Posted: Feb 28, 2013
KANSAS CITY, Mo. - For the second straight season, Central Methodist guard Melvin Tillman, forward Elliott Black and guard Eric Franklin have been named to the All-Heart of America Athletic Conference Men's Basketball Teams. Tillman, a junior, was voted to the first team. Black and Franklin, both seniors, were second team and honorable mention selections, respectively.
A third team All-HAAC pick last season, Tillman started all 30 games during the regular season and ranks 10th in conference play in scoring at 14.77 points per contest. The Richmond, Ind., native ranks sixth in the league in assists (3.5 per game) and 10th in field goal percentage, hitting better than 44.4 percent from the field.
An honorable mention choice in 2012, Black, who started all 30 games, ended the regular season ranked fifth in the conference in scoring average at 15.67 points per game. The Saint Louis native has been especially effective in the new year, averaging 17.8 points against the last 15 HAAC opponents, including a career-high 34 against Benedictine (Kan.) on Feb. 16.
Black leads the HAAC in field goal percentage (50.8 percent) and ranks ninth in rebounds per game (6.13).
Franklin was chosen as an honorable mention pick for the second straight season. The Columbia, Mo, native appeared in 29 games, starting 28 of them, and is third in the HAAC in assists (4.66 per game) and tied for sixth in steals (1.48 per contest). Franklin's career-high 15 assists at Graceland on Jan. 3 are the most by a HAAC player this season and one off the school's single-game record.
No. 4-seed Central Methodist welcomes No. 5-seed Benedictine on Thursday to Puckett Fieldhouse in the Heart of America Athletic Conference Men's Basketball Tournament Quarterfinals. Tip-off is set for 8 p.m. CT.
