Great South Athletic Conference

LAGRANGE, Ga. – The Great South Athletic Conference announced its 2007-08 men's basketball awards Tuesday. Piedmont senior Jake Baldwin is the GSAC Player of the Year. Maryville's Eryk Watson is the GSAC Freshman of the Year, while Maryville College's Randy Lambert is the GSAC Coach of the Year.

Baldwin led the GSAC in scoring and was second in rebounding, averaging 28.0 points and 8.3 rebounds per game. He currently leads NCAA Division III in scoring. Baldwin has been an all-conference selection for four years. He was the GSAC Co-Player of the Year last season and the GSAC Freshman of the Year for the 2004-05 season. Baldwin was the GSAC Player of the Week three times this season. He scored 30 points or more in a game 11 times. Baldwin tied his career-high of 42 points against Rust in the season opener and again against Birmingham-Southern. He led or tied for the team high in scoring in all 24 games he played in. Baldwin had nine double-doubles this season.

Watson was Maryville's second leading scorer, averaging 12.2 points per game. He was ranked in the top 10 in four GSAC categories. Watson led the Fighting Scots in scoring in five games. He had a season-high 26 points twice against Emory and against Southeastern. Watson is the first freshman to make the all-conference team since the 2004-05 season.

Lambert led Maryville to its seventh straight GSAC regular season title. The Fighting Scots were a perfect 6-0 in league play and finished the regular season 22-2. Maryville is currently ranked 20th in the D3hoops.com national Division III poll. Lambert has 523 career wins. The Fighting Scots have nine straight NCAA Division III national tournament appearances.

2007-08 Men's Basketball Year-End Honors

Player of the Year - Jake Baldwin, Piedmont

Freshman of the Year - Eryk Watson, Maryville

Coach of the Year - Randy Lambert, Maryville

All-Conference Team
Jeremy Pittman, Huntingdon, SR, F, Valdosta, Ga., 16.6 ppg., 8.4 rpg.
Demetris Render, LaGrange, SR, F, Newnan, Ga., 21.3 ppg, 7.7 rpg.
Joe Cromwell, LaGrange, JR, G, Atlanta, Ga., 15.0 ppg., 5.5 rpg.
Jake Baldwin, Piedmont, SR, F, Cumming, Ga., 28.0 ppg., 8.3 rpg.
Sam Coppage, Piedmont, SO, Ringgold, Ga., 14.0 ppg., 3.0 rpg.
Alex Bowers, Maryville, SR, G, Clarksville, Tenn., 15.8 ppg., 4.5 rpg.
Christopher Orr, Maryville, SO, P, Brentwood, Tenn., 11.0 ppg., 5.0 rpg.
Eryk Watson, Maryville, FR, G, Powder Springs, Ga., 12.3 ppg., 3.3 rpg.

All-Freshman Team
Bradley Floyd, LaGrange, G, Rossville, Ga., 2.8 ppg., 1.2 rpg.
Nic Whitfield, LaGrange, F, Stockbridge, Ga., 9.8 ppg., 4.9 rpg.
Eryk Watson, Maryville, FR, G, Powder Springs, Ga., 12.3 ppg., 3.3 rpg.
Daniel Lampl, Piedmont, G, Pendergrass, Ga., 3.0 ppg., 1.1 rpg.

All-Academic Team

Huntingdon College
Adam Cotant
Jeremy Driver
Heath Miller
Caleb Schmidt

GSAC announces 2007-08 men's basketball awards