2009-10 All-Skyline Conference Men's Basketball Teams (PDF)
CLIFTON PARK, N.Y. - Purchase College, SUNY junior forward Marvin Billups, the conference's leading scorer, was selected as the Skyline Conference Player of the Year in men's basketball. The Sage Colleges freshman forward Matt Farbotko earned Rookie of the Year honors while Yeshiva University veteran head coach Dr. Jonathan Halpert was chosen by his peers as Coach of the Year.
Billups led the Skyline Conference in scoring at 20.2 points per game. He also averaged 6.5 rebounds, 2.4 assists, and 2.1 steals. A three-time selection as Skyline Player of the Week, Billups also ranked second in the conference in field goal percentage (.550), second in free throw percentage (.808) and eighth in steals. He helped the Panthers to their first Skyline title as well as the school’s first NCAA bid in any sport.
As part of the first-year Gator program, Farbotko led all Skyline Conference freshmen in both scoring (14.0) and rebounding (7.2). He finished in the top ten in both categories, ranking eighth in scoring and seventh in rebounding. A two-time Skyline Rookie of the Week selection, Farbotko also ranked fourth in field goal percentage (.541). He scored in double figures 22 times, including 17 straight games to finish the season.
Billups was also named Most Valuable Player of the Skyline Conference Tournament as Purchase College, SUNY emerged from the No. 3 seed to capture its first conference title and NCAA bid. In three tournament games, Billups averaged 18.0 points, 7.7 rebounds and 3.7 assists while shooting 53.6 percent (15-for-28). He increased his point total in each of the three games. He scored 10 points in the quarterfinal win over Yeshiva, 18 points in the semifinals at St. Joseph’s, and 26 points in the championship game at Old Westbury.
Halpert, who completed his 38th season as the Maccabees’ head coach, has always gotten the most out of his players, and this season was no different. Yeshiva, 11-9 in Skyline play swept the two regular-season games from Skyline Tournament champion and NCAA qualifier, Purchase. Halpert also guided the Maccabees to their first win over Farmingdale State since 2004 and their first win over St. Joseph’s since 2005.
Bard College received the Skyline Conference Team Sportsmanship Award in men's basketball after displaying outstanding sportsmanship throughout the 2009-10 campaign.