The St. Thomas Aquinas College Men's Basketball team continues to be well-represented with postseason honors, as the annual Metropolitan Basketball Writers Association awards were released on Thursday. Head Coach Tobin Anderson, was named the All-Met Division II Coach of the Year, while Demetre Roberts and Osbel Caraballo were also named All-Met First Team selections.
For his efforts as the architect of the powerhouse STAC squad, Tobin Anderson was awarded his fifth All-Met Coach of the Year honors. In nine seasons, Coach Anderson has piloted his team to an impressive 209-62 overall record, 5-ECC Regular Season championships, 6-ECC Tournament titles, 7-NCAA Tournament appearances, an NCAA Division II East Region Championship in 2017 and an Elite Eight appearance, also in 2017. He was also named the ECC Coach of the Year back in March, receiving the award for the fourth time since arriving in Sparkill.
Demetre Roberts previously received first team honors from the ECC, and second team accolades from both the D2CCA (All-Region) and NABC (All-District) in its post-season awards, to go along with his All-Met accolades. Averaging 16.4 points per game, the senior from Mount Vernon, N.Y. led STAC in scoring and was third in the conference. His 4.2 assists per game ranked first on the team and third in the ECC. Roberts will return for a fifth year in 2022-23.
In his final season in maroon and gold, Osbel Caraballo earned first team status from the ECC to go along with his addition to the All-Met squad. The senior from Bolivar, Venezuela placed second on the team with 14.6 points per game (6th in ECC), while finishing first with 5.4 rebounds per contest. His 56.4 shooting percentage was first on the team and second in the conference. Caraballo concludes a stellar four-year career with St. Thomas Aquinas, recording 1,608 points, 704 rebounds and 151 assists, while accumulating numerous awards and accolades, including 4 All-Met selections, 4 ECC First Team All-Conference honors, 2 NABC All-District recognitions and a Most Outstanding Player of the ECC Tournament crown in 2020. He was also a part of 2-ECC Regular Season titles, 3-ECC Tournament Championships and 4-NCAA Tournament appearances, including reaching the Sweet 16 in 2019, 2021 & 2022.
Metropolitan Basketball Writers Association Division II Men's Basketball Awards
FIRST TEAM
Jalen Burgess, Dominican • 6-4, Gr., F, Springfield Gardens, NY
Osbel Caraballo, St. Thomas Aquinas • 6-5, Sr., G/F, Bolivar, Venezuela
Justin Davis, Felician • 6-4, Jr., G/F, Jersey City, NJ
Brandon Jacobs, Pace • 6-0, Gr., G, Cambria Heights, NY
Bryan Powell, Pace • 6-6, Jr., F, Middletown, NY
Demetre Roberts, St. Thomas Aquinas • 5-8, Sr., G, Mt. Vernon, NY
Ronnie Silva, Adelphi • 5-9, Sr., G, Nashua, NH
SECOND TEAM
Isayas Aris, Nyack • 6-5, Sr., F, Chicago, IL
Jaylen Colon, Felician • 6-1, Jr., G, Paterson, NJ
Messiah Mallory, Staten Island • 6-7, Fr., F, Watervliet, NY
William Muller, Molloy • 6-7, Jr., F, North Babylon, NY
Anthony Cooper, Caldwell • 6-2, Sr., G, Ashburn, VA
Brandon Powell, Pace • 6-2, Jr., G, Middletown, NY
Co-Players of the Year: Justin Davis, Felician; Ronnie Silva, Adelphi
Coach of the Year: Tobin Anderson, St. Thomas Aquinas