SHAWNEE, Okla. – On Wednesday, the Great American Conference announced its 2023-24 Men’s Basketball superlative awards, released the All-GAC teams and named its top Scholar Athletes. Arkansas Tech’s Taelon Peter, Joshua Mitchell and Mark Downey claimed Player of the Year, Defensive Player of the Year and Coach of the Year, respectively. Arkansas-Monticello’s Zane Nelson earned Newcomer of the Year and Oklahoma Baptist’s Terry Coner, Jr. won Freshman of the Year. Harding’s Wyatt Gilbert and Southern Nazarene’s Jonas Visser each received the Elite Scholar Athlete Award – Presented by Conway Regional Health System. Both own perfect 4.00 grade-point averages.
The Wonder Boys went 22-6 in the regular season, their first 20-win season since 2016-17. Peter averaged 20.3 points, 6.0 rebounds and 1.9 steals per game. He shot 52.0 percent from the floor, 44.0 percent from the 3-point arc and 87.2 percent from the free-throw line to end the regular season as one of only two Division II players to shoot at least 50.0 percent, 40.0 percent and 85.0 percent in the three categories. Mitchell averaged a GAC-leading 1.70 blocks per game and blocked 16 more shots than any other GAC player. Downey captured the second Coach of the Year honor of his career.
Nelson averaged 19.1 points, fourth in the conference, as the Weevils qualified for the GAC Championships for the first time since winning the title in 2021. He paired with First-Team All-GAC selection Isaac Jackson, who averaged 20.3 points per game, to end the regular season as the lone set of Division II teammates to average at least 19.0 points per game. Coner, Jr. became the first Bison named Freshman of the Year. His 15.8 points per game average ranked sixth among all Division II freshmen.
Peter and Southeastern Oklahoma State’s Brennen Burns made the All-GAC First Team by unanimous consent. Burns ended the regular season ranked second in Division II in assists per game, 6.9, and first in total assists, 208. The 208 assists rank as the second most in a season in GAC history. Additionally, he led the GAC with a 56.8 field-goal percentage while his 16.4 points per game ranked fourth. His teammate, Kody Clouet gave the Savage Storm two First-Team selections. His 17.8 points per game ranked fifth in the league. He ranked third in made 3-point field goals and in 3-point field goal percentage.
Northwestern Oklahoma State’s Brian Free, Southwestern Oklahoma State’s Ben Smith and Jackson rounded out the First Team. Free paced the conference in both 3-point field goal percentage and free throw percentage. He ranked in the top 15 nationally in both categories. His 88 3-point field goals ranked ninth in the nation. Smith’s scoring, 17.3 points per game, ranked sixth.
Nelson headlined the All-GAC Second Team. Harding’s Rylie Marshall, Northwestern Oklahoma State’s Camron McDowell, Southern Arkansas’ Carel Ray, Jr. and Southern Nazarene’s Benno Zecic joined Nelson on the team.
Coner, Jr. placed on the Honorable Mention All-GAC Team alongside two of his teammates in Ricky Brown and Trevin Wade. The Honorable Mention All-GAC Team consisted of Arkansas Tech’s Cassius Brooks and Tommy Kamarad, East Central’s Keyon Thomas, Henderson State’s Zyon Patterson, Ouachita Baptist’s Tylar Haynes, Southeastern Oklahoma State’s Kyle Leslie, Southern Arkansas’ Gregory Hammond, Jr. and Southern Nazarene’s Cam Slaymaker.
A total of 12 student-athletes earned the Distinguished Scholar Athlete award – Presented by Conway Regional Health System in Southeastern’s Clouet, SWOSU’s Smith, Arkansas-Monticello’s Wesley Booker, Donovan Cooper, Josh Denton and Timur Krupalija, Arkansas Tech’s Kade Shaffer and Bronson Smith, Harding’s Samuel Henderson and Davis Morgan plus Southwestern Oklahoma State’s Nick Burchfield and Mason Hart.
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