Las Vegas Sun

March 29, 2024

MWC BASKETBALL:

Presenting the Sun’s Mountain West Conference postseason award winners

The league’s honorees will be announced Monday afternoon, but first, Ryan Greene gives out his picks

Darington Hobson

SUN FILE PHOTO

New Mexico’s Darington Hobson

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New Mexico's Dairese Gary

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The Mountain West Conference will unveil the league's postseason award winners Monday afternoon, as voted upon by the media.

First, here are the Sun's honorees.

Co-Players of the Year

Darington Hobson — junior guard/forward, New Mexico

Dairese Gary — junior guard, New Mexico

It's the golden question: Do you take the best player from the best team, or the most valuable player from the best team?

Why not both?

On the season, Gary averaged 12.4 points and four assists per game, while Hobson had the league's most impressive stats at 15.8 points, 9.1 rebounds and 4.6 assists per game.

But without either of them, New Mexico would be hurting and certainly would not be the conference's regular season champs.

In conference play, Hobson averaged a double-double at 14.9 points and 10.1 boards, including seven double-doubles in his last eight games. One was a 10-rebound, 11-assist performance against Utah. The clincher for Hobson's postseason honors was a key blocked shot in the closing minutes of last Saturday's 83-81 win at BYU to all but lock up the league crown for the Lobos.

In terms of all-around package, he's one of the best talents the league has seen.

As for Gary, not only has he been one of the MWC's best late-game performers, but he's done his best against the best.

He averaged 14.3 points and 4.3 assists in 16 league games. But take a closer look. In six games against BYU, San Diego State and UNLV, Gary averaged 18.3 points, 4.7 assists and was 58-of-75 from the free throw line. That's pretty clutch, if you ask me.

I am usually against splitting honors, but honestly, this one was far too close to call.

Coach of the Year

Steve Alford — New Mexico

Alford is 74-24 in three seasons in Albuquerque with a pair of MWC regular season titles to his credit. He's gone 28-3 this season with a bit of a thin rotation, as New Mexico is the only team in the league to use the same starting five each time out. Don't expect him to bolt Lobo-land soon, but also don't expect him to stay forever. Some move by Iowa to force him out, huh?

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San Diego State's Kawhi Leonard (left) and Malcolm Thomas

Freshman of the Year

Kawhi Leonard — forward, San Diego State

Leonard has started all 30 games this season for the Aztecs, and it didn't take him long to get accustomed to ball at the Division-I level.

Averaging 12.6 points and 9.6 rebounds with 14 double-doubles, his offensive game is what has progressed the most as the season's worn on. Leonard recently has shown improvement in his touch from 3-point range, which makes him even more dangerous at 6-foot-6.

In conference play, Leonard ranked in the top 10 in the league in scoring, rebounding, field goal percentage, free throw percentage, steals, blocks and minutes played.

Newcomer of the Year

Darington Hobson — junior guard/forward, New Mexico

Pretty much a no-brainer, right?

Defensive Player of the Year

David Foster — sophomore center, Utah

Four blocked shots per game on the season and 3.7 per outing in conference play are pretty hard to argue with. UNLV fans remember him all too well, as he had six blocks in a 73-69 upset of the Rebels on Jan. 16. His season high in swats was 10 against Weber State, and he had nine games with at least six swats. Foster's season was cut short by a game because of an ankle injury.

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UNLV's Tre'Von Willis

All-Conference First Team

Jimmer Fredette — junior guard, BYU: The league's top scorer at 20.6 ppg, when healthy Fredette is probably its greatest impact player. However, sitting in the second halves at home against UNLV and New Mexico took away some of his luster.

Dairese Gary — junior guard, New Mexico: See above.

Tre'Von Willis — junior guard, UNLV: In conference play, Willis was the only player to average more than 20 points per game (20.3). His numerical improvements across the board from his sophomore to junior seasons were pretty remarkable.

Darington Hobson — junior guard/forward, New Mexico: Also, see above.

Kawhi Leonard — freshman forward, San Diego State: While he looked like a freshman early in the season, he almost never looked like one in conference play ... and that's what the all-league selections are supposed to be based on. He'll play in the NBA some day. Mark my words.

All-Conference Second Team

Ronnie Moss — sophomore guard, TCU: Moss still has a long way to go to reach his full potential, but, on a struggling team, he put up some impressive numbers (14.6 ppg, 6.0 apg) that were pretty tough to compete with.

Jackson Emery — junior guard, BYU: Ranked in the top 10 in the league in scoring, field goal percentage, steals and 3-point field goal percentage.

Roman Martinez — senior forward, New Mexico: The league's fifth-leading scorer at 14.1 ppg, he's easily the MWC's most feared 3-point gun.

Chace Stanback — sophomore forward, UNLV: Stanback found his comfort zone early in league play, and in those 16 games averaged 12.3 points, 6.5 rebounds and 1.4 steals a game.

Malcolm Thomas — junior forward, San Diego State: If it wasn't for Leonard's presence, he'd probably get the nod on the first team. Very similar numbers (11.7 ppg, 7.9 rpg).

Honorable Mention: Billy White, junior forward, San Diego State; Grant Parker, senior forward, Air Force; Dorian Green, freshman guard, Colorado State; Andy Ogide, junior forward, Colorado State; Phillip McDonald, sophomore guard, New Mexico; Zvonko Buljan, senior forward, TCU; Oscar Bellfield, sophomore guard, UNLV; Carlon Brown, junior guard, Utah; Desmar Jackson, freshman guard, Wyoming.

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