DUKE, ROBINSON & MAILHOT NAMED TO GNAC MEN'S BASKETBALL ALL-CONFERENCE TEAMS
Feb. 28, 2012
BOSTON, Mass. - Senior guard Isaiah Duke (Albany, N.Y.), sophomore forward Theo Robinson (Springfield, Mass.) and junior guard Michael Mailhot (Norwich, Conn.) have been selected to the 2011-12 Great Northeast Athletic Conference All-Conference teams, it was announced earlier today by the conference office. Duke was tabbed to the GNAC Second Team, Robinson the Third Team and Mailhot was selected as Emmanuel's representative on the All-Sportsmanship Team. The trio's selection marks the first time since the 2008-09 campaign that the Saints had three members recognized in the same year as All Conference honorees.
Selected to the GNAC Second Team, Duke enjoyed one of his most productive seasons with the Saints in his final year with the team, averaging a team-best 14.0 points per game to go along with 7.2 rebounds per night to rank second on the squad. The senior played in and started all 26 contests for EC, averaging 1.7 assists per night to go along with 23 steals and 12 points on the campaign. The Albany, N.Y. native netted double-figure point totals in 19 games on the season including eight of his final nine collegiate contests and posted five double-doubles. Early on in the season, Duke was named to the 2011 Saints Invitational All-Tournament Team and over the course of the year was recognized on the GNAC Weekly Honor Roll during the week of November 21 as well as being named the GNAC Player of the Week during the week of January 23. On January 7, Duke became just the sixth player in program history to record his 1,000th career point and then one week later notched his 500th career rebound on January 14 to become the fifth player in the Saint's 1,000-500 club.
Over his four years with the Saints, Duke played in 100 games and started 81 of them to rank sixth all-time in games played and career starts. He finished his career with 1,220 points to rank third among program leaders while his 591 career rebounds also places his third all-time. The senior will graduate ranked fifth with 50 career blocked shots, eighth in steals with 93 and 16th all-time in program annals in assists with 113 helpers. The guard holds the school record for free-throws made with 359 points from the charity stripe as well as the single-game record with 13 on Nov. 23 2010 vs. Wheelock.
Named to the GNAC Third Team, Robinson produced one of the most efficient all-around seasons in Emmanuel men's basketball history, averaging a double-double of 13.3 points to go along with a team-leading 11.7 rebounds per night. He recorded a single-season record of 18 double-doubles on the year and was one of just two players in the GNAC to average double-figures in both points and rebounds. From the field, the Springfield, Mass. native was the team's most efficient shooter with a .558 field goal percentage which also is the third highest single-season shooting mark in program annals. On February 7 vs. Suffolk University, Robinson set the single-game rebounding record when he grabbed 21 boards while also scoring a career-high 29 points in the Saints 93-76 victory. The forward finished the season strong notching double-doubles in seven of the final eight games and on the season was named to the GNAC Weekly Honor Roll a team-high four times.
In two seasons with the Saints, Robinson has already established himself as one of the program's greatest rebounders with 431 caroms to rank ninth all-time. Over 49 career games, the sophomore has averaged 8.8 rebounds per night to rank first all-time for rebounds per game. Robinson also is already among the Saints top-10 in blocked shots, ranking tied for seventh all-time with 47 rejections.
Honored on the GNAC All-Sportsmanship Team, Mailhot served this season as a tri-captain and helped lead the Saints to a GNAC tournament berth for the first time since the 2008-09 season. One player from each of the conference's fourteen institutions represents their program on a team designated for those who have displayed the greatest showing of sportsmanship this season. Mailhot enjoyed a solid junior campaign averaging 10.8 points a night and was the squad's top three-point shooter connecting on 54 treys at a .327 clip from behind the arc. The Norwich, Conn. native also was the team-leader in assists, dishing out 74 helpers on the year.
Emmanuel wrapped up the 2011-12 season with an overall mark of 12-14, finishing with a GNAC record of 11-7 which was good for a third-place tie. The Saints concluded the year with a GNAC Quarterfinals appearance for the first time since 2009.