The America East announced their end of the season men’s conference award winners on Thursday, and Maine point guard Kellen Tynes earned one of the major accolades after being named Defensive Player of the Year for a second straight season.
Tynes has been a menace on the defensive end of the floor in his time at Maine. This season, he leads America East with 2.3 steals per game which is also puts him in a tie for 16th best in the country. The back to back Defensive Player of the Year honor is just the fourth time it has happened in the history of the league joining a prestigious list- Marqus Blakely (Vermont), Tommy Brenton (Stony Brook), and Jameel Warney (Stony Brook).
The other major awards went to Kevin Roberson (guard, UNH) as Player of the Year, Shamir Bogues (guard, Vermont) Newcomer of the Year, Quinton Mincey (guard, UMass-Lowell) Sixth Man of the Year, Tariq Francis (guard, NJIT) Rookie of the Year, and John Becker (Vermont) as Coach of the Year.
Along with the major award, Tynes was also named to the All-Conference Third Team and All-Conference Defensive Team. Teammate and leading scorer Peter Filipovity made All-Conference Second Team and All-Academic Team. Filipovity has averaged 14.4 points per game, 7.7 rebounds, and has shot almost 57% from the floor and is 75% at the free throw line on the season. Maine, who wrapped up the regular season with a win over #2 UMass-Lowell on Tuesday night in Orono, finished as the #6 seed for the America East playoffs. The Black Bears head to Smithfield, Rhode Island on Saturday afternoon at 2 p.m. to battle #3 Bryant University in the conference quarterfinals.
Written by Chris Lessner
