Langston Receives Preseason Honors, Bucs Expected to Finish 11th in HBCUAC
ST. THOMAS, U.S. VIRGIN ISLANDS, October 14, 2024 – University of the Virgin Islands (UVI) men's basketball student-athlete Jalil Langston received his second consecutive All-HBCUAC Preseason Second Team selection, while the UVI Buccaneers are expected to finish 11th in the conference as voted by the Historically Black College and Universities Athletic Conference (HBCUAC) head men's basketball coaches.
The senior started at guard in every game for UVI last season, while averaging 13.9 points per game, shooting 43.9% from the field and 31.7% from behind the arc. Throughout the season, Langston scored in double digits in 16 of his team's 21 contests.
The 6-foot-3 sharpshooter from Norfolk, Virginia, also finished in the top 10 in three statistical categories in the HBCUAC: points per game, points scored, and made three-pointers, where he placed ninth, 10th, and 10th, respectively. Langston's best performance came when he exploded for a season-high 31 points versus Clinton College in the United States Virgin Islands (USVI) HBCU Classic. On the defensive end of the floor, Langston finished with 31 total steals, which ranked 14th in the conference. His 1.5 steals per game, however, earned a top-10 finish, placing him seventh in the conference.
First-year head coach Kevin Sheppard had high praise for his senior guard. "Jalil is very deserving of this honor. His skills, IQ, and work ethic speak for themselves," said Sheppard. "He's one of the best players that I have ever worked with. He has all the tools to take his basketball career even further."
Langston is joined by Demarius Pitts of Wiley University, Armond Williams of Dillard, Amorey Womack of Philander Smith and Michael Ashley of Fisk on the Preseason All-HBCUAC Second Team.
The team is predicted to finish 11th in the HBCUAC after going 6-10 last season during conference play. "The ranking is fair for a team that seems to be rebuilding; however, that's the preseason," said Sheppard. "The end of the season rankings are what count, not the start. It will be a tough hill to climb, but we are ready for the challenge."
The Bucs will get their first chance to prove themselves against their HBCUAC Conference foes when they take the floor against Philander Smith University on Thursday, December 5th.
