Ihearahu Named Defensive Player of the Year, Joins Smith On All-Conference Team
Chris Kendrick (@CKendrick86)
ATTLEBORO, Mass. – Elms College senior Conny Ihearahu (Largo, Md.) and Symon Smith (Oklahoma City, Okla.) were selected to the 2017 New England Collegiate Conference (NECC) Men's Basketball All-Conference team, announced by the league office Monday. Ihearahu was tabbed as the NECC Defensive Player of the Year and All-NECC Third Team, while Smith claimed an All-NECC First Team designation.
Smith led the NECC in scoring, averaging 24.1 points, shooting 45.3% from the field, and 42% from three-point range, second-highest mark in the conference, with 4.7 rebounds and 3.5 assists per game. During his senior season, Smith set the program mark for points in a season with 603, while becoming the 10th player in program history to reach 1,000 career points, finishing with 1,002 points, tenth-most all-time in program history. Smith is the program's all-time leader in scoring average, 19.6 points per game, and free throw percentage (81.7), while ranking seventh all-time in assists (171) and field goals made (342), and eighth in three-point field goals made with 130. Smith pairs his First Team selection with a Third Team honor following the 2015-16 season.
Ihearahu wraps up his four year career as the conference's inaugural top defensive player and an All-NECC Third Team selection. During his senior campaign, Ihearahu became the program's all-time leader in rebounds (7780, blocked shots (144) and minutes played (3,107), while leading the conference in blocks (41) and ranking third in rebounds per game (9.1) and fourth in steals (37). In his final season, Ihearahu totaled 349 points, 228 rebounds, 49 blocks, 37 steals, and 37 assists. Ihearahu collects his second All-Conference Third Team selection, joining last year's Third Team status.
2016-17 New England Collegiate Conference Awards:
Coach of the Year: Brin Gorman, Becker
Player of the Year: Samuel Durodola, Becker
Defensive Player of the Year: Conny Ihearahu, Elms
Rookie of the Year: Antonio White Jr., Becker (Fr., G, Middletown, Conn.)
All-NECC First Team
Samuel Durodola, Becker (Jr., F, Rosedale, N.Y.)
Nicholas Fenton, Wheelock Sr., G, East Hartford, Conn.)
Symon Smith, Elms (Sr., G, Oklahoma City, Okla.)
Rayshawn Taylor, Southern Vermont (Sr., G/F, Silver Spring, Md.)
Kyle Credle, Becker (Sr., G, Queens, N.Y.)
All-NECC Second Team
Devon Mayo, Lesley (Sr., G, Newport News, Va.)
Anthony Williams, Wheelock (Sr., F, White Plains, N.Y.)
Nate Goldsmith, Southern Vermont (Sr., G/F, Capitol Heights, Md.)
Kareem Davis, Becker (So., G, Lowell, Mass.)
Xeo Golding, Lesley (So., F, Windermere, Fla.)
All-NECC Third Team
Conny Ihearahu, Elms (Sr., G/F, Largo, Md.)
Mike Pierre, Southern Vermont (Jr., G, Melrose, N.Y.)
Chris Leak Jr., Regis (Sr., F, New Haven, Conn.)
Domenico Santiago, Mitchell (So., F/C, Port St. Lucie, Fla.)
Jeduan Langston, Newbury (Jr., G, Roxbury, Mass.)
NECC All-Sportsmanship Team
Khairi Mosley, Becker (Sr., G, Elizabeth, N.J.)
Keeshaun King, Elms (Jr., G, Jacksonville, Fla.)
Will Cuffee, Lelsey (So., F, Amherst, Mass.)
Mack Bertram-Gregory, Mitchell (Jr., F, Stockton, Conn.)
Dan Horwitz, Newbury (Sr., G, West Hartford, Conn.)
Jaiwon Martin, Regis (Sr., F, Coral Springs, Fla.)
Ervin Cook, Southern Vermont (Sr., G, Germantown, Md.)
Matt Eason, Wheelock (Sr., G, East Hartford, Conn.)
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