PICTURED (LEFT TO RIGHT): Freshman of the Year Antonio Worthy (Southeastern Oklahoma State), Newcomer of the Year Denzel Lyles (Henderson State), Defender of the Year Thomas Davis (Southwestern Oklahoma State), Coach of the Year Doug Karleskint (Arkansas Tech) and Player of the Year Johnie Davis (Arkansas Tech)
BARTLESVILLE, Okla. – Arkansas Tech University senior guard Johnie Davis has been named the inaugural Great American Conference Men’s Basketball Player of the Year to highlight the list of 16 student-athletes to receive all-conference honors or a yearly award. The honors were revealed at the GAC Championship Tournament Welcome Banquet on Wednesday night in downtown Bartlesville.
Davis led the GAC this season with an average of 20.6 points per game in 26 contests during the regular season and 19.7 points per game during conference outings. He ranks second in the league with 535 total points. Davis also ranks among the league leaders in three-pointers made (8th – 2.2 per game), three-point field goal percentage (8th – 40.3 percent) and minutes played (6th – 32.3 per game).
The Canton, Ohio native led the conference with a total of four games of at least 30 points, including the GAC record of 35 points in a 78-72 win over Southwestern Oklahoma State on January 12 in Weatherford, Okla. He reached the 20-point barrier a total of 12 times during the year, which ranks second in the league.
In addition to being named the player of the year, Davis also earned a spot on the All-GAC First Team, along with Arkansas-Monticello senior guard LA Farmer (Carrollton, Ga.), Henderson State senior guard Denzel Lyles (Columbus, Ohio), Harding junior center Zach Roddenberry (Conyers, Ga.) and Arkansas-Monticello senior guard Sergio Crowe (Fayetteville, Ala.)
HSU’s Lyles was named the GAC Men’s Basketball Newcomer of the Year after racking up a season total of 409 points in his first season in a Reddie uniform. Lyles averaged 15.7 points per game in 26 contests, made 69 three-pointers for an average of 2.7 per game (4th, GAC) and also hauled in a total of 69 rebounds for an average of 2.7 per game.
Highlighting the All-GAC Second Team is Southwestern Oklahoma State junior forward Thomas Davis, who was also named the first ever GAC Men’s Basketball Defender of the Year. The Lukfin, Texas native ranked fifth in the league with an average of 1.2 blocked shots per game with a total of 32 throughout 26 games in the regular season. Davis led the Bulldogs with an average of 14.3 points per game and also grabbed 5.9 rebounds per game.
Joining Thomas Davis on the All-GAC second team are Ouachita Baptist junior guard Austin Mitchell (Conway, Ark.), Arkansas Tech junior guard Jared Williamson (Russellville, Ark.), Arkansas-Monticello junior guard Kori Forge (Atlanta, Ga.) and Henderson State sophomore guard Jonathan Fitzgerald (West Memphis, Ark.).
Southeastern Oklahoma State freshman center Antonio Worthy has been named the GAC Men’s Basketball Freshman of the Year after scoring 116 points in 24 games during his first season on the Savage Storm roster. The Montebello, Calif. native averaged 4.8 points (6.4 in GAC contests), 3.8 rebounds and 1.6 blocked shots per game. His blocked shot average ranks second in the GAC.
The All-GAC Honorable Mention list includes Southeastern Oklahoma State senior guard Zac Downing (Yuma, Ariz.), Arkansas Tech junior center Will Paul (Corpus Christi, Texas), Arkansas-Monticello senior forward Ricardo Hall (Tuscaloosa, Ala.), Ouachita Baptist junior guard Nigel Ramsey (Birmingham, Ala.) and Henderson State junior forward Andrew Ensley (Dallas, Texas).
Arkansas Tech’s Doug Karleskint was named the first ever GAC Men’s Basketball Coach of the Year after leading the Wonder Boys to a final regular season record of 21-5 with a 13-3 GAC record for the outright title. Karleskint brings the Wonder Boys to Bartlesville as the No. 21 team in the latest National Association of Basketball Coaches Top 25 poll. ATU is ranked third in this week’s NCAA Division II South Central Region Rankings, the final poll of the regular season.
PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Johnie Davis, Arkansas Tech
DEFENDER OF THE YEAR: Thomas Davis, SW Oklahoma State
FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR: Antonio Worthy, SE Oklahoma State
NEWCOMER OF THE YEAR: Denzel Lyles, Henderson State
COACH OF THE YEAR: Doug Karleskint, Arkansas Tech
FIRST TEAM
Johnie Davis, SR, G, Arkansas Tech (Canton, Ohio)
LA Farmer, SR, G, Arkansas-Monticello (Carrollton, Ga.)
Denzel Lyles, SR, G, Henderson State (Columbus, Ohio)
Zach Roddenberry, JR, C, Harding (Conyers, Ga.)
Sergio Crowe, SR, G, Arkansas-Monticello (Fayetteville, Ala.)
SECOND TEAM
Thomas Davis, JR, F, SW Oklahoma State (Lufkin, Texas)
Austin Mitchell, JR, G, Ouachita Baptist (Conway, Ark.)
Jared Williamson, JR, G, Arkansas Tech (Russellville, Ark.)
Kori Forge, JR, G, Arkansas-Monticello (Atlanta, Ga.)
Jonathan Fitzergald, SO, G, Henderson State (West Memphis, Ark.)
HONORABLE MENTIONS
Zac Downing, SR, G, SE Oklahoma State (Yuma, Ariz.)
Will Paul, JR, C, Arkansas Tech (Corpus Christi, Texas)
Ricardo Hall, SR, F, Arkansas-Monticello (Tuscaloosa, Ala.)
Nigel Ramsey, JR, G, Ouachita Baptist (Birmingham, Ala.)
Andrew Ensley, JR, F, Henderson State (Dallas, Texas)
THE BREAKDOWN
Total All-Conference Selections (first, second and HM): 15
Arkansas-Monticello: 4 (2 first, 1 second, 1 HM)
Arkansas Tech: 3 (1 first, 1 second, 1 HM)
Henderson State: 3 (1 first, 1 second, 1 HM)
Ouachita Baptist: 2 (1 second, 1 HM)
Harding: 1 (1 first)
Southwestern Oklahoma State: 1 (1 second)
Southeastern Oklahoma State: 1 (1 HM)