MSUB's Jalen Tot, the 2023-24 GNAC Player of the Year, was selected as the 2024-25 GNAC preseason Player of the Year (Shi Robison Photography)
MSUB's Jalen Tot, the 2023-24 GNAC Player of the Year, was selected as the 2024-25 GNAC preseason Player of the Year (Shi Robison Photography)

MSUB’s Tot is GNAC preseason Player of the Year

10/22/2024 11:50:38 AM

By: Evan O'Kelly, Associate Commissioner for Communications

PORTLAND, Ore. – After leading the Montana State University Billings men’s basketball team to its first-ever Great Northwest Athletic Conference regular-season title last year, senior Jalen Tot was selected by the coaches as the 2024-25 GNAC Preseason Player of the Year.
 
The 6-0 senior guard from Dallas, Texas, is set for his third season with the Yellowjackets, who were selected second in the 2024-25 GNAC preseason coaches poll released last week. Tot was among 15 players selected to the preseason all-conference team.
 
2024-25 GNAC Men's Basketball Preseason All-Conference Team
Preseason Player of the Year: Jalen Tot, Montana State Billings
Name School Position Height Year Hometown Previous School
Dillon Barrientos Alaska Anchorage Guard 6-1 Senior Santa Clarita, CA College of the Canyons
Bishop Tosi Alaska Anchorage Forward 6-6 Junior Anchorage, AK Bellevue College
Jordan Clark Central Washington Guard 6-2 Sophomore Renton, WA Seattle Christian
Maverick Sanders Central Washington Forward 6-6 Sophomore Spokane, WA Mt. Spokane
Famous Lefthand Montana State Billings Guard 6-3 Senior Crow Agency, MT United Tribes Tech. Coll.
Jalen Tot Montana State Billings Guard 6-0 Senior Dallas, TX Dawson CC
Ryzin Bergersen Northwest Nazarene Guard 6-4 Senior Boise, ID Borah
Aaron Murphy Northwest Nazarene Forward 6-7 Senior Tracy, CA Modesto Christian
Jaden Nielsen-Skinner Saint Martin's Guard 5-10 Senior Salem, OR Portland State
Myles Samuels Saint Martin's Guard 6-5 Junior West Palm Beach, FL Northeast Oklahoma A&M
Owen Moriarty Seattle Pacific Guard 6-2 Junior Seattle, WA O'Dea
Jaxon Nap Seattle Pacific Guard 6-7 Junior Newcastle, WA Montana
Jason Gallant Western Oregon Guard 6-4 Senior Simi Valley, CA Colorado Christian
Tijan Saine Western Washington Guard 5-11 Sophomore Everett, WA Mariner
Will Wilson Western Washington Guard 6-4 Senior Lorton, VA Mt. Hood CC
 

7733Dillon Barrientos – University of Alaska Anchorage
Senior – Guard – 6-1 – Santa Clarita, Calif. – College of the Canyons
 
Barrientos started all 33 of UAA’s games last season, ranking second on the team with 11.1 points per game and leading the squad with 119 assists. Barrientos’ average of 3.6 assists per game was good for fourth-most in the GNAC last year, and he ranked sixth in the league with an assist-turnover ratio of 2.4. In his first season after transferring from College of the Canyons, the Santa Clarita, Calif., native reached double figures in scoring on 19 occasions including a season-best 20 points on Nov. 3 against Cal Maritime.
 
UAA Head Coach Rusty Osborne on Barrientos: “We are excited to have a talented and experienced player in Dillon back at the point guard position. He was playing his best basketball at the end of last season and was a driving force in our success. There are a lot of talented guards in the GNAC and we feel he is right there in that group. He had a great offseason, getting stronger and improving his all-around game. We are looking forward to Dillon having a very successful senior season.”
 
7749

7746Bishop Tosi – University of Alaska Anchorage
Junior – Forward – 6-6 – Anchorage, Alaska – Bellevue College
 
The Seawolves reached the GNAC Championships title game and NCAA West Region Championships despite being without Tosi, who sustained a season-ending injury just three games into the 2023-24 campaign. In his small sample size on the court the transfer from Bellevue College was highly effective, posting a 24-point, 14-rebound double-double on Nov. 10 against Chaminade. That would be his final game of the season, and Tosi figures to be one of the league’s top players with a healthy 2024-25 season ahead of him. In his two seasons at Bellevue, Tosi accumulated 820 points and helped his squad to back-to-back Northwest Athletic Conference title-game appearances. He was a first-team all-NWAC north selection as a sophomore in 2022-23 – his last complete season on the court.
 
