BUIES CREEK, N.C. – Ricky Clemons, Anthony Dell'Orso and Laurynas Vaistaras have earned Big South Conference men's basketball postseason honors.
 
Dell'Orso was named Big South freshman of the year and Clemons was selected second-team all-conference by league head coaches and media members.  Big South athletics communications members chose Vaistaras for the all-academic team.
 
The only player in the Big South to rank among the league's top-10 in scoring (8th, 14.0) and top-five in both assists (5th, 3.5) and steals (4th, 1.5), Clemons led all Big South players in minutes (35.8).  A fifth-year senior from Rolesville, N.C., he averaged 15 points per game against the Big South.
 
Clemons scored in double figures 21 times in 30 games, including a career-high 34 points at Winthrop.  He dealt a career-high eight assists at NC State.  Over the final six games of the regular season, he averaged 17.8 points and was named Big South player of the week Feb. 26.  A former walk-on, Clemons now stands 26th on Campbell's all-time Division I era (since '77-78) scoring list (924 points) and ranks eighth in the nation in free throws attempted (213).
 
"Ricky's an incredible story. It's just impressive how he's gone about his business to make himself into the player he is," said Campbell head coach Kevin McGeehan.  "We're proud of him and he should be proud of himself because he's worked really hard to put himself into the position to be honored by the coaches and media in our conference."
 
The Big South freshman class leader in scoring (11.8), rebounding (5.6) and field goal percentage (.494), Dell'Orso was named freshman of the week five times.  Overall, he ranks 15th among Big South scoring leaders, 10th in rebounds. 
 
A 6-foot-6 guard from Melbourne, Australia, Dell'Orso averaged 12 points and 5.9 boards in conference games.  Dell'Orso scored in double figures 18 times, including a career-high of 26 points, along with 10 rebounds vs. High Point.
 
He is the sixth Camel to earn Big South freshman of the year honors, the first since Chris Clemons (2016).
 
"Delly got an opportunity and has not looked back. His high basketball IQ and understanding of the game is impressive, but he also demands a lot of himself," said McGeehan.  "There was a time in the middle of the year where he wasn't playing quite as well, but he kept working and got himself to where he's playing his best at the end of the season.  He's made himself into a very dynamic, very good player, somebody we really count on."
 
A 6-foot-6 forward from Plunges, Lithuania, Vaistaras owns a 3.598 grade-point average as a management major.  He also has hit career highs in nearly every statistical category, including games played (29), started (14), scoring (3.9), rebounding (2.4), assists (1.2) and field goal percentage (.469).
 
In addition to starting 13 of Campbell's last 14 games, Vaistaras was named to the 2022-23 Academic All-District® Men's Basketball Team, selected by College Sports Communicators.  He is a two-time member of the Big South Conference Presidential Honor Roll and a five-time Dean's List student.  He is also a member of Campbell's Student-Athlete Advisory committee.
 
"LV is bright, diligent, and conscientious in the classroom, all while learning English as his second language. What an inspiration to our younger student athletes," said McGeehan.  "He is a coach's dream, an incredibly hard worker on the court and an amazing teammate."
 
Drew Pember of UNC Asheville was named Big South player of the year and defensive player of the year.  Mike Morrell was named coach of the year after leading Asheville to the regular season title.  Owen McCormack of Presbyterian was selected as scholar-athlete of the year by league communication professionals.
 
Seventh-seeded Campbell opens play in the Hercules Tires Big South Championship Wednesday in the 8 p.m. first-round match up against 10th seed Presbyterian at Bojangles Coliseum in Charlotte.  The event runs through Sunday's 1 p.m. final that will air on ESPN2.
 
2022-23 Big South Conference Men's Basketball Honors
 
First-Team All-Conference
Drew Pember, UNC Asheville
Isaiah Wilkins, Longwood
Kelton Talford, Winthrop
Tajion Jones, UNC Asheville
Jordan Gainey, USC Upstate
 
Second-Team All-Conference
DaQuan Smith, Radford
Ricky Clemons, Campbell
Claudell Harris Jr., Charleston Southern
Cory Hightower, Winthrop
DQ Nicholas, Gardner-Webb
 
Honorable Mention All-Conference
Zack Austin, High Point
Jaden House, High Point
DeShaun Wade, Longwood
Bryan Antoine, Radford
Kareem Reid, Gardner-Webb
 
All-Freshman Team
Anthony Dell'Orso, Campbell
Justin Bailey, USC Upstate
Jalen Forrest, Presbyterian
Kenyon Giles, Radford
Jordyn Surratt, USC Upstate
 
All-Academic Team
Laurynas Vaistaras, Campbell
Ademide Badmus, Gardner-Webb
Bryson Childress, High Point
Jesper Granlund, Longwood
Owen McCormack, Presbyterian
Shaquan Jules, Radford
Fletcher Abee, UNC Asheville
Thomas Sheida, USC Upstate
 
Player of the Year
Drew Pember, UNC Asheville
 
Freshman of the Year
Anthony Dell'Orso, Campbell
 
Defensive Player of the Year
Drew Pember, UNC Asheville
 
Coach of the Year
Mike Morrell, UNC Asheville
 
Scholar-Athlete of the Year
Owen McCormack, Presbyterian
 
Campbell All-Time Conference Freshmen of the Year Honorees
2023 Anthony Dell'Orso
2016 Chris Clemons
2012 Trey Freeman
2009 Lorne Merthie #
1993 Dan Pogue
1992 Scott Neely
1991 Joe Spinks
# Atlantic Sun Conference