Jones, Gaines Earn 1st Team LSC North Honors

BARTLESVILLE, Okla. --- Northeastern State's Jason Jones was the Defensive Player of the Year in the Lone Star Conference and joined teammate Dominique Gaines on the First Team All-LSC North basketball team.

Central Oklahoma's Dauntae Williams earned Player of the Year honors in the North Division and Angelo State's LaMarshall Corbett took top honors in the South Division to highlight the Lone Star Conference men's basketball postseason awards announced Tuesday by league officials.

The awards announcement came Tuesday night at a pre-championship banquet in Bartlesville, Okla., where the LSC Basketball Championship tournament is set to begin on Wednesday.  Quarterfinal games will be played all day Wednesday, with semifinal games slated for Friday evening and the championship game on Saturday at 7 p.m.

Williams and Corbett were among 10 players to pick up first team All-LSC recognition, with five in both the North and South Divisions.  Another 12 were selected to the second team, plus 15 more received honorable mention honors.

Joining Williams on the All-LSC North Division first team were teammate Eric Cazenave, Northeastern State's Jason Jones and Dominique Gaines and Texas A&M-Commerce's Ronnie Morgan.

Corbett was joined on the All-LSC South Division first team by fellow Ram Stavon Williams, Midwestern State's Craig Green and Jason Ebie and Tarleton State's Devon Hills.

Williams and Corbett earned Player of the Year acclaim by virtue of the most votes in the balloting of the league's head coaches. 

Williams led the Bronchos to their fifth North title in six years with an 11-1 mark.  An all-around player, the junior recorded two triple-doubles this season and was second in the league in scoring (20.2 points per game), led the LSC in assists (5.5), ranked second in steals (2.5) and added 7.8 boards a game.

Corbett, who was tabbed Newcomer of the Year as well, finished the regular season as the LSC's scoring leader at 24 points per game.  He also led the conference from behind the three-point arc, making 80 three's, while shooting .494 percent.

Other top awards were distributed for defensive player, newcomer, freshman and coach of the year.

For the South Division, MSU's Ebie took Defensive Player of the Year honors, while the Mustangs Grant McCasland earned LSC South Coach of the Year recognition in his first season at the helm.  Dosh Simms of Abilene Christian was named Freshman of the Year.

In the North Division, NSU's Jones was named Defensive Player of the Year, while Freshman of the Year honors went to A&M-C's Preston Whitley. UCO's Chris Rhymes picked up Newcomer of the Year acclaim and the Bronchos Terry Evans was named LSC North Coach of the Year.

Overall, nearly 40 student-athletes were recognized by the all-conference program.  The awards are voted upon by the league coaches.

For a complete listing of the All-LSC basketball teams, please click here.