CALGARY – Fifth-year seniors Ross Bekkering and Robbie Sihota of the University of Calgary Dinos were named to the first and second conference all-star teams, respectively, Canada West announced Thursday.

It is the second straight all-star nod for Taber, Alta. native Bekkering, who was a second-team All-Canadian in the 2008-09 season, while Sihota earns the honour for the first time in his career.

The all-stars and major award winners were announced in advance of this weekend's Canada West Final Four tournament at UBC in Vancouver, where the Dinos join the host Thunderbirds along with the Simon Fraser Clan and the Saskatchewan Huskies in search of one of two berths to the CIS Final 8 March 19-21 in Ottawa. Calgary takes on Simon Fraser in their semi-final Friday at 6 p.m. MT.

The Bekkering-Sihota tandem wrapped up its five-year stint at the University of Calgary with almost identical scoring numbers. Sihota led the way with a career-high 374 points, putting him fifth on the Dinos' all-time scoring charts with 1,440 points – just two back of fourth-place Ian Minnifee. Bekkering, Calgary's all-time leading rebounder by more than 200 rebounds, also had a career-high 361 points in 2009-10 to finish sixth all-time with 1,424 points.

The pair led the Dinos to a 15-5 record and a first-place finish in the Prairie Division.

Bekkering joins conference MVP Josh Whyte of UBC, Saskatchewan's Showron Glover, last year's CIS player of the year Jacob Doerksen of Trinity Western, and Fraser Valley's Zeon Gray on the first all-star team. The second team consists of Jeff Price (Lethbridge), Dany Charlery (Brandon), Sean Burke (Simon Fraser), Sihota, and Chas Kok (Simon Fraser).

Alberta's Jordan Baker was named the Canada West rookie of the year, with Greg Stewart of Thompson Rivers earning the defensive MVP nod. Simon Fraser's Kevin Shaw is the conference's nominee for the Ken Shields Award, which combines academic, athletic, and community service components, while UBC bench boss Kevin Hanson is the Canada West coach of the year.

-UC-

2009-10 CANADA WEST MEN'S BASKETBALL

Awards
MVP: Josh Whyte, UBC
Rookie of the Year: Jordan Baker, Alberta
Defensive Player of the Year: Greg Stewart, Thompson Rivers
Ken Shields Award nominee: Kevin Shaw, Simon Fraser
Coach of the Year: Kevin Hanson, UBC

All-Stars
First Team
Josh Whyte, UBC
Showron Glover, Saskatchewan
Ross Bekkering, Calgary
Jacob Doerksen, TWU   
Zeon Gray, Fraser Valley

Second Team
Jeff Price, Lethbridge
Dany Charlery, Brandon
Sean Burke, Simon Fraser
Robbie Sihota, Calgary
Chas Kok, Simon Fraser