Senior guard Johnnie Bryant and junior center Luke Nevill were named second-team All-Mountain West Conference today, which fairly squares with what they deserve -- though I voted Nevill third team, based on his inconsistency and general underachieving for most of the season.

Nevertheless, the balloting reflects the intrinsic value of having a 7-foot-1 center who -- even if he's not always playing like Wilt Chamberlain -- can have a monumental effect on a game, simply because of his height. And Nevill really is quite skilled; if only he can find his way into a weight room this summer and come back next year ready to put some muscle to the opposition.

And just for the record, I voted for New Mexico's J.R. Giddens as player of the year -- based largely on his stretch run and his pivotal role in lifting the Lobos from last place to third, and perhaps into the NCAA Tournament. It's a fair argument that perhaps Brigham Young's Lee Cummard could have provided the same dominating performances as Giddens had the Cougars needed them.

Nonetheless, he didn't.

It's not unprecedented for the league to name co-players of the year, though, the way they did with Giddens and Cummard. It also named BYU's Rafael Araujo and Air Force's Nick Welch co-winners four years ago. I only hope that it was truly a tied vote in this case -- setting aside the relentless stupidity that would be not assuring an odd number of voters -- and not some kind of Katherine Harris Special that allowed a merely close margin to be declared a tie.

For what it's worth, I also voted for New Mexico's Steve Alford as coach of the year, though it's hard to disagree too stridently with UNLV's Lon Kruger winning the award, based on his handling of a team that suffered major losses -- not just since last season, but during this one -- yet still contened for the league title and remains in position for a second straight NCAA Tournament berth.