The University of Montana's Kareem Jamar was named a 2013 Division I Associated Press All-America honorable mention selection, that organization announced recently.
Following the 2012-13 season Jamar, a 6-5 guard-forward from Venice, Calif., was chosen as Big Sky Conference's MVP, a first team all-league, and was also tabbed the MVP of the Big Sky's post-season tourney. He was a unanimous all-conference pick.
He led the 25-7 Grizzlies in rebounding and assists, and was the team's second leading scorer. Montana won a school-record 19 Big Sky games en route to its second straight regular-season championship. UM went on to win the league's post-season tourney, which earned it a second consecutive trip to the NCAA tournament.
"We're very excited for Kareem and his most recent honor," said Griz head coachWayne Tinkle. "He was our rock throughout the season, and was vital to our team's success. He's such a multi-dimensional player, and did a little bit of everything for us. What a way for him to cap off a great year and we have him back for one more!"
This past season Jamar became just the second player in Big Sky history to be named the league tournament's MVP two consecutive years (Ken Owens, Idaho, 1981-82 and Riley Smith, Idaho, 1989-90).
In Montana's two 2013 post-season tourney wins over Northern Colorado (70-56) and Weber State (67-64), he averaged 19.5 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 4.5 assists a game, and made 16-of-25 (64.0%) shots from the field.
Jamar was ranked among the Big Sky leaders in 2012-13 in assists (fourth, 4.0 apg), assist/turnover ratio (tie-seventh, 1,4), field goal percentage (tie-eighth, 49.4%), scoring (eighth, 14.2 ppg), and rebounding (tied-11th, 5.9 rebs. pg). He was the only Grizzly player to start all 32 games and averaged a league-high 35.0 minutes a game.
Last week Jamar and teammates Will Cherry and Mathias Ward were named to the 2013 Division I All-District 6 team by the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC).
First Team
Trey Burke, Michigan, 6-0, 190, sophomore, Columbus, Ohio
Otto Porter Jr., Georgetown, 6-8, 205, sophomore, Morley, Mo.,
Victor Oladipo, Indiana, 6-5, 214, junior, Upper Marlboro, Md..
Doug McDermott, Creighton, 6-8, 225, junior, Ames, Iowa
Kelly Olynyk, Gonzaga, 7-0, 238, junior, Kamloops, British Columbia,
Second Team
Marcus Smart, Oklahoma State, 6-4, 225, freshman, Flower Mound, Texas
Cody Zeller, Indiana, 7-0, 240, sophomore, Washington, Ind.
Mason Plumlee, Duke, 6-10, 235, senior, Warsaw, Ind.
Shane Larkin, Miami, 5-11, 176, sophomore, Orlando, Fla.
Ben McLemore, Kansas, 6-5, 195, freshman, St. Louis
Third Team
DeShaun Thomas, Ohio State, 6-7, 215, junior, Fort Wayne, Ind.
Jeff Withey, Kansas, 7-0, 235, senior, San Diego
Russ Smith, Louisville, 6-0, 165, junior, Brooklyn, N.Y.
Erick Green, Virginia Tech, 6-3, 185, senior, Winchester, Va.
Nate Wolters, South Dakota State, 6-4, 190, senior, St. Cloud, Minn.
Honorable Mention
Kyle Barone, Idaho; Jerrelle Benimon, Towson; Anthony Bennett, UNLV; Tommy Brenton, Stony Brook; Sherwood Brown, Florida Gulf Coast; Isaiah Canaan, Murray State; Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Georgia; Michael CarterWilliams, Syracuse; Ian Clark, Belmont; Jake Cohen, Davidson. Jack Cooley, Notre Dame; D.J. Cooper, Ohio; Allen Crabbe, California; Aaron Craft, Ohio State; Seth Curry, Duke; Matthew Dellavedova, Saint Mary's; Gorgui Dieng, Louisville; James Ennis, Long Beach State; Chris Flores, NJIT; Jamal Franklin, San Diego State. Ian Hummer, Princeton; Colton Iverson, Colorado State; Joe Jackson, Memphis; Kareem Jamar, Montana; Lamont Jones, Iona; Ray McCallum, Detroit; Rodney McGruder, Kansas State; Shabazz Muhammad, UCLA; Erik Murphy, Florida (1 first-team vote); Mike Muscala, Bucknell.Stan Okoye, VMI; Jamal Olasewere, LIU Brooklyn; Phil Pressey, Missouri; Augustine Rubit, South Alabama; Peyton Siva, Louisville (1); Taylor Smith, Stephen F. Austin; Omar Strong, Texas Southern; Kendall Williams, New Mexico; Pendarvis Williams, Norfolk State; Khalif Wyatt,
Temple.