ESCANABA - The Sault High Blue Devils had a team loaded with offensive firepower in 2011-12. Leading the way was senior point guard Steve Angeli, a multi-tooled player and four-year starter for the Blue Devils.
Tuesday he was recognized for his talents as the Upper Peninsula Sportswriters and Sportscasters Association named Angeli Class A-B-C player of the year. Senior Kenya Oas of Munising was named Class D player of the year and both players were also named to the all-class Dream Team in the meeting at the House of Ludington.
The floor leader for the Class A-B team of the year, Angeli averaged 13 points, eight assists and just 1.6 turnovers in leading Sault High (21-3 overall) to a 10-0 Straits Area Conference record. Angeli was also named the SAC player of the year. His twin brother Riley was named to the Class A-B-C second team.
Article Photos
Kenya Oas of Munising, dribbling past Superior Central’s Tyler Kienitz in the Class D district championship game March 9 at Eben, is the U.P. Class D player of the year. (Daily Press photo by Dennis Grall)
Jamie Angeli is the twins' father. The former Kingsford High School head boys basketball coach has gone on to be an assistant at Michigan Tech, Bradley University, Bowling Green State University, Lake Superior State University and Seattle University.
He has served as head coach at Norway and Kingsford high schools, Al Rayyan Professional Basketball Club in Qatar and Al Arabi Professional Basketball Club in Kuwait.
He has also served as director of Men's Basketball Operations at UCLA and was an advance scout for the Washington Mystics of the WNBA. Currently he is the associate head women's basketball coach and assistant athletic director at City College of New York.
Oas led the Mustangs to their first district title since 1957, scoring 30 points in a 60-47 victory over Superior Central.
Oas averaged 21.6 points and 6.5 rebounds while shooting 47 percent from inside the arc and 38 percent from the 3-point line.
A unanimous Class D all-state selection, the Mustangs' senior guard was a frequent visitor to the free throw line, attempting nearly 200 shots.
Mustangs coach Dan Waterman, named Class D coach of the year, said, "The numbers alone don't represent what Kenya has meant to our program. He's been the unquestioned leader in turning around our program and helping Munising win its first district title since 1957. He's an example to our younger players to pattern themselves after."