BRENTWOOD, Tenn. -- Austin Peay sophomore forward Drake Reed was named 2006-07 Ohio Valley Conference Player of the Year and the Governors head coach Dave Loos garnered Coach of the Year honors in a vote of the League's head coaches and sports information directors. A pair of talented young players shared the League's Freshman of the Year award, as Eastern Illinois' Romain Martin and Eastern Kentucky's Adam Leonard garnered an equal amount of votes and split the award for the first time since its inception in 1990-91.
Reed led Austin Peay in scoring in 2006-07, averaging 15.9 points per game, a mark that ranked fifth overall in the Conference. He also pulled down 5.9 rebounds per contest, a total that was second on his team and ninth-best in the OVC. Reed also ranked among Conference leaders in field goal percentage (53.0%, 6th) and minutes played (32.7, 12th). He started all 29 of the Govs games during his sophomore campaign and had 26 steals and 12 blocked shots on the year. Reed scored in double figures in 26 of 29 games during the year including the final 21 contests of the regular season. He had a season-high 31 points against Arkansas State and on OVC-high of 23 twice. Reed, a native of Clarksville, Tenn., helped the Governors to a 16-4 Conference record and the program's seventh overall OVC Regular Season Title, and first since their perfect 16-0 campaign in 2003-04. He is the fourth Austin Peay player to win Player of the Year honors and first since Trenton Hassell claimed the League's top honor in 2001.
Loos, the Dean of OVC coaches, won Coach of the Year honors for the fifth time in his illustrious career (he also won awards in 1991, 1997, 2003 and 2004). Picked to finish sixth in a preseason vote of coaches and sports information directors, Loos directed the Governors to one of the best season's in school history, and best since leading the program to an undefeated season in 2003-04. After a slow start (the team was 5-6 through December) Loos helped the squad come together in January, as the squad reeled off 11 straight victories from Dec. 20 until Feb. 1. When the team's streak ended at Murray State, the winning streak was the third longest nationally (behind only Wisconsin and Florida). The Governors suffered only four Conference defeats on the season, with two of those coming in the final week, after the regular season crown and No. 1 seed in the Conference tournament had long been locked up. During the season Loos became the all-time leader in victories at Austin Peay. His 270 victories at Austin Peay ranks third all-time in Ohio Valley Conference history and his 17-year tenure at Austin Peay is second all-time among League coaches.
Martin, who ranked seventh in the Conference in scoring (14.8 points/game) became the first Eastern Illinois freshman to lead the Panthers in scoring in the program's Division I era. Martin was just one of 23 freshmen nationally to lead their teams in scoring. Martin, a native of Minneapolis, Minn., played in 29 games during the year, starting 23, and also totaled 2.0 rebounds, 27 assists and 15 steals while hitting 42.4 percent (145-of-342) from the field and 38.0 percent (72-of-83) from 3-point range, a mark that was seventh in the OVC. His 86.7 percent free throw percentage (72-of-83) led all Conference performers and he upped his play during the Conference season, averaging 16.2 points per game in 19 League contests. Martin, who earned the League's Freshman of the Week honor five times this season (one off the record of six set by Drake Reed last year), had a season-high 27 points against Tennessee Tech and scored 20 or more points eight times in 2006-07. The award marks the third consecutive season that an Eastern Illinois player has won the award.
Leonard, who hails from Lee's Summit, Mo., ranked 12th in the Conference in scoring (12.8 points/game). A dead-eyed outside shooter, Leonard led the OVC in 3-pointers made per game (3.05) and ranked 10th in the League in 3-point percentage (37.9%). He also logged a lot of minutes, playing an average of 35.3 minutes per contest, the fourth highest mark in the League. Leonard started all 29 games in 2006-07, and also averaged 2.5 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 1.7 steals per game. He drained 92 3-pointers on the season, hitting at least one in 27 of 29 games, and hit six trifectas in a game against each Kentucky, Eastern Illinois and Southeast Missouri. Leonard earned the OVC's Freshman of the Week award three times during the season.
ALL-OVC TEAMS
Joining Reed on the All-OVC first-team was a pair of Tennessee Tech guards, junior Anthony Fisher and senior Belton Rivers, Samford senior guard Randall Gulina and Jacksonville State senior swingman Courtney Bradley.
