Four Lights earn Frontier honors

Tuesday night saw plenty to celebrate when it comes to the Montana State University-Northern men's basketball team. And while it wasn't something on the Lights' minds at the time, the Frontier Conference also announced it men's Frontier All-Conference selections and season awards while the Lights were winning the Frontier Conference championship at Carroll College.

Northern saw four players earn all-conference for the 2010-11 season, with sophomore Devin Jackson and junior Joe Simpson both being selected Frontier First Team All Conference. It was the first such honor for both MSU-N standouts. Jackson averaged 12 points, four rebounds and shot 37 percent from the 3-point-line in his first year as a starter for the Lights. Simpson averaged 10 points and a team-high six rebounds in his first year at Northern, but he averaged better than 18 points and eight boards during the Frontier playoffs.

Northern junior guards Shaun Tatarka and LaVon Myers were named Frontier Second Team All-Conference for the year. Tatarka led the Lights in scoring at 13 points per game, and shot better than 40 percent from three, while Myers averaged 11.8 points and shot better than 38 percent from three in his first season at MSU-N.

Northern and Westminster had the most all-conference selections with four each. Western, Carroll, UGF and LC State each had three players selected and Montana Tech and Rocky Mountain College had two each.

Brandon Brown of Montana Western was named the Player of the Year. Brandon Veltri of Carroll College was named Coach of the Year. Byago Diouf of Carroll College was named Defensive Player of the Year, Jake Orchard of Westminster College was named Newcomer of the Year and Marcel Towns of the University of Great Falls was selected Freshman of the Year.

2011 Frontier All-Conference

First Team

Byago Diouf, Carroll College, Junior, Dakar, Senegal; Andy Garland, Carroll College, Junior, Missoula, Mont.; David Johnson, Lewis-Clark State, Junior, Chicago, Ill.; Devin Jackson, MSU-Northern, Junior, Denver, Colo.; Joe Simpson, MSU-Northern, Junior, Pittsburg, Calif.; Kellen Hasquet, Montana Tech, Senior, Missoula, Mont.; Brandon Brown, Montana Western, Junior, Tacoma, Wash.; Cody Thueringer, Montana Western, Senior, Kent, Wash.; E.J. Ross, Rocky Mountain, Senior, Washington D.C.; Mark Celaya, University of Great Falls, Senior, Chandler, Ariz.; Jake Orchard, Westminster College, Sophomore, Salt Lake City, Utah; Michael Stockton, Westminster College, Senior, Spokane, Wash.

Second Team

Tony Dalton, Carroll College, Junior, Moab, Utah; Alex King, Lewis-Clark State, Senior, Tacoma, Wash.; Donnie Lao, Lewis-Clark State, Senior, Midvale, Utah; LaVon Myers, MSU-Northern, Junior, Los Angeles, Calif.; Shaun Tatarka, MSU-Northern, Junior, Great Falls, Mont.; Tyrie Haynie, Montana Tech, Junior, Chico, Calif.; Hurley, Montana Western, Junior, Anaconda, Mont.; Sergio Trocha, Rocky Mountain, Junior, Cartagena, Colombia; L.J. Jones, University of Great Falls, Junior, Anaheim, Calif.; Marcel Towns, University of Great Falls, Freshman, Phoenix, Ariz.; Tanner Gregory, Westminster College, Junior, Provo, Utah; A.J. Reilly, Westminster College, Junior, San Diego, Calif.