March 9, 2009
LARAMIE, Wyo. -
The Mountain West Conference announced its 2008-09 Men's Basketball All-Conference team and awards on Monday. Wyoming Cowboy senior Brandon Ewing was named First Team All-MWC while redshirt freshman Afam Muojeke was selected as the Freshman of the Year, in a vote by MWC head coaches and media members. Senior Tyson Johnson and redshirt senior Sean Ogirri were also honored, as each were named Honorable Mention All-MWC.
For Ewing, a native of Chicago, Ill., this marks the first time in his career that he has been named to the MWC's First Team. As a freshman, he was a Third Team All-MWC selection and was then a second team selection as a sophomore and junior. He is the first player in MWC history to earn all-conference honors four times.
During conference games this season, Ewing led the MWC in both scoring and assists, averaging 18.6 points and 5.06 assists a game. He currently leads the MWC in all games in each category, and is on pace to become the first player in league history to do so. He is also on track to become the first player to lead the league in scoring in three consecutive seasons, as he finished both his sophomore and junior years as the MWC's leading scorer.
Muojeke, a native of Jamaica, Queens, N.Y., was the MWC's leading scorer and rebounder among freshmen. During conference games, he averaged 12.4 points and 6.3 rebounds a game. In all games, he is the 11th leading scorer and 12th leading rebounder in the MWC, with respective averages of 14.0 points and 5.3 rebounds per game. Muojeke is the second Cowboy to earn MWC Freshman of the Year honors, as Jay Straight received the honor in 2001-02.
Johnson, who hails from Long Island, N.Y., and Ogirri, a Denver, Colo. native, were both named Honorable Mention All-MWC.
Johnson ranks among the MWC's best in six different statistical categories. On the season, he is the third leading rebounder and 13th leading scorer, averaging 7.6 rebounds and 13.5 rebounds a game. He also ranks among the league's top-10 in field goal percentage, free throw percentage, defensive rebounds and minutes played.
Ogirri is the best single-season three-point shooter in the history of the MWC, as he is the conference's record holder with 103 thus far this season. He ranks 10th in the nation and first in the MWC in three-pointers per game with 3.43. His three-point percentage of 42.4 ranks 21st in the nation and second in the MWC. He averaged 14.6 points per game in conference play, which ranked ninth in the league.
Utah's Luke Nevill was selected as both the MWC's Player and Defensive Player of the Year. TCU's Zvonko Buljan was the Newcomer of the Year, Utah's Shaun Green was the Sixth Man of the Year and New Mexico's Steve Alford was the Coach of the Year.
|
2008-09 All-Mountain West Conference Men's Basketball Team (Selected by media and head coaches)
|
|
First-Team All-Mountain West
|
| Luke Nevill, Utah** |
Sr. |
C |
7-2 |
265 |
Perth, Australia (Kell HS-Ga.) |
| Lee Cummard, BYU** |
Sr. |
G |
6-7 |
190 |
Mesa, Ariz. (Mesa HS) |
| Jimmer Fredette, BYU |
So. |
G |
6-2 |
195 |
Glen Falls, N.Y. (Glen Falls HS) |
| Tony Danridge, New Mexico |
Sr. |
G/F |
6-5 |
215 |
San Bernardino, Calif. (Cojon HS) |
|
Brandon Ewing, Wyoming*** |
Sr. |
G |
6-2 |
190 |
Chicago, Ill. (Julian HS) |
|
Second-Team All-Mountain West |
| Daniel Faris, New Mexico |
Sr. |
C |
6-9 |
235 |
Albuquerque, N.M. (Eldorado HS) |
| Kyle Spain, San Diego State |
Sr. |
F |
6-5 |
220 |
Newark, Calif. (Newark Memorial HS) |
| Lorrenzo Wade, San Diego State* |
Sr. |
F |
6-6 |
225 |
Las Vegas, Nev. (Univ. of Louisville) |
| Kevin Langford, TCU* |
Sr. |
F |
6-8 |
245 |
Fort Worth, Texas (Univ. of California) |
| Wink Adams, UNLV** |
Sr. |
G |
6-0 |
200 |
Houston, Texas (Gulf Shores Academy) |
|
Third-Team All-Mountain West |
| Jonathan Tavernari, BYU* |
Jr. |
G/F |
6-6 |
215 |
Sao Bernardo, Brazil (Bishop Gorman HS) |
| Marcus Walker, Colorado State* |
Sr. |
G |
6-0 |
175 |
Kansas City, Mo. (Indian Hills CC) |
| Richie Williams, San Diego State |
Sr. |
G |
5-10 |
162 |
San Diego, Calif. (Steele Canyon HS) |
| René Rougeau, UNLV |
Sr. |
G |
6-6 |
210 |
Rancho Cucamonga, Calif. (Etiwanda HS) |
| Lawrence Borha, Utah |
Sr. |
G |
6-3 |
205 |
Staten Island, N.Y. (Stonebridge Prep) |
|
All-Defensive Team |
| Luke Nevill, Utah |
Sr. |
C |
7-2 |
265 |
Perth, Australia (Kell HS-Ga.) |
| Jackson Emery, BYU |
So. |
G |
6-3 |
185 |
Alpine, Utah (Lone Peak HS) |
| Richie Williams, San Diego State |
Sr. |
G |
5-10 |
162 |
San Diego, Calif. (Steele Canyon HS) |
| René Rougeau, UNLV |
Sr. |
G |
6-6 |
210 |
Rancho Cucamonga, Calif. (Etiwanda HS) |
| Lawrence Borha, Utah |
Sr. |
G |
6-3 |
205 |
Staten Island, N.Y. (Stonebridge Prep) |
|
Honorable Mention All-Mountain West |
| Andrew Henke, Sr., G, Air Force |
| Roman Martinez, Jr., F, New Mexico |
| Chad Toppert, Sr., G, New Mexico |
| Billy White, So., F, San Diego State |
| Zvonko Buljan, Jr., C, TCU |
| Carlon Brown, So., G, Utah |
| Luka Drca, Jr., G, Utah |
| Shaun Green, Sr., F, Utah |
| Tyler Kepkay, Sr., G, Utah |
|
Tyson Johnson, Sr., F, Wyoming |
|
Sean Ogirri, Sr., G, Wyoming |
Player of the Year:
Luke Nevill, Utah |
Defensive Player of the Year:
Luke Nevill, Utah |
Newcomer of the Year:
Zvonko Buljan, TCU |
Freshman of the Year:
Afam Muojeke, Wyoming |
Sixth Man of the Year:
Shaun Green, Utah |
Coach of the Year:
Steve Alford, New Mexico |
|
*Indicates number of previous all-conference selections
|
