Name: Mark Payne
Hometown: Stockton, Calif.
Position: Point guard
Year: Sophomore
Major: Managerial Economics
Look no further than the “received call” list on coach Gary Stewart’s cell phone to see just how special Mark Payne is as a sophomore.
NBA scouts have already begun inquiring about the St. Mary’s High graduate, and after his most recent season, the phone calls should keep coming.
The 6-foot-7 Mr. Everything point guard led the Big West Conference with 5.0 assists per game and finished second on the team with 5.8 rebounds per contest. A high-flyer around the rim, Payne averaged 10.4 points this season on 67.5 percent shooting and also registered a team-high 1.4 steals per game.
With two years of eligibility remaining, the best should still be yet to come for this all-Big West second-team selection.
