Men’s Basketball: Johnson Named LSWA Newcomer of the Year – Wilson Honorable Mention

Johnson, Wilson part of 18-member team

Matt Sullivan, Associate Director of Athletics Communications

Jalen Johnson

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LAFAYETTE – Jalen Johnson was selected as the state’s top newcomer and the Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns placed two players on the 2020 Louisiana Sports Writers Association Men’s College Basketball team which was released by the organization on Tuesday.
 
The 18-member team was selected by a statewide panel of the men’s basketball sports information directors and media members.
 
Johnson was picked as Newcomer of the Year by the panel and earned second-team All-Louisiana honors while Mylik Wilson was one of two freshmen selected and was named honorable mention.

 
Malik Wilson

Johnson, a second-team selection who prepped at Baton Rouge’s University Lab, finished as the top newcomer in the Sun Belt Conference in scoring after averaging a team-high 15.5 points per game. The junior led the Ragin’ Cajuns in rebounds (6.6) and ranked among the Sun Belt Conference leaders in scoring, rebounds, free throw percentage (.829), field goal percentage (.428) and minutes played per game (33.9).
 
Johnson reached double figures in scoring in 28 of Louisiana’s 33 games, including 20 or more points in nine contests. Johnson scored a career-high 27 points in a win over ULM on Jan. 25 and opened the season with three straight 20-point games.
 
Wilson averaged 11.5 points, 5.7 rebounds, 2.9 assists and 2.3 steals per game and finished as the lone Division I freshman nationally to 11 points, five rebounds, two assists and two steals per game. The Rayville native became the 21st Division I freshman since 1992-93 to average 11/5/2/2, joining a list that includes NBA stars James Harden and Zion Williamson.
 
He led all Sun Belt Conference freshman in scoring, rebounds, steals and minutes played while recording 19 games with two or more steals, highlighted by season-high five in games against Little Rock, Appalachian State and Coastal Carolina.
 
Wilson scored season-high 30 points in Louisiana’s 81-73 win at Appalachian State on Jan. 6, helping the Ragin’ Cajuns rally from a 15-point deficit in the contest by scoring 21 points in the second half.
 
LSU, which placed a state-best three players on the team, claimed two of the four specialty awards with Skylar Mays earning Player of the Year honors and Trendon Watford selected as LSWA Freshman of the Year. Louisiana Tech’s Eric Konkol earned Coach of the Year honors.
 
Mays was joined on the first team by Louisiana Tech guard DaQuan Bracey, Cedric Harris of Centenary College, Sha’Markus Kennedy of McNeese and New Orleans’ Bryson Robinson.
 
Joining Johnson and Watford on the second team was Malik Amos of Dillard, Michael Ertel of ULM and William Loyd of Xavier.
 
The third team consisted of LSU’s Javonte Smart, Kae’Ron Baker of Louisiana College, Chudier Bile of Northwestern State, Myles Burns of Loyola (N.O.) and Tulane’s Christion Thompson.
 
Traquan Knight of LSU Shreveport, Grambling’s Ivy Smith, Jr., joined Wilson as honorable mention selections.
 
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2020 ALL-LOUISIANA MEN’S COLLEGE BASKETBALL TEAM
(selected by the state men’s basketball sports information directors and media panel)
 
Player of the Year – Skylar Mays, LSU
Newcomer of the Year – Jalen Johnson, Louisiana
Freshman of the Year – Trendon Watford, LSU
Coach of the Year – Eric Konkol, Louisiana Tech
 
FIRST TEAM
DaQuan Bracey, Louisiana Tech – G, Sr., Baltimore, Md., 12.9 ppg., 2.9 apg., 1.1 spg.,
Cedric Harris, Centenary – G, Sr., Shreveport, La., 20.2 ppg., 8.7 rpg.
Sha’Markus Kennedy, McNeese – F, Sr., Tuscaloosa, Ala., 18.6 ppg., 10.9 rpg., 2.6 bpg.
Skylar Mays, LSU – G, Sr., Baton Rouge, La., 16.7 ppg., 5.0 rpg., 3.2 rpg.
Bryson Robinson, New Orleans – G, Sr., Mesquite, Texas, 17.9 ppg., 4.1 rpg., 2.6 apg.
 
SECOND TEAM
Malik Amos, Dillard – G, Jr., Missouri City, Texas, 19.1 ppg., 2.6 rpg.
Michael Ertel, ULM – G, Jr., Indianapolis, Ind., 16.2 ppg., 3.3 rpg., 2.8 apg.
Jalen Johnson, Louisiana – F, Jr., Baton Rouge, La., 15.5 ppg., 6.6 rpg.  
William Loyd, Xavier – F, Sr., Baton Rouge, La., 16.5 ppg, 7.6 rpg.
Trendon Watford, LSU – F, Fr., Birmingham, Ala., 13.6 ppg., 7.2 rpg., 1.7 apg.
 
THIRD TEAM
Kae’Ron Baker, Louisiana College – G, Jr., Navasota, Texas, 19.8 ppg., 5.3 rpg., 3.0 apg.
Chudier Bile, Northwestern State – F, Jr., Denver, Colo., 14.3 ppg., 7.6 rpg.
Myles Burns, Loyola – G/F, Soph., Houston, Texas, 14.1 ppg., 8.0 rpg.
Javonte Smart, LSU – G, Soph., Baton Rouge, La., 12.5 ppg., 3.5 rpg., 4.2 apg.
Christion Thompson, Tulane – G, Sr., Gonzales, La., 14.1 ppg., 6.3 rpg., 2.8 apg.
 
HONORABLE MENTION
Traquan Knight, LSU Shreveport; Ivy Smith, Jr., Grambling, Mylik Wilson, Louisiana