CHARLOTTE – Former Gardner-Webb star David Efianayi was named to the Big South Conference Men's Basketball All-Decade Team Friday, presented by Hercules Tires. The team recognizes the best players from 2010-2019.

A 15-person committee of Big South Conference administrators served as the official voting panel to determine the All-Decade Team, with fan voting comprising 20 percent of the overall total.  The 2010-19 Men's Basketball All-Decade Team is listed below in alphabetical order and features 12 players and one head coach.  In case of ties, additional honorees have been added.

Efianayi finished his career in 2019 as a three-time All-Conference selection and with the reputation as one of the most athletic guards to take the floor in the Big South Conference during his four-year career.

The 6-foot-2, 175-pound standout scored 1,600 career points and continued to improve each season. After a breakout year in 2016-2017 when he averaged 12.6 points per game, Efianayi exploded as a junior to the tune of 17.5 points per contest.

He saved his most impressive season for last, averaging 18.2 points per game as a senior in 2018-2019. That production led Gardner-Webb to 23 wins and the school's first ever appearance in the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament. March Madness finally came to Boiling Springs, N.C.

The Orlando, Fla., native signed a professional contract to play for the Bakken Bears in Denmark following his senior season.

Men's Basketball All-Decade Team candidates were determined based on being at least one of the following: 1) Was a multiple All-Conference honoree; 2) Was named an All-American; 3) Is a member of the Big South Conference Hall of Fame; 4) Student-athletes must be a college graduate or in good academic standing with their respective institution; 5) Won a Conference Championship as a coach and/or was voted Conference Coach of the Year.  Candidates that participated in two different decades were placed in a specific decade based on consultation from member institutions.  Member institutions also had final determination in regards to inclusion of student-athletes and coaches.  Previous Men's Basketball All-Decade Teams were recognized for the years 1985-89, 1990-99 and 2000-09.


Nick Barbour, High Point               Mid-Major All-American, 3-time All-Conference
John Brown, High Point                2-time All-American, 2-time Player of the Year, 4-time All-Conference
Chris Clemons, Campbell               All-American, Player of the Year, 4-time All-Conference
Xavier Cooks, Winthrop                All-American, Player of the Year, 3-time All-Conference
Matt Dickey, UNC Asheville            All-American, Player of the Year, 2-time All-Conference
David Efianayi, Gardner-Webb        3-time All-Conference
Javonte Green, Radford                Defensive Player of the Year, 3-time All-Conference
Keon Johnson, Winthrop               All-American, Player of the Year, 2-time All-Conference
Carlik Jones, Radford                   Mid-Major All-American, Player of the Year, 3-time All-Conference
Kelvin Martin, Charleston Southern  2-time Defensive Player of the Year, 2-time All-Conference
Saah Nimley, Charleston Southern   All-American, Player of the Year, 2-time All-Conference
Stan Okoye, VMI                         All-American, Player of the Year, 2-time All-Conference
Ed Polite Jr., Radford                   Defensive Player of the Year, 3-time All-Conference
Jesse Sanders, Liberty                  All-American, Player of the Year, 2-time All-Conference
Ahmad Thomas, UNC Asheville       2-time Defensive Player of the Year, 2-time All-Conference
 
Head Coach, School                          Notables
Eddie Biedenbach, UNC Asheville    2 Championships, 2 NCAA Tournaments, 48-22 Big South record, 75-56 overall, Big South Hall of Fame member
Cliff Ellis, Coastal Carolina             2 Championships, 2 NCAA Tournaments, 2 NIT berths, 2 CIT berths, 87-35 Big South record, 155-75 overall