BYU COUGARS

BYU’s Matt Haarms Named WCC Defensive Player Of The Year, Alex Barcello First Team

Mar 2, 2021, 11:35 AM | Updated: 11:35 am
BYU Gonzaga Matt Haarms...
BYU center Matt Haarms defending Drew Timme on January 7th, 2021. (BYU Photo/Jaren Wilkey)
(BYU Photo/Jaren Wilkey)

PROVO, Utah – BYU Basketball’s trio of seniors in Matt Haarms, Alex Barcello, and Brandon Averette all received postseason awards from the WCC for the 2020-21 season.

Alex Barcello First Team All-WCC

Starting with BYU’s captain and leader, senior guard Alex Barcello. Barcello was named a First-Team All-WCC pick on the league’s 10-man first-team. He was the only BYU player to make the first team. First-place and undefeated Gonzaga placed four of their starting five on the first-team WCC unit.

Barcello is averaging 15.7 points and 4.6 assists per game this season. One of the top shooters in college basketball, Barcello is shooting 53 percent from the field and 48.9 percent from three this season, while being the emotional leader of this 19-5 BYU squad.

Matt Haarms Defensive Player of the Year

Matt Haarms earned WCC Defensive Player of the Year. The 7-foot-3 transfer from Purdue has been playing some of his best basketball as a BYU Cougar in recent games. In the regular-season finale against Saint Mary’s, Haarms had five blocked shots in the first half, while going on to record his first double-double at BYU (11 points, 10 rebounds).

Haarms is averaging 1.95 blocks per game and has accounted for 8.95% of BYU’s blocks this season, which is good for 34th in the nation. He finished number one in the WCC in blocked shots. The next closest to Haarms’ 43 blocks this season was Hayden Curtiss from Portland who had 25 blocked shots.

Haarms was also named the All-WCC Second Team.

Brandon Averette, Caleb Lohner receive WCC recognition

Joining Haarms on the All-WCC Second Team is graduate transfer guard Brandon Averette. “BA” formed the ABBA backcourt with Barcello and has come up with clutch shots on numerous occasions for BYU this season. Averette is averaging 11.4 points per game this season.

The WCC also recognized BYU’s star freshman Caleb Lohner. Lohner, a former Wasatch Academy standout, was tabbed to the WCC’s All-Freshman Team joining Gonzaga’s Jalen Suggs.

Mitch Harper is a BYU Insider for KSLsports.com and host of the Cougar Tracks Podcast (SUBSCRIBE) and Cougar Sports Saturday (Saturday from 12–3 p.m., KSL Newsradio). Follow him on Twitter: @Mitch_Harper and the KSL Sports app.

  • BYU Cougars Scoreboard

  • BYU Cougars Team Leaders

  • BYU Cougars Standings

BYU Cougars

Jaren Hall, BYU Pro Day, NFL Draft...
Mitch Harper

Jaren Hall Runs 40-Yard Dash At BYU Pro Day

Former BYU QB Jaren Hall goes through the 40-yard dash at Pro Day in Provo.
2 days ago
BYU Pro Day, NFL Draft, Results...
Mitch Harper

BYU Pro Day 2023 Results: QB Jaren Hall Goes Through Drills

Live updates and results from inside the Indoor Practice Facility at BYU Pro Day.
2 days ago
BYU Football, Isaiah Glasker, Spring Practice...
Mitch Harper

Seven BYU Football Players Whose Stock Is Rising During Spring Practice

If BYU football players were a stock market, buy now on these players heading into the 2023 season.
4 days ago
BYU Football, Jay Hill, Defensive Coordinator...
Mitch Harper

BYU Continues To Install Jay Hill’s ‘Complicated’ Defense During Spring

BYU defensive coordinator Jay Hill is putting together one of the nation's toughest defensive schemes.
5 days ago
Shane Reese, BYU, Big 12...
Mitch Harper

What New BYU President Shane Reese Means For Cougar Sports

BYU has hired a new president. What does it mean for BYU sports?
5 days ago
Braeden Moore, BYU Basketball, Transfer Portal...
Mitch Harper

BYU Freshman Braeden Moore Enters NCAA Transfer Portal

BYU's first scholarship player to enter the Transfer Portal during the 2023 cycle.
8 days ago

Sponsored Articles

High angle view of the beautiful Rose Bowl Stadium...
KSL Digital Sales

How to Prepare for the 2023 Rose Bowl

Everything you need to know to plan your 2023 Rose Bowl trip in Pasadena, California. This year, the Utes will face Penn State.
Jordan-Clarkson-Utah-Jazz...
KSL Digital Sales

Notable Moments From The Utah Jazz Season… So Far

At the beginning of the season, the Utah Jazz were second to last. Now they rank in the top 10 teams in the Western Conference.
Football soccer ball on grass field on stadium...
KSL Digital Sales

Everything You Need to Know to Watch the 2022 World Cup

Find out where and when to watch the upcoming games and final match for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, including where to find live updates.
ksl sports logos...
KSL Sports

KSL Sports Newsletter: Sign Up Now

Sign up today for the KSL Sports newsletter. Get the latest Utah sports news delivered to your inbox.
jimmy-buffett-tour-art...
KSL Sports

Win Tickets Wednesday: Jimmy Buffett

Get your Hawaiian shirts ready.
Iron Maiden tour...
KSL Sports

Win Tickets Wednesday: Iron Maiden

Iron Maiden returns to Utah in 2022 with The Legacy of the Beast tour.
BYU’s Matt Haarms Named WCC Defensive Player Of The Year, Alex Barcello First Team