ATHENS LANDS FOUR ON LARGE SCHOOL DIVISION ALL-STAR TEAMS

By: Tim Birney  /  March 21, 2021  /  Photo: Tim Birney

ATHENS — Junior J.J. Babcock and sophomore Mason Lister were named NTL Large School Division first-team all-stars, while juniors Tucker Brown and Nalen Carling were second-team selections by the league’s coaches.

Troy junior Ty Barrett was named the NTL “Player of the Year,” while North Penn-Liberty’s Noah Spencer was voted the “Offensive Player of the Year,” Wyalusing’s Mitchell Burke was named the “Defensive Player of the Year,” and North Penn-Mansfield’s Curtis Craig was tabbed the “Sixth Man of the Year.”

North Penn-Liberty’s Brian Litzelman and his coaching staff was voted “Coaching Staff of the Year.”

FIRST TEAM
J.J. Babcock, junior, Athens: A versatile 6-5 swingman, Babcock could score in transition, from the perimeter, and in the low blocks.

He led the Wildcats in scoring at 14.8 points per game, while shooting 48.5 percent from the field. He also led the team with 24 blocked shots and 61 deflections.

Babcock was second on the team at 6.3 rebounds and 3.5 assists per game, as well as 38 steals, and 14 3-pointers.

Mason Lister, sophomore, Athens: At 6-4, Lister was a standout on both ends of the court for the Wildcats. He led the team in assists (4 per game), steals (49), and 3-pointers (30).

Lister was second on the team at 10.8 points per game, and averaged 4.8 rebounds per game.

Also named to the first team were Troy’s Mason Imbt and Ethan Vannoy, and Wellsboro’s Liam Manning and Darryn Callahan.

SECOND TEAM
Tucker Brown, junior, Athens: One of the premier defenders in the league, Brown was a much-improved player on the offensive end of the floor.

Brown averaged 8.1 points, 3.4 rebounds, 2.7 assists, and 15 blocks per game. He shot 45.5 percent from the field, and 70.8 from the free-throw line.

Nalen Carling, junior, Athens: Long and athletic, Carling was a big contributor in his first season at Athens.

Carling averaged 9 points, a team-high 6.6 rebounds, 1.5 blocks, and 1 steal per game. He shot a team-best 49.1 percent from the field, and also led the team with a 71.9 percentage from the free-throw line.

Also named to the second team were North Penn-Mansfield’s Karson Dominick and Alex Stein, Troy’s Jake Deitrick, and Wellsboro’s Connor Adams.