Three area college basketball players have been named to the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) All-District Team. Furman's Jalen Slawson was named to the 1st team teammate Mike Bothwell earned second team honors and Wofford's B.J. Mack was also named to the 1st team.
Bothwell was a first team All-District 21 selection last season while Slawson earns his first career recognition from the NABC. Slawson, a native of Summerville, S.C., led the SoCon this season in steals and ranked in the top-10 for rebounding, field goal percentage, assists, free throw percentage, blocks and assist-to-turnover ratio. He averaged 14.4 points, 7.4 rebounds, 3.7 assists, 1.7 steals and 1.7 blocks per game while shooting 48.4 percent from the field. Slawson earned the program’s first SoCon Defensive Player of the Year honor and was a consensus first team All-SoCon selection.
The senior forward compiled a team leading five double-doubles this season and the program's only triple-double following a 15 point, 12 assist and 10 rebound performance on December 7 at Winthrop. Slawson scored in double figures 26 times highlighted by a career high 33 points on December 3 in a home win over College of Charleston. He registered 10 or more rebounds eight times and tied his career high of 14 on November 30 during a road win at High Point. Slawson was a first team SoCon All-Tournament performer after scoring 15 points against Mercer on March 5 and 17 versus Samford on March 6.Slawson was named SoCon Player of the Week on December 6.
Bothwell, a native of Cleveland Heights, Ohio, was a first team All-SoCon selection this season by the coaches and a second team pick by the media. He led Furman in scoring during the 2021-22 campaign at 15.7 points per game to go with 4.0 rebounds and 3.0 assists while shooting 47.7 percent from the field and a team best 83.1 percent at the free throw line. Bothwell ranked 10th or better for the SoCon in scoring, field goal percentage and free throw percentage.
The senior guard finished in double figures scoring 29 times including 20 or more points in nine contests. He began the season scoring at least 22 points in three consecutive games highlighted by a season high 30 on 7-of-17 shooting, and 13-of-15 at the free throw line, in Furman's 80-72 overtime win at Louisville on November 12. Bothwell matched his career high of eight rebounds and six assists twice. He was named first team SoCon All-Tournament after scoring in double digits three times highlighted by a 24-point performance in the championship game against Chattanooga on March 7.Bothwell was named both the SoCon Player of the Week and Lou Henson National Player of the Week on November 15.
Wofford’s B.J. Mack was also named to the All-District 21 Team by NABC coaches across NCAA Division I, garnering a First Team selection. The nod marks Mack’s third postseason honor after garnering second-team All-Southern Conference and all-tournament team recognition, while also marking consecutive NABC All-District 21 first-team selections for Wofford under head coach Jay McAuley.
Mack, a native of Charlotte, N.C., transformed himself into an All-SoCon performer this season for the Terriers, having reached double figures in 29 of 32 games, including a current streak of 21-straight, and more than doubling his scoring average from last season at 16.5 points (5th SoCon) and 6.1 rebounds (10th SoCon). The 6-foot-8 forward has been efficient scoring, ranked second among the Southern Conference at 53.8 percent shooting from the field, while also leading the Terriers at 44.8 percent from beyond the arc (39-of-87) and shooting 81.8 percent from the free-throw line (6th SoCon).
