PEREZ TO PLAY IN NABC/NCAA DIVISION II ALL-STAR GAME

3-20-09
CALDWELL, N.J. - Caldwell College senior forward Manny Perez (Egg Harbor Twp., NJ/Egg Harbor Twp.) has been chosen to participate in the National Association of Basketball Coaches/NCAA Division II All-Star Game, the NCAA announced. He is one of 20 players representing all eight regions to be invited to play in the All-Star Game, which will be played on Friday, Mar. 27 in Springfield, Mass., as a part of the NCAA Division II Elite Eight Tournament.

Perez, a 6-foot-7 forward, averaged a team-leading 18.8 points and 7.8 rebounds per game this season en route to earning first team all-Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference and second team Daktronics all-East Region honors. He led the conference in field goal percentage (.577) while ranking third in scoring and fourth in rebounding.

The invitation to the NABC/NCAA All-Star Game is the exclamation mark on an outstanding career for Perez, who scored 1,859 career points to rank second all-time at Caldwell. He also holds the school record for most free throws made (567) while ranking third in field goals (639) and fifth in blocks (60) on the Cougars' career lists. A four-time all-CACC performer, Perez was the CACC Newcomer of the Year in 2005. He scored over 1,000 points in his first two seasons before missing the 2006-07 campaign with an injury. Perez bounced back to lead the Cougars in scoring and rebounding as a junior and senior.

"Manny certainly had a standout career and he's one of the best players we've ever had here," Caldwell head men's basketball coach Mark A. Corino said. "What is most impressive about him is the fact that he came back from an injury and performed at a high level, and I think that says a lot about the type of player he is. We're proud of him for being selected to play in this prestigious event, and we know he'll represent Caldwell College well."

The NABC/NCAA Division II All-Star Game will be played on Friday, Mar. 27 at 7:00 p.m., on the day before the NCAA Division II championship game.

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