, a 6-foot-3 senior from Grenada, was named the West Division Player of the Year after averaging 18.6 points and 3.9 assists.
Turner transferred to DSU from Mississippi State this past summer and enjoyed an up-and-down year, but made his greatest impact on the Statesmen during the league schedule.
In 22 games with 17 starts, Turner proved to be a scoring and defensive force when he was on the floor for the Statesmen. He averaged 2.6 steals per game to finish third in the GSC, while handing out 85 assists.
In league games, Turner averaged 21.5 points and 6.0 rebounds per game. He closed the regular season with five straight 20-point games, including three over 30-points.
Despite Delta State's level of success in the GSC over the years, Turner becomes just the seventh GSC West Division Player of the Year for the Statesmen and the first since Jasper Johnson earned the accolade in 2005-06 en route to National Player of the Year and CellularSouth Howell Trophy honors.
ALL-GSC TEAM OVERVIEW
Leading the way on the All-GSC squads are one returning First Teamer and four from last year's Second Team. Alabama-Huntsville and Arkansas Tech each provided three overall honorees, including a pair of First Teamers. Harding followed with two First Team players, while Arkansas-Monticello, North Alabama and Valdosta State placed one on the First and Second Teams.
West Florida landed a duo on the Second Team, while
Delta State, West Alabama and West Georgia had one First Team standout. Completing the team standings were Christian Brothers, Henderson State and Southern Arkansas which provided one Second Team member, respectively.
DSU, CBU AND ATU MAKE UP WEST ACCOLADES
Delta State guard
Phil Turner was voted the GSC West Division Player of the Year. Turner became DSU's first honoree since 2005-06 and its sixth overall winner. The senior made the most of his lone season in Green and White, leading the Conference in scoring (18.6) and ranking third in steals (2.6) and seventh in assists (3.9) and three-pointers made (2.5).
Christian Brothers guard Harry Green continued the Buccaneers' success in the West Division Freshman of the Year voting, becoming the third consecutive CBU winner and sixth in last seven seasons. Green started in all 28 games for the Bucs, averaging 9.9 points and 3.1 rebounds per game.
The West Division Coach of the Year originates from Arkansas Tech for the second year in a row, as first-year head coach Doug Karleskint follows his former mentor and last year's winner Mark Downey. Karleskint guided the Wonder Boys to their second straight division crown and a 22-3 overall regular season record.
UAH, UNA HEADLINE EAST HONORS
Alabama-Huntsville center Zane Campbell earned his second straight GSC Individual Award when he was tabbed the 2010-11 East Division Player of the Year after collecting the Freshman of the Year honor a year ago. Campbell became the first sophomore to take home the award since 2004-05 and he is UAH's first winner since Zach Carpenter in 2003-04. The West Limestone, AL native enters the post-season ranked ninth in the league in field goal percentage (.535—123-230) and 17th in scoring (13.6).
UAH head coach Lennie Acuff repeats as East Division Coach of the Year after sharing the honor a year ago. The selection marks Acuff's fifth all-time honor which ties him with former DSU great Steve Rives for the most career Coach of the Year distinctions. Acuff guided the Chargers to the No. 1 seed in the GSC Tournament for the second consecutive year thanks to UAH's first outright East Division crown since 2002-03.
North Alabama's Wes Long was named the East Division Freshman of the Year. Long is UNA's third all-time freshman winner and first since Sherra Whitestone in 1996-97. He enters this week's GSC Tournament ranked fourth in the Conference in three-point percentage (.434—59-136) and is averaging 8.0 points and 3.0 assists per game.
ALL-GSC TEAM BREAKDOWN
Arkansas Tech guard Laithe Massey is the lone returning member from last year's All-GSC First Team. Massey ranks second in the league in assists (5.4) and steals (2.7), while averaging 9.1 points and 5.2 rebounds per game. The senior also became the first GSC player since 2007-08 to record a triple-double in a game, scoring 17 points, grabbing 12 rebounds and dishing out 10 assists versus Harding (01/27/11).
Three players made the jump from last year's Second Team. The Alabama-Huntsville duo of center Zane Campbell and guard Josh Magette joined Harding forward Kevin Brown as first-time First Team winners. This year's honor marks the third time that Brown has advanced the All-GSC list after he also made the Second Team in 2008-09.
Christian Brothers guard Scott Dennis returns to the All-GSC Second Team after putting up impressive numbers in 20 games this season before he suffered a season-ending injury in January. Dennis averaged 15.3 points and 11.1 rebounds while recording a league-high 12 double-doubles.
