MAC Announces Men?s Basketball Postseason Awards
CLEVELAND -- Today the Mid-American conference announced that Akron’s Cerdick Middleton and Toledo’s Kashif Payne have earned postseason honors for the 2006-07 basketball season. Middleton was named the league’s Sixth Man of the Year, while Payne was named Defensive Player of the Year. The 20 member All-MAC and All-Freshman team were also announced today as voted by the league’s 12 head coaches.
As the Zips’ first man off the bench, Middleton is averaging 11.3 points per game and is shooting 41% from beyond the three point line. The junior guard from Chicago is third on the Zips in steals and assists and has become a stabilizing force in key situations for the Zips. Middleton posted his best performance of the season for Akron’s January 17 contest against crosstown rival, and defending MAC champion Kent State when he poured in 25 points in 34 minutes. He has also been a major factor in the Zips claiming the MAC East Division Title.
“Cedrick is one of the nicest and hardest working players I have ever coached,” Akron Head Coach Keith Dambrot said. “He’s the first player in the gym and the last one to leave. He put a tremendous amount of effort into improving his game during the offseason, and the hard work has been evident in his numbers this season. If I could have and entire team of Cedrick’s -- I would take it.”
Payne has served as the defensive sparkplug this season averaging 1.3 steals per game and helping the Rockets lead the MAC in league games only in steals per game (9.9 spg), turnovers forced per game (19.9), turnover margin (+7.12) and three-point field-goal percentage defense (29.9 percent). In addition, he is averaging 10.7 points, 4.4 assists with a 39.5 three-point field-goal percentage (17-of-43) in conference play.
“Kashif takes on players one-on-one, putting the pressure on the ball and helps the perimeter players pick up the slack,” Head Coach Stan Joplin said. “He is very deserving of this award and he really is the key to the defensive pressure we put on teams.”
The All-MAC First, Second, and Honorable Mention teams were also announced as MAC Player of the Year Romeo Travis (Akron) was joined by Central Michigan’s Giordan Watson, Miami’s Tim Pollitz, Toledo’s Justin Ingram and Ohio’s Jerome Tillman on the All-MAC First Team.
Akron’s Dru Joyce, Kent State’s Omni Smith, Ohio’s Leon Williams, Toledo’s Keonta Howell and Western Michigan’s Joe Reitz rounded out the second-team squad.
Honorable mention recognition went to Ball State’s Skip Mills, while Nate Miller and Martin Samarco represented Bowling Green. Buffalo’s Yassin Idbihi, Kent State’s Mike Scott, Miami’s Nathan Peavy, Northern Illinois’ Mike McKinney, Ohio’s Sonny Troutman, Toledo’s Florentino Valencia and Western Michigan’s Shawntes Gary also received honorable mention honors.
The All-Freshman Team was led by Freshman of the Year David Kool of Western Michigan. Kent State had two selections on this year’s squad as Rodriguez Sherman and Chris Singletary garnered All-Freshman honors. Central Michigan’s Marko Spica and Eastern Michigan’s Brandon Bowdry were also named to this year’s team.
The 2007 FirstEnergy MAC Men’s Basketball Tournament begins today at Cleveland’s Quicken Loans Arena as first round games will take place. No. 8 Eastern Michigan will take on No. 9 Ball State at 1 p.m., while No. 5 Ohio faces off against No. 12 Bowling Green at 3 p.m. The seventh-seeded Central Michigan Chippewas will go up against No. 10 Buffalo, at 5 p.m. while No. 6 Western Michigan squares off against No. 11 Northern Illinois at 7 p.m.
