Georgia Basketball: Two Dawgs Receive Preseason Honors
Two Georgia basketball players were selected as preseason first team All-SEC members heading into the start of the season.
Related: Georgia Mens Basketball: Season Preview
Positive news keeps rolling into Athens on the verge of the 2015-2016 men’s basketball season. Coming off of a berth to the NCAA Tournament last year, Georgia continues to build momentum in what hopes to be another fine season for the Dawgs on the hardcourt.
Guards Kenny Gaines and Charles Mann were selected to the 2016 SEC Men’s Basketball Coaches Preseason All-SEC First Team.
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Both are returning senior starters who carried the team last year. Gaines is known for his emphatic dunks and lockdown defense, while Mann creates his scoring opportunities by getting to the free throw line more than anybody else in the nation.
The two were selected along with seven other players around the league including:
-Dorian Finney-Smith, Florida
-Skal Labissiere, Kentucky
-Tyler Ulis, Kentucky
-Ben Simmons, LSU
-Stefan Moody, Ole Miss
-Danuel House, Texas A&M
-Damian Jones, Vanderbilt
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Mann is coming off a superb junior campaign where he averaged 11.2 points per game, and career highs in rebounds (4.9) and assists (3.6) per game. Gaines also had a stellar 2014-2015 season totaling 11.7 points and 1.2 steals per game.
The two leaders are looking to bring success back to this program, something it has not seen consistently since the late 90s and early 2000s. They also look to etch their names among some of the greatest Bulldogs to ever play.
No Georgia player has finished a season with All-SEC First Team honors since Kentavious Caldwell-Pope in 2013. This season it looks feasible to have two names on the list at the end of the season. They might also be able to add their names to any even more impressive list: All-American.
The Associated Press has recognized only seven Dawgs’ in this category all time. Mann and Gaines absolutely have what it takes to add their names to this club should they lead Georgia to another stellar season.