By Jim Fenton
BRIDGEWATER, Mass. -- After missing most of the 2024-25 Bridgewater State University men's basketball season, Zach Taylor (Quincy, Mass.) was eager to return to the court.
The junior guard, limited to eight games the previous year due to injury, put together a productive 2025-26 season for the Bears.
Taylor has been named to the All-Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference second team.
In 25 games, including 23 starts, Taylor led the Bears by averaging a career-best 16.4 points and was second with 6.1 rebounds to go with 2.8 assists.
He ranks tied for fourth in the MASCAC in scoring and played 31.1 minutes per game and shot 45 percent from the floor.
BSU was 8-18 and 6-8 in the MASCAC, losing in the quarterfinal round of the tournament to Framingham State.
As a freshman in the 2023-24 season, Taylor started 25 games and averaged 9.7 points on 53 percent shooting with 3.9 rebounds per game.
In the first eight games last season, Taylor averaged 9.8 points and 4.5 rebounds. But in the first overtime of a double OT win over Salve Regina, Taylor suffered a fractured right wrist and a cut over the eye.
He underwent wrist surgery and was out for the remainder of the season, unable to play basketball until late July.
This season, Taylor scored a career-high 32 points in a 93-75 win over Wentworth on Nov. 22 in the consolation round of the BSU Cave Classic.
Taylor scored at least 20 points in seven of the final nine games this season and played the full 40 minutes in the last two games at Worcester State and Framingham State.
Westfield State junior forward Kenney Rogers Jr. (Springfield Mass.) is the MASCAC Player of the Year.
The Defensive Player of the Year is Worcester State senior forward Johnny Annan (Worcester, Mass.) and his teammate, sophomore forward Joe Okla (Worcester, Mass.) is the Rookie of the Year.
Westfield State's Rich Sutter was chosen the BSN Sports Coach of the Year.