Three Cougars Earn All-WSC Honors

The College of the Canyons men's basketball team had three players named to the 2017 All-Western State Conference (WSC), South Division Team.

COC freshman guards Michael Kalu and Jacob Lilley were both First-Team selections, while sophomore forward Chris Collins received Honorable Mention status. 

A total of 15 players from the conference's five teams were honored.

Kalu led the Cougars in scoring with 17.6 per game to rank seventh in the WSC. 

He also finished second on the team with a 46.8 percent shooting percentage, while pulling down five rebounds a night. The freshman was tops on the squad with 1.3 steals a game, and averaged 25.4 minutes a night, while making 26 starts on the season. 

Kalu turned in double-digit scoring night in 15 straight games to close out the season, including a season high 30 points vs. El Camino on Jan. 11. 

Lilley started 27 games at the point guard position, averaging a team high five assists per game. That number also placed him sixth in the WSC.

The freshman also recorded 4.7 rebounds per game, while shooting at a 43.3 percent mark, good for nine points a night. Lilley recorded double-digit point totals in four of the team's eight conference games, and reached the double-digit assist plateau on two occasions.

Collins led the team in field goal percentage, converting on his attempts at a 54.7 percent clip.

His 10 points a game were third best for the Cougars. Collins, who played his freshman year at nearby The Master's University, also averaged 4.5 rebounds per game. During the conference schedule Collins stepped up his game to the tune of 14.4 points and 5.8 rebounds per contest.

Canyons concluded the 2016-17 season with a 12-16 overall record and 2-6 mark in conference play to finish fourth in the WSC, South. That total represented a seven game improvement from the previous year.

—Story and photos by Jesse Muñoz/COC Sports Information