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Big 12 Roundup: Big 12 Awards

Here we sit, at the end of the Big 12 season. It seems just like yesterday when Big 12 action tipped off, when Texas was a Top 10 team and Kansas and Missouri stood unranked.

Much has changed in the past two months, and there were some incredible games. Over the next couple of days, we'll be thoroughly summarizing the Big 12 season, while simultaneously previewing the Big 12 Tournament. But for now, we'll just name our All-Big 12 Selections, just as the Big 12 Media did earlier in the day.

So, let's get to those Big 12 Awards. Those are more fun, anyways.

We'll dish out most of the same categories the media does: First Team, Second Team, Third Team, All-Rookie Team, Newcomer of the Year, Rookie of the Year and the big one, Player of the Year...

Note: Number rankings is in order of where I'd rank them, which should provide quite a hint for the POY rankings.

First Team

  1. Blake Griffin (F, Oklahoma) -- Obviously. This is as easy as it gets, folks.
  2. Sherron Collins (G, Kansas) -- Emotional leader of the Conference Champions. Plus, for a three-week stretch in late February, he was as good of a guard as anyone in the country.
  3. Craig Brackins (F, Iowa State) -- Best pure scorer in the conference. Overlooked nationwide, but everyone in the Big 12 knows exactly how good he is.
  4. Cole Aldrich (C, Kansas) -- Averaging a double-double. 'Nuff said.
  5. Demarre Carroll (F, Missouri) -- I wanted to go with someone else just to be different than the Media, but he deserves it.

All further Teams and Awards after the break...

 

Star-divide

Second Team

  1. Damion James (F, Texas) -- Almost got in over Carroll on the First Team. His Durant-esque first half yesterday didn't hurt his case, but it was his offensive rebounding and overall importance that really got him here.
  2. Cory Higgins (G, Colorado) -- Doesn't get the credit he deserves because he plays in the abyss of Boulder. Still, the dude can score on anybody, and will be the leader of any potential Colorado resurgence these next two seasons.
  3. Denis Clemente (G, Kansas State) -- Has a rather large temper, and isn't always consistent, but damn, is he quick with the ball. Oh, and when he gets hot, he's virtually unguardable. Basically, he's like a slightly less-athletic Dogus Balbay, only he can hit the three. So, yeah, be afraid.
  4. James Anderson (G, Oklahoma State) -- Incredible scorer, he probably should be slightly higher on the Second Team. If Sherron and Cole and Blake and Craig all leave school early, he could be the preseason favorite for Big 12 POY in Travis Ford's run-and-gun-type system.
  5. Ade Dagunduro (F, Nebraska) -- A personal favorite of mine. The dude is probably my favorite player in college basketball. It's unreal how good he is, considering he was often the tallest player on the floor for the Huskers, standing only 6'6". I really wish he was only a junior, so he could play with actually tall people next year. In any case, incredibly underrated.

Third Team

  1. Leo Lyons (F, Missouri) -- Dude isn't nearly as good as his frontcourt mate, Carroll, but still plenty talented. When, as RMN calls him, "Good Leo" shows up, he is one of the conference's best. But "Bad Leo" shows up far too often for him to be considered any higher.
  2. Willie Warren (G, Oklahoma) -- Probably should be higher, and I kind of forgot about him, to be honest. The dude can score with the best of them.
  3. LaceDarius Dunn (G, Baylor) -- Another personal favorite. Jerrells probably deserves it more, but I love LDD.
  4. Curtis Jerrells (G, Baylor) -- Dude can penetrate into the lane with the best of them, but isn't consistent enough of a shooter to really scare you. He's a lot better than Dogus, though.
  5. Dexter Pittman (C, Texas) -- Came on really strong at the end of the year, and while his overall season accomplishments probably don't deserve such an honor, but he was awesome yesterday. Pretty much, he destroyed Cole Aldrich. Dude has a really bright future, as long as he doesn't regain that weight back.

All-Newcomer/Rookie Team

  1. Denis Clemente (G, Kansas State) -- See above.
  2. Willie Warren (G, Oklahoma) -- See above.
  3. Tyshawn Taylor (G, Kansas) -- Thank goodness he came to Kansas. He started off the year piping hot, and while he went through a two-month slump of sorts, he's come on late as the badly-needed third scorer behind Cole and Sherron. Dude has a special career in front of him, everybody.
  4. Zaire Taylor (G, Missouri) -- Hit two game-winners in less than a week's time, in Austin and at home in their National Championship (Leo Lyons' words, not mine). Should be a mighty fine player next year, where he and Tiller will likely have to lead the team night-in, night-out.
  5. Marcus Morris (F, Kansas) -- I love me some Marcus Morris, man. He's come on really strong, as of late, and is becoming an awesome rebounder.

And now, on to the Awards.

