CALDWELL, N.J. - Caldwell College senior forward Manny Perez (Egg Harbor Twp., NJ/Egg Harbor Twp.) was named to the Daktronics All-East Region second team, the organization announced today. Perez, who led the Cougars in both scoring and rebounding this past season, is the first Caldwell men's basketball player to earn all-Region honors since the College became a full NCAA Division II member institution in 2002.
The Daktronics all-Region teams are selected by the sports information directors of the member institutions in each region. The East Region consists of schools in the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference, the East Coast Conference and the Northeast-10. Members of the all-Region first teams are placed on the ballot for All-American honors.
A 6-foot-7 forward, Perez averaged 18.8 points and 7.8 rebounds per game to earn first team all-CACC accolades. He led the conference in field goal percentage (.577) while ranking third in scoring and fourth in rebounding. A two-time CACC Player of the Week honoree this season, Perez also was named the ECAC Player of the Week after scoring a career-high 35 points in a victory over Chestnut Hill on Jan. 20. He had 12 games with 20 or more points, and recorded six double-doubles. In his final game as a Cougar, Perez tallied 22 points, eight rebounds and three assists in a loss to Bloomfield College in the CACC Tournament first round. That performance earned him a spot on the CACC all-Tournament Team for the third time in his career.
The 2005 CACC Newcomer of the Year, Perez eclipsed 1,000 points in his first two seasons at Caldwell. After a knee injury forced him to miss all but two games in 2006-07, Perez rebounded to earn all-CACC second team honors last season. A four-time all-CACC selection and three-time all-Met performer, Perez leaves Caldwell as the program's second-leading scorer with 1,859 points. He also holds the school record for most free throws made (567) while ranking third in field goals (639) and fifth in blocks (60) all-time at Caldwell.
2008-09 Daktronics NCAA Division II Men's Basketball East All-Region Teams
First Team
Laurence Ekperigin, Le Moyne, Jr., Forward, Cortlandt Manor, NY
Darren Duncan, Merrimack, Jr., Guard, Briarwood, NY
Jonathan Schmidt, C.W. Post, Sr., Guard, Centereach, NY
Teairez Stennis, Bridgeport, Sr., Forward, St. Louis, MO
Jason Westrol, Bentley, Jr., Guard, Brielle, NJ
Second Team
Thomas Baudinet, St. Anselm, Soph., Guard, Watertown, CT
Nick Carter, C.W. Post, Sr., Guard, Huntington Station, NY
Lew Finnegan, Bentley, Sr., Guard, Lexington, MA
Russell Frederick, Philadelphia, Jr., Guard, Baltimore, MD
Malcolm Ingram, Philadelphia, Jr., Forward, Philadelphia, PA
Manny Perez, Caldwell, Sr., Forward, Egg Harbor Twp., NJ
East Region Player of the Year: Laurence Ekperigin, Le Moyne
