College of William & Mary junior Marcus Thornton has been recognized as one of the top college basketball players in the state, the Virginia Sports Information Directors (VaSID) announced Tuesday.
Thornton was one of five players in the state to the named to the VaSID All-State First Team, marking the second straight season in which he has been honored by the organization. He becomes just the second VaSID All-State First Team choice in W&M history.
After earning second team all-state honors last season, the Upper Marlboro, Md., native moved up to the first team in 2014. He joined Adam Hess, who was a first team all-state choice in 2003 and 2004, as the only W&M players named first team all-state by VaSID.
This season, Thornton was recognized as the All-Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) First Team honoree and named first team all-district by the National Basketball Coaches Association (NABC). He was the third player in W&M history be named to the All-CAA First Team, earning his second straight all-league honor. He is one of just four players in Tribe history to be named to the All-CAA first or second team twice in his career.
Thornton finished the year ranked fourth in the CAA and 58th nationally in scoring at 18.7 points per game. He ranked among the CAA and national leaders in 3-pointers made (93) and 3-point percentage (40.3), while also averaging 2.8 assists per game and shooting 77.9 percent from the free throw line. His 3-point total led the CAA and ranked No. 28 in the country, while his 3-point percentage was the 32nd best nationally.
The 6-foot-4 guard scored 599 points in 2013-14, marking the fifth-best single-season total in W&M history and the most for a Tribe player since 1960. Through his first three seasons in a Green and Gold uniform, Thornton has scored 1,519 points, which ranks seventh in Tribe history and is the most for a W&M player through the first three seasons of his career.
Joining Thornton on the VaSID All-State First Team were Virginia’s Malcolm Brogdon and Joe Harris, D.J. Covington of VMI and VCU’s Treveon Graham.
The second team was comprised of ODU’s Aaron Bactoe, Rodney Glasgow of VMI, Richmond’s Cedrick Lindsay, Juvonte Reddic of VCU and Norfolk State’s Pendarvis Williams. Brogdon was named the State Player of the Year, while Virginia’s Tony Bennett was the State Coach of the Year and Q.J. Peterson of VMI garnered State Rookie of the Year distinction.
