By: Mark Reinhiller
Sophomores Drew Gaston and Matt Elliott were instrumental in delivering College of DuPage’s best men's basketball season in 16 years.
The NJCAA Division III community took notice, too, as each was named to the All-American honors squads this week.
Gaston (pictured above) was named to the first team and Elliott earned honorable mention accolades for COD (22-15 overall), which finished sixth in the nation at last month’s national championship in Herkimer, N.Y.
“What Drew and Matt accomplished this past season paints a great picture of our overall success,” head coach Joe Kuhn said. “The wins and finish at nationals always help in terms of added notoriety. If you’re an All-American, your team is good and Drew and Matt were very good.”
Gaston finished his career as the only Chap in program history with at least 1,100 points (1,113), 290 free throws (290) and 100 steals (120). For his career, he ranks second in points, third in free throws, four in free throw percentage (.817) and sixth in steals.
The Shabbona native averaged 18.1 points per game and was the Division III leader in points (668), minutes (1,215), free throws (175), free throw attempts (222) and games (37). He scored in double figures in 36 of 37 games, scored 20 or more points 15 times, and scored 24 consecutive free throws during postseason play, including a 13-for-13 effort in the NJCAA championship opening-round victory over Fulton-Montgomery Community College.
“Drew’s ability to score is his best attribute and you can’t teach that,” Kuhn said. “I thought that his decision making and his efficiency improved as the season went along.”
Gaston is the first Chap player to be named first-team All-American since Tim Niles in 2008.
Elliott (Countryside) averaged 12.8 points and 8.3 rebounds a game. He was the only player in the division to rank in the top six in both blocks (63, fourth) and total rebounds (308, sixth). He tied the school record in rebounds in a game with 19 against Fulton-Montgomery and averaged 17 points per game in COD’s seven postseason games.
He scored in double figures in 27 games, scored 20 or more points five times and had nine double-doubles (points and rebounds).
“Matt makes plays by blocking shots and rebounding,” Kuhn said. “His instinctual plays with the ability to make off-balance plays in traffic separate a good player from a really good player.”
COD earned its first Region 4 title and most victories in 14 seasons in Kuhn’s first season at the helm. The sixth-place finish at nationals is COD’s best since finishing third in 2007.
The two Chaps make 18 All-Americans Kuhn has coached in his Hall of Fame career, which includes his 25 seasons at Joliet Junior College.
Thirteen Chaparrals have now earned All-American honors in program history. Gaston is the sixth to receive first-team honors, joining Niles, Andrew Browning (2002), Lincoln James (2000), David Hopkins (1992) and Andy Burton (1979).