KISSIMMEE, Fla. -- Barry University sophomore forward Yunio Barrueta was named to the Sunshine State Conference men's basketball First-Team all-conference. He also was selected as the league's Newcomer of the Year.
Barrueta, a sophomore from Miami/Hialeah Gardens High School who transferred from East Tennessee State, averaged 14.2 points and nine rebounds per game in his first season with the Buccaneers. He scored in double figures in his last 21 games and 24 of the 27 this season. He recorded 12 double-doubles this year, which ranks among the nation's top 25 in NCAA Division II.
He scored a career-high 25 points in a win at Rollins, and grabbed a career-best 14 rebounds in two games.
Freshman forward Adrian Gonzalez, another Miami/Hialeah Gardens High product, was named the league's Freshman of the Year. He averaged 11.8 points and 3.9 rebounds per game, while shooting 55 percent from the field. Gonzalez had a career-high 30 points in a win over Clayton State at the Lynn Holiday Classic. He hit 12 field goals and scored 29 points at Florida Southern. His 12 field goals in a game are the most by a freshman in school history. He hit 11 field goals in two other games.
Deric Hill, a junior guard who transferred from Florida International, was selected to the All-SSC Second Team. Hill, a Miami/South Miami High product, broke the school assists and steals record this season. He had 208 assists and 69 steals. Hill averaged 10.3 points, 7.7 assists and 2.6 steals this season. He had a career-high 15 assists in a win at Palm Beach Atlantic, falling one assist shy of the school single-game record.
Barry will hold an NCAA Tournament Watch Party 10 p.m. Sunday in the Health & Sports Center Landon Atrium as the NCAA Division II field of 64 brackets are announced. The top eight teams in each of the eight national regions around the country qualify for the NCAA Tournament. Barry was ranked fourth in the South Region poll this week.
2013-14 All-SSC Men’s Basketball Team
FIRST TEAM
Yunio Barrueta, Barry (So.)
Kevin Capers, Florida Southern (Jr.)
Jerrel Harris, Saint Leo (Sr.)
Jermaine Jackson, Florida Tech (Jr.)
Mitch Woods, Rollins (Sr.)
Player of the Year – Kevin Capers, Florida Southern
Defensive Player of the Year – Corbin Jackson, Florida Tech
Newcomer of the Year – Yunio Barrueta, Barry
Freshman of the Year – Adrian Gonzalez, Barry
Coach of the Year – Linc Darner, Florida Southern
SECOND TEAM
Jordan Davis, Tampa (Jr.)
Da’Markco Foster, Tampa (Sr.)
Aaron Harrison, Lynn (Jr.)
Deric Hill, Barry (Jr.)
Chris Page, Nova Southeastern (So.)
ALL-NEWCOMER TEAM
Yunio Barrueta, Barry (So.)
Jordan Davis, Tampa (Jr.)
Aaron Harrison, Lynn (Jr.)
Corbin Jackson, Florida Tech (So.)
Chris Page, Nova Southeastern (So.)