MONTREAL -- Jamal Mayali of the McGill Redbirds was named player of the year to highlight the RSEQ men's basketball conference all-stars released Wednesday.

The 23-year-old from Toronto was also a first-team all-star and one of four McGillians honoured, three of them receiving one of the league's major awards. Teammate Haris Elezovic, a native of Sherbrooke, Que., was voted as the conference's rookie of the year, while bench boss Ryan Thorne earned coach of the year honours after guiding McGill to an unblemished 12-0 record, its first perfect season since 1934. Elezovic, 21, who earned all-rookie status, also received a nod as a second-team all-star along with senior Sam Jenkins, a 23-year-old native of Hamilton, Ont.

Mayali, a fifth-year political science senior, becomes the ninth McGill basketball player to merit league MVP honours and the first since Dele Ogundokun won back-to-back in 2017 and 2018. Other McGillians to earn the prestigious nod include François Bourque (2015), Vincent Dufort (2014), Matt Thornhill (2010), Domenico Marcario (2002), Paul Brousseau (1990) and Nasko Golomeev (1969).

A 6-foot-1, 180-pound shooting guard, Mayali led the Quebec league in scoring with an average 18.3 points per game. He was first in three-pointers made (39), second in three-point success rate (.419), third in minutes played (33.3 per game), fifth in both free-throw shooting (.755) and steals (1.5 spg), sixth in field-goal percentage (.456), 11th in assists (2.3 apg), 12th in defensive rebounds (3.4 rpg), and 20th in rebounding overall (3.5 rpg).

Elezovic, a 6-foot-8, 233-pound centre, was 11th in the league scoring race and fourth in rebounding, with an average of 11.2 and 7.4 per game, respectively. The management freshman ranked second in free-throw success (.760) and fourth in field-goal shooting (.479).

Jenkins, a 6-foot-3, 192-pound guard, finished seventh in the conference scoring race and 10th in rebounding. He averaged 13.2 points and 5.4 boards per game. The fifth-year physical and health education senior, led the league in steals (2.4 per game), minutes played (34.2 avg), tied for second in assists per game (3.9) and was fourth in assist per turnover ratio (1.3). He was third in free-throw shooting (.758), third in treys made per game (1.8), sixth in three-point success (.333) and ranked 11th in field-goal shooting (.412)

Thorne is in his second year and first season with the McGill Redbirds after spending the previous 17 seasons as head coach of the McGill women's program and guided the Martlets to seven Quebec league titles and their first national championship in 2017.  He was named U SPORTS women's basketball coach of the year in 2016 and is a six-time recipient of the Quebec university coach-of-the-year award.

Born in Barbados and raised in Montreal suburbs of LaSalle and Pierrefonds, the 48-year-old is currently a long-time resident of Ile-Bizard, Que.

Aside from guiding the men's team to a perfect season, his squad has the fourth best defensive record in the nation, allowing only 66.8 points per game. The Redbirds play a fast-paced transition game, one that has pulled out three last-minute comebacks. McGill ranks third across the country in assists per game (16.5), ninth in three-poiint shooting (.349), 10th in steals and 12th in free-throw success rate (.727)

The RSEQ all-star announcement was made hours before the Quebec conference semifinals. One sudden-death affair pits fourth-place UQAM (4-8) at top-seeded McGill (12-0) in 7 p.m. tip-off at Love Competition Hall. The other semi features third-place Bishop's (4-8) against second-seeded Concordia (6-6) at 8 p.m. The winners advance to the RSEQ league championship game on Saturday.


2021-22 RSEQ MEN'S BASKETBALL MAJOR AWARDS & ALL-STARS
 
PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Jamal Mayali, McGill
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Frantson Demosthene, UQAM
ROOKIE OF THE YEAR: Haris Elezovic, McGill
COACH OF THE YEAR: Ryan Thorne, McGill
LEADERSHIP (Ken Shields Award): Connor Kelly, Bishop's
 
FIRST TEAM ALL-STARS:
Jamal Mayali, McGill
Olivier Simon, Concordia
Ibrahim Ngom, Bishop's
Alix Lochard, UQAM
Marc-Andre Fortin, Laval
 
SECOND TEAM ALL-STARS:
Haris Elezovic, McGill
Frantson Demosthene, UQAM
Sam Jenkins, McGill
Sidney Tremblay-Lacombe, Laval
Sami Jahan, Concordia
 
ALL-ROOKIE TEAM:
Haris Elezovic, McGill
Samuel Cayo, UQAM
Charles Robert, Bishop's
Loic Savard, Laval
Steve Mbida Abomo


RSEQ FINAL STATS & STANDINGS

SOURCE:
Earl Zukerman
Sports Information Officer
Athletics & Recreation
McGill University
514-398-7012
www.mcgillathletics.ca
earl.zukerman@mcgill.ca