March 3, 2008

RICHARDSON, Texas - Mardochee Jean became the third Hardin-Simmons basketball player in the last four years to be named the American Southwest Conference West Division Most Valuable Player as he collected the honor in a vote of the league coaches.

Jean, a senior center from Missouri City, Texas, averaged 15.8 points and 10.3 rebounds per game as the Cowboys went 15-11 this season. He became the ASC's all-time leader in rebounds, blocks and double-doubles and finished his career with exactly 1,000 rebounds.

He was also named the co-defensive MVP in the ASC, the third time in his career he won that award. He also was named to the All-ASC team which is the top five players between the two divisions. He was also named to the All-ASC West Division first team for the second straight year.

Marcus Smith was named second-team All-ASC West. Smith, a junior from Houston, averaged 11.6 points per game for the Cowboys. Junior forwards Charlie Pannell and Rob Yeatts were named honorable mention all-ASC.

Mardochee and Dan Jean were named to the All-Defensive team for the ASC West.

AMERICAN SOUTHWEST CONFERENCE MEN'S BASKETBALL 2007-08 ALL-CONFERENCE TEAM (Listed in order of voting point totals) Mardochee Jean P Hardin-Simmons Sr. Missouri City, TX (Hightower HS) Valentino Maxwell G Concordia Texas Sr. Killeen, TX (Harker Heights HS) Tyler Winford F Mississippi College Sr. Madison, MS (Jackson Academy HS) Tilmon Gaddy F Mary Hardin-Baylor Jr. Harker Heights, TX (Midwestern State) Josh Johnson F Louisiana College Jr. Ruston, LA (Athens HS)

-ASC WEST DIVISION HONORS AND AWARDS- (Listed in order of voting point totals; #, &, % indicates tie in voting)

ASC West Division Player of the Year: Mardochee Jean, P, Sr., Hardin-Simmons University ASC West Division Co-Defensive Players of the Year: Ryan Burgart, C, Sr., University of Mary Hardin-Baylor; Mardochee Jean, R, Sr., Hardin-Simmons University ASC West Division Freshman of the Year: Roderick Gunter, G/F, Sul Ross State University ASC West Division Newcomer of the Year: Tilmon Gaddy, F, Jr., University of Mary Hardin-Baylor ASC West Division Coach of the Year: Ken DeWeese, University of Mary Hardin-Baylor

ASC ALL-WEST DIVISION First Team Mardochee Jean P Hardin-Simmons Sr. Missouri City, TX (Hightower HS) Tilmon Gaddy F Mary Hardin-Baylor Jr. Harker Heights, TX (Midwestern State) Valentino Maxwell G Concordia Texas Sr. Killeen, TX (Harker Heights HS) Tom Hermann P Howard Payne Jr. Fort Worth, TX (FW Christian HS) Jason Wagner G Mary Hardin-Baylor Jr. San Antonio, TX (MacArthur HS)

Second Team Filiberto Torres F/C Sul Ross State Jr. Clint, TX (CHS) Ryan Burgart C Mary Hardin-Baylor Sr. Huntsville, TX (HHS) Joel McDonald# G Concordia Texas Jr. Lubbock, TX (Fort Worth Kings HS) Alex Robles# W McMurry Sr. LaJoya, TX (Southwestern OK) Marcus Smith G Hardin-Simmons Jr. Houston, TX (New Mexico JC)

Honorable Mention Art Gonzalez G Sul Ross State Sr. El Paso, TX (Eastwood HS) Brad Walker F Concordia Texas So. Brenham, TX (BHS) Michael Hill F Texas Lutheran So. San Antonio, TX (St. Edward's) Keith Perry W Schreiner So. Kerrville, TX (Tivy HS) Brock Woods G Howard Payne Sr. Brownwood, TX (BHS) Rob Yeatts G Hardin-Simmons Jr. Houston, TX (Pearland HS) Mike Moore G Concordia Texas Sr. San Marcos, TX (SMHS) Charlie Parnell F Hardin-Simmons Jr. Fort Worth, TX (Temple Christian HS) Chris Gammage F McMurry Sr. Abilene, TX (Cooper HS) Dewayne Hall F McMurry Sr. El Paso, TX (Parkland HS)

ASC WEST DIVISION DEFENSIVE TEAM Ryan Burgart# C Mary Hardin-Baylor Sr. Huntsville, TX (HHS) Mardochee Jean# P Hardin-Simmons Sr. Missouri City, TX (Hightower HS) Mike Moore G Concordia Texas Sr. San Marcos, TX (SMHS) Dan Jean P Hardin-Simmons Sr. Missouri City, TX (Hightower HS) Filiberto Torres& F/C Sul Ross State Jr. Clint, TX (CHS) Brock Woods& G Howard Payne Sr. Brownwood, TX (BHS)

ASC WEST DIVISION FRESHMAN TEAM Roderick Gunter G/F Sul Ross State Houston ,TX (Westside HS) Brad Howard F Texas Lutheran Houston, TX (Cypress Creek) Riley Battle G Schreiner Waxahachie, TX (WHS) Clint Hamilton F Concordia Texas Pflugerville, TX (PHS) Curtis Davis G McMurry Santa Fe, NM (SFHS)

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