LAFAYETTE – LSU freshman Tremont Waters, the first LSU freshman to average over 15 points and 5 assists, was named first-team All-Louisiana and the Freshman of the Year on the 2017-18 Louisiana Sports Writers Association (LSWA) Men’s College Basketball Team.
Senior guard Frank Bartley of UL-Lafayette was named the Player of the Year and Roddy Peters of Nicholls was the choice for Newcomer of the Year.
A statewide panel of media members and basketball sports information directors chose the 18-player squad.
Waters averaged 15.9 points and 6.0 assists per game in his inaugural season for LSU, becoming not only the first LSU player, but the first SEC freshman since Kentucky’s John Wall in 2009-10 to average 15.0 points and 5.0 assists per game.
The 5-foot-11 point guard shattered Ben Simmons’ freshman record with 198 assists and produced five double-doubles and 10 games with 20 or more points scored, including a season-high 39 against Marquette at the Maui Invitational.
Bartley, who was named the 2017 LSWA Newcomer of the Year helped lead the Ragin’ Cajuns to a 27-7 record and the Sun Belt Conference regular-season title. He led the Ragin’ Cajuns in scoring at 17.8 points per game while recording 4.3 rebounds and 2.6 assists per game. The Baton Rouge native and BYU transfer earned first-team All-Sun Belt Conference honors.
The former Christian Life Academy product scored in double figures in his final 32 games during the 2017-18 season for the Ragin’ Cajuns and had 10 games with 20 or more points scored.
Peters, who played at both Maryland and South Florida before transferring to Nicholls, led the Colonels in scoring at 19.7 points per game while grabbing 5.9 rebounds and dishing out 4.2 assists per game. The Southland Conference Newcomer of the Year and first-team all-league selection had 17 games with 20 or more points during the season for the SLC regular-season co-champions.
Bob Marlin was named the LSWA Coach for a second time leading UL-Lafayette to a school-record 27 wins and the school’s first outright SBC regular-season title since 1991-92. Marlin guided the Cajuns to a school-record 16 victories in SBC play and the school’s fourth postseason trip in the past five seasons.
Joining Bartley, Peters and Waters on the first team were Tulane’s Melvin Frazier and Stevie Clark of LSU Shreveport.
Named to the second team were Jacobi Boykins of Louisiana Tech, Stevie Clark of LSU Shreveport, Grambling’s Ivy Smith, Jr., Marlain Veal of Southeastern Louisiana, Bryce Washington of Louisiana and Jordin Williams of NAIA national runner-up, LSU Alexandria.
2017-18 LOUISIANA SPORTS WRITERS ASSOCIATION MEN’S COLLEGE BASKETBALL TEAM
PLAYER OF THE YEAR – Frank Bartley, UL-Lafayette
NEWCOMER OF THE YEAR – Roddy Peters, Nicholls
FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR – Tremont Waters, LSU
COACH OF THE YEAR – Bob Marlin, UL-Lafayette
FIRST TEAM
Frank Bartley, UL-Lafayette – 17.8 ppg., 4.3 rpg., 2.6 apg., First-team All-Sun Belt Conference
Stevie Clark, LSU Shreveport – 20.8 ppg., 4.1 rpg., 4.2 apg., RRAC Player/Newcomer of the Year
Melvin Frazier, Tulane – 15.9 ppg., 5.6 rpg., 2.9 apg., Second-team All-American Athletic Conference
Roddy Peters, Nicholls – 19.7 ppg., 5.9 rpg., 4.2 apg., SLC Newcomer of the Year, First-team All-SLC
Tremont Waters, LSU – 15.9 ppg., 6.0 apg., 3.4 rpg., SEC All-Freshman Team
SECOND TEAM
Jacobi Boykins, Louisiana Tech – 14.7 ppg., 4.8 rpg., 1.0 spg., Third-team All-Conference USA
Ivy Smith, Jr., Grambling – 16.7 ppg., 4.5 rpg., 5.0 apg., First-team All-SWAC
Marlain Veal, Southeastern Louisiana – 12.6 ppg; 5.3 rpg; 6.1 apg; First-team All-Southland
Bryce Washington, UL-Lafayette – 10.4 ppg., 10.5 rpg., 2.2 apg., First-team All-Sun Belt Conference
Jordin Williams, LSU Alexandria – 19.8 ppg., 3.6 rpg., 4.1 apg., NAIA First-team All-America
THIRD TEAM
JaKeenan Gant, UL-Lafayette – 13.7 ppg., 5.8 rpg., 2.3 bpg., Sun Belt Conference Newcomer of the Year
Travion Kirkendoll, Centenary – 22.2 ppg., 5.0 rpg., 3.4 apg., First-team All-SCAC
Brandon Moss, LSU Alexandria – 17.1 ppg., 8.0 rpg., 2.5 apg., NAIA Second-team All-America
Travis Munnings, ULM – 15.9 ppg., 7.3 rpg., 2.4 apg., Second-team All-Sun Belt Conference
Joshua Simmons, Dillard – 17.4 ppg., 12.0 rpg., 3.9 apg., First-team All-Gulf Coast Athletic Conference
HONORABLE MENTION
Nick Parker, Loyola (N.O.); Tevon Saddler, Nicholls; Jared Sam, Southern