BYU’s Alex Barcello, Fousseyni Traore Earn WCC Postseason Honors

PROVO, Utah – For the second time in his BYU basketball career, guard Alex Barcello is a first-team All-WCC selection.

On Wednesday, the West Coast Conference unveiled its end-of-year awards for the 2021-22 regular season. Barcello was one of 10 players on the WCC’s first team.

#BYU star @AlexBarcello earns All-WCC First Team honors for the 2021-22 season.#BYUHoops #GoCougs

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— KSL Sports (@kslsports) March 2, 2022

Barcello took advantage of the COVID-year last season, giving him the chance to return for one final season at BYU. The Chandler, Arizona native has made the most of his opportunities emerging as “the best shooter in America.”

Alex Barcello is the leader for BYU Basketball

Barcello finished fifth in scoring during WCC play this season, averaging 16.3 points per game. An impressive accomplishment when you consider Barcello was drawing double and sometimes triple teams from league foes this season.

BYU enters the 2022 WCC Tournament as a five-seed with hopes of punching an at-large ticket to the NCAA Tournament later this month. If BYU hopes to make a run, they’ll rely on Barcello, who has started and played in every game that Mark Pope has coached during his time with the Cougars.

Barcello was the only BYU player to earn a first-team All-WCC selection.

The team with the most, you guessed it, Gonzaga. Gonzaga had three first-team selections, led by Player of the Year Drew Timme. Gonzaga also had freshman star Chet Holmgren and guard Andrew Nembhard on the first team.

Saint Mary’s, who defeated Gonzaga on their home court, had two selections in Tommy Kuhse and Matthias Taas. NCAA Tournament hopeful San Francisco and third-seed Santa Clara also had two tabbed to the first-team honors.

Fousseyni Traore named to All-WCC Freshman Team

BYU fan-favorite Fousseyni Traore was the other Cougar from the 2022 squad to earn an end-of-season WCC honor. Traore was named to the All-WCC Freshman Team. The 6-foot-6 big man with a 7-foot-2 wingspan “saved BYU’s season” with his emergence in the frontcourt after BYU lost their top two big men to injuries.

#BYU's Fousseyni Traore named to All-WCC Freshman Team.#BYUHoops #GoCougs #WCChoops

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— KSL Sports (@kslsports) March 2, 2022

Traore was a WCC Freshman Player of the Week four times, the second-most behind only future NBA lottery pick Chet Holmgren.

After returning from a groin injury, Traore hasn’t skipped a beat as he closed out the regular season against Pepperdine with a 25-point, 19-rebound performance. The 19 rebounds against the Waves was a BYU freshman record.

2021-22 All-WCC Men’s Basketball First Team

Alex Barcello, Sr., Guard, BYU

Jamaree Bouyea, Gr., Guard, San Francisco

Chet Holmgren, Fr., Forward, Gonzaga

Tommy Kuhse, Gr., Guard, Saint Mary’s

Yauhen Massalski, Gr., Forward, San Francisco

Andrew Nembhard, Sr, Guard, Gonzaga

Matthias Tass, Sr., Center, Saint Mary’s

Drew Timme, Jr., Forward, Gonzaga

Josip Vrankick, Sr., Forward, Santa Clara

Jalen Williams, Jr., Guard, Santa Clara

All-WCC Second Team

Alex Ducas, Jr., Guard/Forward, Saint Mary’s

Logan Johnson, Sr., Guard, Saint Mary’s

Keshawn Justice, Sr. Forward, Santa Clara

Tyler Robertson, Soph, Guard/Forward, Portland

Eli Scott, Gr., G/F, LMU

Khalil Shabazz, Sr, Guard, San Francisco

All-WCC Freshman Team

Nolan Hickman, Guard, Gonzaga

Chet Holmgren, Forward, Gonzaga

Maxwell Lewis, Forward, Pepperdine

Houston Mallette, Guard, Pepperdine

Wayne McKinney III, Guard, San Diego

Mike Mitchell Jr., Guard, Pepperdine

Fousseyni Traore, Forward, BYU

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.) on KSL Newsradio. Follow him on Twitter: @Mitch_Harper.

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