Scott Kretzmann
ASC Sports Information Director
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – Junior center Jack Osborn (Hobart, Tasmania, Australia), the Grizzlies lone first team selection, as well as Defensive Player of the Year Jamiko Verner (Denver, Colo.), a second team pick, were joined by all-league second team honoree Marqus Richards (Los Angeles, Calif.) on the 2012 All-Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (RMAC) squads, released Tuesday afternoon.
The 2012 All-RMAC men’s basketball team was announced Tuesday afternoon, hours prior to ASC’s RMAC Shootout Quarterfinal game at home against Fort Lewis, which the Grizzlies lost, 73-77, in overtime.
Osborn was the Grizzlies’ second leading scorer this season, leading a dominant inside game for Adams State with 12.6 points per game after averaging 3.9 and 8.1 points his freshman and sophomore years, respectively.
Accuracy was the name of the game for Osborn throughout the season, and following the conclusion of the regular season, his 65.9 percent (132-for-200) from the field ranked second in Division II. That number also ranks second in the Grizzlies’ DII era (1992-93/present) history.
Osborn also ranked sixth in the RMAC in offensive rebounds this season, pulling down 2.9 per game, and ranked 10th in both overall rebounds (6.3 per game) and blocked shots (0.9 per game).
The Grizzlies’ man in the middle, Osborn scored a career-best 23 points against Northern New Mexico on Nov. 21, and was Adams State’s leader with four double-doubles this season.
Amidst having his best offensive season in his career at Adams State this season, Verner made a name for himself thanks to a strong commitment to defending the ball. Verner led the RMAC, set ASC records and ranked second nationally with 3.8 steals per game this season. His 99 steals this season shattered the ASC single-season mark and he moved himself into No. 2 on the Grizzlies’ career list.
Verner’s defensive efforts led to an RMAC best three defensive player of the week honors from the RMAC.
Verner was also among the league’s assist elite. He ranked second in the RMAC in dishing out 4.4 assists per game this season, and led the league in assist/turnover ratio, recording 1.5 helpers to every turnover.
His 7.5 points per game this season is the highest mark of his career, and he twice recorded double-doubles, while scoring 10 and recording 10 assists against Colorado State-Pueblo on Feb. 11, and with 15 points and 10 assists on Feb. 24 against Colorado Mesa.
Richards led the Grizzlies offense, which led the league in scoring, with 14.2 points of the team’s 80.8 per game this season. Three times, he scored a team season-best and career-high matching 26 points.
While his scoring put him at No. 8 in the RMAC this season, Richards was also among league leaders with in field goal percentage, connecting on 54.1 percent (152-of-281) of his attempts, and in steals, swiping 1.5 per game.
Richards was also a Second Team All-RMAC pick after the 2010-11 season, and was named as a 2011-12 Preseason All-RMAC pick.
The Grizzlies, who have compiled a record of 19-8 overall this season after falling to FLC Tuesday, have been picked No. 7 in Wednesday’s NCAA Central Regional Rankings with a 15-7 in-region record. The NCAA Central Regional Tournament will be made up of the conference tourney champions from the RMAC and Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC), as well as the next six highest ranked teams.
ASC will now have to wait to see if it’s called to take part in the NCAA Tournament for the second straight season after placing third in the RMAC during the regular season.
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