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One can't help but notice that of the 16 players listed among the MWC's 20 "team citations" (15 spots spots on the three all-conference teams plus five spots on the all-defensive team), 13 of the 16 players listed are seniors. The only non-seniors? BYU's Jimmer Fredette (So.), Jonathan Tavernari (Jr.) and Jackson Emery (So.).
If BYU isn't the near-unanimous pick to win the Mountain West Conference next season, something will be seriously wrong.
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Anyone who saw my ballot knows where my opinions deviated from the majority sentiment, and I have only one significant complaint. Clearly, not naming Jonathan Tavernari to the second-team was an oversight. And voting someone like Wink Adams to the second-team over Tavernari is just this side of a voting travesty.
I don't argue with those who believe a certain player or coach is deserving of a given honor, as long as the vote can be properly justified (which I attempted to do in my first blog entry from earlier today). Reasonable minds will differ over who should have been Coach of the Year (I liked Rose, the pick was Alford), or Player of the Year (I liked Cummard, the pick was Nevill), or Newcomer of the Year (I liked Willis, the pick was Buljan), but to honor Wink Adams over Tavernari is to ignore every bit of statistical evidence available.
Compare (conference stats only):
Wink Adams--ranked 11th in scoring, and...that's it. He is not in the top 10 in any other stat category. Shot 38%fg, 28% 3pfg, 67% ft. His team went 9-7 and finished 5th, while losing six of eight road games.
Jonathan Tavernari--ranked 10th in scoring, and...3rd in rebounding, 9th in steals, 5th in 3pfg%, and 5th in 3pfgm. Shot 42% fg, 42% 3pfg, 71% ft. He had four double-doubles in conference, and his team won the league at 12-4--with a 5-3 road record.
Now, you tell me, which player deserves to be ranked ahead of the other? Just because your name is Wink Adams and you were the preseason conference Player of the Year doesn't mean you get a free all-conference pass--you've gotta play. Maybe, if Wink played as well against other teams as he played against BYU, he might have earned the honor he was handed today. I have nothing against Wink Adams, but this was a "reputation" pick, and after a third-team citation last season, Tavernari earned an upgrade this season.
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As I have noted in this space before, Jimmer Fredette now has a chance to make some MWC history. The league has never had a three-time all-conference first team selection, but now that he has been so honored as a sophomore, the door is open. Fredette is only the sixth sophomore to earn first team honors as a sophomore--the most recent was CSU's Jason Smith in 2006.
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Lee Cummard is only the sixth player in MWC history to be named a first teamer twice. Wyoming's Josh Davis and Marcus Bailey, New Mexico's Ruben Douglas and Danny Granger, and UNLV's Odartey Blankson are the others.
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Then, there's this bit of trivia--
Cummard has scored 512 points this season, while Tavernari has scored 484 points and Fredette 480. BYU has never had three players score 500+ points in the same season.
The following duos have hit the 500-point plateau together:
1951 Hutchins (571) and Minson (619)
1957 Benson (516) and Steinke (511)
1971 Fryer (557) and Kelly (516)
1981 Ainge (782) and Fred Roberts (603)
1987 Smith (643) and Chatman (540)
1988 Smith (679) and Chatman (623)
1990 Haws (556) and Toolson (550)
1996 Ken Roberts (539) and Ruffner (527)
2000 Lyday (565) and Wesley (556)
2001 Wesley (569) and Lyday (540)
2008 Cummard (552) and Plaisted (545)
2009 Cummard (512)... and ?????
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You can hear group interviews with all-conference honorees Cummard, Tavernari and Fredette by clicking their respective audio links in the "Cougar Cuts" box to the upper right.
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BYU will travel to Las Vegas on Wednesday morning, with plans to attend the second half of Wednesday's CSU-Air Force game that afternoon. After the game, once a quarterfinal opponent has been determined, the team will practice at adjacent Cox Pavillion.
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