Even though we are just halfway through the 2002 Big Sky basketball season, it?s never too early to appreciate the play and effort of some of the conferences most exciting and surprising players. Too anxious to wait, the State Hornet has compiled its mid-season All Big Sky performers, based strictly on production.

Point Guard: Sacramento State?s Joe Dawson may share time at the guard position with Ronnie Walton and Rashaad Hooks for the upstart Hornets, but there is no discrepancy on the State Hornet?s All Big Sky team. Averaging 14.8 points with 3.8 assists in conference, Dawson has turned the once dormant Hornets into a Big Sky contender. Best of all, he has done all of this as a walk on. Somebody, give this guy some money.

Shooting Guard: Jermaine Boyette, Weber State University. All this mid-season talk is not news to Boyette. Boyette was named to the all-conference team a year ago as a sophomore, and continues to post impressive numbers in his junior season. The 6-foot-2 junior leads the conference in overall steals per game (2.14) and is third in scoring netting 18.6 points.

Small Forward: D?marr Suggs, Idaho State University. This 6-foot-3 senior is blistering defenses, notching a league-high 20.7 points every night against Big Sky competition while shooting 50 percent from 3-point range. While opposing defenses have done little to stop the surging senior, they have put the brakes on his supporting cast. The Bengals’ are just 2-4 in conference.

Power Forward: Anthony Lackey, Portland State University. He epitomizes the solid, finely tuned basketball player. A terror around the basket and a thief on the glass, Lackey is currently second in the Big Sky in scoring (19.6) and tied for second in rebounding (7.4). Lackey continues to fill the stat box, shooting 50 percent from behind the 3-point arc while averaging the second most 3-pointers per game (3.8).

Center: Damir Latovic, Montana State University. Perhaps the most dominating player on the most dominating team so far this season. While leading Montana State to a conference best 6-1 record, Latovic has posted the best numbers in the paint. Latovic is 12th in the conference in scoring at 13.6 points per game, and handily leads the Big Sky in rebounding with 9.6.