There will be no repeat Big Sky Player of the Year, as Davion Berry of Weber State has been named the conference POY. The award often goes to the best player on the best team, so his winning is no surprise... it is a nice individual achievement for a great senior season from Berry.
Berry was outstanding in every phase of the game, as he was an efficient scorer (64.7% True Shooting Percentage, 31st in the country), a good rebounder (13.7 DR%), excellent passer (28.5 Assist Rate), and solid defender. He has no real weaknesses, and was a big reason why the Wildcats won the regular season title.
Other awards handed out on Tuesday went to Jeremy Senglin (Weber State) as Freshman of the Year, Quinton Upshur (Northern Arizona) as Newcomer of the Year, and Joel Bolomboy (Weber State) as Defensive Player of the Year. I hope to do a more thorough look after the season, but upon first glance, it's hard to find fault with any of the selections.
First Team
- Davion Berry (Weber State) - 2nd straight year
- Kareem Jamar (Montana) - 3rd straight year
- Troy Huff (North Dakota) - 2nd straight year
- Mikh McKinney (Sacramento State)
- Tyler Harvey (Eastern Washington)
- Quinton Upshur (Northern Arizona)
Second Team
- Derrick Barden (Northern Colorado)
- Gary Winston (Portland State)
- Kyle Tresnak (Weber State)
- Chris Hansen (Idaho State)
- Tate Unruh (Northern Colorado)
Honorable Mention
- Venky Jois (Eastern Washington)
- Keron DeShields (Montana)
- Jordan Gregory (Montana)
- Flavien Davis (Montana State)
- Aaron Anderson (North Dakota)
- Jamal Webb (North Dakota)
- Max Jacobson (Northern Arizona)
- DeShaun Wiggins (Portland State)
- Dylan Garrity (Sacramento State)
- Joel Bolomboy (Weber State)
A few quick thoughts:
- I would have put Barden on the first team over Upshur, but I can understand why things were voted the way they were.
- Southern Utah is the only team with no members on any of the all-conference teams. Frankly, it'd be tough to argue otherwise.
- I am not positive when Coach of the Year is awarded, but to me, Jack Murphy should be a shoo-in for that award.
- I think it is kind of a crime that Joel Bolomboy was only an honorable mention. I understand he's not a great offensive weapon, but he is far and away the best rebounder in the conference, and was voted the best defensive player as well. What does a guy have to do to get love on the first two conference teams?
Any other thoughts?
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Garrity should have been Second Team over Hansen, Unruh, or Winston.
ReplyDeleteCan't believe ISU's Tomas Sanchez didn't make honorable mention -- he was 8th in the conference in scoring, 2nd in steals, 3rd in assists, 1st in minutes...
ReplyDeleteYeah I agree with that, I forgot to mention when I typed this up yesterday.. Sanchez had a great year, one of my favorite players in the conference. It boggles my mind how he wasn't at least honorable mention...
ReplyDeleteAgreed on Sanchez. I think he was more valuable to that team than Hansen. Hansen is a volume shooter with sometimes poor shot selection and mostly one dimensional.
ReplyDeleteI don't understand how Barden didn't get first team and how Bolomboy did not get first or second team. How are you one of the best rebounders in the country and he couldn't even get an all-conference team. Something isn't right here.
ReplyDeleteAgreed, both of those were off in my opinion.
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