conference games, he finished second on the team scoring (18.5 points per game) and third in rebounding (5.7 per game) against Arrowhead opponents. Martin led the Chargers in free throws made (50 of 63), assists (6.4 per game), steals (2.3 per game) and 3-point shooting (21 of 41, 51.2 percent) in conference play.

Martin scored in double figures in all 10 Arrowhead games, including a 27-point performance Feb. 20 against Highland behind a 5-for-6 night from 3-point range. He flirted with a triple-double in the Chargers’ win Feb. 15 at Black Hawk, putting up 11 points, 10 assists and seven rebounds.

2018 All-Arrowhead Conference Men’s Basketball Team

First Team — Jay’Quan McCloud (MVP, Highland), Keymonta Johnson (Illinois Valley), Matt Wendling (Carl Sandburg), Connor Fuller (Black Hawk), Kourtlandt Martin (Carl Sandburg).

Second Team — Shareef Smith (Highland), Luka Barisic (Highland), Riley Mehrens (Sauk Valley), Isaiah Tubbs (Illinois Valley), Rudy Lopez (Kishwaukee).

Co-Coaches of the Year — Ryan Twaddle (Carl Sandburg) and Chad Boudreau (Highland)

Final Arrowhead Conference standings

Carl Sandburg 9-1, Highland 9-1, Illinois Valley 6-4, Black Hawk 3-7, Sauk Valley 3-7, Kishwaukee 0-10.

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