UAA Head Coach Rusty Osborne on Tosi: “It has been a long wait to get Bishop back on the floor after a tremendous start to his Seawolf career was ended with a freak injury. He is unique and extremely valuable, as he has a tremendous motor and is a relentless rebounder with the strength and athletic ability to score inside. He also has the skill and shooting ability to pull other teams' post players away from the basket and make plays on the perimeter. He has had a very beneficial offseason and we expect him to be one of the better front line players in the region this season.”
 
7750

7738Jordan Clark – Central Washington University
Sophomore – Guard – 6-2 – Renton, Wash. – Seattle Christian High School
Putting forth a stellar freshman campaign in 2023-24, Clark started 25 of 32 games and hit his stride down the stretch to help lead the Wildcats to the GNAC Championships title. His 18-point effort against No. 1 seed Montana State Billings in the GNAC Championships semifinals was among his most memorable performances of his debut collegiate season, and he scored a season-high 20 points on Jan. 20, 2024 against Northwest Nazarene. Clark averaged 7.3 points and 1.84 assists per game in 23.3 minutes, while posting a field-goal percentage of 48.8 last winter.
 
7751


7739Maverick Sanders – Central Washington University
Sophomore – Forward – 6-6 – Spokane, Wash. – Mt. Spokane High School
 
Another integral piece of CWU’s championship team from last season, Sanders was the lone player on the squad to start all 32 contests in his collegiate debut. The 6-foot-6 forward ranked fourth on the team with 8.1 points per game, and added 4.1 rebounds in 21.2 minutes on the floor. Sanders was an efficient scorer in the paint last season, ranking sixth in the GNAC with a field-goal percentage of 54.5. Sanders recorded a pair of 20-point games last year, finishing with 26 on Feb. 8, 2024 against Alaska Fairbanks and 24 on Dec. 9, 2023 against Walla Walla.
 
CWU Head Coach Brandon Rinta on Clark & Sanders: “Jordan and Maverick both had tremendous freshman years for our program last year. I believe they are poised to take a big step going into their sophomore seasons. We will be leaning heavily on them from a production and leadership standpoint.”
 
7752
 

7735Famous Lefthand – Montana State University Billings
Senior – Guard – 6-3 – Crow Agency, Mont. – United Tribes Technical College
 
In his first season with the Yellowjackets, Lefthand played a major role in delivering the team’s first-ever GNAC regular-season title. The Crow Agency, Mont., native started 22 games and played in 26, ranking fourth on the team with 10.4 points per game. Lefthand’s 42 made 3-pointers and 1.6 per game were tied for 11th-most in the GNAC, and he posted a shooting percentage of 37.2 from beyond the arc. Lefthand reached double figures in scoring 16 times last year, including a season-high 20 points on Nov. 18, 2023 against Minot State.
 
MSUB Head Coach Luke Fennelly on Lefthand: “I am extremely excited for Famous entering into his senior season. Last year he played on a torn meniscus and is now back to 100%. I am proud of his effort getting healthy while also improving his game. We can’t wait to see Famous back to his normal self and performing at a high level.”
 
7753


7737Jalen Tot – Montana State University Billings
Senior – Guard – 6-0 – Dallas, Texas – Dawson Community College
 
Selected as the D2CCA West Region Player of the Year, Tot was the heartbeat of MSUB’s historic season that ended with a record of 20-10, 14-4 in league play and a trip to the NCAA West Region Championships. Tot led the GNAC with 2.7 made 3-pointers per game, while ranking second in 3-point field-goal percentage (43.5), eighth in scoring (15.3 ppg), sixth in assists (3.4 apg) and seventh in steals (1.5 spg). A unanimous first-team all-GNAC pick and the GNAC Player of the Year, Tot started all 30 games for MSUB and scored 20 or more points on eight occasions. His season high of 32 points came on Dec. 18, 2023 against Rollins, and he had a season-high seven assists on Feb. 10, 2024 against Western Washington.
 
MSUB Head Coach Luke Fennelly on Tot: “Jalen certainly took his game to a new level last season and has now taken on a leadership role for his senior year. His work ethic and competitive spirit have become a standard of MSUB hoops. We look forward to Jalen's last year as a Yellowjacket and are hopeful he can build from last year’s success.”
 
