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FHSU seniors Matt Simmons, Karron McKenzie, and Moses Dayee were honored on Tuesday (Feb. 28) with the release of the All-MIAA Men's Basketball Team. Simmons earned second team honors and was named the MIAA Defensive Player of the Year, while McKenzie and Dayee earned third team honors. This is the second straight year that a Tiger has won the Defensive Player of the Year award.
Simmons, the conference's leader in rebounds (10.0 per game) and blocked shots (2.0 per game), earns his first all-conference nod in the MIAA, joining the second team. Simmons had 16 games this year in which he reached double figures in rebounds and recorded eight double-doubles in points and rebounds. Entering the postseason, Simmons ranks 10th in Division II in rebounds per game and tied for 24th in blocked shots per game.
After Dijon Smith was honored as Co-Defensive Player of the Year for the Tigers last year, Simmons earns the honor this season. Simmons has grabbed 76% of his 259 rebounds on the defensive end of the court this year, while adding 53 blocked shots. His 53 blocked shots currently ranks eighth-highest in a single season at FHSU.
McKenzie, Fort Hays State's leading scorer entering the postseason, earns his first all-conference nod in the MIAA with a third-team selection. He is averaging 11.8 points per game and has scored in double figures 18 times for FHSU this year. He is the second-leading rebounder on the team at 6.1 per game. He has three double-doubles in points and rebounds to his credit this year. McKenzie is also by far the team leader in steals with 41, averaging 1.6 per game, and ranks second on the team in assists with 70, averaging 2.7 per game.
Dayee earns his first all-conference honor in the MIAA, making the third team. Dayee sat out the first nine games of the season due to having just one semester of eligibility left, but made a significant impact when he returned. He has 49 3-point field goals to his credit, averaging 2.9 3-point field goals made per game, and averages 11.4 points per game, which ranks second on the team. Dayee is third on the team in assists per game, averaging 2.5. In his two seasons at FHSU, Dayee has 114 3-point field goals made.
This is the fourth-consecutive year that the Tigers have had multiple players named to the All-MIAA Team. All three of these players were key reserves on last year's MIAA Tournament Championship team, but have stepped forward to lead the Tigers this year.