SE GLARINGLY ABSENT FROM OVC FIRST TEAM

The all-Ohio Valley Conference basketball teams were announced Thursday -- and Southeast Missouri State University coach Gary Garner could hardly believe that the best all-around player on the league's co-championship squad did not make the first team.

Southeast senior forward Roderick Johnson, who leads the Indians in five statistical categories and ranks high in the OVC in several of them, was relegated to the all-conference second team as voted on by the league's head coaches and sports information directors.

Johnson leads the Indians in scoring, rebounding, field-goal percentage, blocked shots and steals. He averages 13.9 points and 8.2 rebounds per game while shooting 60.7 percent from the field to go along with 39 blocked shots and 38 steals.

In the OVC, Johnson is second in field-goal percentage, blocked shots and rebounding while ranking 13th in scoring. He is also sixth nationally in field-goal percentage.

"I'm disappointed that Roderick did not make first team all-OVC. He certainly deserved it," said Garner. "It's hard to believe that we were conference co-champions and had the best overall record in the league and have only one of the top 10 players in the league."

The five players voted to the all-OVC first team are also the top five scorers in the league.

"I'm sure people looked mainly at scoring when they voted," Garner said. "You have to look at how the player impacts his team and Roderick has such a big impact on our team."

Two Indians made the third team, senior forward Mike Branson and junior point guard Michael Stokes.

Stokes is second on the team in scoring (12.8), first in assists (4.1) and second in steals (35) while leading the squad in 3-point shooting (43.8 percent).

Branson is third in scoring (11.9) and second in 3-point shooting (39.5 percent).

"It's nice both those guys were recognized because they have been such big parts of our team," said Garner.

Garner had no problem with Murray State point guard Aubrey Reese, the league's leading scorer at 21 points a game, being chosen OVC Player of the Year.

Reese ranks third in assists and is in the top 15 in seven league categories for the conference's other co-champion.

"If Aubrey Reese had not gotten MVP, then something would have really been wrong," Garner said. "He's a great player and he's had a tremendous season."

Joining Reese on the all-OVC first team are forward Isaac Spencer of Murray State, guard/forward Trenton Hassell of Austin Peay, guard Kyle Hill of Eastern Illinois and guard Josh Heard of Tennessee Tech.

Spencer is second in OVC scoring (19.7), Hill third (19.0), Hassell fourth (18.1) and Heard fifth (17.5).

Tennessee Tech forward Larrie Smith was named the conference Newcomer of the Year, Tennessee-Martin forward Okechi Egbe the Freshman of the Year and Tennessee Tech's Jeff Lebo the Coach of the Year.

Smith leads the OVC in rebounding (8.5) and is 10th in scoring (15.6).

Egbe was fourth on the Skyhawks in scoring (9.1).

In his second year at Tennessee Tech, Lebo coached his team to a 16-12 overall record and a third-place finish in the OVC at 11-7. The 16 victories were the most for the Golden Eagles since 1989-90 and marked only the fourth time in 35 years that Tech had recorded more than 15 victories in a season.

Garner, who shared last year's Coach of the Year honor with Murray State's Tevester Anderson, was runnerup to Lebo this season.

* Two Southeast players received mention on the all-OVC women's squads that were also released Thursday.

Senior forward Paula Corder-King made the second team for the second year in row. She was the Otahkians' leading scorer at 15.5 points per game and led the OVC in free-throw shooting for the second straight season at 93.2 percent.

Corder-King, who led the nation in free-throw percentage last season, is at the top of the list again this year. She had not shot enough free throws most of the season to qualify among the national leaders, but attempted enough during Southeast's final game Tuesday to qualify.

"Paula had a great two-year career for us and it's really good that she's shot enough free throws to make the national list again," said Southeast coach Ed Arnzen. "Unless somebody gets really hot the rest of the year, she'll lead the nation again, which is quite an accomplishment."

Southeast forward Lori Chase made the OVC All-Freshmen Team after averaging 8.5 points per game.

"Lori had a very good freshman year and has an extremely bright future for us," Arnzen said.

Tennessee Tech forward Janet Holt was named Player of the Year. She was third in the league in both scoring (17.6) and rebounding (7.3).

Austin Peay guard Brooke Armistead is the Freshman of the Year after leading the league in scoring (20.2).

Tennessee Tech coach Bill Worrell was named Coach of the Year as he led the Eaglettes (22-8 overall, 16-2 OVC) to the conference title.

* The complete all-OVC teams for men and women can be found in Scoreboard on Page 4B.

The All-Ohio Valley Conference Team as selected by the league's coaches and sports information directors.

MEN

FIRST TEAM

Aubrey Reese, Murray State; Isaac Spencer, Murray State; Trenton Hassell, Austin Peay; Kyle Hill, Eastern Illinois; Josh Heard, Tennessee Tech.

SECOND TEAM

Roderick Johnson, Southeast Missouri; Larrie Smith, Tennessee Tech; Fernando Ortiz, Middle Tennessee; Corey Hemphill, Tennessee Tech; Nick Stapleton, Austin Peay.

THIRD TEAM

Mike Branson, Southeast Missouri; Jamie Roberts, Tennessee State; Marc Polite, Eastern Illinois; Michael Stokes, Southeast Missouri; Joe Williams, Austin Peay.

HONORABLE MENTION

Brad Cleaver, Morehead State; Byron Benton, Tennessee-Martin; Sam Hoskin, Eastern Kentucky; Cedrick Wallace, Middle Tennessee.

PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Aubrey Reese, Murray State.

NEWCOMER OF THE YEAR: Larrie Smith, Tennessee Tech.

FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR: Okechi Egbe, Tennessee-Martin.

COACH OF THE YEAR: Jeff Lebo, Tennessee Tech.

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WOMEN

FIRST TEAM

Janet Holt, Tennessee Tech; Diane Senge, Tennessee Tech; Marla Gearhart, Eastern Kentucky; Jamie Thomatis, Middle Tennessee; Zabrina Harris, Tennessee-Martin.

SECOND TEAM

Brooke Armistead, Austin Peay; Monika Gadson, Murray State; Paula Corder-King, Southeast Missouri; Heather Bates, Murray State; Tamara Washington, Tennessee State.

HONORABLE MENTION

Tasha Gales, Morehead State; Joanne Aluka, Middle Tennessee; Angie Patzner, Eastern Illinois; Liz Stansberry, Murray State.

ALL-FRESHMEN TEAM

Brooke Armistead, Austin Peay; Paige Smith, Austin Peay; Teresa McNair, Eastern Kentucky; Lori Chase, Southeast Missouri; Kayle Bloemer, Eastern Illinois.

PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Janet Holt, Tennessee Tech.

FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR: Brooke Armistead, Austin Peay.

COACH OF THE YEAR: Bill Worrell, Tennessee Tech.