Cleveland (1st Team) and Decker Jr. (2nd Team) Selected to NABC All-District Teams
3/18/2026 11:03:00 AM | Men's Basketball
LYNCHBURG, Va. – Liberty's Zach Cleveland and Brett Decker Jr. have been voted to the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) All-District teams.
Cleveland, the CUSA Player of the Year, is a NABC East District first team honoree, while Decker Jr. has been included on the NABC East District second team.
This is Cleveland's second career all-district recognition after being named to the NABC District 11 second team in 2024. Decker Jr., a sophomore guard who was an All-CUSA first team selection, is an all-district honoree for the first time. Cleveland is one of 10 players on the first team. Decker Jr. is one of 10 players on the second team.
Liberty has had representation on the NABC All-District teams in seven of the last eight years. The honors are voted on by NABC member coaches from across Division I.
Cleveland and Decker Jr. are two of only four CUSA players to make all-district squads. Western Kentucky's Teagan Moore (Central District second team) and Sam Houston's Po'Boigh King (Gulf District second team) earned all-district distinctions.
Cleveland, Decker Jr. and Liberty (26-7) topped No. 3 seed George Mason 77-71 on Tuesday night in the first round of the 2026 NIT. The Flames move on to face either No. 2 seed Nevada (22-12) or Murray State (20-12) in the second round. The Wolf Pack and Racers square off tonight at 10 p.m. Eastern.
Zach Cleveland | NABC East District first team | Senior | Forward | Bloomington, Ill.
Brett Decker Jr. | NABC East District second team | Sophomore | Guard | Elizabethtown, Ky.
About the National Association of Basketball Coaches
Located in Kansas City, Mo., the NABC was founded in 1927 by Phog Allen, the legendary basketball coach at the University of Kansas. Allen, a student of James Naismith, the inventor of basketball, organized coaches into this collective group to serve as Guardians of the Game. The NABC currently has over 5,000 members consisting primarily of university and college men's basketball coaches. Additional information about the NABC and its programs and membership can be found at www.nabc.com.
Cleveland, the CUSA Player of the Year, is a NABC East District first team honoree, while Decker Jr. has been included on the NABC East District second team.
This is Cleveland's second career all-district recognition after being named to the NABC District 11 second team in 2024. Decker Jr., a sophomore guard who was an All-CUSA first team selection, is an all-district honoree for the first time. Cleveland is one of 10 players on the first team. Decker Jr. is one of 10 players on the second team.
Liberty has had representation on the NABC All-District teams in seven of the last eight years. The honors are voted on by NABC member coaches from across Division I.
Cleveland and Decker Jr. are two of only four CUSA players to make all-district squads. Western Kentucky's Teagan Moore (Central District second team) and Sam Houston's Po'Boigh King (Gulf District second team) earned all-district distinctions.
Cleveland, Decker Jr. and Liberty (26-7) topped No. 3 seed George Mason 77-71 on Tuesday night in the first round of the 2026 NIT. The Flames move on to face either No. 2 seed Nevada (22-12) or Murray State (20-12) in the second round. The Wolf Pack and Racers square off tonight at 10 p.m. Eastern.
Zach Cleveland | NABC East District first team | Senior | Forward | Bloomington, Ill.
- 2025-26 Conference USA Player of the Year
- First CUSA Player of the Year in program history and sixth conference player of the year in Liberty men's basketball history
- Selected as 2025-26 Lou Henson Award (top mid-major player in college basketball) finalist
- Tabbed finalist for 2025-26 Nolan Richardson Award, presented annually to a Division I player who is the heart and soul of his team and a leader on and off the court
- Named All-CUSA for a third straight year (2025-26 first team, 2024-25 third team, 2023-24 second team)
- Two-time CUSA Player of the Week this year (Nov. 10, Feb. 9) (three total for his career)
- Averaging 11.8 points (No. 3 on team), 7.6 rebounds (No. 1 on team), 6.8 assists (No. 1 on team), 1.3 blocks (No. 1 on team) and 1.3 steals (No. 3 on team) in 32 games (all starts) while shooting 61.2 percent from the field and totaling 22 double-digit scoring games (tied for No. 2 on team)
- Ranks No. 9 in the nation in assists per game (6.8) and No. 12 in defensive rebounds per game (6.72)
- Ranks tied for first in Conference USA in double-doubles (9)
- Notched his first triple-double (19 points, 10 rebounds, 11 assists) against Missouri State (Feb. 7), the conference's only triple-double this season and first since 2023
- Averaged 12.7 ppg, 6.5 apg and 6.4 rpg in 20 CUSA regular season games
- Named to 2025-26 Lou Henson Award Early Season Watch List
- Ranks fourth in program history in career assists (563), eighth in career rebounds (742), 27th in points (1,204) and second in blocks (125)
Brett Decker Jr. | NABC East District second team | Sophomore | Guard | Elizabethtown, Ky.
- Named to 2025-26 All-CUSA first team
- Tabbed 2025-26 Lou Henson Award (top mid-major player in college basketball) finalist
- Team's leading scorer at 16.8 points per game, leading the Flames in three-pointers made (112) and shooting 47.3 percent from deep on the year
- Has started all 33 games, averaging 2.6 rebounds and 1.1 assists per game while shooting 50 percent from the field and 83.6 percent from the free throw line
- Ranks No. 2 in the nation in three-point percentage (47.3), No. 10 in total threes (112) and No. 11 in threes per game (3.39) (leads CUSA in all categories
- Leading the Flames in 20-point games (10), 30-point games (1) and double-digit scoring games (39)
- Ranks No. 3 in school history for single-season three-pointers made (112)
- Listed at No. 1 among active Division I players for career three-point percentage (46.7)
- Averaged team-high 16.4 ppg in 20 CUSA regular season games while connecting on 46 percent (64 makes) from long distance
- Hit eight three-pointers in a game on two occasions (tied for third most in a single game in school history), including in a home contest against Louisiana Tech on March 5 in which he scored a career-high 30 points
About the National Association of Basketball Coaches
Located in Kansas City, Mo., the NABC was founded in 1927 by Phog Allen, the legendary basketball coach at the University of Kansas. Allen, a student of James Naismith, the inventor of basketball, organized coaches into this collective group to serve as Guardians of the Game. The NABC currently has over 5,000 members consisting primarily of university and college men's basketball coaches. Additional information about the NABC and its programs and membership can be found at www.nabc.com.
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