[Originally posted in College Basketball Diary]

I gave my player of the year pick last week. Now it’s time for my All-Big East Teams. I debated about wussing out and making all 3 squads, 6 deep (as the Big East often does), but I’m going to limit it to 5.

1st Team

Hakim Warrick, Syracuse, Forward
Craig Smith, BC, Forward
Chevon Troutman, Pitt, Forward
Marcus Williams, UConn, Guard
Carl Krauser, Pitt, Guard

Leaving Ryan Gomes and Jared Dudley off the squad was tough. If it was purely the best players in the Big East they’d be on, but I’m trying to make an actual squad. Warrick is the best player in the Big East this year. Craig Smith barely gets the nod over his teammate Jared Dudley. Chevon Troutman is the best inside presence in the Big East on both sides of the ball. Marcus Williams was the best point guard in the Big East this year. Maybe it’s a bit of bias on my part, but Krauser has become one of the better one-on-one defenders to raise him to first team guard over Allan Ray. McNamara misses because he has struggled in the last 2-3 weeks due to being overworked.

2nd Team

Jared Dudley, BC, Forward
Ryan Gomes, Providence, Forward
Chris Sumpter, Villanova, Forward
Gerry McNamara, Syracuse, Guard
Allan Ray, Villanova, Guard

Hell of a second team on offense. Gomes is the leading scorer in the Big East. Ray, Sumpter, Dudley and McNamara are #5-8. The forward position in the Big East was so strong this year. Dudley is the best defender of the bunch. Chris Thomas has struggled shooting, and matching the numbers and efficiency as freshman.

3rd Team

Charlie Villanueva, UConn, Forward
Josh Boone, UConn, Forward
Daryll Hill, St. John’s, Guard
Chris Thomas, Notre Dame, Guard
Chris Quinn, Notre Dame, Guard

Just missing the cut Rashard Anderson, UConn, Guard (his injury took him out of the last 2 weeks of the season) and Don McGrath, Providence, Guard. Anyone else notice that Hill is the 3rd leading scorer in the Big East this year? If he actually comes back like he says, that will help St. John’s immeasurably. Thomas may be disappointing from the perspective of his potential and expectations. But he is still one of the best point guards in the Big East. Chris Quinn is the best 3-point shooter in the Big East (more than 100 attempts). He also has a 2.8/1 assists to turnover ratio. Boone and Villanueva are both horribly talented, but also horribly inconsistent this year. Villanueva seemed disinterested and disengaged in the first 1/2 to 2/3 of the season. He scored and rebounded on just being so much better than most players. Boone had a lot of trouble through most of the Big East Conference schedule scoring. He still rebounded, but suddenly could not buy a basket.

Noticeable by their omissions — Chris Taft, Pittsburgh, Forward/Center; Ricky Shields, Rutgers, Guard; and Kelly Whitney, Seton Hall, Center/Forward. All were pre-season 1st or 2nd team Preseason All-Big East.

Of course, making picks will be even worse next season with 16 rosters. Will we have a 4th team All-Big East?