MVC All Conference Teams – My Votes Were Close

My Votes Were Close

(St. Louis, MO) – All conference teams are busting out all over and I had the privilege to participate in the Missouri Valley Conference balloting this season, and well, my votes were close. I have no disagreement with the results, but I want to clarify my voting patterns too.

For very deserving types of players that had limited playing time due to injuries, I arbitrarily eliminated people like Bradley’ Elijah Childs, Evansville’s DeAndre Williams, Valparaiso’s Ryan Fazekas and Missouri State’s Gaige Prim. The last name on that list is causing me some problems today, but my votes were close!

All Conference Team

I selected four of the league’s first teamers! My selections landed four of the five all-conference performers! Northern Iowa’s A.J. Green and Austin Phyfe, Loyola Chicago’s Cameron Krutwig and Valpo’s Javon Freeman-Liberty were on my ballot. With all due respect (and he is a great player), I chose Drake’s Liam Robbins over Indiana State’s Tyreke Key.

It was Robbins’ dominance on the defensive end that landed him on my top squad.

Drake coach Darian DeVries has two sophomores that were named to the top 15 and the second-year coach says those two are special players.

 

 

Phyfe went from a ‘we hope he can participate?’ player, to a ‘who can stop him?’ performer. During the preseason we highlighted the importance he, Childs, Indiana State’s Jordan Barnes and Loyola Chicago’s Lucas Williamson as returners that would shape the season. All of them have landed on at least one of these lists and their teams are the top four in the league.

The league asked for just ten names from us and since I had arbitrarily eliminated Childs and Prim, obviously my second and third teams aren’t quite as good. Clearly Key fell to the second team and I had Darrell Brown and Marcus Domask on my second five.

Two of the Valley’s third-teamers made my second team. Bradley’s Nate Kennell and Drake’s Roman Penn rounded out my list. All ten of my selections made it into the top 15 and eight of my ten picks did land in the top ten. So my votes were close, right?

Newcomer & Freshmen Teams

I wish the Valley took freshmen off the ‘newcomer’ designation and made these two separate teams, but that is a separate discussion.

Once again I landed four of five. Since I eliminated Prim (wrongly obviously) my fifth newcomer was Loyola’s Keith Clemons. Curious minds want to know if he came in sixth!

Division 2 transfer Tate Hall made my team and the REAL one. Coach Porter Moser says he loved Hall’s toughness from the day he joined the Ramblers.

 

 

No excuses on the freshman squad. Four of my five are there, but I varied from the ‘electoral college’ and had Southern Illinois’ Lance Jones on the team instead of Illinois State’s D.J. Horne.

SIU coach Bryan Mullins says Jones is fearless and has had great impact on the Saluki squad.

 

 

Valpo’s Donovan Clay has been good all season, but has been improving all season. Coach Matt Lottich says sometimes he’s the best player on the floor, but sometimes he reverts back to being a freshman.

 

 

The Defenders – My Votes Were Close!

By now you’ve guessed it. I got four out of five correct. I do know that Indiana State’s Christian Williams is a great defender, but I’ve seen Southern Illinois lock people down and Eric McGill is a big part of the Saluki defensive success.

Northern Iowa’s Isaiah Brown has a great defensive reputation. Coach Ben Jacobson says Brown has always been an outstanding defender, but has grown into an exceptional one because he has learned to communicate with teammates.

 

 

Here Are Today’s Announced Teams

2020 All-Missouri Valley Conference Men’s Basketball Team

First Team                       Yr.  Pos.  Ht.     Hometown

Javon Freeman-Liberty, Valpo   So.     G     6-3       Chicago (Ill.) Whitney Young

AJ Green, UNI                         So.     G     6-4       Cedar Falls (Iowa) Cedar Falls High

Tyreke Key, Indiana State       Jr.      G     6-2       Celina (Tenn.) Clay County High

Cameron Krutwig, Loyola         Jr.      C     6-9       Algonquin (Ill.) Jacobs High

Austin Phyfe, UNI                   So.      C     6-9       Waverly (Iowa) Waverly-Shell Rock

 

Second Team

Darrell Brown, Bradley            Sr.      G    5-10     Memphis (Tenn.) Germantown

Elijah Childs, Bradley               Jr.       F     6-7       Kansas City (Mo.) Lee’s Summit West

Keandre Cook, Missouri St.    Sr.      G     6-5       Baltimore (Md.) Edmondson-Westside High

Marcus Domask, S. Illinois     Fr.      G     6-6       Waupun (Wis.) Waupun High

Liam Robbins, Drake              So.      F     7-0       Davenport (Iowa) Assumption

 

Third Team

Jordan Barnes, Indiana St.     Sr.      G    5-10     St. Louis (Mo.) CBC High

Tate Hall, Loyola                     Jr.      G     6-6       Greenfield (Ind.) Greenfield-Central/UIndy

Nate Kennell, Bradley             Sr.      G     6-6       Metamora (Ill.) Metamora Township

Roman Penn, Drake               So.     G    5-11     Calumet City (Ill.) Bishop Noll / Siena

Gaige Prim, Missouri State     Jr.       F     6-8       Aurora (Colo.) Grandview High

 

All-Newcomer Team

Marcus Domask, S. Illinois     Fr.      G     6-6       Waupun (Wis.) Waupun High

Tate Hall, Loyola                     Jr.      G     6-6       Greenfield (Ind.) Greenfield-Central/UIndy

Jake LaRavia, Indiana St.        Fr.      F     6-8       Indianapolis (Ind.) Lawrence Central High

Roman Penn, Drake               So.     G    5-11     Calumet City (Ill.) Bishop Noll / Siena

Gaige Prim, Missouri State     Jr.       F     6-8       Aurora (Colo.) Grandview High

 

All-Freshman Team

Donovan Clay, Valparaiso        Fr.    G/F   6-7       Alton (Ill.) Alton High

Marcus Domask, S. Illinois     Fr.      G     6-6       Waupun (Wis.) Waupun High

DJ Horne, Illinois State           Fr.      G     6-1       Raleigh (N.C.) Trinity Christian

Marquise Kennedy, Loyola      Fr.      G     6-1       Chicago (Ill.) Brother Rice

Jake LaRavia, Indiana St.        Fr.      F     6-8       Indianapolis (Ind.) Lawrence Central High

 

All-Defensive Team

Isaiah Brown, UNI                    Sr.      G     6-7       Flower Mound (Texas) Flower Mound High

Javon Freeman-Liberty, Valpo   So.     G     6-3       Chicago (Ill.) Whitney Young

Liam Robbins, Drake               So.      F     7-0       Davenport (Iowa) Assumption

Christian Williams, Indiana St.    Sr.        G       6-6         Decatur (Ill.) St. Teresa High / Iowa

Lucas Williamson, Loyola         Jr.      G     6-4       Chicago (Ill.) Whitney Young

 

Arch Madness tips off Thursday night in St. Louis.

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