The South Atlantic Conference Announces Men's Basketball Annual Awards

ROCK HILL, S.C. (TheSac.com) – Lincoln Memorial forward Emanuel Terry was voted the 2017-18 South Atlantic Conference Men's Basketball Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year, while Newberry's Max Miller was voted the Conference's Freshman of the Year.  In addition, Lincoln Memorial head coach Josh Schertz was tabbed as the Coach of the Year, the Conference announced today.

Terry, a senior from Enterprise, Ala., finished the regular season averaging a double-double with 17.3 points and 10.2 rebounds per game. He ranks first in the conference in rebounds per game with 10.2, blocks with 55 and is first in field goal percentage, hitting 71.8 percent of his shots this season. He is also ranked first in the nation in field goal percentage and 21^st in the nation in blocked shots. Terry netted double figures in 22 of 26 games this season and hauled in 10 or more rebounds in 14 games. He scored a season high 31 points on Feb. 3 versus Newberry. For his efforts he was named SAC AstroTurf Player of the Week twice this season and he has helped lead the Railsplitters to a No. 1 national and regional ranking.

Miller, a forward from Roscoe, Ill., averaged 9.3 points and six rebounds per game this season. He ranks sixth in the league in field goal percentage, shooting 61.9 percent from the floor, and he is ninth in blocks with 30. Miller posted double figure scoring in 12 games this season, including a career high 23 points against Piedmont International on Jan. 22.

Schertz led his team to its sixth-straight South Atlantic Conference Championship after claiming the 2017-18 South Atlantic Conference Regular Season Title.  His team finished with a conference record of 20-0, and is currently on a 34-game SAC winning streak dating back to last season.  With an overall record of 28-1, Schertz's team is currently ranked No. 1 in the nation and No. 1 in the Southeast Region.  The Railsplitters finished the regular season averaging 96.2 points per game, which was No. 1 among the conference and No. 2 nationally.  His team also finished as the top field goal and three-point shooting team in the conference this season, hitting 54.5 percent from the field and 42.5 percent from beyond the arc.  The Railsplitters closed out the 2017-18 campaign ranked No. 1 in the conference in assists with 564, rebounds with 1,218 and scoring defense at 68.4.

In addition to Terry, Lincoln Memorial's Dorian Pinson and Trevon Shaw received First Team honors. Carson-Newman's Charles Clark, Queens' Todd Withers and Newberry's Rob Valentine rounded out the list of First Team honorees.

2017-18 South Atlantic Conference Men's Basketball All-Conference

First Team

Emanuel Terry, Lincoln Memorial

Charles Clark, Carson-Newman

Dorian Pinson, Lincoln Memorial

Todd Withers, Queens

Trevon Shaw, Lincoln Memorial

Rob Valentine, Newberry

Second Team

Ike Agusi, Queens

Jerrin Morrison, Catawba

Donte Samuels, Coker

Mike Davis, Queens

Cornelius Taylor, Lincoln Memorial

Shaun Jones, Carson-Newman

Honorable Mention

Zeriq Lolar, Wingate

Djibril Diallo, Lenoir-Rhyne

Jalin Alexander, Queens

Kerigan Farley, Wingate

Gage Ellis, Anderson

Marco Haskins, Wingate

All-Freshman

Max Miller, Newberry

Austin Gilyard, Mars Hill

Dashaunte Smith, Tusculum

Nassyr Daniel, Mars Hill

Quantra Taylor, Wingate

Marquis Green, Coker

Player of the Year

Emanuel Terry, Lincoln Memorial

Freshman of the Year

Max Miller, Newberry

Defensive Player of the Year

Emanuel Terry, Lincoln Memorial

Coach of the Year

Josh Schertz, Lincoln Memorial