University of Albany Basketball's Brian Lillis & Tim Ambrose Earn Spots on All-America East Conference Teams

Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information

Vestal, N.Y. – University at Albany’s Brian Lillis has been named to the 2008 America East Men’s Basketball All-Conference Team, as announced on Friday, March 7 at the conference’s annual awards brunch, held at Binghamton University’s Events Center. Lillis was selected to the first team and made his second consecutive appearance on the all-defensive unit. Tim Ambrose earned a spot on the America East All-Rookie Team.

Lillis, a 6-foot-5 senior from Urbandale, Iowa, became the third UAlbany player to receive first-team all-conference honors. He joins Jamar Wilson (2006, 2007) and Jason Siggers (2007) in that category.

Lillis, one of 10 players at the Division I level to lead his team in points, rebounds and assists, was voted America East Fans’ Choice Player of the Year earlier in the week. He leads the Great Danes in scoring (15.8 ppg), rebounding (6.1 pg), assists (3.5 pg), steals (1.7 pg) and blocks (0.7 pg). Lillis scored 20-plus points on five occasions, including a career-high 29 against Vermont. He added five double-doubles and turned in a 27-point, 12-rebound effort in the first meeting with Boston University.

Ambrose, a redshirt freshman from Brentwood, N.Y., is the fifth Great Dane to be chosen to the America East all-rookie squad. Other UAlbany all-rookie selections were Jamar Wilson (2002), Levi Levine (2002), Jon Iati (2004) and Brent Wilson (2005). Ambrose averaged 7.5 points and 2.9 rebounds in 13.8 minutes per game off the bench. He scored in double figures eight times, including a 24-point performance against nationally-ranked Duke.

In addition, Brian Connelly and Lillis were named to the America East All-Academic Team. Lillis, who has a 3.23 cumulative grade point average in business administration, made the squad for the second year in a row. Connelly, a junior who averages 10.1 points and 5.4 rebounds, has a 3.08 GPA in business administration.

UAlbany (15-14) is the third seed in this weekend’s conference postseason tournament. The Great Danes, who tied for second place in the America East regular-season standings, won 10 or more conference games for the third consecutive season.

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2008 America East Men’s Basketball All-Conference Teams

First Team – Marqus Blakely (Vermont), Jay Greene (UMBC), Brian Lillis (Albany), Darryl Proctor (UMBC), Joe Zeglinski (Hartford).

Second Team - Ray Barbosa (UMBC), Mike Gordon (Binghamton), Brian Hodges (UMBC), Corey Lowe (Boston U.), Mike Trimboli (Vermont).

Third Team – Tyrece Gibbs (New Hampshire), John Holland (Boston U.), Cavell Johnson (UMBC), Mark Socoby (Maine), Lazar Trifunovic (Binghamton).

All-Defensive – Marqus Blakely (Vermont), Mike Gordon (Binghamton), John Holland (Boston U.), Brian Lillis (Albany), Michael Turner (Hartford).

All-Rookie – Alvin Abreu (New Hampshire), Tim Ambrose (Albany), Tyrone Conley (New Hampshire), John Holland (Boston U.), Morgan Sabia (Hartford.

All-Academic – Junior Bernal (Maine), Brian Connelly (Albany), Brian Lillis (Albany), Ricky Lucas (Stony Brook), Jaret Von Rosenberg (Hartford).



Player of the Year: Marqus Blakely (Vermont)

Rookie of the Year: John Holland (Boston U.)

Defensive Player of the Year: Marqus Blakely (Vermont)

Coach of the Year: Randy Monroe (UMBC)