HL POY Up To This Point

Felder is putting up stats that put him in the discussion but Oakland is likely to finish with 10 or 11 wins, which I believe will take him out of the running.

I think the two guys going for it right now are Grady and Sykes. My gut feeling says the League has already chosen Sykes no matter what happens.

I voted for Grady because I think he deserves it. His points, rebounds, FG%, blocks, and steals are all off the charts during HL play. If he could hit a few more free throws, only shooting 58% his PPG would be right there with Sykes and Felder during league play.

Absolutely. But that's not only due to Felder's considerable ability, but because Oakland has no good alternative on the bench. Still, I think Felder has an excellent chance to win it. Sykes has been in a bit of a slump and played the last couple games -- and probably the next couple-- hurt, which is pullling down his stats. Peters has a claim but seems to stand out less. I think Felder or Sykes can clinch it in these last 4 games.

As for All-Conference, that also could swing with the last few games, but if it were voted today it would be Sykes, Felder, Lewis, Peters, and Howard. Remember, Howard is currently the league's leading scorer. Since 1995, when the league took more or less its current form, only twice has the top scorer in the league been left off the first team - Valpo's Brandon Wood in 2010 and Detroit's Jon Goode in 2008. That 2010 first team was probably the best in that history, with Gordon Hayward, Matt Howard, Shelvin Mack, Norris Cole, and Rahman Fletcher. Neither Wood nor Goode was a star before their big season, unlike Howard.

Second team is tougher but would be, I think, Petros, McWhorter, Hain, Grady, and Tiby. I'd like to see Fouse honored but I don't think he'll squeeze on. Charlie Lee could also make it and conceivably (though not likely) Bass, thanks to the hype.

All Freshman: Bass, Hayes, Tevonn Walker, Benzinger, and ... well, that last one is real tough but why not Nick Daniels? Detroit's Jaleel Hogan could force his way into the debate with a couple big games, and probably a couple others I'm forgetting.
FOY would be Bass if vote were today, and it's not really that close, though Hayes could pass him with a big finish and a bit of a flop by Bass.

All Defense: Fouse, Dante Williams, Fernandez, Mays, and Sykes, possibly Felder.
DPOY - Kampe will push for Williams but the choice will be Fouse, and deservedly so.

6th Man: Really up for grabs, but I'll say Chrishawn Hopkins. They may not even award it this year - I don't think they did before last year.

Coach of Year: Team that wins regular season title.

Oh, before some one rips me I do know how to spell first.

Burns is actually a junior, a Juco transfer. The Horizon used to have an "all-newcomer" team but last year (or maybe a couple years ago) switched it to "all-freshman," so Burns won't be on it. I'm giving you Nick Daniels, man, take it.

I'd be very surprised if Vashil Fernandez (the Valpo Center) gets all league honors. I agree he'll be on the all-defensive team, but I wouldn't think he'd even get a whiff of all-league selection. Marcus Keene, Bass, Charlie Lee, Steve McWhorter, Greg Mays, Hain, even Joe Thomasson or Carrington Love plus, of course, the other guys you pick, would all, I think, finish well ahead of him. Maybe even Hayes or Dante. Fernandez has been helpful to Valpo this year, but his only real claim to all-conference is leading the league in blocks. He plays less than 25 minutes a game, averages 7 points, is only 7th in rebounding, doesn't even have enough shots to qualify for league lead in FG%- don't see it happening.

I like your choice of Charlie Lee as possibility for all-defensive team.

Hayes will not win FOY over Bass unless he scores about 100 points in Oakland's last 3 games. Unlike POY and COY, I've never seen any evidence that where the team finishes matters for FOY. Last year it went to Peters of 4th place Valpo. In 2013 it went to Bryn Forbes of 7th place CSU. In 2012 Newcomer of the Year went to Julius Mays of 8th place Wright State. In 2011, it was Ray McCallum of 5th place Detroit. In 2010, Brandon Wood of 4th place Valpo. I don't remember all the contenders in those years, but the team performance doesn't seem to move voters the way it does for POY or COY.

I'm getting more sold not only that your guy Felder should win POY, but that he will win it, although Sykes helped himself last night against Detroit.

How can you not have Petros on the first team? No center or big is playing better than he is...maybe just as good, but not better. He's leading the league in rebounds (8.1), 8th in scoring (14.3) and first in field goal percentage (.611). He's very underrated, but along with Felder has kept Oakland in the hunt for an HL Title.

Easy. Because while he's very good, he's not as good as 5 other guys.

You make a good case. But first, remember they just pick the 5 best, not by position. So you've got Felder, Sykes, Peters as near definite, I think, although I suppose Peters could end up on the 2nd team. And probably Howard (maybe not if he doesn't end up leading the league in scoring). I know that Detroit has sucked and that there is some sense that maybe Howard hasn't played that well, but ... well, really? He leads the conference in scoring, leads the conference in 20 point games, he's the only F/C among the league leaders in assists, he's among the league leaders in free throw and three-point shooting, he's hit the big shots in tight games for those rare Titan wins. I think those 4 are all clearly ahead Petros. (Where would OU be without Petros? Where would UD be without Howard may be the better question).

#5? You can make a case for Petros but I don't think it's better than the case for several others. I think Lewis is #5. Could be Petros. Could be Grady (whose season numbers aren't as good but whose conference play numbers are better). Could even be Hain or Tiby or McWhorter (Tiby is another guy whose numbers in conference play are really good). I think you can make a good case for Fouse, though I don't the voters will consider it. It could even be that Howard and Lewis don't make it but Petros still doesn't, though that seems unlikely. I won't be shocked if Petros makes the first team, but I personally would put him on the second team, and I won't be surprised if he doesn't make first team. He will get a boost if Oakland wins the league, but that seems unlikely. Basically, I think two of Howard, Petros, Lewis, and Grady make first team, along with Felder, Peters, and Sykes.

I will say Trey Lewis if CSU wins the league. Peters if Valpo wins.