CHICAGO -- The University of St. Francis men's basketball program gained three spots on the 2024-25 all-Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference team when the league office made the announcement of its men's basketball postseason honor roll Monday afternoon.

USF's top three scorers on the season – Aitor Anabitarte, Rahmel Davis and Merrick Small – earned the distinction with Anabitarte being named to the five-member first team and Davis being recognized as part of the ten-member second team.  Small rounded out the trio of player accolades with his selection to the ten-member honorable mention grouping.

Anabitarte, who missed all of last season due to injury, leads the Saints in 13 statistical categories highlighted by his 16.2 scoring and 8.4 rebounding averages.  The graduate forward is also tied for the club's top spot in field goal percentage (.587), while leading outright in free throw percentage (.838), blocked shots (25) and free throws made (165).

In the conference, Anabitarte ranks among the top eight players in six departments topped by his No. 1 placement in free throws made and No. 2 recording in rebounds per game.  He is also tied for third in field goal percentage and ranks fourth in free throw percentage, fifth in total points (487) and eighth in blocked shots.

A second-team all-conference selection in 2023, Anabitarte was also named the CCAC Player of the Week on three separate occasions (one offensive, two defensive) during the 2024-25 season.

Davis has also produced solid numbers as a Saint in his second year with the program this winter.  Repeating as a second-team honoree from one year ago, the senior forward ranks second on the Saint leaderboard in scoring (13.0 ppg), field goals made (137), free throws made (104) and field goal percentage (.519).

Other high team marks for Davis include his No. 3 billing in rebounding (3.9) and No. 4 placement in assists (62).

Small's 9.2 scoring average and 4.7 rebounding clip garnered his honorable mention distinction.  The junior center is tied for first on the team and third in the conference with Anabitarte in field goal percentage (.587).  He is also second at USF in total rebounds (141) and blocked shots (19).

Small collected CCAC Offensive Player of the Week accolades on one occasion during the 2024-25 season.

Rounding out the list of award recipients was head coach Ryan Marks, who garnered CCAC Coach of the Year honors after guiding the Saints to a share of the 2024-25 CCAC regular-season title via the team's 16-4 league record.  St. Francis also claimed its first tournament title since the 2018-19 season with a 73-63 victory over Governors State University on Saturday night. 

USF takes its 25-5 overall record into next week's NAIA National Tournament Opening Round.



For the conference release, go to CCAC.

For a list of all award winners, go to LIST.

You can keep up with everything happening around USF Athletics on X @USFSaints.