Champion Vikings dominate Coast South awards

Champion Vikings dominate Coast South awards

After going a perfect 12-0 in Coast South play, it is no surprise the West Valley basketball team dominated the conference awards, including the four major awards, as announced Monday by the Coast.

Adam Afifi was named the Coast South Player of the Year, Mahmoud Fofana earned Defensive Player of the Year, Quinn Denker was the Freshman of the Year and Danny Yoshikawa was voted Coach of the Year. Denker was also named to the All-Defensive Team and the All-Coast South 1st Team. Fofana also earned All-Freshman and All-Coast South 1st team honors. Ben Baker became an All-Coast South 1st Team selection for the second consecutive year, and Sufyan Elkannan picked up All-Coast South 2nd Team honors.

All five WVC starters averaged in double digits in scoring, helping the Vikings to a league-high 89.9 points-per-game. The Vikings also topped the Coast South in rebounds (45.4), assists (20.3), field goal % (48.8), and three-point FG % (38.5) and were second in blocks (5.6).

MVP Afifi led the Vikings with 17.7 PPG and 8.8 RPG to go along with 1.7 assists and 1.6 blocks per contest. All-around stalwart Denker averaged 14.8 PPG and led the team in assists (5.1), steals (1.1), three-point % (44.8), and free-throw % (85.2), along with four rebounds per game.

Fofana made a major impact in his first year in Saratoga, averaging 11.6 points, 7.3 rebounds, 2.6 blocks, 2.3 assists and 1.1 steals per game. His 61.2 FG% led the team. Two-time all-leaguer Baker tied Denker for the team lead in steals (1.1) and Afifi in boards (8.8), while averaging 13.1 points and 4.9 assists per game. Elkannan averaged 11.4 points, 3.1 rebounds and 1.4 assists. Yoshikawa was voted Coach of the Year for the second straight year.

The Vikings (24-3) earned the north's #2 playoff seed and will entertain #16 Chabot (18-10) Thursday (3/3) in the second round of the CCCAA NorCal regional playoffs.