Alabama basketball star earns 1st-team All-America honor

Alabama basketball’s Mark Sears added to his resume on Wednesday. The Crimson Tide guard picked up an All-America nod from the Sporting News.

The Sporting News is one of the All-America teams used to determine consensus and unanimous honors. Sears earned the spot averaging 19.2 points and five assists per game throughout the regular season.

Auburn’s Johni Broome also made the first-team list. Florida’s Walter Clayton, Duke’s Cooper Flagg and Purdue’s Braden Smith rounded out the lineup.

The news comes on the heels of Sears finest moment of the season. Stifled most of the way at Auburn Saturday, he scored a buzzer-beating jumper from the free throw line to beat the Tigers in overtime.

“When we needed him late, he came through and delivered,” Crimson Tide head coach Nate Oats said after the game. “Bailed me out because that play design wasn’t all that great, to be honest with you. So, I think the thing that was great about it was that it was in a pretty great player’s hands. So, he delivered for us there late.”

Sears earned second-team All-America honors from the Sporting News last season. The other All-America lists used for consensus purposes include the Associated Press, National Association of Basketball Coaches and the United States Basketball Writers Association.

Sears and Alabama aren’t done yet. The Tide will play Friday after earning a double-bye to begin the SEC Tournament in Nashville.

UA will face the winner of Thursday’s game between Kentucky and either Oklahoma or Georgia. Alabama’s first game will tip off roughly at 8:30 p.m. CT at Bridgestone Arena, and will be aired on the SEC Network.