Brewer Named Preseason All-American

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. - Arkansas junior Ronnie Brewer has picked up a few more preseason honors, including mention on two All-America teams, while teammates Jonathon Modica and Darian Townes are receiving attention as well. Brewer, the top returning scorer (16.2 ppg) and field goal percentage leader (.475) in the Southeastern Conference this year, has been named a third-team preseason All-American by Athlon Sports and fourth-team by Blue Ribbon College Basketball Yearbook. The 6-7 guard was named the leagues preseason player of the year by Blue Ribbon earlier this fall as well as named to the preseason watch list for the Wooden Award, which annually goes to the top player in the country. The only first-team All-SEC selection returning from last year, Brewer was eighth in the league in scoring, fifth in shooting, second in steals (2.53) and fifth in assist-to-turnover ratio (1.66) while also leading the Razorbacks in rebounding (4.8). Brewer was also named first-team preseason All-SEC by Athlon while Modica, a 6-5 senior guard, and Townes, a 6-10 sophomore forward, were each named third-team. Townes was second on last years 18-12 club in five different categories - scoring (10.2), rebounding (4.6), shooting (.519), free throw percentage (.698) and blocked shots (1.6). An honorable mention freshman All-American, he recorded 17 double-figure scoring games, the most for an Arkansas post player since Derek Hood did so 26 times in 1999. Modica was third on the team in scoring (9.6), and added 2.8 rebounds and 1.6 assists per game. A second-team All-SEC selection as a sophomore two years ago, he led the team with a .520 field goal percentage and a .429 three-point percentage. Modicas three-point percentage is the fourth-best among all returnees in the SEC this season. Last year, he became the 28th Razorback to score 1,000 career points and enters the season 24th on UAs all-time list with 1,074 points. Street and Smiths and Lindys Basketball have Brewer on their All-SEC first teams. Modica is on Lindys third team. Lindys also ranks Brewer as the fourth-best shooting guard in the country. In the SEC, he is rated as the most versatile player and the top NBA prospect.