April 30, 2008

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. - Will Brew, Jr., a 6-foot-3 guard from St. Mary's High School in Berkeley, Calif., and a member of UC Santa Barbara's basketball 2008 recruiting class, was selected the Contra Costa Times' Player of the Year, it was announced Monday.

Brew led St. Mary's to the CIF Northern regional Division IV title and a trip to the state championship game. He averaged 16 points, seven rebounds, and five assists per game, and led the team in scoring 12 times, including a career-high 27 in an 86-58 win over Salesian High School. Additionally, Brew was named the BSAL's top defensive player. He guarded everyone from 5-foot-11 point guard Justin Brown of Salesian, to 6-foot-8 Jonathan Williams of Kennedy High School. In fact, Williams, who averaged a league-leading 28.2 points per game, was held to a season-low 15 by Brew as St. Mary's defeated Kennedy, 69-65, in the BSAL Tournament championship game. Williams had scored 71 points in his first two tourney games.

In the regional championship game against Modesto Christian, Brew held Cal-bound guard D.J. Seeley to just two points in the fourth quarter. Seeley had scored 16 through the first three quarters.

"I am very excited about the opportunity to coach Will," said UCSB head coach Bob Williams. "We feel that he will immediately become an important part of our success. He has such a great understanding of the game, and he can do so many things. Will should have a great career at UCSB."

Brew is a key part of the Gauchos' top recruiting class in several years. He will be joined by fellow-freshmen Jaime Serna (Santa Margarita High School), James Nunnally (Stockton's Weston Ranch High School), and Greg Somogyi (Woodside Priory in Palo Alto).