PORTLAND, Ore. - The Great Northwest Athletic Conference announced their 2021-22 Men's Basketball All-Conference Team on Tuesday, March 1.
The Nanooks men's basketball team had a pair of representatives on the All-Conference team as Shadeed Shabazz and Coleman Sparling were named to the Honorable Mention All-Conference team. Shabazz, a guard from Seattle, Wash., led the Nanooks in scoring for the second-straight season. This season, he averaged 19.2 points per game through 20 games played and 13 starts. In 16 games, including the final five of the regular-season, Shabazz scored in double-digits. This season he scored six 30+ point performances, eight 20+ point performances and one 40-point performance.
Shabazz led the way defensively for Alaska, picking up 60 steals on the season, recording a steal in all but one game this season. He also averaged 2.6 assists, 4.6 rebounds per game and 3.0 steals per game. He shot 42.7% from the floor, 31.6% from three and 81% from the free-throw line. Shabazz leads the GNAC in points per game (19.2) and steals (60/3.0 per game) at the end of the regular-season. His 3.0 steals per game is third in NCAA DII.
This is Shabazz's second GNAC honor after being named a unanimous 2019-20 First Team selection, GNAC Player of the Year, GNAC Newcomer of the Year and GNAC Co-Defensive Player of the Year. He was a 2021-22 All-Conference Preseason Selection.
Coleman Sparling was also named to the GNAC Men's Basketball Honorable Mention after joining the Nanooks at the beginning of the 2021-22 season. The fifth-year forward proved a staple in the post for Alaska as he grabbed an average of 8.5 rebounds per game, a team-high and conference-high. He grabbed a total of 145 defensive rebounds and 43 offensive boards for 188 on the season. His 145 defensive rebounds led the way in the GNAC as he averaged a conference-high 6.6 defensive rebounds per game through the regular-season.
He cracked the top-10 in offensive rebounds, finishing the regular-season in 10th with his 2.0 offensive boards per game.
Sparling played and started in all 22 games this season and ended the regular-season as the most efficient scorer on the Nanooks roster, posting a 46.8% (88-188) from the field. He also made 25 three-pointers this season, the fourth-most on the team and shot 37.3% from deep. Alongside his team-leading rebounds and field goal percentage, Sparling led the Nanooks in total assists with 56 for an average of 2.5 per game. Finally, he was second on the team in steals, averaging 1.0 steal per game with a total of 21 on the year. He recorded a high of four on Nov. 13, 2021.
He finished the season averaging 10.4 points per game with 228 points scored. He posted a career-high 20 points on Feb. 7 in a win over MSUB while recording one of his five double-doubles this season, good for fourth in the GNAC.
Sparling's 8.5 rebounds per game is currently good for 41st in NCAA DII while his 6.6 defensive rebounds is good for 32nd in DII. Sparling joined Shabazz on the 2021-22 All-Conference Preseason Team.
Head coach
Greg Sparling was proud of his team's honors and looks forward to what's still to come, "We are proud that Coleman and Shadeed are being recognized by the conference. Both of them are seniors and have done a lot for our program. We appreciate them and both are looking forward to competing this week at the GNAC tournament. Go 'Nooks!"
The Nanooks enter the 2022 GNAC Men's Basketball Championships as the #10-seed and will face the #7-seeded Simon Fraser men's team on Wednesday, March 2 at 3:30 p.m. AKT in Seattle, Wash. at Seattle Pacific University's Brougham Pavilion.
For more information on the Alaska Nanooks men's basketball team, follow @NanooksMBB on Twitter, @AlaskaMensBasketball on Instagram, or like the Alaska Nanooks Athletics page on Facebook.
