GCU’s Blacksher, Lever are WAC 1st-team picks in poll

Grand Canyon center Alessandro Lever and point guard Jovan Blacksher Jr., were named to the Western Athletic Conference preseason first team on Tuesday by the media.

GCU’s men’s basketball team was picked to finish second, behind New Mexico State in the media poll.

In the coaches’ poll, Lever made first team and Blacksher second team. None of the coaches could vote for their own players. NMSU and GCU were picked 1 and 2 in the coaches’ poll.

GCU’s womens team was picked to finish third in the preseason WAC coaches poll.

GCU has new head coaches: Bryce Drew leading the men and Molly Miller leading the women.

NMSU’s Jabari Rice was chosen the preseason WAC Player of the Year.

Blacksher, 5-foot-11, 155 pounds, who won four state basketball titles during his Phoenix Shadow Mountain High School career, was named the WAC Freshman of the Year last season, when he set all all-time GCU freshman record with 109 assists. He was the only Division I freshman in the country to have at least 300 points, 150 rebounds and 100 assists.

Lever, a 6-10 senior, who has started since his freshman year at GCU, averaged 13.4 points and 4.8 rebounds last season. He needs 407 points to pass Josh Braun into the No. 2 spot on the GCU all-time scoring list.

Utah Valley was picked to win the womens WAC title, and California Baptist’s Ane Olaeta was chosen preseason Player of the Year.

Like the men’s side, the nine head coaches of the women’s teams could not vote for their own players.

No GCU women’s player made first team preseason All-WAC, but the Antelopes’ Laura Piera was chosen second team by the coaches.

2020-21 Preseason Men’s Basketball Media All-WAC Teams

First Team

Jovan Blacksher, So., G, Grand Canyon

Alessandro

Canyon

Javon Levi, Sr., PG, UT Rio Grande Valley

Johnny McCants, Sr., F, NM State Jabari Rice, Jr., G, NM State Second Team

Evan Cole, Gr., F, Utah Valley Gorjok Gak, Gr., F, California Baptist Evan Gilyard, Sr., G, NM State Hunter Schofield, Sr., F, Dixie State Donnie Tillman, Sr., F, NM State Preseason Player of the Year: Jabari Rice, NM State

Lever,

Sr.,

C,

Grand

2020-21 Preseason Men’s Basketball Coaches’ All-WAC Teams

First Team

Alessandro

Canyon

Javon Levi, Sr., PG, UT Rio Grande Valley

Johnny McCants, Sr., F, NM State Jabari Rice, Jr., G, NM State

Donnie Tillman, Sr., F, NM State Second Team

Jovan Blacksher, So., G, Grand Canyon

Oscar Frayer, Sr., F, Grand Canyon Riley Grigsby, Jr, G/F, Seattle U Evan Gilyard, Sr., G, NM State Hunter Schofield, Sr., F, Dixie State To suggest human-interest story ideas and other news, reach Obert at richard.obert@arizonarepublic.com or 602-316-8827. Follow him on Twitter @azc_obert.

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Lever,

Sr.,

C,

Grand