RRAC also selects All-Tourney Team

Rambo, Walter, Nwelue make the post-season grade

WAXAHACHIE, Texas  — During the recent Red River Athletic Conference tournament in Waxahachie, the league announced a numer of individual awards. The honor roll of players making the All-Conference Teams were published on the RRAC web site, along with the MVP, Newcomer of the Year and Coach of the Year.

While Southwestern Assemblies of God University took home plenty of glittery hardware for their highly successful season, including their first conference championship, one member who came off the bench to play was also cited for his play.

Emmanuel Adoyi (Little Rock, Ark / Parkview HS), whose play elevated as the season progressed, was the top vote getter for Freshman of the Year.

His impact on games, was most often the result of his rebounding and his defensive prowess.

A starter in just eleven of thirty-eight games, the 6’5 native of Abuja (ah-BOO-ja), the capital of Nigeria , averaged 19 minutes per game. Inserted with the second unit as a defensive stopper, his size, quick feet, athleticism and knack for impeding penetration caught the eye of many.

Adoyi (sounds like a-toy) averaged five points per contest. His 5.6 boards were very high considering his playing time. He yanked down 75 offensive rebounds, tied with Jon Walter (Garland, Tx / Garland HS) for second most behind Nwelue.

In one stretch of seven games late in the season and post-season he averaged 8.0 rebounds per game.

His 23 blocked shots were second on the club. His shooter’s touch was evident as he knocked down 70% from the free throw line.

Adoyi , who will be looked-for in an increased role next season, has a sense of humor and interactive personality that won is teammates.

A year ago he was the MVP of the Arkansas Class 6A state playoffs as he keyed Parkview Arts and Science Magnet H.S. Patriots to their 12th state championship.

Current NBA star, Derek Fisher , graduated from Parkview in 1992 when the Pats went 29-1.

Following the three-day RRAC tourney a group of present Sports Information Directors cast ballots for the All-Tournament Team.

The Most Valuable Player was from the tourney champions from the University of St. Thomas . Travis Lampley , a 5’11 senior point guard, was a solid choice!

He scored 15.0 ppg in three games, had 6.7 rebounds and 7.0 assists as the Celts rolled past Jarvis Christian College , 78-61, edged LSU-Shreveport , 69-63, and pulled away from SAGU in the finals, 67-51.

While sharing in the scoring load with an equally impressive Caleb Williams , UST’s 6’5 senior forward, Lampley’s play when games hung in the balance was critical in the voting process. His play in the title game was splendid; 12 points, eight points and eight assists.

The Celts top four scorers operated at a high level through the tourney; Williams scored 61 points (24, 21, 16), Lampley 45, Deric Dudley 35 while Bryan Kaase (KAH-see) chipped with 33.

2013 All-Tournament Team

Brandon Davis (LSU-Shreveport)
Oscar Griffin (Texas Wesleyan)
Anthony Jackson (Wiley)
Bryan Kaase (St. Thomas)
Travis Lampley (St. Thomas)
Robert Martinez (Our Lady of the Lake)
Mike Nwelue (SAGU)
Mark Politte (LSU-Shreveport)
Kyle Preston (Texas Wesleyan)
Dominique Rambo (SAGU)
Jon Walter (SAGU)
Caleb Williams (St. Thomas)

In the Lions three games; 87-79 over Langston University , 98-83 over Texas Wesleyan University and losing to the St. Thomas in the finals, 67-51, seven players combined to score more than 10 points in the tourney.

Dominique Rambo (Dallas, Tx / Oklahoma Wesleyan Univ., Trinity Christian School) netted 75 points, 11 assists and five steals. The junior poured in 43 against Wesleyan, a career best. He would’ve taken the MVP honor had the Lions won the event.

He was joined on the tournament team by sophomores Jon Walter (Garland, Tx / Garland HS) and Mike Nwelue (Lewisville, Tx / Lewisville HS).

Walter (pictured middle, right) was the tourney’s #2 scorer with 48 (16.0 ppg). He led the team in the first and third games with 18 and 17 points, respectively. He averaged 6.3 rebounds.

Nwelue bucketed 29 points (9.7 ppg) and latched onto 25 rebounds (8.3 rpg).

Caleb Gentry (Hondo, Tx / Oklahoma Wesleyan Univ., Hondo HS), a junior guard, chipped in with 31 points, while Adoyi, a reserve, was impactful with 22 points and 22 rebounds.

Sophomore Tyler Guidry (Houston, Tx / Westbury Christian) and senior forward Nathaniel Ward (Waco, Tx / Univ. of N.Texas, Connally HS) registered 13 and 12 points apiece.

Contact : Mark “Link” Warde , SAGU Sports Information Director, at [email protected] or at 469-658-2847.