Lorenzo Duncan
{{short description|American basketball player}}
{{use mdy dates|date=November 2021}}
{{Infobox basketball biography
| name = Lorenzo Duncan
| image =
| caption =
| league =
| team =
| career_number =
| career_position = Point guard
| height_ft = 6
| height_in = 2
| weight_lbs = 175
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1963|1|15}}
| birth_place =
| nationality = American
| high_school = Cairo (Cairo, Illinois)
| college =
- Alabama–Huntsville (1981–1983)
- Sam Houston State (1984–1986)
| draft_year = 1986
| draft_team = Washington Bullets
| draft_round = 6
| draft_pick = 128
| career_start = 1986
| career_end = 199?
| team1 = Hemel Hempstead Royals
| years1 = 1988–1989
| team2 = Kingston B.C.
| years2 = 1990–1991
| highlights =
- BBL All-Star (1989)
- Gulf Star Player of the Year (1986)
- 2× First-team All-Gulf Star (1985, 1986)
- Southern States Player of the Year (1983)
- 2× First-team All-Southern States (1982, 1983)
- Southern States Tournament MVP (1983)
}}
Lorenzo Duncan (born January 15, 1963) is an American former professional basketball player who had been named an All-Star in the British Basketball League during the 1988–89 season. In college, he competed for Alabama–Huntsville and Sam Houston State. Duncan was a four-time first-team all-conference selection and won two conference player of the year awards: the 1983 Southern States Conference Player of the Year and the 1986 Gulf Star Conference Player of the Year.
Early life
A native of Cairo, Illinois,{{cite web |url=https://gobearkats.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/lorenzo-duncan/4892 |title=#14 Lorenzo Duncan |date=2021 |website=GoBearkats.com |publisher=Sam Houston State University |access-date=December 28, 2021}} Duncan attended Cairo High School where as a senior in 1980–81 he was named all-state.{{cite news|last = Chamness| first = Mike| title=Alabama–Huntsville harvests Duncan, Jones |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/81498160|newspaper=The Southern Illinoisan |location=Carbondale, Illinois |date=April 29, 1981|page=13|via =Newspapers.com|accessdate = December 28, 2021}} That year he averaged 16 points, 7 rebounds, 6 assists, and 5 steals per game while leading the Cairo High Pilots to a 30–5 record. The team finished in third place in the Illinois Class A state tournament. Duncan was considered a "big-time point guard" who was recruited by NCAA Division I schools such as Oklahoma, Western Kentucky, and Southern Illinois, but due to his grades he was not immediately eligible to compete in the NCAA. Instead, Duncan chose to play for the Alabama–Huntsville Chargers, a school in the NAIA which did not adhere to the same academic requirements for student-athletes as the NCAA.
College career
As a freshman at Alabama–Huntsville in 1981–82, Duncan appeared in 25 games and averaged 12.2 points, 4.2 rebounds, 4.8 assists, and 3.6 steals.{{cite web |url=https://www.thedraftreview.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=9723 |title=The Draft Review – Lorenzo Duncan |date=2021|website=TheDraftReview.com |publisher=Fine Line Websites |access-date=December 28, 2021}} He helped guide the Chargers to win the Southern States Conference (SSC) Men's Basketball Tournament and was named to the all-conference first team.{{cite news| title=AUM, Athens pace team |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/262348614|newspaper=Montgomery Advertiser |location=Montgomery, Alabama |date=February 26, 1982|page=26|via =Newspapers.com|accessdate = December 28, 2021}} The following year, he averaged 15.3 points, 5.3 rebounds, 4.8 assists, and 3.6 steals per game in 36 games played. Alabama–Huntsville repeated as SSC Tournament champions with Duncan being named the tournament's MVP.{{cite news|last =Webb|first =Donnie| title=Alabama–Huntsville wins SSC tournament |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/257784382|newspaper=Montgomery Advertiser |location=Montgomery, Alabama |date=February 27, 1983|page=43|via =Newspapers.com|accessdate = December 28, 2021}} He repeated as a first-team selection while also taking home the regular season's top honor – Duncan was the 1983 Southern States Conference Player of the Year.{{cite news|last=Cunningham |first=Steve| title=Former Cairo star in national spotlight | url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/82662234|newspaper=The Southern Illinoisan |location=Carbondale, Illinois |date=March 6, 1986|page=13|via =Newspapers.com|accessdate = December 28, 2021}}
After his sophomore season in 1982–83, a coaching change led to his decision to transfer out of Alabama–Huntsville. He went to Sam Houston State in the Gulf Star Conference, an NCAA Division II conference in its first year of existence. Due to NCAA transfer rules, Duncan had to redshirt (sit out) his 1983–84 season.
As a junior in 1984–85, he averaged 12.3 points, 3.7 rebounds, 5.1 assists, and 3.0 steals per game in 28 appearances. Although the Bearkats mustered only a 16–12 overall record, Duncan was selected to the All-Gulf Star first team.{{cite news| title=Jones earns honor | url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/216498802|newspaper=The Town Talk |location=Alexandria, Louisiana |date=March 6, 1985|page=10|via =Newspapers.com|accessdate = December 28, 2021}} The following season, Duncan's senior year, Sam Houston State went 9–1 in conference play (27–6 overall), were Gulf Star regular season champions, and earned a berth into the 1986 NCAA Division II tournament. He averaged 17.4 points,{{cite news| title=Lions, Ladies listed | url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/318945353/|newspaper=Enterprise-Journal |location=McComb, Mississippi |date=March 12, 1986|page=10|via =Newspapers.com|accessdate = December 28, 2021}} 3.8 rebounds, 3.7 assists, and 2.7 steals per game in 33 appearances en route to a second consecutive (and fourth overall) first-team all-conference selection. Duncan was also named the Gulf Star Player of the Year, marking the second time he was named a league's MVP.
Professional career
Duncan was selected in the sixth round of the 1986 NBA draft by the Washington Bullets (128th overall).{{cite web |url=https://aws.basketball-reference.com/players/d/duncalo01.html |title=Lorenzo Duncan |date=|website=basketball-reference.com |publisher=Sports Reference LLC |access-date=December 28, 2021}} He never played in the NBA, however.{{cite news| title=Cairo star Duncan NBA career brief |last=Estel |first=Mike| url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/83761193/|newspaper=The Southern Illinoisan |location=Carbondale, Illinois |date=August 30, 1986|page=14|via =Newspapers.com|accessdate = December 28, 2021}}
He played in the British Basketball League from 1986 to 1992. In 1988–89 he played for the Hemel Hempstead Royals (as of 2021–22 known as the London Lions) where he was a BBL All-Star.{{cite web |url=http://www.bbl.org.uk/team-of-the-year/ |title=Molten BBL Team of the Year members |date=2021|website=bbl.org.uk |publisher=British Basketball League |access-date=December 28, 2021}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [https://aws.basketball-reference.com/players/d/duncalo01.html Lorenzo Duncan] @ basketball-reference.com
{{DEFAULTSORT:Duncan, Lorenzo}}
Category:Alabama–Huntsville Chargers men's basketball players
Category:American expatriate basketball people in the United Kingdom
Category:American men's basketball players
Category:Basketball players from Illinois
Category:London Lions (basketball) players
Category:People from Cairo, Illinois
Category:Sam Houston Bearkats men's basketball players