4 all-time Winthrop greats named to Big South all-decade basketball teams
The Big South Conference announced the 2010-19 all-decade men’s basketball team Friday morning, and two Winthrop greats made the list.
On the surface, the two Eagles selected couldn’t be more different. One is Xavier Cooks, the lanky, 6-foot-8, 185-pound forward who graduated in 2018. And the other is Keon Johnson, the 5-foot-7, 160-pound guard who graduated in 2017.
However, their accolades connect them.
Cooks ended his career in Rock Hill as the 2017-18 Big South player of the year and an AP All-American honorable mention with several other conference awards. The Wollongong, Australia native left as the school’s leading rebounder and the third all-time leading scorer in Winthrop history. He also is the fifth-leading rebounder in Big South Conference history, with 983 career rebounds.
Cooks worked out for the Los Angeles Lakers prior to starting a pro career overseas.
“I’d say he’s one of the best players I’ve ever coached,” Kelsey told The Herald about Cooks in 2017. “I’m not pumping my own tires by any stretch, but I’ve coached 11 NBA players. And I put him right there in that mix.”
Johnson, meanwhile, was the 2016-17 conference player of the year and the 2017 conference tournament MVP, helping deliver head coach Pat Kelsey his first NCAA bid at Winthrop after three consecutive conference tournament runner-up finishes. Johnson is the program’s all-time leading scorer with 2,076 points, and that mark ranks eighth all-time in Big South Conference history.
The 5-foot-7 Johnson has drawn comparisons to other guards who are undersized and thus play with chips on their shoulders — including 5-foot-8 Winthrop sophomore guard Russell Jones Jr., who said Johnson was an inspiration for him.
That said, Johnson will be remembered as a one-of-a-kind talent.
“That’s just who he is, man,” Kelsey said after the November 2016 Winthrop win over Illinois, which will go down in school lore. Johnson scored 38 points and led a comeback to force overtime and ultimately cause an Eagle win. “He’s just a little warrior. Fearless.”
All-decade player nominees must have been either a multiple all-conference honoree, an All-American, or a Big South Conference hall of famer, according to a release. They also needed to be in good academic standing.
A 15-person committee of the conference’s administrators served as the official voting panel to determine the selection. Fan voting also held some weight, “comprising 20% of the overall total,” the release said.
The Big South’s inaugural year was in 1983.
The 2010-19 all-decade women’s basketball team was unveiled Thursday morning, bringing acclaim to two more Eagles.
Winthrop guard Dequesha McClanahan and forward Schaquilla Nunn were selected. McClanahan was the conference’s freshman of the year in 2011 and the conference’s player of the year in 2012. Nunn was the conference’s defensive player of the year and a two-time all conference selection before transferring to the University of Tennessee for her senior season.
Nunn was later drafted by the San Antonio Stars.
Full list of men’s basketball team
Nick Barbour, High Point
John Brown, High Point
Chris Clemons, Campbell
Xavier Cooks, Winthrop
Matt Dickey, UNC Asheville
David Efianayi, Gardner-Webb
Javonte Green, Radford
Keon Johnson, Winthrop
Carlik Jones, Radford
Kelvin Martin, Charleston Southern
Saah Nimley, Charleston Southern
Stan Okoye, VMI
Ed Polite Jr., Radford
Jesse Sanders, Liberty
Ahmad Thomas, UNC Asheville
Coach Eddie Biedenbach, UNC Asheville
Coach Cliff Ellis, Coastal Carolina
Full list of women’s basketball team
Emma Bockrath, High Point
Devon Brown, Liberty
Kiera Gaines, Campbell
Keyen Green, Liberty
Dominique Hudson, Gardner-Webb
Kaylah Keys, High Point
Chatori Major, UNC Asheville
Dequesha McClanahan, Winthrop
Schaquilla Nunn, Winthrop
Ashley Rininger, Liberty
Stacia Robertson, High Point
Cortney Storey, Presbyterian
Katie Tull, Charleston Southern
Avery Warley, Liberty
Jayda Worthy, Radford
Coach Carey Green, Liberty
This story was originally published June 12, 2020 at 1:14 PM.
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