The conference awards were announced following the Cap-8 men’s basketball championship on Friday, February 19. Leesville’s own Alex Hunter, junior, was named co-CAP-8 Player of the Year.
“It’s a good feeling,” said Hunter. “I was surprised considering I didn’t think I had been as consistent as I should have been.”
Hunter has been excellent for the Pride this season, averaging 16 points per game. He is known for his quickness and ball-handling, but also for his intangibles such as his humility and work ethic.
“It’s a good experience for him and he deserves it, “ explained Jalen Benjamin, Hunter’s teammate and longtime friend. “He’s a good leader who’s helped us through our wins and our adversity through the year… I look up to him because I play the same position that he does, and when he’s gone, I could possibly do the same things that he does.”
Hunter is the first Leesville player in several years to win the coveted award.
“There’s always a thought [about winning the award] in the back of my mind because it’s a huge honor, but I didn’t think about it that much during the season,” said Hunter, who maintains a team-first approach.
Hunter shares the award with Jayden Gardner, a sophomore at Heritage, who averaged 20 points per game this season. Hunter’s primary focus is still the playoffs. The Pride opened on Tuesday with a 66-37 win against Clayton.
Leesville’s Jonathan Mebane and Ben Zemonek also earned all-conference honors.
