AZ REID Winthrop may be the best team in the Big South Conference, but former Gaffney standout and High Point University star AZ Reid was named the conference's top player on Monday.

Reid, a junior, was second in the conference in scoring at 21.6 points per game and led the Big South with 9.6 rebounds in helping the Panthers to their first 20-win season (21-9) since the school moved to Division I eight years ago.

Reid also led the league with 13 double-doubles.

Reid, who helped the Indians to two straight Class 4A state titles, is just one of four players nationally to average 20 points and nine rebounds a game.

Reid ranked high in a number of offensive and rebounding categories, including fourth in field goal percentage, first in defensive rebounds and fourth in offensive rebounds.

Reid was at his best in conference games, where he averaged 26 points and 11 rebounds and shot .544 from the floor.

He scored in double figures in 27 of the Panthers' 30 games.

He also had a game-high 29 points against nationally-ranked North Carolina in December.

Reid is joined on the all-conference first team by Liberty's Larry Blair, Reggie Williams of VMI and Michael Jenkins and Craig Bradshaw of Winthrop.

Winthrop coach Gregg Marshall was named the conference coach of the year after guiding the Eagles to the first perfect conference record in Big South history.

Attempts to reach Reid by cell phone were unsuccessful.