Hardin-Simmons Picked to Win 2015 ASC Men’s Basketball Championship

HSU senior forward Derrick Jefferson, a 2014 all-conference selection, returns to lead a Cowboys team that reached their fourth consecutive ASC Championship Tournament including two finals appearances in the last three years.

10/21/2014 8:33:50 AM

HSU Coach Craig Carse

RICHARDSON, Texas – Hardin-Simmons has been picked to win the 2015 American Southwest Conference Men’s Basketball championship following a vote of the league's head coaches, sports information directors and select media members, the ASC office announced Tuesday (Oct. 21).

The 2015 ASC championship should be a highly contested race as Hardin-Simmons edged the defending ASC champions Texas Dallas by six points in the preseason poll. Both the Cowboys and Comets received nine first place votes.

Hardin-Simmons (19-9/18-5 ASC) received 234 points in the preseason poll. Senior forward Derrick Jefferson, a 2014 all-conference selection, returns to lead a Cowboys team that reached their fourth consecutive ASC Championship Tournament including two finals appearances in the last three years.

Texas Dallas (27-4/20-2 ASC) came in a close second behind HSU with 228 points in the preseason poll. All-conference senior guards Matthew Medell and Nolan Harvey return to lead a Comets team that set a team record last season for overall (27) and conference wins (20) en route to claiming the league’s regular season title, ASC Championship and appearing in the Sweet 16.

Mary Hardin-Baylor (17-9/15-7 ASC) is ranked third in the preseason poll and received 210 points and three first-place votes. Coach Ken DeWeese has led the Cru to 11 consecutive ASC Championship Tournament appearances and leads the league with 14 appearances overall.

Concordia Texas (16-10/13-9 ASC) is ranked fourth in the preseason poll and came in just five points behind UMHB with 205 points and also received three first-place votes. Senior guard Josh Sanchez, a 2014 all-conference selection, returns to lead a Tornados team that reached the ASC Championship Tournament in each of the last two seasons.

The 2015 ASC Men’s Basketball Watch List is composed of players nominated by the head coaches and returns six all-conference selections from last season.

The 2015 season marks the 19th in league history. Regular season play begins Nov. 15. The three-day, eight-team, single-elimination conference tournament is slated for February 26-28 at the site of the No. 1 seed and an automatic berth into the NCAA Division III Men's Basketball Championship will be on the line.

ASC Men’s Basketball Preseason Poll

No.	Team (First-place votes)	Pts.	2014 Record
1.	Hardin-Simmons (9)	234	19-9/18-5 ASC
2.	Texas Dallas (9)	228	27-4/20-2 ASC
3.	Mary Hardin-Baylor (3)	210	17-9/15-7 ASC
4.	Concordia Texas (3)	205	16-10/13-9 ASC
5.	Louisiana College	163	12-14/11-12 ASC
	Texas-Tyler	163	15-12/13-9 ASC
7.	East Texas Baptist	116	11-15/9-13 ASC
8.	Sul Ross State	95	11-15/10-12 ASC
9.	Howard Payne	73	5-20/5-17 ASC
10.	Ozarks	58	8-17/6-16 ASC
11.	LeTourneau	40	5-20/4-18 ASC

ASC Men’s Basketball Watch List

Name	Pos.	Class	School
Josh Sanchez*	G	Sr.	Concordia Texas
Brett DeMetrotion	F	Sr.	Concordia Texas
Andre Potts	G	Sr.	Concordia Texas
Jamil Samuel*	C	Jr.	East Texas Baptist
Erby Thompson	G	Sr.	East Texas Baptist
Justin Felicia	F	Sr.	East Texas Baptist
Derrick Jefferson*	G/F	Sr.	Hardin-Simmons
Cameron Barnes	G/F	Jr.	Hardin-Simmons
Christian O’Neal	G	So.	Hardin-Simmons
Brandon Gould*	G	Sr.	Howard Payne
Bryan Adams	F	Sr.	Howard Payne
Jorden Young	G	Sr.	Howard Payne
Giovanny Thompson	C	Jr.	LeTourneau
A.J. Gaines	F	Jr.	Louisiana College
Kevin Cottonham	G	Jr.	Louisiana College
Kevin Lewis	F	Jr.	Louisiana College
Josh Ferrell	G	So.	Ozarks
Ted Beard	F	Sr.	Ozarks
Josh Clark	F	Sr.	Ozarks
Christopher Harrison	G/F	Jr.	Sul Ross State
Darrell Gardner	C	Jr.	Sul Ross State
Zakk Revelle	G	Sr.	Sul Ross State
Nolan Harvey*	G	Sr.	Texas Dallas
Matthew Medell*	G	Sr.	Texas Dallas
Chris Rios	G	Sr.	Texas-Tyler
Josiah Summerville	F	Sr.	Texas-Tyler

2013-14 All-Conference Selection*

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