Bryce Butler is having a career season at West Liberty and the country is watching.
The 6-foot-5 sophomore guard out of Latrobe is on a national watch list for the Clarence “Bevo” Francis Award, which recognizes America’s top small-college basketball player.
He joins teammate Pat Robinson III on the 50-player list, posted by Small College Basketball. Players from NCAA divisions II and III, NAIA, USCAA and NCCAA schools are eligible.
Butler is averaging 17.4 points and 7.3 rebounds and has started all 24 games for No. 2-ranked West Liberty (22-2), the highest-scoring team in NCAA Division II (99.4 ppg). Robinson averages 20.3 points.
Butler has a team-best seven double-doubles and leads the Hilltoppers in rebounds. He is shooting 61.% from the field.
West Liberty sophomore guard Bryce Butler has been named to the Top 50 Watch List for the Bevo Francis Award, honoring the nation's top small-college basketball player! Congratulations, Bryce! #GoWLU @TopperStation @TheMountainEast https://t.co/usw2eCPcFH pic.twitter.com/ciaDyXXYMr
— WLU Athletics (@WLathletics) February 16, 2022
Semifinalists for the award will be announced March 15, while finalists will be revealed April 2.
On April 4, the winner will be unveiled.
Three other district players also are up for the Francis award.
Sophomore forward Phillip Aston of Cal (Pa.), IUP redshirt junior Armoni Foster and Nova Southeastern senior Nick Smith also made the top 50.
Aston, from Columbus, Ohio, leads the PSAC in scoring (20.8) and rebounding (10.3). A Meadville native, Foster averages 20.1 points for the Crimson Hawks.
Smith, a North Hills alum, is scoring 11.8 points and handing out 8 assists in a team-best 34.3 minutes.
The award was created in 2015 and named for Francis, who played two years at Rio Grande (1953-54) and turned in some downright ridiculous numbers.
In ‘53, he averaged 48.3 points and scored 116 in a game against Ashland.
Rio Grande finished 39-0.
The next year, Francis scored 48 a game and went for 113 in a game.
Here is the full watch list:
Nyameye Adom, Sr.,Wheaton (Ill.)
Philip Alston, So., Cal U
Buzz Anthony, Sr., Randolph-Macon
Marcus Azor, Sr., UMass Dartmouth
Darryl Baker, Sr., Talladega
Ryan Batte, Jr., Thomas More
Kevion Blaylock, Sr., William Penn
Levi Borchert, Jr., UW-Oshkosh
Tray Buchanan, Sr., Emporia State
Myles Burns, Sr., Loyola
Bryce Butler, So., West Liberty
Patrick Cartier, Jr., Hillsdale
Romeo Crouch, Sr., Embry-Riddle
Antwaan Cushingberry, Sr., St. Francis (Ind.)
Jack Davidson,,Sr., Wabash
Conner Delaney, Sr., John Hopkins
Kenny Dye, Jr., Queens (N.C.)
David Ejah, So., St. Francis (Ind.)
Jordan Guest, Jr., Lincoln Memorial
Armoni Foster, Jr., IUP
Alex Gross, Sr., Olivet Nazarene
Matthew Helwig, Sr., North Central (Ill.)
Parker Hicks, Sr., Lubbock Christian
Trevor Hudgins, Sr., Northwest Missouri State
Josiah Johnson, Jr., Mary Hardin Baylor
KJ Jones, So., Emmanuel (Ga.)
Kyran Jones, Jr., Georgetown
Josh Kashila, Jr., SAGU
Matthew Leritz, Sr., Illinois Wesleyan
Jaizec Lottie, Sr., Flagler
Miles Mallory, So., Randolph-Macon
Seth Maxwell, Sr., Indiana Wesleyan
Riley Minix, Jr., Southeastern (Fla.)
Karmari Newman, Sr., William Penn
Tyler Riemersma, Sr., Augustana (S.D.)
Pat Robinson, Sr., West Liberty
Jaylon Scott, Sr., Bethel (Kan.)
Matt Simpson, Sr., Florida College
Andrew Sischo, Sr., Daemen
Jovan Sljivancanin, Sr., Carroll
Jamari Smith, So., Queens (N.C.)
Nick Smith, Sr., Nova Southeastern
RJ Sunahara, So., Nova Southeastern
Sekou Sylla, Jr., Nova Southeastern
Evan Thomas, Jr., Hope
Ryan Turell, Sr., Yeshiva
Alex Van Kalsbeek, So., Northwestern (Iowa)
Isaiah Wade, Sr., Central Oklahoma
Mason Walters, Jr., Jamestown
Zach Wrightsil, Sr., Loyola (La.)
