XULA’s Loyd, Mart, Jones earn GCAC end-of-season honors

NEW ORLEANS — The Gulf Coast Athletic Conference honored three from Xavier University of Louisiana men’s basketball — William Loyd, Rayshawn Mart and TJ Jones — with end-of-season awards Wednesday.

Loyd and Mart both were named first-team All-GCAC, and they were chosen to the five-player All-Defensive team. Jones shared Freshman of the Year with Rust’s Elijah Johnson.

Loyd, a 6-foot-5 senior forward from Baton Rouge, La., and a graduate of Madison Prep, is averaging 15.8 points and 7.6 rebounds and shooting 55.8 percent from the floor through 30 games. Mart, a 6-3 junior guard from Houma, La., and a former H.L. Bourgeois standout, is averaging 16.9 points and five rebounds and shooting 52.4 percent from the floor in 31 games.

Jones, a 5-8 guard from Opelousas, La., and a graduate of Lafayette Christian, is averaging 4.5 points and a team-high four assists in 31 games. His 124 total assists are the most by a XULA freshman in the last 16 seasons.

The GCAC announced every honor except Coach of the Year. XULA’s Alfred Williams — whose team is ranked 15th in NAIA Division I, won the GCAC regular-season championship and improved to 25-6 after an 87-57 home victory Wednesday against Rust in the GCAC Tournament quarterfinals — will be strongly considered for that award.