One game to go in the Big 12 Conference men’s basketball season, and it’s time to hand out the awards.
Player of the year? No question. Kansas University’s Wayne Simien should be unanimous.
Coach of the year? Tough call. Texas A&M’s Billy Gillispie is likely to edge former boss Bill Self of KU, but you can make a case for Self if the Jayhawks win the outright league title.
Here are my all-league and all-specialty teams:
All-Big 12 First Team
Wayne Simien, Kansas
John Lucas, Oklahoma State
Joey Graham, Oklahoma State
Taj Gray, Oklahoma
Keith Langford, Kansas
Comment: Fifth spot wasn’t cut and dried so I gave it to Langford because, well, why not?
All-Big 12 Second Team
Aaron Miles, Kansas
Rodney Ross, Texas Tech
Antoine Wright, Texas A&M
Jeremiah Massey, Kansas State
Curtis Stinson, Iowa State
Comment: Stinson has talent to be a first-teamer, but poor outside shooting and a league-high 85 turnovers dropped him a notch. Massey and Ross are likely to earn first-team spots on a lot of ballots.
All-Big 12 Third Team
Jared Homan, Iowa State
Aaron Bruce, Baylor
Richard Roby, Colorado
Jarrius Jackson, Texas Tech
Linas Kleiza, Missouri
Comment: Some voters will place Texas’ Daniel Gibson on this unit, but Tech’s Jarrius Jackson has a higher scoring average and a better assist-to-turnover ratio.
All-Freshman
Aaron Bruce, Baylor
Richard Roby, Colorado
Daniel Gibson, Oklahoma
Joseph Jones, Texas A&M
JamesOn Curry, Oklahoma State
Comment: Curry, who came on strong late, edges Nebraska’s Joe McCray for fifth spot.
All-Southpaw
Keith Langford, Kansas
Jeremiah Massey, Kansas State
Ivan McFarlin, Oklahoma State
Martin Zeno, Texas Tech
Terrell Everett, Oklahoma
Comment: Left-handers weren’t common in the Big 12 this season, but this is a quality group.
All-Chemistry
Christian Moody, Kansas
Daniel Bobik, Oklahoma State
Jaison Williams, Oklahoma
Dominique Kirk, Texas A&M
Darryl Dora, Texas Tech
Comment: None are scoring in double figures, but there isn’t a coach in the league who wouldn’t take any one of them. Dora, you’ll recall, hit the three-pointer that beat Kansas in double overtime.
All-Bench
Johnnie Gilbert, Oklahoma
Lawrence McKenzie, Oklahoma
Stephen Graham, Oklahoma State
Aleks Maric, Nebraska
Bobby Leach, Texas A&M
Comment: Why is Oklahoma so good? The Sooners have the best sixth and seventh men in the league, that’s why.
All-Pastoral
Patrick Fields, Baylor
Mark Shepherd, Baylor
Tim Bush, Baylor
Marcus Dove, Oklahoma State
Glean Eddy, Colorado
Comment: Makes you long for spring, doesn’t it?
All-Rainbow
Drew Lavender, Oklahoma
Marshall Brown, Missouri
Edjuan Green, Texas A&M
Kenneth White, Texas A&M
Taj Gray, Oklahoma
Comment: Wouldn’t it be something if Lavender played for Kansas State?
All-Alphabet Soup
Moulaye Niang, Kansas
Jayson Obazuaye, Colorado
Jason Dourisseau, Nebraska
John Ofoegbu, Texas Tech
Damir Suljagic, Texas Tech
Comment: I believe those are the correct spellings, but don’t hold me to it.
All-Whistle
Linas Kleiza, Missouri
Acie Law, Texas A&M
Tommy Swanson, Baylor
Devonne Giles, Texas Tech
Joseph Jones, Texas A&M
Comment: Kleiza leads league with 84 fouls, and Jones has fouled out of a league-high seven games.
All-First Name
LucQuente White, Texas Tech
Bronsen Schliep, Nebraska
JamesOn Curry, Oklahoma State
Moulaye Niang, Kansas
Longar Longar, Oklahoma
Comment: Is Longar Longar’s middle name, uh, Longar?
All-Freddy Foes
Jason Dourisseau, Nebraska
Jayson Obazuoye, Colorado
Jaison Williams, Oklahoma
Jason Conley, Missouri
Jason Klotz, Texas
Comment: Missouri’s Jason Horton is the sixth man.
