Monday, February 27, 2017

MSSU's Elyjah Clark named MIAA Freshman of the Year

(From MSSU Lions Athletic News)

Kansas City, Mo. -- The Missouri Southern men's basketball program was well-represented today as the MIAA announced its All-Conference Teams and End of the Year Awards.

Elyjah Clark was named the MIAA's Freshman of the Year today as the Edmond, Okla. native becomes the sixth Lion in the history of the program to earn that honor, joining Carlos Newberry (96-97), Carlos Escalera (99-00), Skyler Bowlin (07-08), Jason Adams (08-09), and Marquis Addison (10-11).

Clark was the highest-scoring freshman this year in the MIAA as he finished the regular season averaging 14.0 points and 4.9 rebounds, starting in all 28 games the Lions played this season. This year, he led the MIAA in three point attempts and three pointers made, while ranking second in three pointers per game. Clark ranks 33rd and 35th nationally in three point attempts and makes, respectively.

CJ Carr was a second-team selection for the Lions after leading the team in scoring from start to finish. Carr averaged 19.2 points, 5.6 assists and 2.1 steals per game, while starting in every game and averaging 36 minutes per contest. Carr put himself in the Southern record books this season as he set a new MSSU single-game record with 16 assists against Pittsburg State on Feb. 4. He also became the second-highest single game scorer in the history of the program as he scored 47 points in a double-overtime win over Minnesota State earlier this season. Carr finished the regular-season sixth in the MIAA in scoring.

Carr leads the MIAA in assists per game, steals per game, total assists, total field goal attempts, total minutes and total steals this year, while ranking third in minutes per game. He is 17th in Division II total field goal attempts, while ranking 19th in both total steals and total assists. He ranks 23rd nationally in assists per game, while ranking 26th in total minutes and 31st in steals per game.

Also earning accolades were seniors Lawrence Brown and JJ Cratit. The pair both were named honorable mention All-MIAA, as was Clark. Brown is second in the MIAA in offensive rebounds per game, while ranking third in total rebounds and rebounds per game. He averaged 9.3 points and 7.9 rebounds this season. Cratit was second on the team in scoring this year with 14.6 points per game. He averaged 3.4 rebounds per game and added in 12 blocks on the season and ranked ninth in the MIAA in scoring this season.

Northwest Missouri's Justin Pitts repeated as the MIAA Player of the Year as did Washburn's Brady Skeens as the Defensive Player of the Year. Ben McCollum was the Coach of the Year.

The Lions will be in action on Friday evening in the second-round of the 2017 MIAA Tournament in Kansas City at Municipal Auditorium. Southern will play the winner of the Fort Hays State - Northeastern State game taking place tonight in Hays.

Player of the Year
Justin Pitts, G, Jr., NWMSU

Defensive Player of the Year
Brady Skeens, F, Jr., WU

Freshman of the Year
Elyjah Clark, F, Fr., MSSU

Coach of the Year
Ben McCollum, NWMSU

All-MIAA First Team
Justin Pitts, G, Jr., NWMSU**[r3]
Rob Davis, G, Jr., FHSU[r2]
Anthony Virdure, G, Sr., LU
Brandy Skeens, F, Jr., WU
Trey Lansman, C, Jr., UNK
**Unanimous Selection
[r2] Two time repeat First Team Selection
[r3] Three time repeat First Team Selection

All-MIAA Second Team
Spencer Reaves, G, Jr., UCM
CJ Carr, G, Jr., MSSU
Zach Schneider, F, Sr., NWMSU
Chandler Diekvoss, F, So., LWU
Corbin Byford, F, Sr., UCO

All-MIAA Third Team
Jaylon Smith, G, Sr., LU
Chris Ebou-Ndow, G, Jr., NWMSU
Brandon Hall, G, So., ESU
Kyle Wolfe, F, Sr., UCM
Logan Hovey, F, Jr., SBU

All-Defensive Team
Brady Skeens, F, Jr., WU
Marquiez Lawrence, F, Sr., UCM
JaQuan Smith, F, Sr, FHSU
Bakari Triggs, G, Jr., LWU
Chris Ebou-Ndow, G, Jr., NWMSU

Honorable Mention All-MIAA
Marquiez Lawrence, UCM
Jake Hammond, UCO
Josh Holiday, UCO
Josh Pederson, ESU
JaQuan Smith, FHSU
Hadley Gillium, FHSU
Jackson Price, LWU
Elyjah Clark, MSSU
JJ Cratit, MSSU
Lawrence Brown, MSSU
Cole Clearman, MWSU
Yashua Trent, UNK
Isaiah MaKay, UNK
Ty Daneilson, UNK
Montre Williams, NSU
Anthony Woods, NWMSU
DeVonte Mosby, NWMSU
Javion Blake, WU
Brian Patterson, SBU


No comments:

Post a Comment