A-Sun Blog Post-Season Awards

Using a version of "win shares" modified for college basketball, here is the official Atlantic Sun Blog All-Conference Team.

1st Team:

Mike Smith (ETSU) 5.48 win shares
Alex Renfroe (BEL) 5.15
Ayron Hardy (JAX) 4.78
Kevin Tiggs (ETSU) 4.71
Daniel Emerson (MER) 3.79

Player of the Year -- Mike Smith, ETSU.

The conference vote went to Alex Renfroe, and anytime a player leads his team in points, assists, rebounds, steals, and blocks, and the team goes 14-6 and has a good look at the conference title on the last day, it's hard to argue. Of the 50 best individual performances this year, Renfroe had seven of them. When I started running the numbers, I honestly thought Renfroe would come out on top.

But then I looked at Mike Smith. And everywhere Renfroe was good, Smith was just a little better, especially in the stats that lead to wins.

Between the two, it was close. And as I said, Renfroe has a case. A look at the numbers, though, says it's not as open and shut a case as the voting might indicate.


2nd Team:

Bobby Davis (USCU) 3.45
Adnan Hodzic (DLU) 3.17
Marcus Allen (JAX) 3.16
Garfield Blair (STET) 3.08
Jonathan Rodriguez (CAM) 3.04

Honorable Mention (win shares totals of 2 or more)

BELMONT -- Matthew Dotson, Shane Dansby
CAMPBELL -- Junard Hartley
ETSU -- Mike Hamlin, Isaiah Brown
GULF COAST -- Derrick O'Neal
JACKSONVILLE -- Ben Smith (3.02 win shares, 11th overall), Lehmon Colbert
LIPSCOMB -- Josh Slater, Brandon Brown, Michael Lusk, Michael Teller
MERCER -- James Florence

All-Defensive Team (Defense win shares of 2 or more):

Mike Smith (ETSU) 3.11
Kevin Tiggs (ETSU) 2.64
Alex Renfroe (BEL) 2.30
James Florence (MER) 2.11
Garfield Blair (STET) 2.08

Yes, James Florence is one of the five best defenders in the conference. Ayron Hardy of Jacksonville, who was voted Defensive Player of the Year, was ninth in defensive win shares with 1.66. Ironically, Aryon Hardy was more of an asset to his team offensively, while James Florence was more of an asset of defense.

Outstanding Newcomer: Daniel Emerson, Mercer. This is a recording.

All-Freshman Team: TBA

Coach of the Year: Matt Kilcullen, UNF. Based on their statistical output, the Ospreys should have only won 2 games this conference season. They finished 6-14, four games better.