During a postgame news conference in Jonesboro on Feb. 22 -- soon after his team had beaten in-state rival Arkansas State University for a second time this season -- University of Arkansas at Little Rock Coach Darrell Walker didn't bother to hide the chip that he carries on his shoulder.
"I've had a lot of people doubt me as a coach, and that fuels my fire," said Walker, who rebooted his long, NBA-rich coaching career just four years ago with a move to the college ranks at a small, private Division II school named Clark Atlanta University.
2019-20 Sun Belt Conference postseason awards
Player of the year:
G Nijal Pearson, Texas State
Defensive player of the year:
F Ruot Monyyong, UALR
Freshman of the year:
G Mylik Wilson, Louisiana
Newcomer of the year:
F Ruot Monyyong, UALR
Joe Gottfried coach of the year:
Darrell Walker, UALR
All-Sun Belt first team:
G Justin Forrest, Appalachian State
F Ruot Monyyong, UALR
G Markquis Nowell, UALR
F Josh Ajayi, South Alabama
G Nijal Pearson, Texas State
All-Sun Belt second team:
G DeVante Jones, Coastal Carolina
G Quan Jackson, Georgia Southern
G Kane Williams, Georgia State
G Michael Ertel, ULM
G David Azore, UTA
All-Sun Belt third team:
F Kamani Johnson, UALR
G Marquis Eaton, Arkansas State
G Ike Smith, Georgia Southern
G Justin Roberts, Georgia State
F Trhae Mitchell, South Alabama
On Thursday, Walker's college coaching profile continued to grow.
The second-year UALR coach was named the Sun Belt Conference's coach of the year, as the Trojans cleaned house with many of the league's announced postseason awards.
Junior forward Ruot Monyyong was honored as both the Sun Belt's defensive player of the year and newcomer of the year. Monyyong and sophomore point guard Markquis Nowell were each tabbed as first team all-conference, and sophomore forward Kamani Johnson was selected to the third team.
Walker has guided the Trojans (21-10, 15-5) to their first Sun Belt regular season championship in four years and the No. 1 seed in the conference tournament -- a dramatic turnaround for a team that finished 10-21 and tied for last in the conference a season ago in his first season.
The Trojans entered the 2019-20 campaign picked 11th of 12 teams in the league's preseason coaches poll. Now they've clinched a bye through the first three rounds of the Sun Belt Tournament and will return to the court March 14 in the semifinals at the Smoothie King Center in New Orleans.
"I feel blessed and honored that I was picked to be coach of the year, but it's all about my players and my staff. You get coach of the year, you don't do that by yourself," Walker said Thursday.
"I think my staff of Coach [Charles] Baker, Coach [Alfred] Jordan and Coach Preston [Laird] and [director of basketball operations A.J. Montanaro], I think those guys have done a great job of recruiting players, and you got to give my players some credit. Guys like Markquis and Kamani and Ruot and Nikola [Maric], all those guys have made strides during the season and in the summer time."
Monyyong, who transferred from Shelton State Community College in Tuscaloosa, Ala., is averaging 11.9 points per game this season, and he leads the Sun Belt in rebounding (9.8), blocked shots (62) and double-doubles (16), which also ranks tied for 12th nationally.
Walker himself has said that Monyyong has been a surprise. Monyyong left his mark from almost day one, when he drilled a long jumper in the final seconds to lift UALR to a 67-66 road victory over Missouri State in the season opener on Nov. 5.
"He's done a lot of things, man," Walker said. "I'm just happy for him. I knew he'd be a good player, but he's taken it to another level."
Nowell, who stands 5-7, 155 pounds, has been a spark plug for UALR all season, ranking third in the league in scoring (17.2), second in assists (4.9) and third in steals (2.2). Nowell also leads the Sun Belt in both three-point percentage (39.1%) and free throw percentage (87.9%), and he ranks tied for fourth in field goal percentage (42.7%).
Johnson -- who emerged early in the season as a result of junior forward Kris Bankston's back injury and sophomore forward Nikola Maric's 16-game NCAA suspension -- is averaging 11.0 points, 6.7 rebounds and shooting 51.3% from the floor.
Sports on 03/06/2020