Unfinished Basketball Business, Part 2

Here is my ballot for All-Conference in the Atlantic Sun this year:

Player of the Year -- Jonathan Rodriguez, Campbell.

How there is any debate on this at all is mystifying to me. Thomas Sanders won it in the official conference vote (allegedly) conducted by the coaches, and there is a case. In any other year, Sanders' numbers are POY worthy. But while Campbell wasn't exactly UCLA this year, without J-Rod this is a truly bad team. Think New Jersey Tech bad. I might rather have Justin Hare or Eddie Ard taking the big shot at the buzzer, but for the six possessions before that I want Rodriguez touching the ball.

1st Team All Conference -- Forwards: Rodriguez, Thomas Sanders (Gardner-Webb), Marcus Allen (Jacksonville). Guards: Shane Dansby (Belmont), Garfield Blair (Stetson).

Why Marcus Allen over Ben Smith? Allen posted comparable numbers to Smith, but did so in 10 fewer minutes per game. Plus, Allen was 5th in the conference in rebounding, a stat A-Sun observers often overlook but is vital to a team's success.

Why Shane Dansby over Justin Hare? 3 more rebounds per game. Note that this is "just barely," as Hare was my sixth choice for the five-man 1st team.

2nd Team All-Conference -- Forwards: Landon Adler (Florida Gulf Coast), Kevin Tiggs (ETSU), Calvin Henry (Mercer). Guards: Justin Hare (Belmont), Ben Smith (Jacksonville).

Honorable Mention -- Lehman Colbert (Jacksonville), Shaun Stegall (Kennesaw State), Eddie Ard (Lipscomb), Aaron Linn (Gardner-Webb), Grayson Flittner (Gardner-Webb), Shadeen Aaron (Mercer).

And no, I didn't forget James Florence. Nobody can miss that many shots in a year and get any post-season recognition no matter how many go in. I don;t care if you do score 19 points per game. If it takes 23 shots to get there, you're hurting your team.

If anybody has a beef with my ballot, maybe it's Courtney Pigram. I don't see the numbers to put him in the Top 20 in the conference, but I'll hear the case if anybody wants to make it.

Outstanding Freshmen -- Jordan Campbell (Belmont), Brandon Brown (Lipscomb), Ayron Hardy (Jacksonville), Nate Blank (Gardner-Webb), Adnan Hozdic (Lipscomb). Same as the conference voted there.

Coach of the Year -- No problem with Rick Byrd getting it, but I would have voted for Cliff Warren of Jacksonville, with Derek Waugh of Stetson a close second. No way I or anybody else saw that coming. Even in December, we had an idea Belmont could be special, but Jacksonville and Stetson both seriously overperformed. Well done.