Fisher, the runner-up for OVC Player of the Year, and Rivers combined to form one of the most dangerous backcourts in recent OVC history. Rivers led the League in scoring (18.0 points/game) while Fisher finished the regular season third in scoring (17.3 points/game). The duo also ranked among the League leaders in assists, with Fisher placing fourth (4.1/game) and Rivers finishing 14th (2.5/game), and free throw percentage with Fisher ranking fifth (79.6%) and Rivers 12th (74.2%). The duo combined for 149 3-pointers on the season with Rivers knocking down 88 and Fisher connecting on 61. Rivers ranked 11th in 3-point percentage (36.4%) and second in 3-pointers made per game (2.93), while Fisher was ninth in 3-pointers made per game (2.03). Fisher scored in double figures in 29 of 30 games, scored 20 or more points eight times during the year and had a season-high 35 points - where he hit 7-of-11 3-pointers - in an early season game at Austin Peay. Rivers scored 20 or more points 10 times during the campaign including a season-high 35 in an overtime victory over Northwestern State.
Gulina ranked second in the OVC in scoring (17.9 points/game), fifth in 3-pointers made per game (2.53), sixth in free throw percentage (78.9%), 10th in 3-point percentage (37.1%) and 10th in minutes played (33.2). Gulina also pulled down 3.4 rebounds per contest, dished out 36 total assists and had 27 steals on the season while hitting 45.4 percent (173-of-381) from the field. He scored in double figures in 28 of 30 games during his senior season, including a career-high (and OVC single-season high) 38 points in a win over Tennessee Temple. Gulina was named to the All-Tournament team at the LSU's Hispanic College Funds Classic in Baton Rouge, which is his hometown.
Bradley capped his two-year career at Jacksonville State by finishing fourth in the League in both scoring (17.0/game) and rebounding (7.0/game). An all-around talented player, Bradley also ranked among OVC leaders in steals (1.43/game, 9th) and free throw percentage (77.6%, 7th). Bradley hit 46.2 percent (187-of-405) of his shots and also had 35 assists and 43 steals on the year. He started all 30 games, tied for the League-lead in double-doubles (8) and scored 20 or more points 14 times, also an OVC-best. He was named OVC Player of the Week three times and scored a season-high 31 points against Wofford. He scored 28 points two of his final three career contests.
Five individuals were named to the All-OVC second-team including Murray State junior guard Bruce Carter, Austin Peay junior forward Fernandez Lockett, Tennessee State senior forward Clarence Matthews (who was also a second-team selection last season), Tennessee Tech junior forward Amadi McKenzie and Eastern Kentucky sophomore guard Mike Rose.
Five players were also selected to the OVC All-Newcomer team, which was comprised of first-year players new to the League. The OVC Co-Freshmen of the Year, Martin and Leonard, headlined the squad. The duo was joined by Murray State's Carter, Southeast Missouri State junior forward Brandon Foust and UT Martin junior forward Gerald Robinson.
OVC Player of the Year:
Drake Reed, Austin Peay
OVC Co-Freshmen of the Year: Adam Leonard, Eastern Kentucky & Romain Martin, Eastern Illinois
OVC Coach of the Year: Dave Loos, Austin Peay
ALL-OVC FIRST TEAM
*#Courtney Bradley, Jacksonville State
Anthony Fisher, Tennessee Tech
Randall Gulina, Samford
Drake Reed, Austin Peay
#Belton Rivers, Tennessee Tech
ALL-OVC SECOND TEAM
Bruce Carter, Murray State
Fernandez Lockett, Austin Peay
**Clarence Matthews, Tennessee State
Amadi McKenzie, Tennessee Tech
Mike Rose, Eastern Kentucky
ALL-NEWCOMER TEAM
Bruce Carter, Murray State
Brandon Foust, Southeast Missouri
Adam Leonard, Eastern Kentucky
Romain Martin, Eastern Illinois
Gerald Robinson, UT Martin
* - All-OVC 1st Team in 2005-06
** - All-OVC 2nd Team in 2005-06
# - All-Newcomer Team in 2005-06