"Two MVNC Men's Basketball Players Named All-Americans"

written by Dave Parsons, Sports Information Director

Kenny Chaffin	Phil Argento

   Two members of the Mount Vernon Nazarene College men's basketball team were recently named to both the NAIA Division II and National Christian College Athletic Association All-American teams.

   Kenny Chaffin, a 6-foot-6 senior forward from Marysville, Ohio, was selected as an NAIA Division II Honorable Mention All-American for the third straight year and named to the NCCAA All-American First Team for the second year in a row. The former All-Ohioan at Marysville High School led the Cougars in scoring (18.9 points per game) and rebounding (8.7 boards per contest) as well as setting a new school record with 73 blocked shots. Chaffin shot 53.2 percent from the field (255-of-479), 43.2 percent from three-point range (57-of-132), and 69.6 percent at the charity stripe (94-of-135). He also finished his career ranked third in school history with 2,062 career points, fourth in rebounding with 834 caroms, and first in blocked shots with 196 rejections.

   Phil Argento, a 6-foot-2 junior guard from Grafton, Ohio, joined Chaffin on the NAIA Division II Honorable Mention All-American squad and was named to the NCCAA All-American Second Team. The former Lutheran West High School star averaged a career-best 18.4 points per game and nailed a team-high 126 three-pointers, which was only eight treys off the single-season school record. Argento led the team by shooting 86.8 percent at the free throw line (92-of-106), and he compiled 67 assists and 30 steals. He also shot 43 percent from three-point range (126-of-293). Argento now ranks 11th on the school's all-time scoring list with 1,598 points.

   MVNC finished the season with a 24-11 overall record as the team won 12 of its final 14 games. The Cougars also claimed their first NCCAA national title with a win over NCAA Division I Gardner-Webb (N.C.) University in the championship game to snap their 33-game home-winning streak.