Three Wildcats Earn Postseason Conference Honors
RICHARDSON, Texas – The Louisiana College men’s basketball team’s run to the American Southwest Conference Championship Game earned three players conference accolades as Kae’ron Baker was named All-Conference and East Division First Team, Galen Smith, Jr. was named East Divison co-Newcomer of the Year and East Division First Team, while Ferontay Banks earned a spot on the East Division’s All-Defensive Team.
Baker, a senior guard from Navasota, Texas, was named to the All-Conference team, which consists of the top five players throughout the entire conference, and was named first team All-ASC East Division. He was the team’s main threat from the start of the season to the end, putting up a team high 22.7 points per game and surpassing the 1,000 career points scored mark after less than three full seasons. He also grabbed 3.8 rebounds per contest, tallied more than three assists per game, was second on the team with 39 steals, and even blocked five shots. He had four 30-point games, including a career high 36 points twice, one of which came in the ASC Tournament Finals against Ozarks.
Smith, a junior center from Bay St. Louis, Miss., proved to be a force on both ends of the floor in his first season as a Wildcat to earn the moniker of co-Newcomer of the Year and All-East Division First Team. He made a team high 58.5% of his shots as he averaged 13.9 points per game while leading the team with 8.6 rebounds a contest. He finished the season strong, amassing five double-doubles over the team’s final six games, including a season-high 27 points and 15 rebounds as Louisiana College closed out the regular season with a win over East Texas Baptist. He had 14 points and ten rebounds in the ASC Tournament Final against Ozarks. His 22 blocked shots led the team, all while also accounting for 22 steals.
Banks, a junior guard from Lafayette, La., earned a spot on the ASC East Division’s All-Defensive team. Called on to defend the opposing team’s main ball handler, Banks amassed a team-high 45 steals while also grabbing 4.6 rebounds per contest. He was also credited with three blocked shots on the season. He finished the season averaging 9.7 points and led the team in assists with 72 on the year.
The Wildcats completed their final season in the American Southwest Conference at 11-5 overall and 9-4 in ASC play. The team will join the NAIA and the Red River Athletic Conference for the 2021-22 season.
