The Radford highlanders will be going to the big dance for the first time since 1998 led by Artsiom Parakhouski (discuss).

The 7-0, 260lb center from Belarus led Radford with 26 points, a career high 18 rebounds, and 3 blocks  in beating Virginia Military Institute 108-94 for the Big South Championship in the highest scoring game Big South basketball match.

“(Parakhouski) was the difference in the game,” V.M.I.’s high-scoring guard Chavis Holmes. “It makes the job a little easier whenever you’ve got a 6-10 down there to throw it to in the post and you’re pretty much guaranteed 2 points. They just ate us up down low.”

The win gives the small school from southwestern university an automatic bid to the NCAA tournament and Parakhouski celebrated the win by wearing the flag of his native Belarus across his shoulders.

After starting the season 4-9, Radford went 17-2 the rest of the season thanks in large part to Parakhouski, whom led the Radford Highlanders to the regular season title with season averages of 16 points per game, 11 rebounds, 1.5 blocked shots, and 54.7% from the field – all team highs.

And the Belarusian center inproved throughout his first year, which included a career high 39 points and 16 rebounds in a loss to Liberty, 17 double-doubles (11 during conference play and the most in conference) and his 11 rbeounds per game is good for 10th overall in division I play.

All this work paid off for the Radford, but also brought three Big South Player of the Week honors for Parakhouski, as well as being named 2008-09 Big South Player of the Year.  He is also the first international player to be named Big South player of the Year.

“We’re lucky to have him,” Radford coach Brad Greenberg said. “He could play for anybody in the country. For most of them, he’d start.”

Originally from Minsk, Belarus, Parakhouski played two years at the College of Southern Idaho after being discovered when he participated in the Junior European Championships in 2007 representing Belarus. After two years at the junior college in Idaho, Parakhouski transferred to Radford.

With the win over VMI, not only does Radford go to the tournament, but the school becomes the first Big South team to go from 7th place (or lower) the previous season to regular season champs the following year.

Links and Resources: Radford’s Parakhouski & Greenberg, Liberty’s Curry win Big South awards (WSLS.com), Artsiom’s new craft: Radford basketball (Roanoke Times), Artsiom Parakhouski of Belarus (Interbasket), Little Ol’ Radford’s Big Man (New York Times)