Payton II Named To USBWA All-District Team
CORVALLIS, Ore. – Gary Payton II was selected to the U.S. Basketball Writers Association (USBWA) All-District-IX Team, based on voting from its national membership of 900-plus. The USBWA has selected All-District Teams since the 1956-57 season, its founding year.
The U.S. Basketball Writers Association was formed in 1956 at the urging of then-NCAA Executive Director Walter Byers. Today, it is one of the most influential organizations in college basketball.
USBWA District IX (California, Oregon, Washington, Hawai’i, Arizona, Alaska)
Player of the Year
Kyle Wiltjer, Gonzaga
Coach of the Year
Mark Few, Arizona
All-District Team
Corey Hawkins, UC Davis
Stanley Johnson, Arizona
T.J. McConnell, Arizona
Gary Payton II, Oregon State
Kevin Pangos, Gonzaga
Norman Powell, UCLA
Chasson Randle, Stanford
Brad Waldow, St. Mary’s
Tyrone Wallace, California
Kyle Wiltjer, Gonzaga
Joseph Young, Oregon
Payton II was voted the Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year and named to the All-Pac-12 First Team and All-Defensive Team as selected by a vote of the conference coaches on Monday.
A transfer from Salt Lake Community College, Payton II has been dominant on both ends of the floor, leading the Beavers in scoring, rebounding, steals and minutes played. He has at least one steal in every game and is currently second in the nation with 3.07 per contest.
His 92 steals are the second most in Oregon State single-season history and the fifth most in Pac-12 history, trailing only Jason Kidd of California (110 in 1992-93), Gary Payton of Oregon State (100 in 1989-90), Jordan Adams of UCLA (95 in 2013-14) and Jeff Trepagnier of USC (94 in 1999-00).
Payton II is third in the Pac-12 in rebounding (7.5) and seventh in blocked shots (1.2). He set the Oregon State single-game record with seven blocks against Colorado.
He also has seven double-doubles this season and posted just the second triple-double in school history with 10 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists against Grambling State. His father recorded the only other triple-double on Nov. 26, 1988 when he had 20 points, 14 rebounds and 11 assists against Portland at Gill Coliseum.
Payton II was named Pac-12 Player of the Week on Jan. 26 after averaging 18.5 points, 8.5 rebounds and 3.5 steals in wins over UCLA and USC.
Oregon State set school records this season for best start at home (14-0), most home victories (15) and single-game team blocked shots (13). The Beavers are on pace to set school records for scoring defense, field goal percentage defense and 3-point field goal percentage defense, which has helped them secure a winning season, just the program’s third since 1990
Oregon State opens the Pac-12 Tournament at 6:10 p.m. on Wednesday against Colorado at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. The Beavers are the No. 7 seed and the Buffaloes are the No. 10 seed. The game will be televised on the Pac-12 Networks.
