(Written for the LSWA)
MONROE, La. — Bo McCalebb was one of the top scorers in the nation, earning him the title of 2007 Louisiana Player of the Year. The junior guard from New Orleans averaged 25.0 points per game and became the school’s all-time leading scorer with 1,937 points on his way to becoming the Sun Belt Conference Player of the Year in 2007.
The team members are nominated by the sports information directors at the state men’s basketball-playing schools and then voted on by members of the LSWA.
McCalebb, an NABC and USBWA all-district honoree, also set a single-season school record with 776 points. He was the only player in the Sun Belt to be ranked in the league’s top 10 in scoring, rebounding and assists. McCalebb set a career-high with 39 points in double-overtime win over North Texas on Dec. 16 and had a career-best 15 rebounds in final regular season game vs. ULM on Feb. 24.
McCalebb leads an all-star cast of Louisiana men’s basketball players.
Joining him on the All-Louisiana First Team are LSU’s Glen Davis and Tasmin Mitchell, Nicholls State’s Stefan Blaszczynski, and Louisiana Tech’s Trey McDowell. Davis, a consensus All-SEC First Team and Wooden Award Final 22 player, became the second player in LSU history to record 1,500 career points, 900 career rebounds, and 100 career blocks. Mitchell was the Tigers second-leading scorer. Blaszczynski was an All-Southland Conference First Team honoree, while McDowell was named to the All-WAC Second Team.
ULM head coach Orlando Early was named the 2007 Louisiana Coach of the Year. In the school’s first season of Sun Belt play, Early guided a ULM (18-14) team picked in the league’s pre-season poll to finish last in the seven-team West Division to an 11-7 divisional record and co-West Division title with Arkansas State. ULM also posted its fourth undefeated record at home with a 14-0 mark in only Early’s second season at the helm of the Warhawks.
Key to ULM’s success this season was the play of Louisiana Newcomer of the Year Jonas Brown and All-Louisiana Second Team honoree Tony Hooper. Brown started all 32 games, finishing second on the squad with 12.4 ppg and tops with 98 assists. He finished in double digits for points 21 times, including 20 or more four times. Hooper, a Third Team All-Sun Belt pick, led ULM with 15.4 ppg and 53 steals and finished the season with four-straight 20-point outings.
Joining Hooper on the All-Louisiana Second Team are David Gomez of Tulane, Andre Ratliff of Grambling, Daryl Cohen of Southeastern Louisiana and Alexander Starr of Centenary.
Louisiana Freshman of the Year Elijah Millsap placed on the All-Louisiana Third Team, along with Louisiana College’s leading scorer Josh Johnson. Millsap, the Sun Belt Conference Freshman of the Year, led all freshmen scorers in the league with 12 ppg, and ranked fifth overall in rebounding with 7.2 rpg. Johnson averaged 20.5 ppg, leading LC to its first American Southwest Conference Tournament appearance.
Rounding out the third team are Jarvis Bradley of McNeese State, Luke Rogers of Northwestern State, and Mark Stewart of Xavier.
2007 All-Louisiana Teams
First Team
Bo McCalebb New Orleans
Glen Davis LSU
Stefan Blaszczynski Nicholls State
Tasmin Mitchell LSU
Trey McDowell Louisiana Tech
Second Team
Tony Hooper ULM
David Gomez Tulane
Andre Ratliff Grambling
Daryl Cohen Southeastern Louisiana
Alexander Starr Centenary
Third Team
Jarvis Bradley McNeese State
Luke Rogers Northwestern State
Josh Johnson Louisiana College
Elijah Millsap Louisiana-Lafayette
Mark Stewart Xavier
Freshman of the Year — Elijah Millsap, Louisiana-Lafayette
Newcomer of the Year — Jonas Brown, ULM
Player of the Year — Bo McCalebb, New Orleans
Coach of the Year — Orlando Early, ULM