Eastern Michigan Athletics
Men's Basketball Announces 2007-08 Awards
4/10/2008 8:00:00 PM | Men's Basketball
Junior Carlos Medlock named team’s MVP
YPSILANTI, Mich.--The Eastern Michigan University men’s basketball team put the finishing touches on the 2007-08 season announcing individual award winners at the annual awards ceremony held Thursday, April 10, in the Convocation Center atrium.
Head Coach Charles E. Ramsey and his staff selected six individuals and one manager for awards. In addition, there were four statistical awards presented.
The Grant Long Most Valuable Player Award was earned by junior point guard Carlos Medlock (Detroit, Mich.-Murray Wright). The Earle Higgins Leadership Award was presented to senior Jesse Bunkley (Detroit, Mich.-CMA-Mott Community College).
Junior guard Travis Lewis (Kalamazoo, Mich.-Loy Norrix) was the recipient of the team’s Earl Boykins Defensive Player of the Year Award. Senior guard Jarred Axon (Jackson, Mich.-Jackson-Schoolcraft C.C.) was awarded the Harold Simons Most Improved Player Award and senior forward Nenad Banjanin (Belgrade, Serbia-Lon Morris (Texas) J.C.) won the Dan Hoff Scholar-Athlete Award. Junior guard Tyler Jones (Belleville, Mich.-Belleville) was selected for the Jack Brusewitz Hustle and Spirit Award.
Manager Marlon Murray was the recipient of the Andy Herold Manager of the Year Award for the second straight year for his outstanding efforts as a team manager.
Individual statistical awards were presented to four players. Medlock was the assists leader at 4.1 per game while Axon was the free throw leader after connecting on 51-of-60 for .850 percent. Lewis paced the team in rebounding at 5.7 per game and sophomore Justin Dobbins (Cleveland, Ohio-Glenville) was the leader in field-goal percentage at .528 after hitting 114-of-216 shots.
In addition to the individual awards, EMU head coach Charles E. Ramsey announced that 15 players earned letters for the 2007-08 season. The letterwinners are: Merlynd Ameti (Dearborn, Mich.-Annapolis), Axon, Banjanin, Brandon Bowdry (St. Louis, Mo.-Taylor (Mich.) Truman), Bunkley, Will Cooper (Detroit, Mich.-Pershing-Bridgton (Maine) Academy), Dobbins, Kyle Dodd (Rockwood, Ontario, Canada-John F. Ross Collegiate), Solomon Farris (Detroit, Mich.-Osborn), Wendale Farrow (Sacramento, Calif.-Mira Loma-American River J.C.), L.J. Frazier (Ypsilanti, Mich.-Ypsilanti), Zane Gay (Olivet, Mich.-Olivet), Jones, Lewis and Medlock.
The 6-foot Medlock turned in an outstanding junior year in 2007-08, finishing in the top nine in the Mid-American Conference in five separate categories. His 14.8 scoring average not only led the Eagles, but was good for eighth in the league. Medlock, who was named honorable mention All-MAC, finished fourth in the league in assists (4.10), sixth in assist-turnover ratio (1.18), eighth in free-throw percentage (144-of-176; .818), and ninth in 3-point field goals made (2.03). He has scored 1,032 points in his EMU career to rank 23rd heading into his senior season in 2008-09.
Lewis, a starting wide receiver on the EMU football team, joined the hoops squad at the completion of the football season and finished the basketball season as the team’s leading rebounder at 5.7 per game. He also averaged 4.8 points and finished 10th in the league in steals at 1.52 per game. He was one of the top defensive players in the MAC his past two seasons. Lewis completed his EMU basketball career with 46 starts while playing in 76 games. He averaged 4.1 rebounds, 3.2 points, 4.1 assists and 1.1 steals during his career. Lewis’ 311 career rebounds ranks 58th in EMU history.
Bunkley finished fourth on the team in scoring (9.8) and led the squad in triples with 67 on the year, good for third in the MAC. He finished his EMU career with 644 points, good for 64th on the all-time scoring list and his 148 career threes is good for sixth in school history.
Jones, like Lewis, also joined the hoops team after the football season was completed and he made his presence felt, playing in 26 games and averaging 4.2 points and 1.9 rebounds.
Banjanin played in 26 games this past season and finished with a 2.2 scoring average and a 1.2 rebound mark. He recorded a 4.0 GPA in the fall semester as a communications major and has an overall GPA of 3.47.
A junior-college transfer from Schoolcraft C.C., Axon turned in two outstanding seasons for the Eagles. As a senior in 2007-08, Axon played in all 31 games and averaged 10.1 points. He made 65-of-168 3-point field goals to rank ninth in the MAC at 38.7 percent. His 2.10 per-game average for triple tries was good for seventh in the league. Axon finished his EMU career with 95 threes, 13th best in EMU history.
Eastern Michigan University 2007-08 Men’s Basketball Awards
(As chosen by the coaching staff)
Grant Long Most Valuable Player Award - Carlos Medlock (Detroit, Mich.-Murray Wright)
Earl Boykins Defensive Player of the Year Award - Travis Lewis (Kalamazoo, Mich.-Loy Norrix)
Earle Higgins Leadership Award - Jesse Bunkley (Detroit, Mich.-CMA-Mott C.C.)
Jack Brusewitz Hustle & Spirit Award - Tyler Jones (Belleville, Mich.-Belleville)
Dan Hoff Scholar-Athlete Award - Nenad Banjanin (Belgrade, Serbia-Lon Morris (Texas) J.C.
Harold Simons Most Improved Player Award - Jarred Axon (Jackson,Mich.-Jackson-Schoolcraft C.C.)
Andy Herold Manager of the Year Award - Marlon Murray
