University of Alabama sophomore guard Kira Lewis Jr. was named All-Southeastern Conference First Team while junior guard John Petty Jr. earned All-SEC Second Team honors, as the league office announced the 2020 postseason awards on Tuesday. In addition to the all-conference accolades, the head coaches from around the league also voted UA guard Jaden Shackelford was selected to the league’s all-freshman team, while junior guard/forward Herbert Jones was tabbed as an all-defensive team performer.
Lewis was also a first-team selection on the Associated Press five-man All-SEC team
This is the first time since 2006 and second time in program history that Alabama has had four different players earn All-SEC honors in the same year. That season, Ronald Steele (first team), Jermareo Davidson (first team), Alonzo Gee (all-freshman) and Richard Hendrix (all-freshman) were recognized.
Lewis, who earned SEC All-Freshman honors a year ago, leads the Crimson Tide in scoring (18.5 ppg), assists (5.2 apg), steals (1.8 spg) minutes (37.6 mpg) and field goals made (206) and attempted (449). The only UA player to have started all 31 contests this season, Lewis enters SEC Tournament action leading the league in minutes, ranking third in assists and steals, and fourth in scoring average.
Meanwhile, Petty is considered the top three-point shooter in the SEC. Averaging 14.5 ppg, the Huntsville, Ala., native leads the league in three-point shooting percentage (.440) and ranks second in threes made per game (2.9), totals that are ranked ninth and 28th in the nation, respectively. He also leads Alabama and ranks 11th in the league with 6.6 rebounds per contest.
In his first season at the Capstone, Shackelford has made an immediate impact as his 466 points scored this season ranks fourth on UA’s all-time freshman scoring leaders list. In SEC play alone, he led the league with 55 threes made and ranked 10th with 16.5 points per game. For the year, the Hesperia, Calif., native currently ranks third in the league in three-point percentage (.357) and threes made per game (2.7), while checking in at No. 11 in scoring average (15.0 ppg). Shackelford becomes the fourth straight Crimson Tide player to earn a spot on the SEC All-Freshman Team, joining Lewis (2019), Collin Sexton (2018) and Braxton Key (2017).
Despite missing what amounted to nearly five full games due to a variety of injuries this season, Jones’ impact on the defensive end of the floor was felt throughout the year in games he played in and especially games in which he could not suit up. The team leader in Blue Collar Points with 593 – which is used by the coaching staff to measure effort and hustle – the Greensboro, Ala., native still leads Alabama in charges taken (22), deflections (84) and floor dives (31). Over the past seven games, Jones has started each game despite not being able to use his left arm – and dominant hand – due to a surgically-repaired left wrist.
The No. 9-seeded Crimson Tide will take on No. 8 seed Tennessee in Thursday’s SEC Tournament contest. The game will tip off at noon CT and will be televised on SEC Network.
A complete list of the 2020 SEC Men’s Basketball postseason awards follows:
First Team All-SEC
Kira Lewis Jr., Alabama
Mason Jones, Arkansas
Samir Doughty, Auburn
Keyontae Johnson, Florida
Immanuel Quickley, Kentucky
Nick Richards, Kentucky
Skylar Mays, LSU
Breein Tyree, Ole Miss
Reggie Perry, Mississippi State
Second Team All-SEC
John Petty Jr., Alabama
Isaac Okoro, Auburn
Kerry Blackshear Jr., Florida
Anthony Edwards, Georgia
Tyrese Maxey, Kentucky
Maik Kotsar, South Carolina
John Fulkerson, Tennessee
Saben Lee, Vanderbilt
All-Freshman Team
Jaden Shackelford, Alabama
Isaac Okoro, Auburn
Scottie Lewis, Florida
Anthony Edwards, Georgia
Tyrese Maxey, Kentucky
Trendon Watford, LSU
Jermaine Couisnard, South Carolina
Scotty Pippen Jr., Vanderbilt
All-Defensive Team
Herbert Jones, Alabama
Isaac Okoro, Auburn
Ashton Hagans, Kentucky
Nick Richards, Kentucky
Yves Pons, Tennessee
Coach of the Year: John Calipari, Kentucky
Player of the Year: Immanuel Quickley, Kentucky
Scholar-Athlete of the Year: Skylar Mays, LSU
Freshman of the Year: Anthony Edwards, Georgia
Sixth-Man of the Year: Tyson Carter, Mississippi State
Defensive Player of the Year: Yves Pons, Tennessee
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Associated Press All-SEC Team
FIRST TEAM
Kira Lewis Jr., Alabama, 6-3, 165, So., Meridianville, Alabama
Mason Jones, Arkansas, 6-5, 200, Jr., DeSoto, Texas
Reggie Perry, Mississippi State, 6-10, 250, So., Thomasville, Georgia
Nick Richards, Kentucky, 6-11, 247, Jr., Jamaica
Immanuel Quickley, Kentucky, 6-3, 188, So., Harve de Grace, Maryland
SECOND TEAM
Samir Doughty, Auburn, 6-4, 195, Sr., Philadelphia
Anthony Edwards, Georgia, 6-5, 225, Fr., Atlanta
Keyontae Johnson, Florida, 6-5, 231, So., Norfolk, Virginia
Skylar Mays, LSU, 6-4, 205, Sr., Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Breein Tyree, Mississippi, 6-2, 195, Sr., Somerset, New Jersey
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Ceoach of the year — Buzz Williams, Texas A&M
Player of the year — Mason Jones, Arkansas, and Reggie Perry, Mississippi State
Newcomer of the year — Anthony Edwards, Georgia
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