ATHENS, Ga. – Accolades continued to roll in for Georgia’s J.J. Frazier and Yante Maten on Tuesday. Both Bulldogs were honored as first-team All-SEC selections in balloting of league coaches announced at noon, two hours after they were named to the U.S. Basketball Writers Association All-District Team.
“I am extremely happy for both J.J. and Yante to be recognized for the terrific efforts that they gave this season,” head coach Mark Fox said. “They have been incredibly selfless in their roles leading our team.”
Frazier and Maten are just the third Bulldogs to earn first-team All-SEC honors together, following In 1990, both Alec Kessler and Litterial Green were named first-team All-SEC after leading Georgia to the SEC Championship. In 1972, Ronnie Hogue and John Fraley both were tabbed first-team All-SEC on the coaches’ 10-player squad.
Frazier and Maten were the first Georgia players to be named to the USBWA All-District team together since Jarvis Hayes and Ezra Williams in 2003.
Frazier ranks among the SEC’s top-10 leaders in six stats. He is No. 3 in scoring (18.7 ppg), No. 1 in playing time (34.5 mpg), No. 3 in steals (1.9 spg), No. 5 in free throw percentage (.875) and No. 6 in both assists (4.2 apg) and assist-to-turnovers (1.8 ratio). This season, he has joined UGA’s top-10 career leaders in points, free throws made and attempted, 3-pointers made and attempted, assists and steals. Frazier also is now Georgia’s career record holder for free throw percentage at 83.5.
“J.J. has had a remarkable career, and it is fitting that he is being recognized this way as a senior,” Fox said.
Among league leaders, Maten is No. 4 in scoring (18.7 ppg), No. 3 in field goal percentage (.562), No. 8 in blocks (1.5 bpg) and No. 9 in rebounding (6.9 rpg). Maten’s averages were hindered when he suffered a knee sprain just 95 seconds into the Bulldogs’ Feb. 18 game against Kentucky. Prior to his injury, Maten reached double figures in 24 of Georgia’s first 26 games, with 10 20-point outings and three 30-point performances. Among UGA’s career scoring leaders, Maten now ranks No. 28 with 1,226 points.
“Yante has obviously struggled being out with his injury, and I hope that this recognition eases that frustration,” Fox said.
Frazier and Maten were named All-SEC for the second-straight season. A year ago, both players were second-team picks of league coaches and third-team honorees by the Associated Press.
Georgia opens play in the 2017 SEC Tournament on Thursday, facing Tennessee at 1:00 p.m. ET at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tenn. The Bulldogs are 18-13 on the season and finished SEC play with a 9-9 record, the fifth straight season UGA has finished .500 or better. Before 2013, Georgia had never finished .500 or better for more than three straight seasons.