University of Montana guard Anthony Johnson is one of 30 players named to the CollegeInsider.com Lou Henson (Mid-Major) All-American team, announced the organization today from its headquarters in Boston.
"Obviously, I am thrilled for Anthony," said fourth-year UM head coach Wayne Tinkle. "He had a huge impact on our basketball program during his two years at Montana, culminating with his outstanding play in the conference tournament, which was an enormous help in getting our team into the NCAA tournament. It's nice that his efforts were recognized not only by the Big Sky and in the West, but nationally as well."
A 6-3 senior from Tacoma, Wash., Johnson was the most prolific two-year player in Grizzly history, finishing 14th in career scoring with 1,124 points. He is the first two-year player ever at UM to break the 1,000-point scoring plateau.
Johnson was a unanimous first team All-Big Sky Conference selection as a junior and a senior. This past season he was named the MVP of the league tournament when he scored a record 42 points in a 66-65 win in the title game over regular-season champion and host Weber State.
In the Griz win over WSU, Johnson not only scored a school, tournament, and Dee Events Center record 42 points, but he scored 34 points (also a record) of those points in the second half, and he also tallied UM's final 21 points in UM's 22-point come-from-behind victory.
This past season Johnson scored 615 points - the fifth most ever in a season at Montana, while his 19.2 points per game average is the sixth highest (tie) in school history. This year he also set Big Sky season records by scoring 83 total points, making 14 free throws in a row, and going 14-of-14 from the line in the WSU victory.
Johnson also set a Montana career free-throw percentage record of 87.3%, making 364-of-417 charity shots.
The Lou Henson All-American team selection committee was comprised of Stephen Bardo (ESPN), Dr. McKinley Boston (New Mexico State), Jimmy Collins (Illinois-Chicago), Mark Coomes (Retired Head Coach), Gene Cross (Former Head Coach of Toledo), Chris Crutchfield (Oral Roberts), Tom Douple (Summit League), Joe Dwyer (CollegeInsider.com), Rob Evans (Arkansas), Steve Fisher (San Diego State), John Giannini (La Salle), Ed Groom (Great West Conference), Ted Gumbart (Atlantic Sun Conference), Lou Henson (Former Head Coach Illinois and New Mexico State), Kyle B. Kallander (Big South Conference), Jon Kasper (Big Sky Conference), Angela Lento (CollegeInsider.com), Marvin Menzies (New Mexico State), Scott Nagy (South Dakota State), Frank Sullivan (America East Conference), Riley Wallace (CollegeInsider.com).
Rather then assembling first, second, third and fourth teams and honorable mentions, the Lou Henson All-America team is one team consisting of 30 players.
The Lou Henson Mid-Major Player of the Year award will be announced on Friday, April 2 in Indianapolis. Coach Henson will be in attendance to make the presentation.
The Team:
Keith Benson 6-11 Jr. Oakland
Marqus Blakely 6-5 Sr. Vermont
Matt Bouldin 6-5 Sr. Gonzaga
Noah Dahlman 6-6 Jr. Wofford
Louis Dale 5-11 Sr. Cornell
Kenneth Faried 6-8 Jr. Morehead State
Charles Garcia 6-10 Jr. Seattle
Robert Glenn 6-7 Sr. IUPUI
Andrew Goudelock 6-7 Sr. College of Charleston
Reggie Holmes 6-4 Sr. Morgan State
Matt Howard 6-8 Jr. Butler
Matt Janning 6-4 Sr. Northeastern
Charles Jenkins 6-3 Jr. Hofstra
Anthony Johnson 6-3 Sr. Montana
Orlando Johnson 6-5 So. UC Santa Barbara
Johnathon Jones 5-11 Sr. Oakland
Adam Koch 6-8 Sr. Northern Iowa
David Kool 6-3 Sr. Western Michigan
Gerald Lee 6-10 Sr. Old Dominion
Jeremy Lin 6-3 Sr. Harvard
Shelvin Mack 6-3 So. Butler
Ashton Mitchell 5-11 Sr. Sam Houston State
Artsiom Parakhouski 6-11 Sr. Radford
Larry Sanders 6-11 Jr. VCU
A.J. Slaughter 6-3 Sr. Western Kentucky
Ryan Thompson 6-6 Sr. Rider
Edwin Ubiles 6-6 Sr. Siena
Cameron Wells 6-1 Jr. The Citadel
Ryan Wittman 6-6 Sr. Cornell
Desmond Yates 6-7 Sr. Middle Tennessee