Jalen Brooks Adds All-American to Post Season Accolades
SHREVEPORT, La. – LSUS' Jalen Brooks added to his collection of postseason awards on Tuesday afternoon with the release of the NAIA Men's Basketball All-American teams. Brooks, a senior guard from Shreveport, was named to the First Team following his record-breaking 2022-23 season in the Purple and Gold.
Brooks excelled in almost every statistical category for LSUS this season, finishing inside the top ten nationally in multiple rankings while leading the Pilots in points (719), rebounds (357), steals (54), blocks (37), field goals made (236), three-pointers made (49), and free throws made (198). He ranked second in the nation in rebounds per game with 11.2 and eighth in points per game at 22.5. Brooks also finished first in the country in total offensive rebounds (118), third in free throws made and ninth in total field goals made.
In addition to his All-American accolades, Brooks was the 2023 RRAC Player of the Year, Defensive Player of the Year and Newcomer of the Year. He is also a semi-finalist for the Bevo Francis Award which is given annually to the top player across all levels of small college basketball (NCAA D2, NCAA D3, NAIA, NCCAA, and USCAA). He was named the RRAC Player of the Week a record-breaking eight times throughout the course of the season, which was good for half of the 16 awards handed out weekly by the conference.
Brooks was the catalyst for another championship season in the LSUS Men's Basketball record books, as he helped lead the Pilots to their third consecutive RRAC Regular Season title and the ninth in program history. The Pilots also returned to the NAIA National Championships for the 19th consecutive season, which is currently the second longest active streak in the nation. In the National Tournament, LSUS won a pair of games in the first and second rounds to advance to Kansas City and the Sweet 16 for the second straight year where they would bow out to the eventual National Champions.
With yesterday's announcement, Brooks becomes the fifth Pilot in the last six years to garner First-Team All-America honors and is the eleventh First-Team All American in the program's twenty-year history. This is also the 30th NAIA All-American award for men's basketball.
For his career, Brooks finished with astonishing totals of 1,992 points and 1,165 rebounds, 200 steals and 105 blocks.