PHILADELPHIA, PA - The National Association of Basketball Coaches has released its all-District Teams for the 2005-'06 men's basketball season and La Salle senior Steven Smith earned first-team honors for District 3.

 

Smith, who earned his undergraduate degree in May, returned for his final season of eligibility at La Salle despite grading well at the NBA Pre-Draft Camp in Chicago. 

 

He enters the Explorers' game against the University of Dayton on Saturday afternoon averaging 19.3 points per game and 7.9 rebounds per game while ranking third on the team in assists (58).  He has been a major reason for the rebirth of Explorer basketball as the team has secured its first winning record since the 1992-93 season, earned no worse than an 8-8 (.500) record in Atlantic 10 Conference play for just the second time and has set a school mark for Atlantic 10 road wins (4).

 

Smith recently became only the fifth La Sallian in ever to score over 1,800 points and grab over 800 rebounds.  He was a pre-season third-team and Honorable Mention All-American and a candidate for both the Wooden and Naismith Awards for National Player of the Year.  He was also the 2004-05 Atlantic 10 Co-Player of the Year.

 

The Explorers, who have won six straight and are currently in third place in the Atlantic 10 will host The Dayton Flyers at 2:05 PM on Saturday afternoon.