LAS VEGAS — By season’s end, it turns out Hawai’i basketball center Isaac Johnson was not just a “Big Fish” in a little pond.
Johnson, a 7-foot grad transfer from Utah Tech who is originally from American Fork, Utah, was named to the All-Big West Conference First Team on Tuesday after a vote by league coaches. He is the first Warrior to earn First Team honors since Eddie Stansberry in 2020.
“It’s pretty amazing, coming from a place where I felt undervalued last year,” Johnson said. “To have the opportunity to come out here and to feel the love and feel the support and the belief from my coaches, is a night-and-day difference, and that accolade is a testament to that — of the belief and the love from the coaching staff, from my teammates. And it’s an amazing honor, I’m grateful to be able to have that one, and it’s just a testament to the belief and the love from teammates and coaches and from the people of Hawai’i.”
Johnson averaged 13.7 points per game, blocked 30 shots and was an outstanding free throw shooter, making 117 of 133 attempts for a stunning 88 percent rate of success from the line. His ability to run the floor and also step out to make 3-pointers caused major matchup problems for opponnents.
Dre Bullock, a 6-6 grad transfer guard from South Dakota who is originally from Franklinton, N.C., earned All-Big West Second Team honors.
He led the team in scoring in conference games averaging 14.1 ppg, while also averaging a team-best 5.7 rebounds and 1.6 steals per outing. Bullock scored 20 or more points six times this year, including five in league play. That included a 26-point performance in a road victory at Long Beach State and a 27-point afternoon capped by his buzzer-beating, game-winning 3-point shot at Cal State Fullerton on Feb. 28.
“I’m very grateful, very happy,” Bullock said. “This definitely was a good experience, I feel like I had probably my best season throughout my whole college career and to hear that, it means a lot. It wasn’t something that was on my mind — I was just worried about winning — but to hear that, I’m grateful. I’m happy.”
Hunter Erickson, a 6-3 grad transfer guard from Utah who is originally from Provo, Utah, garnered All-Big West Honorable Mention.
Erickson averaged 8.7 ppg and led the team in 3-pointers made with 39 and minutes per game at 30.1, and hit a memorable game-winning shot at the horn to help UH defeat rival UC irvine in a home game on Jan. 10.
Most importantly, Erickson took over the starting point guard role and averaged 4.1 assists per game — fourth in the Big West — after previous starter Aaron Hunkin-Claytor was lost for the season in late January due to a turf toe injury.
“Well deserved,” UH coach Eran Ganot said of the Warriors who were honored. “Great players on great teams — usually individual success comes from team success. I had certainly hoped that we would get a couple more (with) recognition … Gytis (Nmeiksa) obviously had a case for Sixth Man of the Year, and I think Harry (Rouhliadeff) had a case for Defensive Player of the Year … but at the same time there’s a lot of really good players and guys who are worthy of it as well in our conference. And that’s a credit to the conference, and the coaches in our league. Great respect.
“I’m just really proud of our guys, very appreciative of our guys, but also understanding that there’s a lot of people who are worthy of consideration in our league.”
All-Big West Conference Teams
FIRST TEAM
| Josiah Davis | Sr. | G | CSUN | Kitchener, Ontario, Canada |
| Jurian Dixon | R-So. | G | UC Irvine | San Diego, Calif. |
| Kyle Evans | Sr. | F | UC Irvine | Aliso Viejo, Calif. |
| ISAAC JOHNSON | Sr. | C | HAWAI’I | American Fork, Utah |
| Aidan Mahaney | Sr. | G | UC Santa Barbara | Lafayette, Calif. |
| Hamad Mousa | So. | G | Cal Poly | Doha, Qatar |
PLAYER OF THE YEAR/Newcomer of the Year: Josiah Davis, Cal State Northridge
COACH OF THE YEAR: Dedrique Taylor, Cal State Fullerton
SECOND TEAM
| DRE BULLOCK | Gr. | G | HAWAI’I | Franklinton, N.C. |
| Andrew Henderson | Sr. | G | UC Riverside | Los Angeles, Calif. |
| Larry Hughes II | Sr. | G | CSUN | St. Louis, Mo. |
| Gavin Sykes | Fr. | G | Long Beach State | Sacramento, Calif. |
| Josh Ward | Sr. | G | Cal State Fullerton | Memphis, Tenn. |
FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR: Gavin Sykes, Long Beach State
SIXTH MAN OF THE YEAR: Andre Henry, UC Irvine
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Kyle Evans, UC Irvine
BEST HUSTLE PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Mahmoud Fofana, Cal State Northridge
HONORABLE MENTION
| Peter Bandelj (Cal Poly), Leo Beath (UC San Diego), Jefferson De La Cruz Monegro (Cal State Fullerton), Bol Dengdit (UC San Diego), HUNTER ERICKSON (HAWAI’I), Mahmoud Fofana (CSUN), Andre Henry (UC Irvine), Ronald Jessamy (Cal State Bakersfield), Petar Majstorovic (Long Beach State), Hudson Mayes (UC San Diego), Joshua O’Garro (CSUN), Niko Rocak (UC Davis), Derin Saran (UC Irvine), Connor Sevilla (UC Davis), CJ Shaw (UC Santa Barbara), Cayden Ward (Cal Poly), Marcus Wilson (UC Davis), Marqui Worth Jr. (UC Riverside) |