FRISCO, Texas – After earning all-conference honors last season, Southeastern Louisiana University guard Brandon Fortenberry was one of five players to highlight the Preseason All-Southland Conference Men's Basketball Team as selected by the league's coaches, the conference office announced Wednesday.

Fortenberry, a 6-foot-1 senior, was the Lions' second-leading scorer in 2010-11, averaging 11.9 points per game. The senior from Picayune, Miss. (Picayune Memorial H.S.), led the team and ranked fourth in the Southland with 4.2 assists per game. Fortenberry set career highs in assists (118), field goals (106) and 3-point field goals (42). He currently ranks fifth in school history with 313 assists.

Fortenberry was joined on the first team by McNeese State guard Patrick Richard, Stephen F. Austin center Jereal Scott, Northwestern State center Will Mosley and UTSA's Jeromie Hill, the 2011 Southland Conference Freshman of the Year.

Richard, who was the state player of the year in Louisiana, averaged 16.1 points per game in helping lead the Cowboys to the conference regular-season championship and a berth in the NIT. The senior from Carencro, La. (Carencro H.S.), is the conference's leading returning scorer after finishing fifth in the conference last year. He has scored 1,030 career points and scored in double figures 28 times last year, including in each of his last 21 games.

Scott averaged a team-high 13.3 points and grabbed 5.8 rebounds while shooting 68.9 percent from the floor as the Lumberjacks reached the conference tournament for the sixth consecutive year. The senior from Houston, Texas (LaPorte H.S.), scored in double figures in 22 of 28 games, topping the 20-point mark three times, and recorded three double-doubles. Scott averaged 13.3 points in conference games.

Mosley led the nation with 156 blocked shots and 4.9 rejections per game. The senior from Shreveport, La. (Huntington H.S.), averaged 7.9 points and 8.8 rebounds per game as the Demons earned the No. 2 seed in the conference tournament. Mosley ranks second on the Southland career blocked shots list with 330 and his career average of 3.58 blocks per game ranks him 25th on the NCAA all-time list.

Hill, an honorable mention all-conference pick last year, led all conference freshmen in scoring (13.4), rebounding (6.6) and field goal percentage (47.5) and earned a spot on the conference all-tournament team with averages of 19.0 points and 5.3 rebounds to go with a game-winning dunk in a first-round upset of Northwestern State.

The second-team preseason all-conference squad consists of UT Arlington forward Bo Ingram, UTSA guard Melvin Johnson III, UT Arlington forward/guard LaMarcus Reed, Lamar forward Devon Lamb and guard Mike James.

Ingram became the first Maverick to be named the conference newcomer of the year in 2010-11 after he averaged 11.2 points and 5.1 rebounds per game. The senior from Kinston, N.C. (Kinston H.S.), is the first UTA player to win that award. He shot 43.8 percent from the field and 36.3 percent from behind the 3-point line.

Johnson was the second leading scorer for the Roadrunners last year and averaged 14.9 points and 3.5 rebounds. The junior from Dallas, Texas (Red Oak H.S.), poured in 25 first-half points en route to a career-high 29 points in the win over Alabama State in the NCAA First Four. Johnson led the team with 80 3-pointers and has made three or more 3-pointers in 22 career contests, including 15 last season.

Reed is the most experienced player on the UTA roster. The senior from Dallas, Texas (Skyline H.S.), has made 41 starts in 82 career games and has averaged 8.0 points and 3.7 rebounds during his career. Reed averaged a career-best 12.4 points and 4.9 rebounds last season.

Lamb averaged 9.5 points and 8.3 rebounds per game for the Cardinals. The senior from Jacksonville, Fla. (Arlington H.S.), ranked fourth in the league in rebounding and also ranked among the conference leaders in steals (sixth) and blocked shots (11th). James set the Lamar record with 52 points against Louisiana College and tied the school record with 11 3-pointers in the game. The senior from Portland, Ore. (Grant H.S.), led the Cardinals with 12.5 points per game and ranked seventh in the conference with an 80.0 accuracy from the free-throw line.

The 2011-12 season gets underway Friday, Nov. 11 when eight Southland teams take to the court. Conference play begins Wednesday, Jan. 4, 2012. The 2012 Southland Conference Basketball Tournament returns for its fifth season at the Leonard E. Merrell Center in Katy, Texas, March 7-10.

Preseason All-Southland Conference Men's Basketball Teams

First Team
Name, Cl., Pos., School, Hometown
Patrick Richard *, Sr., G, McNeese State, Carencro, La.
Jereal Scott *, Sr., C, Stephen F. Austin, Houston, Texas
William Mosley *, Sr., C, Northwestern State, Shreveport, La.
Brandon Fortenberry *, Sr., G, Southeastern La., Picayune, Miss.
Jeromie Hill, So., F, UTSA, Cairns, Australia

Second Team
Name, Cl., Pos., School, Hometown
Bo Ingram, Sr., F, UT Arlington, Kinston, N.C.
Melvin Johnson, Jr., G, UTSA, Dallas, Texas
LaMarcus Reed, Sr., F/G, UT Arlington, Dallas, Texas
Devon Lamb, Sr., F, Lamar, Jacksonville, Fla.
Mike James, Sr., G, Lamar, Portland, Ore.

*2010-11 All-Southland Conference Selection