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EMCC sophomore guard Deonte Alexander has been named NJCAA Honorable Mention All-American after helping lead head coach Mark White’s 25-5 EMCC Lions to a second straight NJCAA Tournament appearance and back-to-back MACJC North Division championships.(Photo courtesy of Bob Smith)
A product of Glencliff High School in Nashville, Tenn., Alexander was a two-year starter for head coach Mark White’s nationally-ranked EMCC Lions. The 6-foot-1, 185-pound backcourt standout helped lead East Mississippi to two-year composite records of 52-12 overall and 22-2 in league play, including two straight NJCAA Tournament appearances along with back-to-back NJCAA Region 23 titles and consecutive MACJC North Division regular-season crowns.
During his two-year EMCC career, Alexander totaled 952 career points (14.9 ppg), 228 rebounds (3.6 rpg), 183 assists (2.9 apg) and 100 steals (1.6 spg) in 64 career outings (62 starts). He also posted career shooting percentages of 43 percent overall from the field, 35 percent from three-point range (157 career made 3-pointers) and 61 percent from the charity stripe. For his regular-season and postseason efforts, Alexander was twice named to the MACJC’s All-North State First Team and the NJCAA Region 23 All-Tournament Team.
This past season, Alexander earned 2010-11 NJCAA All-Region 23 honors after leading the 25-5 EMCC Lions in scoring (17.0 ppg), made 3-pointers (91) and steals (52). He also averaged 3.2 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 1.7 steals per contest as a sophomore, while shooting 45 percent from the field, 37 percent from the arc and 63 percent from the line. Alexander scored 20 or more points 11 times this past year, including a career-high 32 points on 12-of-19 shooting overall and 8-of-14 accuracy from three-point range.
Having also participated in this year’s MACJC All-Star Game, Alexander ranks as one of three honorees from Mississippi-based schools to collect All-American basketball recognition this season. Raymond Cintron, of Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College, was chosen to the second team, while Copiah-Lincoln’s Marcus Hooten also garnered honorable mention status.
This season also marks the third straight year that East Mississippi CC has featured a basketball All-American. Starkville’s CoCo Ware was a first-team men’s selection for the 2009-10 campaign, while Angelique Burtts earned third-team women’s honors for head coach Sharon Thompson’s Lady Lions in 2008-09.