Farmer Left Off Pac-10 First Unit

Few teams shut Desmon Farmer down this year.

The Pacific 10 Conference coaches, though, slowed the junior shooting guard’s roll considerably on Monday.

The 10-man All-Pac-10 first team, voted on by the league’s coaches, was released and Farmer, whose 20.4 scoring average in conference games ranked third, was not on it and relegated to the honorable mention ranks.

“I think he’s deserving of being All-Pac-10,” Coach Henry Bibby said of Farmer.

“He’s as good as any player that’s in there and he’s kept us afloat. For where we are [in the standings], if there are any guys below us that are in there, Des should be in there also.”

The No. 7-seeded Trojans finished in a three-way tie for sixth place with No. 6-seeded Oregon State and No. 8-seeded UCLA but the Beavers had a first-teamer in Philip Ricci, who was second in the league in rebounding with an 8.4 average.

The Bruins, meanwhile, had Jason Kapono make the first team after shooting a career-low 44.4% from three-point territory.

Another interesting All-Pac 10 first-team selection: Arizona’s Luke Walton, who missed two Pac-10 games because of injuries and did not finish among the top-20 scorers in league with an 11.3 average and was 14th with a 5.9 rebounding average.

Farmer, who was unavailable for comment, led the Pac-10 in three-point shots made (47) and was fourth in free-throw percentage (84.3%).

“He’s had a big year for us,” Bibby said. “He’s had big baskets. He’s been there every game for us offensively. He’s had big rebounds for us.

“I don’t know if it’s a slap in the face. It’s something ... obviously [the coaches] don’t think he’s worthy of being one of the top-10 players in the conference. I think he’s had that year.”

Farmer was the only Trojan to get a vote as Errick Craven, who led the league in steals with 54 while averaging 14.9 points and 6.2 rebounds was shut out.

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Stanford Coach Mike Montgomery was reprimanded by the Pac-10, placed on probation through the 2003-04 season and suspended for one game on Monday for grabbing an official’s arm while arguing a call during the Cardinal’s Feb. 27 win over Arizona State.

Interestingly enough, the Pac-10 decreed that Montgomery would not have to serve his suspension until Stanford’s Pac-10 opener next year.

Would USC, Stanford’s first-round opponent in the league tournament, liked to have seen Montgomery out on Thursday?

“Nah, it doesn’t matter,” said Bibby, also on probation for criticizing referees this season.