7754
 

7734Ryzin Bergersen – Northwest Nazarene University
Senior – Guard – 6-4 – Boise, Idaho – Borah High School
 
A second-team all-GNAC selection in 2023-24, Bergersen helped the Nighthawks go 17-10 overall and finish second in the GNAC standings with a league record of 13-5. The Boise, Idaho native led the team in scoring with 13.0 points per game, while ranking second in the league with 1.9 steals per game and fifth in the GNAC in made 3-pointers per game (2.2). On Jan. 27, 2024 he knocked down 4 of 7 treys against Western Washington on his way to a season-high 27 points, and he also grabbed a season-best eight rebounds in the game.
 
NNU Head Coach Jon Hawkins on Bergersen: “This is a deserving early recognition. Every year Biggie takes steps on figuring out how to impact possessions. Last year a stat he didn't get recognized for was his ability to fix things with his voice and be at the right spots at the right time to create deflections or steals on defense. I think all will see a total-package Biggie this year. I can't wait to sit back and watch him go.”
 
7755


7741Aaron Murphy – Northwest Nazarene University
Senior – Forward – 6-7 – Tracy, Calif. – Modesto Christian High School
 
Murphy got to share two collegiate seasons with his brother Gabriel, who graduated last spring. The 6-foot-7 forward ranked second on the team with 5.9 rebounds per game and fourth on the squad with 10.1 points per game. Murphy posted a pair of double-doubles last season, including 15 points and 10 rebounds on Feb. 3, 2024 against Seattle Pacific. His season high in scoring of 16 points came on Dec. 19, 2023 against Westmont. An efficient scorer in the paint, Murphy ranked seventh in the conference last year with a field-goal percentage of 54.4.
 
NNU Head Coach Jon Hawkins on Murphy: “Aaron's force, power and strength is felt every time he steps on the court. Since joining us three years ago, Aaron has put in his time to become more skilled with the basketball. I believe all those unseen hours will be shown by his pace, and knowledge on the block and out on the perimeter.” 
 
7756
 

7743Jaden Nielsen-Skinner – Saint Martin’s University
Senior – Guard – 5-10 – Salem, Ore. – Portland State University
 
One of the top point guards in GNAC history, Nielsen-Skinner enters his final season with the Saints ranked 10th all-time in the GNAC with 443 career assists and eighth all-time with 5.54 assists per game. The league’s only returner to have earned all-conference three times in his career, Nielsen-Skinner led the GNAC with 4.7 assists per game and ranked second with an assist-turnover ratio of 2.9 last season. In his third season with the Saints, Nielsen-Skinner averaged 8.6 points per game including a season-high 17 on Feb. 10, 2024 against Western Oregon. Nielsen-Skinner helped lead the Saints to back-to-back GNAC titles in 2021-22 and 2022-23.
 
SMU Head Coach Aaron Landon on Nielsen-Skinner: “Jaden has been one of the best players in the GNAC over the past three seasons. This year as a senior we’ll ask him to be our leader and reinforce the culture he’s helped build at Saint Martin’s. We’re really proud of what he’s done here so far, and he needs to have a great senior season to get us where we want to go.”
 
7757
 

7745Myles Samuels – Saint Martin’s University
Junior – Guard – 6-5 – West Palm Beach, Fla. – Northeast Oklahoma A&M University
 
Samuels’ first season as a Saint was a solid one, as he averaged 9.3 points per game and saw action in all 29 of the team’s games last year. Playing a key role as SMU’s sixth man, Samuels scored in double figures in 15 times and posted a season-best 22 points on Jan. 25, 2024 against Alaska Fairbanks. Helping lead the Saints back to the GNAC Championships, Samuels capped his sophomore season with 10 points and a season-high four assists in the quarterfinals against Alaska Anchorage.
 
SMU Head Coach Aaron Landon on Samuels: “Myles was a good complimentary player on a great team last season. With two all-GNAC wings graduated from that team he’ll have to embrace a larger set of responsibilities and play a much bigger role as a senior this season. Myles is a great person and we’re excited to see what he can do with the challenge and opportunity ahead.”
 
7758
 

7740Owen Moriarty – Seattle Pacific University
Junior – Guard – 6-2 – Seattle, Wash. – O’Dea High School
 
A key starter for a Falcons team that reached last year’s GNAC Championships, Moriarty ranked third on the squad with 10.4 points per game. During his sophomore season, Moriarty started 31 of 32 games and held a field-goal percentage of 49.6 to rank 13th in the conference. Moriarty’s top performance was a 19-point outburst against GNAC champion Montana State Billings on Feb. 24, 2024, and he reached double digits in points 19 times during the 2023-24 season.
 
