The most important player on Alabama’s basketball roster was recognized by Southeastern Conference coaches on Monday. Mark Sears was among the eight players named to the league’s All-SEC first-team.

Sears, a senior from Muscle Shoals, improved in nearly every metric in his second season with the Crimson Tide (he was All-SEC second-team a year ago).

Sears averaged 21.1 points per game (second most in the conference), 4.1 assists and 4.0 rebounds. He shot 50.6% from the field and 44.1% from 3-point page, sparking Alabama (21-10, 13-5) with his left-handed dribble-drive and decision-making.

Sears acted as the engine of an elite offense, rising to the occasion for three 30-point performances. Sears had 21 games of at least 20 points scored and is two away from tying Reggie King’s school record set in 1978. He’s also a finalist for the Bob Cousy Award (best point guard) and John R. Wooden Award (overall player of the year).

“These teams are doing a really good job making it difficult on him to score. He just kept hanging in there, hanging in there, making tough plays. He made a bunch of tough plays on defense. I thought he made a huge jump in his leadership. We get into the huddles, he’s talking. He’s not letting guys quit. Trelly (Latrell Wrightsell Jr.) gets on fire, he’s like, ‘Let’s run something for Trelly. Let’s get Trelly a shot.’ I thought Mark Sears’ leadership today was as good as I’ve seen all year, and that’s what we’re gonna need out of him moving forward,” Nate Oats said after Alabama beat Arkansas in Sears’ potential home finale.

Per UA Athletics, Sears one of two Division I players to produce 650 points, 125 assists, 120 rebounds and 75 three-pointers. KenPom’s player of the year rankings place Sears 10th along with North Carolina’s RJ Davis and Houston’s Jamal Shead.

Four Alabama players have been named All-SEC in Oats’ five-year tenure. The Tide had no other players honored by league coaches.

The Associated Press will release its All-SEC selections on Tuesday. The Crimson Tide start the postseason on Friday night in Nashville. It’ll play the winner of Florida and Missouri/Georgia.