Roadrunner Tracks Far-reaching In College Basketball
For many student athletes, attending a community college gives them the opportunity to start playing in their first year at college.
Others recognize the opportunities a community college offers by giving them the chance to be recognized by a four-year college recruiter or coach.
The State Fair Community College (SFCC) Roadrunners basketball program currently has 16 student-athletes on rosters at four-year colleges and universities all over the country.
The Roadrunners have student-athletes on rosters across all levels of four-year collegiate basketball. These student-athletes attended SFCC and played for Head Coach Matt Brown.
“We want to bring student-athletes to SFCC and help them become better students and athletes during their time here,” said Brown. “We want to help them transition to a four-year college or university. I got into the coaching profession to help student athletes succeed academically and athletically. It is always fun to watch them play on television or read about their progress at the next level in a box score."
L.J. Bryan is currently a junior at Morehead State University, a Division I University in Morehead, Kentucky. Bryan has played in three contests this season, starting one. He is averaging 2.3 points and 1.7 rebounds per game. He recently played against the 10th ranked University of Kentucky Wildcats. As a sophomore he averaged 4.6 points and 3.3 rebounds per game while appearing in 31 games, starting 13.
Caleb Coleman is a redshirt junior at the University of Montevallo, a Division II University in Montevallo, Alabama.
Alonde LeGrand is a redshirt junior at the University of North Florida, a Division I University in Jacksonville, Florida. He has played in two games, starting in one.
LeGrand is averaging 2.5 rebounds and one point per game. As a redshirt sophomore, he played in 29 games, starting 20 at the University of Detroit Mercy, where he averaged 2.5 rebounds per game while scoring 1.5 points and 1.2 assists per game.
Dru Smith is a senior at MidAmerica Nazarene University, an NAIA University in Olathe, Kansas. He has come off the bench in six games, averaging 6.5 points per game and 1.3 rebounds this season.
Mike Stone is currently a senior at Alabama State University, a Division I University in Montgomery, Alabama. As a junior, he played in 16 games and started six. He scored a season-high four points three times during his junior campaign and a season-high five rebounds twice.
Damaria Franklin is currently a junior at Division I Tennessee Tech University in Cookeville, Tennessee. Franklin is majoring in Interdisciplinary Studies at Tennessee Tech. He will be playing against the nationally ranked University of Tennessee Volunteers on Dec. 19.
Nathan McClure is a sophomore at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis a Division I University in Indianapolis, Indiana.
Dimitri Georgiadis is a sophomore at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis a Division I University in Indianapolis, Indiana.
Trent Lyles is a redshirt sophomore at Central Methodist University in Fayette. He is currently averaging 4.2 points, 3.7 assists, and 2.7 rebounds per game.
Sarion McGee is a redshirt sophomore at Grambling State University, a Division I University in Grambling, Louisiana. McGee is majoring in Criminal Justice.
Malcolm Townsel is a junior at the College of the Holy Cross, a Division I school in Worcester, Massachusetts. He is undecided on a major.
Kailleb Walton-Blanden is a junior at Le Moyne College, a Division II school in Syracuse, New York.
Tim Leavell is a senior at Le Moyne College, a Division II school in Syracuse, New York. He averaged 10.1 points coming off the bench in 49 games as a junior, starting two.
Michael Wright is a sophomore at Elizabeth City State University, a Division II school in Elizabeth City, North Carolina.
LePear Toles is a senior majoring in special education at the University of Akron, a Division I University in Akron, Ohio, where he played in five games during the 2018-2019 season.
Tyreek Scott-Grayson is a General Studies major at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. He averaged 7.5 points and 2.5 rebounds in two games off the bench this (his senior) season. As a junior, he played in 31 games starting 27. He scored 9.9 points per game. He scored a game-high 19 points against the University of Kentucky. During his sophomore campaign, he played in 34 games starting two, scoring 5.4 points per game.
Some programs have yet to start their 2020-2021 regular season because of the COVID 19 pandemic.
“Our guys are getting to go head-to-head with some of the best players and programs in the country,” said Brown. “Some of them will have the opportunity to play against each other this season, which is neat. However, the most important statistic to me, the one I will be the proudest of is the day that they all graduate from college.”
--David Rohrbach, SFCC Athletics