Latrobe, North Hills grads on watch list for small college player of the year award

Bryce Butler is having a career season at West Liberty and the country is watching.

The 6-foot-5 sophomore guard out of Latrobe is on a national watch list for the Clarence “Bevo” Francis Award, which recognizes America’s top small-college basketball player.

He joins teammate Pat Robinson III on the 50-player list, posted by Small College Basketball. Players from NCAA divisions II and III, NAIA, USCAA and NCCAA schools are eligible.

Butler is averaging 17.4 points and 7.3 rebounds and has started all 24 games for No. 2-ranked West Liberty (22-2), the highest-scoring team in NCAA Division II (99.4 ppg). Robinson averages 20.3 points.

Butler has a team-best seven double-doubles and leads the Hilltoppers in rebounds. He is shooting 61.% from the field.

West Liberty sophomore guard Bryce Butler has been named to the Top 50 Watch List for the Bevo Francis Award, honoring the nation's top small-college basketball player! Congratulations, Bryce! #GoWLU @TopperStation @TheMountainEast https://t.co/usw2eCPcFH pic.twitter.com/ciaDyXXYMr

— WLU Athletics (@WLathletics) February 16, 2022

Semifinalists for the award will be announced March 15, while finalists will be revealed April 2.

On April 4, the winner will be unveiled.

Three other district players also are up for the Francis award.

Sophomore forward Phillip Aston of Cal (Pa.), IUP redshirt junior Armoni Foster and Nova Southeastern senior Nick Smith also made the top 50.

Aston, from Columbus, Ohio, leads the PSAC in scoring (20.8) and rebounding (10.3). A Meadville native, Foster averages 20.1 points for the Crimson Hawks.

Smith, a North Hills alum, is scoring 11.8 points and handing out 8 assists in a team-best 34.3 minutes.

The award was created in 2015 and named for Francis, who played two years at Rio Grande (1953-54) and turned in some downright ridiculous numbers.

In ‘53, he averaged 48.3 points and scored 116 in a game against Ashland.

Rio Grande finished 39-0.

The next year, Francis scored 48 a game and went for 113 in a game.

Here is the full watch list:

Nyameye Adom, Sr.,Wheaton (Ill.)

Philip Alston, So., Cal U

Buzz Anthony, Sr., Randolph-Macon

Marcus Azor, Sr., UMass Dartmouth

Darryl Baker, Sr., Talladega

Ryan Batte, Jr., Thomas More

Kevion Blaylock, Sr., William Penn

Levi Borchert, Jr., UW-Oshkosh

Tray Buchanan, Sr., Emporia State

Myles Burns, Sr., Loyola

Bryce Butler, So., West Liberty

Patrick Cartier, Jr., Hillsdale

Romeo Crouch, Sr., Embry-Riddle

Antwaan Cushingberry, Sr., St. Francis (Ind.)

Jack Davidson,,Sr., Wabash

Conner Delaney, Sr., John Hopkins

Kenny Dye, Jr., Queens (N.C.)

David Ejah, So., St. Francis (Ind.)

Jordan Guest, Jr., Lincoln Memorial

Armoni Foster, Jr., IUP

Alex Gross, Sr., Olivet Nazarene

Matthew Helwig, Sr., North Central (Ill.)

Parker Hicks, Sr., Lubbock Christian

Trevor Hudgins, Sr., Northwest Missouri State

Josiah Johnson, Jr., Mary Hardin Baylor

KJ Jones, So., Emmanuel (Ga.)

Kyran Jones, Jr., Georgetown

Josh Kashila, Jr., SAGU

Matthew Leritz, Sr., Illinois Wesleyan

Jaizec Lottie, Sr., Flagler

Miles Mallory, So., Randolph-Macon

Seth Maxwell, Sr., Indiana Wesleyan

Riley Minix, Jr., Southeastern (Fla.)

Karmari Newman, Sr., William Penn

Tyler Riemersma, Sr., Augustana (S.D.)

Pat Robinson, Sr., West Liberty

Jaylon Scott, Sr., Bethel (Kan.)

Matt Simpson, Sr., Florida College

Andrew Sischo, Sr., Daemen

Jovan Sljivancanin, Sr., Carroll

Jamari Smith, So., Queens (N.C.)

Nick Smith, Sr., Nova Southeastern

RJ Sunahara, So., Nova Southeastern

Sekou Sylla, Jr., Nova Southeastern

Evan Thomas, Jr., Hope

Ryan Turell, Sr., Yeshiva

Alex Van Kalsbeek, So., Northwestern (Iowa)

Isaiah Wade, Sr., Central Oklahoma

Mason Walters, Jr., Jamestown

Zach Wrightsil, Sr., Loyola (La.)