Ray, Stockwell capture all-conference honors in men’s basketball
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| Zak Ray ’07 becomes Bates’ first player to win the NESCAC Defensive Player of the Year award. |
HADLEY, Mass. — Bates College’s Zak Ray and Rob Stockwell were both named First Team All-NESCAC in men’s basketball, with Ray also taking home Defensive Player of the Year honors, the conference announced on Wednesday.
The senior teammates and team co-captains, who were both named Second Team All-NESCAC after the 2004-05 and 2005-06 seasons, led the Bobcats to an 18-7 record this season, and a 75-29 record through their four years, the best stretch in program history.
Ray (Bangor, Maine) becomes Bates’ first player to earn the Defensive Player of the Year award, after leading the NESCAC in steals for the second straight year with 2.56 per game. Ray was second on the Bobcats with 12.7 points per game and second in the conference in assists per game with 5.84, behind only Amherst’s Andrew Olson (7.41), who was named NESCAC Player of the Year. He ranked 10th in the NESCAC in free throw percentage (.711) and second in assist-to-turnover ratio (2.18). Ray hit a team-high 47 of 132 three-point attempts (.356).
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| Rob Stockwell ’07 finishes his career as Bates’ fourth all-time leading scorer, with 1,512 points. |
Ray hit three major statistical marks this season, setting the all-time Bates records for career assists (539) and steals (241), while also passing the 1,000 career points plateau. He now ranks 15th all-time with 1,175 points. Ray played in 104 of 105 Bobcats games in his collegiate career.
Stockwell was Bates’ leading scorer and rebounder for the third straight season, averaging 15.9 points and 9.0 rebounds per game. He was tied for sixth in the conference in steals, with 1.52 per game. He recorded nine double-doubles for Bates and led the team in both scoring and rebounding seven times. A talented three-point shooter as well as a banger, Stockwell hit 31 of 95 attempts from behind the arc (.326).
Stockwell finished his career with 1,512 points, ranking fourth on Bates’ all-time list, and grabbed a hefty 868 rebounds in his four years. Like Ray, the durable 6-foot-5 forward played in 104 of a possible 105 games in his college career.
View the All-NESCAC Men’s Basketball release here.