SPU Head Coach Keffrey Fazio on Moriarty: “Owen is a tireless worker and an extremely competitive player. He is a strong, quick attacking guard with a knack for getting to the rim. He is consistent from three and shot 37% last season. He is also one of the best on-ball defenders in the conference.”
 
7759


7742Jaxon Nap – Seattle Pacific University
Junior – Guard – 6-7 – Newcastle, Wash. – University of Montana
 
The lone newcomer on the GNAC preseason all-conference team, Nap figures to immediately slot into the SPU lineup after spending his first two seasons at NCAA Division I University of Montana. The 6-7 forward played in 35 games for the Griz last year, averaging 2.5 points, 1.1 rebounds and shooting 44.9 percent from the floor. Nap posted a season-best 17 points while grabbing four rebounds and adding three assists in last year’s rivalry game against Montana State. Nap supplies the Falcons with 62 games of collegiate experience as he prepares for his first season in the GNAC.
 
SPU Head Coach Keffrey Fazio on Nap: “Jaxon Nap is a versatile wing with great size. He has the ability to score at the rim and handle on the perimeter. A very good passer at 6-foot-7, he'll help the Falcons play-make this season.”
 
7760


7736Jason Gallant – Western Oregon University
Senior – Guard – 6-4 – Simi Valley, Calif. – Colorado Christian University
 
Gallant was a finalist for GNAC Newcomer of the Year in 2023-24, after ranking sixth in the conference with 15.5 points in his first season after transferring from fellow NCAA Division II Colorado Christian University. Gallant also ranked second in the GNAC with 4.4 assists per game, and second in the league with 36.3 minutes per game. One of two Wolves to start all 26 contests last year, Gallant put his abilities on display on Feb. 22, 2024 with a season-high 31 points while adding seven assists and five rebounds against Alaska Fairbanks. Gallant led the team with a free-throw percentage of 78.9 in his first year at WOU.
 
WOU Head Coach Wes Pifer on Gallant: “Jason has been a tremendous leader within our program and we are expecting a monster senior season from him. He stayed in Monmouth the entire summer to work on his game and his growth has been evident. We expect him to be one of the best guards in the GNAC and west region.”
 
7761


7744Tijan Saine – Western Washington University
Sophomore – Guard – 5-11 – Everett, Wash. – Mariner High School
 
The GNAC coaches voted Saine the 2023-24 GNAC Freshman of the Year, after he averaged 10.9 points, 2.3 assists and ranked third in the conference with a 3-point field-goal percentage of 42.7 and an assist-turnover ratio of 2.9. One of the league’s most accurate shooters, Saine also finished third in the GNAC in free-throw percentage at 89.0. Playing in all 29 of the Vikings’ games and earning 12 starts in his collegiate debut season, Saine reached his season high of 20 points on three different occasions.
 
WWU Head Coach Tony Dominguez on Saine: “Tijan is a tireless worker who has a strong desire to be the best at whatever he does. He has strong leadership skills and possesses a major basketball I.Q. that has set him apart from others. He has been able to improve weaknesses and he works hard at having a court presence that pushes and makes everyone better around him.”
 
7762


7747Will Wilson – Western Washington University
Senior – Guard – 6-4 – Lorton, Va. – Mt. Hood Community College
 
Wilson garnered honorable mention all-GNAC recognition last season, after ranking fifth in the conference with 15.8 points per game. In his first season with the Vikings, Wilson posted a field-goal percentage of 50.5 to rank 10th in the league and a free-throw percentage of 81.3 to rank seventh in the league. Possessing the ability to convert from the perimeter, Wilson’s 3-point field-goal percentage of 42.6 was fourth-best in the conference. He scored 20 or more points seven times, including a 26-point effort in his final game of the season on March 2, 2024 against Simon Fraser. Wilson grabbed a season-best 10 rebounds on Feb. 17, 2024 against Alaska Anchorage, completing a double-double with 18 points.
 
WWU Head Coach Tony Dominguez on Wilson: “Will is a very strong and toughminded person and player. He has a skillset and confidence that allows him to play many positions, is very versatile and contributes in various ways. He is a gifted scorer and strives to play at a very high level. He is a strong leader and puts excellence as his standard.”
 
7763