FARMINGTON, Utah – Montana State senior forward Jubrile Belo was named the Big Sky Preseason Most Valuable Player, as announced by the conference office on Thursday.
The 6-foot-8 senior from London, England was the only unanimous selection to the Big Sky Preseason All-Conference team.
“I’m glad Jubrile is getting recognized in this way,” Montana State head coach Danny Sprinkle said. “He’s put in a lot of hard work over the offseason. Obviously, he’s coming back as the conference MVP from last season, but — like I tell our guys — that was last season. The great thing is, he gets a chance to prove it to everyone again.”
The Big Sky Preseason MVP award is another feather in Belo’s cap. Last season, Belo was one of the most dominant two-way players in the Big Sky Conference, which led to him earning the league’s MVP and Defensive Most Valuable Player awards. Averaging 12.8 points, 6.7 rebounds and 1.6 blocks per game, Belo anchored Montana State’s defense by leading the conference with 60 blocks.
Entering his final collegiate season, Belo is poised to make a mark on the Montana State record books with over 1,100 career points, 500 rebounds and 120 blocks. He currently ranks second all-time in MSU history with 127 career blocks.
Northern Colorado’s Daylen Kountz, Weber State’s Dillon Jones, Eastern Washington’s Steele Venters, Montana’s Josh Bannan and Northern Arizona’s Jalen Cone rounded out the Big Sky Preseason All-Conference team.
Earlier this week, the Bobcats were picked first in the preseason Big Sky coaches and media polls.
Montana State’s season unofficially kicks off with the Blue and Gold scrimmage tonight at Brick Breeden Fieldhouse at 5:50 p.m. On Oct. 30, the Bobcats welcome Mick Durham’s Montana State University Billings Yellowjackets for an exhibition game at 2 p.m.
Kountz finished his previous campaign with 786 points, which ranks him fourth all-time for single-season scoring in Big Sky history. He was also a First Team All-Conference player a season ago.
Earning Freshman of the Year two seasons ago, and Second Team All-Big Sky last year, Dillon Jones represents Weber State on the preseason squad.
Jones had a very impressive statistical campaign in 2021-22, leading the Big Sky Conference in rebounding and notching 17 double-doubles in 33 appearances.
Following up on a breakout season for Eastern Washington, Steele Venters represents the Eagles on the list heading into the season.
A Second Team All-Big Sky performer a year ago, Venters averaged 16.7 points per game and shot 43.7 percent from behind the three-point line.
Ensuring the Griz are represented on the All-Conference Team in the preseason, Josh Bannan has earned the nod following up on a Second Team All-Big Sky campaign a season ago.
During the 2021-22 campaign, he was the only player in the league to average 17.0 ppg and 8.0 rpg.
Rounding out the impressive squad is Northern Arizona’s Jalen Cone, who was the second leading scorer in the league last season behind only Kountz.
Cone dropped in 19.3 ppg on average to pace the Lumberjacks, hitting 92 threes in the process.
On the six-person Preseason All-Conference Team, six different programs are represented with strong talent spread throughout the league. Cone was a Third Team All-Big Sky member a season ago.
The 2023 Big Sky Conference Basketball Championships will take place once again in Boise, Idaho, and run from March 4-8.
Preseason All-Conference Team
Jubrile Belo, Montana State (MVP) *
Daylen Kountz, Northern Colorado
Dillon Jones, Weber State
Steele Venters, Eastern Washington
Josh Bannan, Montana
Jalen Cone, Northern Arizona
