CHICAGO—NJIT senior Isaiah Wilkerson is the 2011-12 Great West Conference Player of the Year in men's basketball, the conference announced on the eve of the third annual conference championship tournament. Wilkerson and junior Chris Flores were named to the All-Great West Conference team, as well.
 
A 6-foot-3 forward/guard from Staten Island, NY, Wilkerson was the leading overall scorer in the conference, averaging 16 points in 29 games overall and he ranked fifth in the conference with an overall rebounding average of 6.6 per game. He also tied for the conference lead with 1.6 steals per game.
 
NJIT's career Division I leader in points (1,523) and rebounds (596), Wilkerson has had the finest season of a stellar four-year career, connecting on 45 percent of his shots from the field, 39 percent of his 3-point tries (41 made), and 81 percent of his free throws, while handing out 61 assists and making a career-high 52 steals.
 
In 10 conference games, Wilkerson has stepped up his per game averages to 17.2 points and 8.5 rebounds, while making 83 percent of his free throws. He scored at least 12 points in every Great West game, including a career-high 26 points at Chicago State (Feb. 4). He also had three double-doubles in conference play, including a 15-point, 15-rebound game that including his career rebounding high at Houston Baptist on February 18.
 
In addition to the Player of the Year award, Wilkerson was a repeat honoree on the all-conference first team and his teammate, Chris Flores, was a repeat second-team honoree.
 
Flores averaged 12.2 points and 3.6 rebounds, both second on the NJIT team. The two-time conference Player of the Week, leads NJIT in 3-point field goals (54) and assists (90), while ranking second to Wilkerson in steals (36). Flores tied his career assists high with eight against Houston Baptist and he scored 22 in a 99-97 double overtime loss to conference regular season champ Utah Valley. His driving layup was also the game-winner in a 58-57 decision against Texas-Pan American in January.
 
Flores also had a pair of 23-point games in non-conference action. He had 23 points, 11 rebounds and six assists against Lafayette in January and then 23 in an overtime loss to CSU Bakersfield in late February. He has 1,178 career points, which is 17th on the all-time NJIT list and third among players whose entire career has been played in the Division I era (since 2006-07).
 
All conference honors are chosen in voting of the six head coaches and six sports information directors.
 
The Highlanders will open play in the 2012 Great West Conference Tournament on Thursday afternoon against Houston Baptist.