SIAC announces Preseason Men's and Women's Basketball All-Conference Teams and Predicted Order of Finish

October 4, 2007

Tucker, GA – The Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference has announced the 2007-08 Men’s & Women’s Preseason All Conference Basketball Teams and Predicted Order of Finish.

Highlighting the list is Kenny Jones of Kentucky State who is the lone returning player from the 2006-07 all conference team for the men and eight returning players from the 2006-07 all conference team for the women. Included in that list is the 2006-07 SIAC Players of the Year Natasha Gray, of Benedict College and Freshmen of the Year Courtney Matthewis, of Kentucky State University for the Women. Chosen to lead the SIAC at the end of the season is Benedict College for the Men and the defending SIAC regular season champion Fort Valley State University for the Women.

Guard play seemed to be the theme of the team this year as Kenny Jones of Kentucky State, headlines the 2007-08 All Conference Preseason Team of players all being 6’6 or shorter. Last season Jones averaged 19.3 points and 9 rebounds per game and led his team to the quarter finals of the SIAC Tournament. Jones was also named to the SIAC All Tournament Team during the 2007 SIAC Basketball Tournament. Notable players on the Preseason All Conference this season is Sean Glenn of Albany State who helped lead his team to a SIAC Championship. Rounding out the team is Bennie Lewis and Zachary Barron of Benedict, Anthony Ward and Eddie Ishman of Miles, Marlon Ferguson and Kwame Agbottah of Morehouse, and Najee Tolbert and Julian English of Paine College.

Natasha Gray of Benedict College, the 2006-07 Player of the Year, leads the women’s squad of eight returning Preseason All Conference Team members. Gray was second in the conference in scoring last season with 17.5 points per game, led her team to the SIAC Championship and was named Tournament MVP. Also returning to the team is Courtney Matthewis of Kentucky State University. Matthewis was named Freshmen of the Year a season ago and was third in the conference in scoring averaging 16.8 points. Joining Matthewis on the team this year is her teammate Mattie Jones who was a defensive presence in the SIAC averaging 1.71 blocks per game. Deep threat Takesha Riggs of Fort Valley State also returns to the team. Riggs led her FVSU team to a 2nd place finish in the SIAC Tournament and finished 3rd in the SIAC in Three Point FG percentage. Tuskegee leads all teams with 3 players returning or named to the team including Rishaunda Gartrell, Crystal Benton, and Aisha Johnson. Paine College had two players named to the list including Lakeisha Bell and Savoyia Barrett. Rounding out the All Conference team is Bianca Burton of Stillman College. Aisha Johnson of TU and Savoyia Barrett of PC were the newcomers to the list and coincidently were named to the Preseason All Conference team last season as well.

Fort Valley State Lady Wildcats and Benedict Tigers were chosen by the Coaches association to finish atop of the SIAC. For the men behind Benedict is Kentucky State predicted to finish second and Miles predicted to finish third. For the Women, along with the men Kentucky State is also predicted to finish second along with Tuskegee is tied with KYSU to finish second in the SIAC.

The All Conference teams and Predicted Order of Finish were chosen by the SIAC Coaches association and based upon retuning 2006-07 All Conference members.

2007-08 SIAC Women’s All Conference Team
First Team

Natasha Gray	Benedict	5’11	SR	Long Beach, CA
Takesha Riggs	Fort Valley State	5’8	FR	Homestead, FL
Cortney Matthewis	Kentucky St.	5’10	FR	Missouri City, TX
Lakeisha Bell	Paine	5’10	SO	Memphis, TN
Rishaunda Gartrell	Tuskegee	5’10	SO	Lithonia, GA

Second Team

Crystal Benton	Tuskegee	5’9	JR	Rex, GA
Mattie Jones	Kentucky State	6’3	SO	Long Island, NY
Bianca Burton	Stillman	6’0	JR	Miami, FL
Aisha Johnson	Tuskegee	5’4	SR	College Park, GA
Savoyia Barrett	Paine	5’4	SR	Ludowici, GA

As voted by the SIAC Women’s Basketball Coaches Association

Predicted Order of Finish

Men	Women
1. Benedict College 2. Kentucky State University 3. Miles College 4. Morehouse College 5. Paine College 6. Albany State University 7. Lane College 8. LeMoyne-Owen College 9. Fort Valley State University 10. Stillman College 11. Tuskegee University 12. Clark Atlanta University	1. Fort Valley State University 2. Kentucky State University 2. Tuskegee University 4. Albany State University 5. Paine College 6. Benedict College 7. Clark Atlanta University 8. LeMoyne-Owen College 9. Stillman College 10. Lane College 10. Miles College

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