SWAC announces preseason men's basketball honors

October 17, 2007

The Southwestern Athletic Conference announced its men’s basketball preseason honors for the upcoming 2007-08 season. In a poll conducted by the conference office in which votes were received from the league’s head coaches and sports information directors, Arkansas-Pine Bluff forward William Byrd was named preseason player of the year and defending tournament champion Jackson State was tabbed to finish first in the conference.

Byrd – a 6-foot-7 senior from Tutwiler, Miss. – had a spectacular campaign, leading the Lions to a conference tournament semifinal appearance. In a conference dominated by guard play last season, Byrd led the Golden Lions in scoring (13.0 ppg), rebounds (7.5 rpg), blocks (2.52 bpg) and steals (1.32 spg). In addition he also dished out 47 assists. He was ninth in the conference in scoring and steals, third in rebounding, second in field goal percentage and blocked shots. He had four 20-point performances last season including a 20-point, 10-rebound effort versus Texas Southern.

The preseason defensive player of the year selection for the second consecutive season was Alabama A&M’s Mickell Gladness. After a 2005-06 season when he was the conference leader (12th in NCAA) in blocked shots averaging 2.96 blocks per contest, last season – 2006-2007 – he continued to show his prowess on the defensive end of the court. He led the nation in blocked shots and earned SWAC Defensive Player of the Year honors, along with being named first-team all-conference. The 6-foot-11, 205-pound senior from Sylacauga, Ala., set the NCAA single-game record for blocks with 16 against Texas Southern and finished the season averaging 6.3 per game. His 188 blocks as a junior is the third-highest single-season total in the history of the NCAA. As a junior, he averaged 7.6 points and 7.6 rebounds per contest (second in the conference).

Joining Gladness and Byrd on the preseason first-team are Texas Southern forward Jacques Jones, Grambling State guard Andre Ratliff and Mississippi Valley State guard Stanford Speech.

Receiving second-team honors were guards Andrew Hayles (Alabama State) and Trant Simpson (Alabama A&M), forwards Anthony Williams (Grambling State) and Grant Maxey (Jackson State) and center Jamal Breaux (Grambling State).

Jackson State finished last season 21-14 overall and 12-6 in conference play. The Tigers – the number two seed in the post season conference tournament – defeated Mississippi Valley State to claim the tournament title and participate in the NCAA Tournament. Jackson State fell in the first round to eventual champion Florida.

Arkansas-Pine Bluff and Grambling State each received 141 total points and were tied for the second-place spot. The Lions finished second in the conference after a strong season. They will be led by preseason player of the year William Byrd. Grambling State is led by all-conference guard Andre Ratliff and forward Anthony Williams. Mississippi Valley State was chosen fourth after finishing the 2006-07 campaign in first place. The 2006 tournament champion Southern was picked to finish fifth.

Rounding out the list were Alabama A&M (109 pts), Alcorn State (103 pts), Alabama State (100), Texas Southern and Prairie View A&M (58 pts).

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