Jaguar Duo Lands National Honors
// March 24th, 2009 // 2 Comments » // News
Augusta State’s tandem of Garret Siler and Ben Madgen were each named an All-American on Tuesday, March 24 by the NABC and Daktronics, respectively.
With the selections, the duo becomes the fourth and fifth All-America selections for the Jaguar men’s basketball program over the last three seasons and the sixth and seventh different players in school history to earn national accolades.
Augusta State was the only program in the nation and the first in Peach Belt Conference to have two players to garner All- America honors in the same season. The Peach Belt Conference totaled three All-America selections with the selection of USC Aiken’s Chris Commons to both squads.
A 7-0, 291-pound senior center from Augusta, Ga., Siler joins former ASU All-American AJ Bowman as the only players in school history to earn first-team, All-America honors by the NABC. Siler leads the nation in field goal percentage for the third consecutive season (.795) and ranks ninth in the nation in blocked shots at 2.7 bpg. On the season, he’s averaging 16.4 points and 7.8 rebounds and was tabbed the NCAA Southeast Regional’s Most Outstanding Player after leading ASU to the regional title in an 85-57 victory over USC Aiken in Christenberry Fieldhouse on Tuesday, March 17.
The only player in the PBC to rank in the top five in scoring, rebounding, field goal percentage and blocked shots, Siler has scored in double figures in 21 consecutive games and registered 20 or more points nine times. He has booked a team-best nine double-doubles and led ASU in scoring on 12 occasions. He currently ranks eighth in school history and PBC history with 1,573 points after 25-point effort in Southeast Regional Championship game victory over USC Aiken.
Madgen, a 6-4, 185-pound junior guard from Williamstown, Australia, was named to the Daktronics Third-Team, All- American squad. The 2009 Daktronics Southeast Region Player-of-the-Year, Madgen was also selected first team All-Southeast Region and was a first-team All-Peach Belt Conference pick. He was named to NCAA Southeast Regional All- Tournament team after leading the Jaguars to the Southeast Regional title on March 17. He was also voted the Peach Belt Conference Tournament’s Most Valuable Player after leading ASU to the PBC Tournament Championship on March 8.
The league scoring champion at 19.1 ppg., Madgen also led the PBC in three-point percentage (.462), ranked second in free throw percentage (.869), third in minutes played (33.06) and fourth in 3-point field goals made (2.39). He was the only player in the conference to rank in the top 15 in scoring, field goal percentage (12th/.499) and assists (14th/2.85). With 25 points vs. No. 16 USC Aiken in the Southeast Regional Championship game, he moved into fifth place on the ASU career scoring list with 1,642 points and into sixth place on the PBC career scoring list.
He led ASU in scoring on 16 occasions, registered 20 or more points 14 times and cracked the 30-point barrier twice, including a career-high 33 points vs. USC Aiken on Jan. 5.
ASU (29-4) tips off the 2009 Elite Eight on Wednesday, March 25 when the fourth-ranked Jaguars face No. 15 Christian Brothers (25-6) from Memphis, Tenn., at 12 noon in the MassMutual Center.
