University of New Hampshire Athletics
20-win Season Celebrated at Men's Basketball Banquet
4/24/2016 3:09:00 PM | Men's Basketball
DURHAM, N.H. – The University of New Hampshire men's basketball team celebrated its record breaking season at the annual team banquet at the Alumni Center on campus Sunday afternoon.
The Wildcats finished the year with a program-first 20 wins and a victory in postseason play. For the second straight season, UNH competed in the America East Playoff semifinals for a chance at its first appearance in the finals. The team also recognized lone senior Ronnel Jordan (San Antonio, Texas) for his contributions the past two years after transferring to Durham. Those two years saw the program's largest win total (39) in a two-year span.
Four team awards were handed out kicked off by the Most Improved Player Award given to sophomore Iba Camara (Dakar, Senegal). Camara played 286 minutes during his freshman year, averaging 3.1 points and 4.0 rebounds per game. This season, the Senegal native improved to 732 minutes total, and 7.5 points and 8.6 rebounds per game. He ranked second in the conference in rebounds per game and his 285 rebound total sits fourth on the program's all-time individual season list. Because Camara led the team in rebounding, he also was given the Pete Smilikis Rebounding Award for the team's top rebounder.
The Gerry Friel Spirit and Dedication Award went to sophomore Keon Burns (Beaverton, Ore.). Burns was a key cog to the teams' success this season as both a guard and a forward. The Oregon native played in 29 games with seven starts and 12.6 minutes per game. He made 17 baskets this year and recorded 44 rebounds, 20 assists and five steals. Burns joined the team last year as a walk-on and is playing important minutes for the Wildcats.
The Most Valuable Player Award was split between two athletes who played major minutes for the program. Sophomore Tanner Leissner (Converse, Texas) and junior Jaleen Smith (Freeport, Texas) are co-MVPs after ranking first and second in scoring, respectively, this season.
Leissner, an All-Conference First Team, All-Tournament Team and NABC All-District Second Team member, led UNH with 15.9 points per game and ranked second in rebounding with 7.3 per contest. Leissner led UNH with seven double-doubles this season and finished third in the conference in scoring and fourth in rebounding.
Smith, an All-Conference Second Team member, played the most minutes on the team (1,036) and sat behind Leissner in scoring at 13.4 points per game. The floor general finished the season fifth in the country in free throw percentage at 90 percent (117-130) and led the team in assists per game (3.4) and steals at 28 total.
With key players returning next year, UNH has a chance to make a deep playoff run at its first America East title and NCAA appearance in program history.
For the most up-to-date information on the men's basketball program, visit the UNHWildcats.com. Text UNH to 90561 to sign up for Sports alerts. Message & Data Rates May Apply. 1 message/text. Consent to receive a text message is not a condition of purchasing goods or services. Text HELP to 90561 for info. STOP to cancel. T&Cs & Privacy Policy is available HERE. Click HERE to sign up for newsletters on your favorite sports.
The Wildcats finished the year with a program-first 20 wins and a victory in postseason play. For the second straight season, UNH competed in the America East Playoff semifinals for a chance at its first appearance in the finals. The team also recognized lone senior Ronnel Jordan (San Antonio, Texas) for his contributions the past two years after transferring to Durham. Those two years saw the program's largest win total (39) in a two-year span.
Four team awards were handed out kicked off by the Most Improved Player Award given to sophomore Iba Camara (Dakar, Senegal). Camara played 286 minutes during his freshman year, averaging 3.1 points and 4.0 rebounds per game. This season, the Senegal native improved to 732 minutes total, and 7.5 points and 8.6 rebounds per game. He ranked second in the conference in rebounds per game and his 285 rebound total sits fourth on the program's all-time individual season list. Because Camara led the team in rebounding, he also was given the Pete Smilikis Rebounding Award for the team's top rebounder.
The Gerry Friel Spirit and Dedication Award went to sophomore Keon Burns (Beaverton, Ore.). Burns was a key cog to the teams' success this season as both a guard and a forward. The Oregon native played in 29 games with seven starts and 12.6 minutes per game. He made 17 baskets this year and recorded 44 rebounds, 20 assists and five steals. Burns joined the team last year as a walk-on and is playing important minutes for the Wildcats.
The Most Valuable Player Award was split between two athletes who played major minutes for the program. Sophomore Tanner Leissner (Converse, Texas) and junior Jaleen Smith (Freeport, Texas) are co-MVPs after ranking first and second in scoring, respectively, this season.
Leissner, an All-Conference First Team, All-Tournament Team and NABC All-District Second Team member, led UNH with 15.9 points per game and ranked second in rebounding with 7.3 per contest. Leissner led UNH with seven double-doubles this season and finished third in the conference in scoring and fourth in rebounding.
Smith, an All-Conference Second Team member, played the most minutes on the team (1,036) and sat behind Leissner in scoring at 13.4 points per game. The floor general finished the season fifth in the country in free throw percentage at 90 percent (117-130) and led the team in assists per game (3.4) and steals at 28 total.
With key players returning next year, UNH has a chance to make a deep playoff run at its first America East title and NCAA appearance in program history.
For the most up-to-date information on the men's basketball program, visit the UNHWildcats.com. Text UNH to 90561 to sign up for Sports alerts. Message & Data Rates May Apply. 1 message/text. Consent to receive a text message is not a condition of purchasing goods or services. Text HELP to 90561 for info. STOP to cancel. T&Cs & Privacy Policy is available HERE. Click HERE to sign up for newsletters on your favorite sports.
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