With a successful 2018-19 regular season in the books, the Radford University men’s basketball team earned several Big South postseason awards. Senior forward Ed Polite Jr. was named Defensive Player of the Year and First Team All-Conference, redshirt sophomore guard Carlik Jones was named First Team All-Conference, junior guard Travis Fields Jr. earned Honorable Mention honors and senior guard Caleb Tanner was placed on the All-Academic team.
Polite Jr. averaged a career-high 13.3 points per game including 14.8 during conference play. He led the Big South with 9.8 rebounds per game and ranked 21st in the nation with 13 double-doubles across 30 games played. The Lanham, Md. native ranked top-10 in the Big South for both steals per game (1.5) and blocks per game (1.2) and even led the league in field goal percentage during conference play (.545).
“I’m really happy for Ed, and his family, that he has earned this recognition,” said Head Coach Mike Jones. “It’s been a pleasure to watch him grow as a player during his career. He came to a school where he had an opportunity to step on the floor as a freshman and he made the most of that opportunity. His intelligence, coupled with his elite athleticism, makes him a terror on the court, especially on the defensive end. With these awards, and his legacy of championships he will leave here as one of the all-time greats. I’m looking forward to seeing him add to that legacy during the conference tournament, and in the future.”
Following up his breakout Freshman of the Year campaign in 2017-18, Jones lived up to the hype with 15.7 points, 5.1 rebounds and 6.1 assists. He ranked second in the Big South in assists per game, second in assist/turnover ratio (2.3), second in steals per game (1.7) and tied for fourth in field goal percentage (.464). With 171 assists this season, he ranks third in single-season program history and was named Big South Player of the Week twice.
“Carlik is a special player who has a competitive chip on his shoulder that drives him to be great,” continued Coach Jones. “He has become the heart and soul of our team, and I’m proud of how he responded to a terrific freshman year, with everyone gunning for him, and has had a terrific sophomore season. We always thought he was one of the best players in the league. For him to be recognized as such is well deserved.”
Fields Jr. took on a much larger role for the Highlanders this season, earning 27 starts after just one the year before. The Norcom High School product averaged 11.0 points, 2.8 assists and 2.2 rebounds while posting career highs in steals (44), field goal percentage (.430) and 3-point field goal percentage (.414). On Feb. 7 at Hampton, he went off for a career-high 33 points on 12-for-14 shooting including six 3-pointers in a performance for the ages.
“Travis is the type of guy you love going into battle with,” Coach Jones exclaimed. “His toughness inspires me and inspires his teammates to be great. It is nice to see his hard work, and productivity jump this season pay off with this recognition. I’m sure this will make him want to work even harder.”
Tanner made the Big South All-Academic team for the second consecutive season after earning a 3.11 GPA as a Sport Administration major. The Floyd, Va. native played in all 30 games, bringing his career total to 118, including eight starts. He averaged 8.3 points per game and knocked down six 3-pointers in a game twice this season. His career total of 213 threes ranks seventh in Radford history and his career 3-point field goal percentage of .407 ranks second.
“Caleb has been a great addition to our program and has been a great teammate all four years,” noted Coach Jones. “His dedication, on and off the court, are what every parent wants to see in their children. He has exceeded all expectations and has helped us become the winning program that we are.”
This season marks the first time Radford has boasted two players on the First Team since 2008-09 when Art Parakhouski (Player of the Year) and Joey Lynch-Flohr both made the list. It is also the first time a Radford player has been chosen for Defensive Player of the Year since Javonte Green did so in 2014-15. Polite Jr. has been named First Team in back-to-back years, Jones jumps from the Honorable Mention list last season to First Team this year and Fields Jr. earns his first career postseason award.
Radford, the defending Big South Champion, is the No. 2 seed for the second consecutive year after winning a share of its first regular-season crown since 2008-09. The Highlanders went 20-10 overall and 12-4 in conference play, the 10th time in program history with 20-plus wins and the fourth time under head coach Mike Jones. At 9-7, the Highlanders were the only team out of 11 in the Big South to have a winning record on the road.
2018-19 MEN’S BASKETBALL ALL-CONFERENCE
First-Team All-Conference
Chris Clemons, G, Sr., Campbell
Ed Polite Jr., F, Sr., Radford
Jermaine Marrow, G, Jr., Hampton
Carlik Jones, G, R-Soph., Radford
Christian Keeling, G, Jr., Charleston Southern
Second-Team All-Conference
David Efianayi, G, R-Sr., Gardner-Webb
Jahaad Proctor, G, R-Jr., High Point
Nych Smith, G, Sr., Winthrop
Andrew Eudy, C, Sr., Campbell
Davon Bell, G, Sr., Presbyterian
Honorable Mention All-Conference
Kalin Fisher, G, Sr., Hampton
Francois Lewis, F, Sr., Presbyterian
DJ Laster, F, Sr., Gardner-Webb
Lorenzo Phillips, G, Jr., Longwood
Travis Fields Jr., G, Jr., Radford
All-Freshman Team
Adam Flagler, G, Presbyterian
Jose Perez, G/F, Gardner-Webb
DeVon Baker, G, UNC Asheville
Dontrell Shuler, G, Charleston Southern
Cory Hightower, F, Presbyterian
All-Academic Team
Cory Gensler, G, Jr., Campbell
Christian Keeling, G, Jr., Charleston Southern
Eric Jamison Jr., F, Jr., Gardner-Webb
Trevond Barnes, F, Sr., Hampton
Jahaad Proctor, G, R-Jr., High Point
Jordan Cintron, F, Soph., Longwood
JC Younger, G, Jr., Presbyterian College
Caleb Tanner, G, Sr., Radford
Donovan Gilmore, F, R-Sr., UNC Asheville
Jure Span, G, Sr., USC Upstate
Bjorn Broman, G, Sr., Winthrop
Player of the Year
Chris Clemons, G, Sr., Campbell
Freshman of the Year
Adam Flagler, G, Presbyterian
Defensive Player of the Year
Ed Polite Jr., F, Sr., Radford
Coach of the Year
Kevin McGeehan, Campbell
Scholar-Athlete of the Year
Jahaad Proctor, G, R-Jr., High Point
–RU Athletics