Emondrek Erkins-Ford named to All-FCSAA Team
Emondrek Erkins-Ford has become one of the top big men in the state this season and on Tuesday he was named to the All-FCSAA Team
Emondrek Erkins-Ford has become one of the top big men in the state this season and on Tuesday he was named to the All-FCSAA Team.
The sophomore from Chicago, Illinois had a big decision to make after former head coach Jeremy Shulman left for NCAA Division I UT-Martin after his freshman season. Erkins-Ford could have left as well, but he chose to wait and see who the new head coach would be.
"I thank Jeremy Shulman often for giving me the opportunity to coach E and for recruiting him in the first place," Eastern Florida State College men's basketball coach Thomas Gray said. "To be honest, just E sticking with me when I took over. He didn't know anything about me, but I was able to sit down and explain the vision I had for this program and for him individually and he bought in to that vision right away."
It was that talk and Erkins-Ford desire to be better after starting just two games as a freshman that had him in the gym all summer.
"Him and Corey (Caulker) busted their tails all summer and seeing his development from June until now is just a credit to the amount of hours he put in the gym," Gray said. "He could have easily not bought in, but he did and I believe he is just scratching the surface of what he is capable of and I think he has a lot left to show both this year and in years to come."
The hard work paid off as the forward averaged 15.6 points and 6.7 rebounds per game this season for Eastern Florida State College and has recorded five double-doubles.
"One of the most dominant forwards in junior college basketball right now," Gray said. "He is a guy that is as skilled as he can be on the block, you can throw it to him back to the basket he can score but he can also create his own offense and has the ability to pass. Defensively he can move his feet with the best of them."
Erkins-Ford has started all 26 games this season and has scored at least 10 points in 24 of the 26. The forward has scored 632 points and grabbed 305 rebounds, blocking 88 shots in two seasons.
The All-FCSAA Team is made up of the 12 best players in the state and Erkins-Ford and teammate Corey Caulker both earned their spots. It is the first time since 2016 that two Titans have been named to the all-state team.
Eastern Florida State College will open the FCSAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament Thursday against Pensacola State College at 2 p.m. EDT at Northwest Florida State College in Niceville.