With the final game played over a month ago, the basketball season officially ended Tuesday with the Senior Men’s Basketball Banquet.
Head coach Matt Doherty, along with Athletic Director Steve Orsini, thanked the three graduating seniors, the rest of the team and the supporters of SMU athletics.
Ike Ofoegbu, Devon Pearson and Donatas Rackauskas have completed the three goals of Mustang athletics, said Orsini. The three graduating players have competed to the best of their ability on the court and have become good role models.
“You have laid the foundation to help build the future,” Orsini said.
Then Orsini introduced Doherty. This SMU team has been one of the most enjoyable of any team he has been a part of, according to Doherty.
One of the highlights of the night was the awards ceremony, which included both Conference USA and team awards.
Rackauskas, Jon Killen and Mike Norton were named to the C-USA Commissioners’ Honor Roll, and Rackauskas and Killen were also named to the C-USA All-Academic Team. Bamba Fall was named to the C-USA All-Defensive Team and Ofoegbu was named to the third team All-Conference USA.
Ofoegbu and Killen dominated the team awards.
Fall won the “most improved” award, Ofoegbu lead the team in rebounds and Dez Willingham had the best free-throw percentage, while Rackauskas won the academic award. Derrick Roberts won the coaches’ award for “loving the game of basketball.”
Killen won the best defensive player, the most charges taken and the most assists.
Ofoegbu was the leading rebounder, won the best screener award and was the team’s MVP. Doherty described Ofoegbu by saying, “It is rewarding to see the growth and development of this young man.”
Ofoegbu will graduate with a degree in economics and is the first Mustang to lead the team in points and rebounds in the same season. He also led the conference with 10 double-doubles.
After thanking God, Ofoegbu thanked Roberts who “gave moral support and had [Ofoegbu’s] back throughout everything.” But most of all, Ofoegbu thanked SMU for “giving [him] the opportunity to play.”
Pearson completed his career at SMU as the 15th leading rebounder. He was 16th on the all-time steals list. Pearson faced a few challenges this season including a new head coach, a knee injury and becoming a father. But Pearson was still able to be the second-leading scorer and was second in rebounds.
Finally, it was to honor for the player who spent the most time at SMU, Donatas Rackauskas. Nicknamed “The Rack,” Rackauskas spent five years as a Mustang and made the most of it on the court and in the classroom. In his five years, Rackauskas was able to complete a Bachelor’s in financial consulting and a Master’s in accounting.
Doherty described Rackauskas as a “great person, a great leader, even when things weren’t going his way he put the team first.”
Rackauskas couldn’t imagine “a better place to grow as a basketball player, a student, person and a man.”
Rackauskas left the stage saying, “No matter where I go or what I do, I will always be a Mustang.”
Doherty noted that this will be the first time in five springs that he and his family have not had to relocate because of a job change and added that he hopes to be at SMU for a long time.
