McCloud Earns Conference Player of the Year, Headlines Lakers in Conference Honors Announcement

Men's basketball wrapped up another 20-win campaign in which they knocked off some of the conference's best teams, and held a second-place finish in the MCCAA Northern Conference, trailing only top-20 ranked Bay College. The Lakers had several big-time contributors that helped lead to this season's success, and on Wednesday, they were officially recognized by the conference when award recipients were published.

Delon McCloud orchestrated an offense that was third in the MCCAA in scoring, scoring over 90 points per game as a team, many of which were scored by McCloud. He finished sixth in the entire MCCAA in scoring, and first in the Northern Conference, averaging 20.1 points per game on 44% from three and 51% from the floor. Delon was not just a scorer, he also averaged 4 rebounds, 3.2 assists, and had an assist-turnover ratio of 2.9 during conference play. McCloud also shot 85% from the charity stripe. On the defensive side of the ball, Delon averaged 1.5 steals per game, and frequently was tasked defending very skilled guards. All of these statistics propelled Delon into honors including: All-MCCAA, Northern Conference Player of the Year, Northern Conference All-First Team, and Northern Conference All-Defensive Team.

James Wright did the dirty work in the paint all season, working for rebounds and second chance points. His tenacity and effort earned him Northern Conference All-Second Team and Northern Conference All-Freshman team honors. James averaged 14.3 points per game, including 17.4 points per game during conference season. He shot an efficient 56% from the floor, and 59% during conference play. Wright averaged 7.5 rebounds during conference play, more than 3 of which came on the offensive glass per game. Wright was the unsung hero in many games with his physicality, energy, and willingness to do the things that don't always show up in the box score.

Nick Ellis earned himself Northern Conference All-Second Team honors. Ellis was second on the team in scoring with 14.5 points per game. Ellis was a threat with the ball, mastering his post moves and mid-range game. Ellis shot 52% from the field and 80% from the free throw line. He also averaged 6.4 rebounds per game. When in doubt on the offensive end, the Lakers could rely on Ellis to get them a bucket, and that ability earned him his All-Second Team nod.

De'Antre Griffin earned himself a few accolades after a successful freshman season. Griffin found himself earning honors including Northern Conference All-Third Team, Northern Conference All-Freshman Team, and Northern Conference All-Defensive Team. De'Antre's length and athleticism on the wing made him a problem on both ends of the ball to many of his oppositions. He averaged 10.6 points per game and 5.9 rebounds. Griffin saw an uptick in scoring during conference play, getting to 11.8 points per game during conference play. Griffin averaged 1.5 steals per game, many of which led to his high-flying ability in transition.

Devin Watts was a reliable shooter for the Lakers all season, knocking down clutch triples when the team needed them most. His ability to knock down tough shots got him Northern Conference All-Third Team honors. Devin was able to average 13 points per game while shooting 43% from three and 78% from the free throw line. Watts wasn't just a shooter, averaging 3 rebounds and 3 assists per game from his guard spot. Watts also had an assist to turnover ratio of 2.0 during conference play.

The Lakers season was a success, eclipsing 20-wins for the second consecutive season, and getting to the district tournament, in large part thanks to the student-athletes earning these conference honors. Congratulations to all Lakers on these fantastic achievements!