SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – The Summit League’s preseason basketball list is out, and Western Illinois’ Kobe Webster is
a repeat honoree. The point guard enters his junior year as a Preseason
All-Summit League First Team selection, and the league coaches’ poll
also saw Western picked to finish the 2019-20 regular season in seventh
place.
The
announcement was made Monday (Oct. 7) ahead of the in-person Summit
League Media Day held in Sioux Falls. Western’s head men’s coach Billy Wright is
expected to preview the upcoming slate at 10:30 a.m. live on the
league’s Facebook page. There will also be a Summit League Preview Show
airing Monday night from 7 – 9 p.m. on the Midco Sports Network.
“We
are excited to have the league recognize Kobe for one of their
preseason honors,” said Wright. “Kobe came in ready from day one and has
been a great example for our program, both on and off the court. As a
freshman, he was named to the all-newcomer team and was honorable
mention all-conference. As a sophomore, he was recognized as one of the
top players in the conference. And now, being selected to the preseason
first-team list shows the consistent work that he puts in.
“He
has been very consistent, durable, and dependable, and is always
looking for ways to improve and to help our team be successful.”
In
Webster, the Leathernecks return the league’s fifth-best scorer from a
season ago. He averaged a team-high 17.0 points per game and poured it
in from downtown to rank seventh in the Summit with 76 3-pointers.
Additional stats included: 137 rebounds, 97 assists, and 34 steals.
Western’s season tips off with Big 10 competition in a Nov. 5 road meeting at Indiana.
2019-20 Summit League Preseason Player of the Year
Stanley Umude – South Dakota
Preseason All-Summit League First Team
Emmanuel Nzekwesi, Oral Roberts, Sr., F (14.8 ppg/8.5 rpg/1.2 apg)
Kevin Obanor, Oral Roberts, So., F (14.4 ppg/7.2 rpg/0.5 apg)
Vinnie Shahid, North Dakota State, Sr., G (13.1 ppg/3.0 rpg/2.6 apg)
Triston Simpson, South Dakota, Sr., G (14.0 ppg/3.7 rpg/3.6 apg)
Stanley Umude, South Dakota, Jr., F (14.4 ppg/5.5 rpg/1.4 apg)*
Kobe Webster, Western Illinois, Jr., G (17.0 ppg/4.4 rpg/3.1 apg)
Preseason All-Summit League Second Team
Tyler Hagedorn, South Dakota, Sr., F (13.0 ppg/5.9 rpg/1.1 apg)#
JT Gibson, Omaha, Sr., G (12.9 ppg/2.8 rpg/2.1 apg)
Matt Holba, Purdue Fort Wayne, Sr., F (11.7 ppg/4.2 rpg/1.2 apg)
Matt Pile, Omaha, Jr., F (11.2 ppg/7.9 rpg/1.2 apg)
Tyson Ward, North Dakota State, Sr., F (12.4 ppg/6.2 rpg/2.3 apg)
*Preseason Player of the Year automatically earns a spot on first team
#Hagedorn’s stats are from 2017-18 season
Preseason Poll (first place votes) | total points
1. North Dakota State (23) | 526
2. South Dakota (6) | 457
3. Oral Roberts (3) | 404
4. Omaha | 369
5. South Dakota State (2) | 300
6. Purdue Fort Wayne | 224
7. Western Illinois | 188
8. North Dakota | 164
9. Denver | 113
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