Graham Ike Wins Player of the Year, Gonzaga Freshmen Honored in WCC Postseason Awards
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Gonzaga Bulldogs forward Graham Ike (15) rebounds the ball against Portland Pilots center Jermaine Ballisager Webb (1) in the first half at McCarthey Athletic Center. Mandatory Credit: James Snook-Imagn Images [/caption]
Three different Zags received recognition in the WCC’s annual postseason awards, with forward Graham Ike taking home the WCC Player of the Year while guards Davis Fogle and Mario Saint-Supéry were each named to the conference’s All-Freshman Team.
Ike was also selected to the All-WCC First Team, but he was the lone Bulldog to be on the West Coast’s First or Second Team, or even an Honorable Mention selection.
Breaking down the hardware campaigns for Gonzaga’s three campaigns, how did each of their award winners contribute to the team’s strong season?
Graham Ike, WCC Player of the Year and All-WCC First Team
Per-Game Conference Stats: 21.9 points, 8.2 rebounds, 2.1 assists, 61.3 FG%, 36.6 3PT%
Named to numerous award watch lists both before and during the season, Ike held up his end of the bargain for the Bulldogs. In his final season of collegiate basketball, he was the hub of the Zags’ offense as a big on the block, and even more so once Braden Huff went down with the left knee injury. Ike’s efficiency rose throughout the season, even while getting fewer whistles as the season went on, leading the West Coast in scoring, field goal percentage, and finishing second in rebounding
The 6-9 forward led the West Coast with 13 double-doubles and Player of the Week awards with five. He also scored at least 30 in conference play three times, and logged 20 or more points in 10 games, including a 35-point performance against Oregon State. In the midst of his dominant play, Ike became the only active D1 player to eclipse 2,000 points and 1,000 rebounds.
Ike was consistently double-teamed with the ball in his hands and made the vast majority of his buckets with a clogged paint. He also stretched the floor, firing an improved three-point shot at the top of the key when defenders didn’t close out on him as the trail man. His gravity on the floor opened up opportunities for his teammates on the perimeter or as cutters. The Aurora, CO, native held his own on the defensive end as well, averaging a block and a steal per game as the backline man, including a seven-steal night against Portland.
Mario Saint-Supéry, All-WCC Freshman Team
Per-Game Conference Stats: 8.7 points, 3.1 assists, 2.6 rebounds, 1.2 steals, 41.4 3PT%, 90.9 FT%
Drawing interest as a 2026 NBA Draft selection before he made his way to the States, Saint-Supéry flashed plenty of potential during his first season of collegiate basketball. After playing in Spain for the last several years, including getting some run in FIBA, he showed confidence when he ran GU’s offense as the primary ball-handler. Splitting time with Braeden Smith as Gonzaga’s point guard for much of the season, Saint-Supéry has now started the team’s past four games.
He displayed tight handles, threaded needles when dishing out passes, and was the Zags’ best shooter from the outside, leaving his coaching staff egging him to take more threes.
Playing too fast at times, Few talked about wanting the 6-4 guard to be more in control as well as compete defensively, which he certainly improved on by the season’s end. Saint-Supéry also dealt with the flu near the start of league play, which threw a wrench in his effectiveness and development. Overall, he had several games where he wasn’t as aggressive, specifically as a creator and searching for his own shot, which could be expected as the team’s main facilitator and him still being so young.
His production will be counted on as the postseason begins, especially depending on when and if Huff returns, but he has been huge for the Bulldogs this year.
Davis Fogle, All-WCC Freshman Team
Per-Game Conference Stats: 8.9 points, 3.4 rebounds, 1.5 assists, 51.8 FG%
Fighting to break into the rotation during the non-conference schedule, Fogle produced in limited opportunities for much of the season. The 6-7 guard showed a supreme shotmaking ability during garbage time, so the question was, could he translate his production during more meaningful minutes?
The answer was a resounding yes. Once Huff went down, and sharpshooter Steele Venter’s role diminished, Fogle rose to the occasion as a creator off the bench. He has an argument for being Gonzaga’s best weapon off-the-dribble, as his length and quickness give him a strong presence when he goes downhill. But Fogle can also stop on a dime, pull up, and fade into a mid-range jumper.
Performing admirably on the defensive end as well, Fogle has cemented himself as a key member of GU’s rotation down the stretch, laying the framework to potentially take on a larger role next season.
Other Zags had viable claims for awards as well. Tyon Grant-Foster averaged 11.3 points and 4.9 rebounds and had a team-high 22 blocks coming off the bench, putting himself in the running for the All-WCC First or Second Team, and at the very least Newcomer and Sixth Man of the Year. Jalen Warley and Emmanuel Innocenti were in the conversation for Defensive Player of the Year as Gonzaga’s anchors with their backs to the basket, taking on assignments as the point-of-attack defenders and leading the charge for the Bulldogs’ stalwart defense. Splitting votes is also a possibility why neither was recognized for their otherwise stellar showings on defense.
Gonzaga’s esteemed head coach, Mark Few, didn’t receive the Coach of the Year award, even though Gonzaga won a share of the regular-season WCC title despite the attrition his program experienced. GU deployed 13 different starting lineups throughout the season and coined the mantra that ‘every dog would have its day.’ Primarily due to various players stepping up at different times and Huff being sidelined for the last two months after averaging 14.4 points in conference play, there was inconsistent production from much of the rotation. Grant-Foster, who was second on the team in field goal attempts, nearly didn’t get his eligibility waiver cleared to suit up and play before games began. Even as Ike and the versatile Warley both missed time as well, the Bulldogs still found ways to win.
Even while not cleaning up as it might have hoped in postseason awards, the Zags hope to put a bow on their final season in the WCC by winning the conference tournament next week in Las Vegas.