Player of the Year

  1. Blake Griffin (F, Oklahoma)
  2. Sherron Collins (G, Kansas)
  3. Craig Brackins (F, Iowa State)

Newcomer of the Year

  1. Denis Clemente (G, Kansas State)
  2. Zaire Taylor (G, Missouri)
  3. Mario Little (G/F, Kansas)

Freshman of the Year

  1. Willie Warren (G, Oklahoma)
  2. Tyshawn Taylor (G, Kansas)
  3. Marcus Morris (F, Kansas)

Coach of the Year

  1. Bill Self (Kansas)
  2. Mike Anderson (Missouri)
  3. Travis Ford (Oklahoma State)
  4. Jeff Capel (Oklahoma)

That's all, for now. These being the hotly-contested decisiosn they are, I'm sure yours are something different. Feel free to chastize, criticize and complain, as long as you give your answer. If you think someone should be on the First Team, pick someone to actually come off the team. You can't just add more than 5 to a team. I don't roll like that.

As I said, this is just the kickoff to plenty of Big 12-related content as we quickly move towards the Big 12 Tournament, which begins Wednesday.

I can't wait.

 

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Comments

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No

Abrams?

I just got back from your mom's basement.

by Warden11 on Mar 8, 2009 6:29 PM CDT reply actions  

I'm really down on him.

He probably should have been in there instead of Dunn or Jerrells, but he’s just a glorified jump shooter, to me.

Maybe that’s unfair, but that was my assessment. If I was building a team, and I wanted a shooter, I’d take Dunn over him. Thus, the pick.

by rockchalk on Mar 8, 2009 6:44 PM CDT up reply actions  

That's was kind of my thought too...

if anything it would be third team for one of the two Baylor guards but he is just a shooter nothing more. If you get someone to guard him like Brady did yesterday he’s fairly insignificant.

certainly get’s considered but third team at best in my book.

Some people are like Slinkies...not really good for anything but they make you smile when pushed down the stairs.

by Owen Kemp on Mar 8, 2009 6:49 PM CDT up reply actions  

I was down on Abrams, as well...

Until he single-handedly won the Oklahoma game by scoring the last 48 points from every spot on the court and the concession stand, too.

That impressed me. Too bad that guy didn’t show up more often – might have helped the perception of the league.

by BracketCat on Mar 9, 2009 11:27 PM CDT up reply actions  

Given preseason projections...

…versus actual results, I think Frank Martin merits some mention on your list of four coaches for coach of the year. K-State was picked to finish eighth and instead won’t even be playing on Wednesday in OKC. Also, after the dead-in-the-water start to conference play, Martin did a good job of getting the team to regroup.

We'll carry the banner high!
Bring On The Cats

by TB on Mar 8, 2009 11:28 PM CDT reply actions  

I almost put him in.

And would have, had y’all beat Okie State on Tuesday and gotten on the right side of the bubble.

But, Oklahoma State and Travis Ford barely get the nod. Maybe Capel shouldn’t be on there, and Martin should, I don’t know.

It was close. But in the end, I gave it to the Dukie. The porntstar mustache made me do it, I don’t know what to say.

by rockchalk on Mar 8, 2009 11:40 PM CDT up reply actions  

I'm sad to say

but I am gonna have to agree with TB. And, you, too, SlowDance. Martin should be on there (as TB said) and Capel shouldn’t (as you said). When you have the NPOY, it isn’t exactly difficult to win a few games. And, they didn’t even win as many as they were expected to. Spare me the “they didn’t have Blake” argumnet. Those are the kinda games that a coach gets his team ready for and they win. (Not to mention they got run by Misery WITH Blake) What Martin did, as TB said, turning around that team after the 0-4 start, was nothing short of sensational. And, that coming from ME of all people, means alot. I laughed at them at 0-4. Now, I still laugh, but not because they were the worst team in the league at one point, but because they are still K-State. (No offense, but that was getting way too mushy gushy towards the enemy there, so I had to do it. Sorry, TB. You’re a cool guy, though.) :D

"I log on to RCT after school, and I see the 228 comments on this thread. I actually immediately panicked, because knowing KC, I figured some other fan from another school (most likely Mizzou) came over and said something stupid. Then, KC freaked out at him, and said something stupid (no offense, KC, but this really wouldn’t be that extraordinary for you to pull off) and then there was mass hysteria. I would have to ban people, and warn people, and it’d be mass chaos." - SlowDance

by Andy Edwards on Mar 8, 2009 11:54 PM CDT up reply actions  

Hey...

…you had me laughing at the end. No need to apologize.

We'll carry the banner high!
Bring On The Cats

by TB on Mar 9, 2009 12:02 AM CDT up reply actions  

(Sigh)

Uhh………jerk. That’s all I got.

We'll carry the banner high!
Bring On The Cats

by TB on Mar 9, 2009 12:23 AM CDT up reply actions  

I thought Ford, too

Until I realized that both Anderson and Martin jumped him and Turgeon from the preseason picks to the postseason standings.

How can you be coach of the year if you actually finish one spot worse than you were expected to? (Rhetorical question – don’t feel like you have to respond)

by BracketCat on Mar 9, 2009 11:28 PM CDT up reply actions  

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