Jeff Skemp and Curt Hanson earned first team all-conference honors

UW-Platteville's inside-outside tandem of Jeff Skemp and Curt Hanson earned first team all-Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference basketball honors.

The pair led the Pioneers to a 19-7 record and second place in the conference with a 12-4 mark. UWP finished 23th in the final regular season D3hoops.com poll.

"They really provided us with a lot of balance offensively," Pioneer Coach Paul Combs said. "They were very consistent all season."

Skemp, a 6-10 junior from Hazel Green (Southwestern High School), set a new Pioneer record by making 64.7 percent of his shots. He broke the 1989 mark of 62.5, set by Rob Jeter, now UW-Milwaukee's coach. Skemp led the Pioneers in scoring and rebounding, averaging 15.2 points and 8.3 rebounds per game, respectively. He shot better than 50 percent in 22 of the 26 games, including an 11-15 night that led to a career-high 30 points in a victory at UW-Whitewater. Skemp, the conference's leading rebounder, set a WIAC post-season tournament record with 17 rebounds against UW-Eau Claire.

Hanson, a guard from Deerfield, Ill., made 72 three-point baskets, the second-highest total in school history. He was second in the WIAC in three-point percentage at 49.7 and has made 51.3 percent of his career three-point attempts. Hanson surpassed 20 points six times, including a season-best 24 at the University of Dubuque.

The Pioneers return 99.8 percent of their points in 2008-09, as only Berent Froiland was a senior on the squad. Froiland, from Viroqua (Kickapoo High School), earned a spot on the inaugural Sportsmanship Team.

"The sportsmanship award could not got a more deserving person than Berent Froiland," Combs said. "He represents the University and the whole Pioneer program very well."

2007-08 All-WIAC Men’s Basketball Team

First Team

Name, School, Year, Position, Height, Hometown (High School)

Bryan Beamish, Stevens Point, Junior, Forward, 6-6, Wisconsin Rapids (Lincoln)

Dan Beyer, Eau Claire, Senior, Forward, 6-7, Waukesha (Catholic Memorial)

Matt Goodwin, Whitewater, Junior, Guard, 6-1, Milwaukee (Rufus King)

Curt Hanson, Platteville, Sophomore, Guard, 6-1, Deerfield, Ill.

Steve Hicklin, Stevens Point, Senior, Guard, 6-4, Sussex (Hamilton)

Myles McKay, Whitewater, Junior, Guard, 6-3, Milwaukee (Menomonee Falls)

D.J. Marsh, Oshkosh, Sophomore, Forward, 6-4, Bayside (Nicolet)

Pete Rortvedt, Stevens Point, Junior, Forward, 6-5, Minocqua (Lakeland)

Jeff Skemp, Platteville, Junior, Center, 6-10, Hazel Green (Southwestern)

Jake Smith, Superior, Freshman, Forward, 6-6, Rhinelander

Honorable Mention

Chris Fehrenbach, La Crosse, Senior, Guard, 6-2, Waukesha (Catholic Memorial)

Dwight Hill, Superior, Sophomore, Guard, 5-8, Chicago, Ill. (De La Salle)

Jordan Johnson, Oshkosh, Senior, Forward, 6-5, Waupaca

Tony Mane, La Crosse, Freshman, Guard, 6-1, Milwaukee (Thomas More)

Shane Manor, Superior, Freshman, Forward, 6-6, Altoona

Matt Miller, Oshkosh, Junior, Guard, 5-9, Hudson

Dane Seckar-Anderson, Oshkosh, Junior, Forward, 6-7, Oshkosh (West)

Kori Vernon, Whitewater, Junior, Forward, 6-6, Madison (Memorial)

Miles Webb, Stout, Senior, Guard, 6-3, Brooklyn Park, Minn. (Park Center)

All-Sportsmanship Team

Khalifa El-Amin, Stevens Point, Junior, Guard, 5-8, Milwaukee (Rufus King)

Berent Froiland, Platteville, Senior, Center, 6-10, Viroqua (Kickapoo)

Chris Jardine, Stout, Freshman, Forward, 6-1, Port Wing (South Shore)

Jordan Johnson, Oshkosh, Senior, Forward, 6-5, Waupaca

Billy Kegler, La Crosse, Senior, Forward, 6-5, Waterloo

Scott Kelly, River Falls, Senior, Forward, 6-5, Hastings, Minn.

Rob Perry, Whitewater, Senior, Forward, 6-4, Milwaukee (Dominican)

Greg Polkowski, Superior, Senior, Forward, 6-4, Goodman

Zack Ryan, Eau Claire, Senior, Guard, 6-0, Lake Elmo, Minn. (Tartan)

Player of the Year: Matt Goodwin of Whitewater

Max Sparger Scholar-Athlete: Steve Hicklin of Stevens Point

Coach of the Year: Pat Miller of Whitewater