2019 Men's Basketball D2CCA All-West Region Teams

BILLINGS, Mont. -- All-PacWest First Team honoree junior forward Andrija Blatancic of Academy of Art men's basketball was named to the All-West Region Second Team with Friday's release of the 2018-19 Division II Conference Commissioners Association All-Region Teams. This is the first time in ART U men's basketball program history a player has been awarded All-Region honors.

"I'm excited for Dre having been recognized for his consistent play this season," said head coach Julius Barnes. "To lead the PacWest in rebounding and score the ball in such an efficient manner, speaks to his skill set and understanding of the game. The scary thing is that I believe that Dre is only realizing his potential and that there are facets of his game that he can definitely improve upon. There's no denying his role in our success and I'm hopeful that this will encourage him to continue to push himself and his teammates and do what is necessary to help elevate this program to new heights."

Blatancic led the PacWest conference in rebounds per game (8.5), was third in scoring (17.8), and fifth in field goal percentage (.540). In his first year as an Urban Knight, the junior forward collected six double-doubles, scored over 30 points on three separate occasions, including a career high 33 points versus Dominican on Jan. 17, and claimed the ART U single game record for most field goals made with 15 in another 33 point performance against Concordia on Jan. 24. His 17.8 points per game is the highest mark any Academy of Art men's basketball player has ever accomplished throughout a full season. Blatancic garnered his first award in the form of PacWest Player of the Week On Jan. 7.