Frontier Notebook: Northern's Reeves putting together a big season

There's exactly one month left in the Frontier Conference basketball season. And what do we really know? The answer is, not much.

It was another wild week of Frontier hoops, especially on the men's side where the Montana State University-Northern Lights stunned No. 8 Lewis-Clark State Friday night in overtime, but then turned around and suffered a stinging loss to UM-Western Saturday night in the Armory. Northern had to play Saturday night's game without Shawn Huse, who was ejected from Friday night's game, and had to serve a one-game suspension as a result. It was Huse' first ejection in his brilliant 16-year career at Northern.

Yes, this last week in the Frontier on the men's side once again shows that the regular season title is anyone's guess. Carroll suffered its third loss in its last four games but is still tied for second with LC State. The Lights and Rocky Mountain College are just two games out of first at 5-5 and even Providence is right there at 4-6. Western is in first place at 7-3, but even that lead is nowhere near safe.

Things are literally no different on the women's side. In fact, it's even more wide open. First place has three teams at 7-3, Rocky, Carroll and Providence. Western is the hottest team in the league, having won its last five, including a 30-point dismantling of Providence Friday night. However, that five-game win streak has only brought the Bulldogs up to 6-4 in conference play. LC State has slumped to a 4-6 record, losing four of its last five in league play, and yet, the Warriors are only three games out of first with eight to go.

So again, what does all this mean? First, it means the Frontier truly doesn't have a dominant men's or women's team this season. That much is obvious. Anybody truly can beat anybody this year. Secondly, so much parity is not going to be good for either league when it comes to the national rankings, and NAIA tournament at-large berths. There's just too much movement. Conversely, and lastly, however, it's sure is going to make February one exciting month.

Leaders of the Pack

With just eight games left in the regular season, the race for Frontier postseason awards is also starting to take shape, and on the men's side, MSU-Northern certainly has a candidate to rack up postseason accolades in senior Ryan Reeves.

Heading into this weekend's road trip to Rocky Mountain College and Carroll College, Reeves is averaging 16 points, while leading the Frontier in rebounding at 9 per night, as well as the NAIA in blocked shots at just under four per game. Reeves is the defending Frontier Defensive Player of the Year, and a shoe-in for the award again this season. But it shouldn't preclude him from being in the Player of the Year discussion either.

This weekend, Reeves will go head-to-head with two of the top candidates for Frontier MVP as well. Carroll's Ryan Imhoff leads the league in scoring at 20 ppg, while Rocky's Jared Samuelson is second at 19. Frontier Preseason Player of the Year Dom Robinson is also having another big year for Western, averaging 19 points and a Frontier-best six assists per outing.

As for the other Frontier awards, Samuelson is a safe bet for Newcomer of the Year, while Coach of the Year is wide open, and will likely go to whoever wins the Frontier title.

On the women's side, the Frontier Player of the Year award is certainly a wide open race, but one would figure Providence senior Steph McDonagh has the inside track. She leads the league in both scoring, 19 ppg, and steals, 3 per night, while also dishing out five assists per game. Western's Brianna King is certainly right there as well, but King will likely nab Newcomer of the Year honors. Providence's Parker Esary and Rocky's Brooke Jones are also having fantastic seasons, while the Northern duo of Peyton Filius and Brandy Lambourne are both averaging 13 ppg, which is in the top five in the league this season in scoring.

Unlike on the men's side, the race for Women's Coach of the Year definitely has some favorites. Rocky's Wes Keller and Providence's Bill Himmelberg have to be at the top of the list, given the turnarounds at both programs. Just a season ago, RMC finished 5-13 in conference play, while Providence was 1-17. Both teams are now battling for the league title, and a chance to go deep at the national tourney in Billings.

Frontier Honors

Brianna King of Montana-Western was named the Frontier Conference's Women's Basketball Player of the Week. King is a 5-5 junior guard from Spokane, Washington. This past weekend, the Bulldogs won two road games. (RV) Western beat No. 14 University of Providence 82-55 and MSU-Northern 67-51.

King averaged 19 points, five rebounds, six assists and three steals. She was 13 of 27 from the field and 8 of 8 from the free throw line.

Zaccheus Darko-Kelly of Montana-Western was named the Frontier Conference's Men's Basketball Player of the Week. Darko-Kelly is a 6-6 junior forward from Great Falls. 16th-ranked Western was 2-0 for the weekend. On the road, the Bulldogs beat the University of Providence 91-60 and downed (RV) MSU-Northern 86-75.

Darko-Kelly averaged 24.5 points, 8.5 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 2.5 steals. He was 17 of 30 from the field, including 8 of 11 3-point field goals and was 7 for 8 from the free throw line.

Northern's Shiloh McCormick and Ryan Reeves were nominated this week.