Three men’s basketball Lions earn All-MIAA mention

Three members of the Missouri Southern State University men’s basketball team earned mention on the All-MIAA squad announced today at the Purinton, Chance & Mills/MIAA Media Welcome Reception.

Senior point guard Ameer Watts (Rockford, Ill.) was among four guards selected for first-team honors on the all-conference team. He enters the Sonic/MIAA Championships as the league leader with 5.37 assists per game, while also ranking seventh in scoring (a team-best 15.0 ppg), sixth in steals (1.67 pg) and seventh in free throw percentage (.807).

The 5-foot-10 and 185-pounder has scored in double figures in 20 of Southern’s 27 games this year, including team season-highs of 29 points at St. Mary’s (Texas) and Central Missouri State. Watts tallied a total of 25 assists this year against Emporia State alone, including a career-best 13 in the road meeting on Jan. 21. He’s now fourth on the Lions’ career assists list, with 311, and needs just six more for sole possession of third place. Watts is also third in MSSU history with 123 three-pointers made, and has hit at least one three in 26 of 27 games this year and enters the Sonic/MIAA Championships having made one in 25 consecutive games.

Watts’ selection marks the fourth time in five seasons that the Lions’ point guard has been a first-team All-MIAA performer. Eddin Santiago, Watts’ predecessor at the point, did it three times (2000-02).

Senior forward Deon Rose (Lima, Ohio) collected honorable mention All-MIAA accolades. The 6-foot-5 forward is currently averaging 11 points and five rebounds per game for the season, but has been the Lions’ top rebounder (5.3 rpg) and second-leading scorer (12.9 rpg) in conference play. Rose is an example of one player whose game went to a new level when MIAA play began. He reached double figures in scoring just three times in Southern’s first nine games, all non-conference contest. But Rose has scored in double digits in 16 of the Lions’ 18 MIAA games.

Junior guard Hiram Ocasio (Toa Alta, Puerto Rico) was tabbed for the All-MIAA Defensive Team. Ocasio, 6-foot-1 and 190 pounds, currently leads the MIAA with 3.15 steals per game and was ranked No. 3 in NCAA Division II, through games of Feb. 22, in the same category. He’s had 13 games this year with three or more steals, including a career-high nine against Paul Quinn (Texas) and two eight-steal efforts against Southwest Baptist.

Ocasio is also eighth in the MIAA in blocked shots (0.78 pg) and averages 11.9 points and 3.9 rebounds a game.

The Lions (14-13, 7-11 MIAA), the No. 6 seed for the Sonic/MIAA Championships, tip off play in the tournament on Friday with an 8:30 p.m. contest against No. 3 seed Northwest Missouri State (23-4, 14-4 MIAA), ranked No. 11 in last week’s NABC/Division II Bulletin Top 25. The winner of the Sonic/MIAA Championships earns an automatic berth for the NCAA Division II South Central Regional.

The Sonic/MIAA Championships will be played March 4-7 at the historic Municipal Auditorium in downtown Kansas City, Mo.


	Feb. 29, 2004 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Three men’s basketball Lions earn All-MIAA mention Senior point guard Ameer Watts tabbed for first-team honors Three members of the Missouri Southern State University men’s basketball team earned mention on the All-MIAA squad announced today at the Purinton, Chance & Mills/MIAA Media Welcome Reception. Senior point guard Ameer Watts (Rockford, Ill.) was among four guards selected for first-team honors on the all-conference team. He enters the Sonic/MIAA Championships as the league leader with 5.37 assists per game, while also ranking seventh in scoring (a team-best 15.0 ppg), sixth in steals (1.67 pg) and seventh in free throw percentage (.807). The 5-foot-10 and 185-pounder has scored in double figures in 20 of Southern’s 27 games this year, including team season-highs of 29 points at St. Mary’s (Texas) and Central Missouri State. Watts tallied a total of 25 assists this year against Emporia State alone, including a career-best 13 in the road meeting on Jan. 21. He’s now fourth on the Lions’ career assists list, with 311, and needs just six more for sole possession of third place. Watts is also third in MSSU history with 123 three-pointers made, and has hit at least one three in 26 of 27 games this year and enters the Sonic/MIAA Championships having made one in 25 consecutive games. Watts’ selection marks the fourth time in five seasons that the Lions’ point guard has been a first-team All-MIAA performer. Eddin Santiago, Watts’ predecessor at the point, did it three times (2000-02). Senior forward Deon Rose (Lima, Ohio) collected honorable mention All-MIAA accolades. The 6-foot-5 forward is currently averaging 11 points and five rebounds per game for the season, but has been the Lions’ top rebounder (5.3 rpg) and second-leading scorer (12.9 rpg) in conference play. Rose is an example of one player whose game went to a new level when MIAA play began. He reached double figures in scoring just three times in Southern’s first nine games, all non-conference contest. But Rose has scored in double digits in 16 of the Lions’ 18 MIAA games. Junior guard Hiram Ocasio (Toa Alta, Puerto Rico) was tabbed for the All-MIAA Defensive Team. Ocasio, 6-foot-1 and 190 pounds, currently leads the MIAA with 3.15 steals per game and was ranked No. 3 in NCAA Division II, through games of Feb. 22, in the same category. He’s had 13 games this year with three or more steals, including a career-high nine against Paul Quinn (Texas) and two eight-steal efforts against Southwest Baptist. Ocasio is also eighth in the MIAA in blocked shots (0.78 pg) and averages 11.9 points and 3.9 rebounds a game. The Lions (14-13, 7-11 MIAA), the No. 6 seed for the Sonic/MIAA Championships, tip off play in the tournament on Friday with an 8:30 p.m. contest against No. 3 seed Northwest Missouri State (23-4, 14-4 MIAA), ranked No. 11 in last week’s NABC/Division II Bulletin Top 25. The winner of the Sonic/MIAA Championships earns an automatic berth for the NCAA Division II South Central Regional. The Sonic/MIAA Championships will be played March 4-7 at the historic Municipal Auditorium in downtown Kansas City, Mo.