WATERBURY, Conn. -- In his first season playing for Post University Men's Basketball, junior forward Deng Deang has put the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference on notice. Coming for Southeastern Iowa Junior College, an NJCAA school, Deang has quickly emerged as the leading scorer for an Eagles' team that is off to their best start in program history at 12-2 overall and 3-0 in the conference.

On Monday afternoon, Deang was put on the 2023-24 Bevo Francis Top 100 List put out by Small College Basketball which compiles players from Division II and Division III schools for the award. The St. Cloud, Minnesota native is the only CACC player to be put on the list and is one of only two Division II East Region players to be put in the running alongside senior Zach Laput from Bentley. 

The award is presented annually to the player who has had the finest overall season within Small College Basketball. Considerations will be season statistics and individual achievements, awards, personal character and team achievements. 

In 14 games this season, Deang has registered double-digit point totals in 13 of those outings which has lead to him averaging a team-high 17 points per game and 7.5 rebounds per game. Among players who have shot the ball over 100 times this season, Deang ranked first on the team in field goal percentage at 52.2% while taking only one fewer shot than junior point guard Bol Akot this season. 

But Deang's game has been versatile as well with the 6-foot, 7-inch forward shooting 34.5% from three-point range while also being money from the free throw line with an 80.8% mark across 52 free throw attempts which is the second-most attempts on the team. Defensively, he has the second-most steals on the team with 21 and second-most blocks at 12 as well. Among CACC leaders, Deang is fourth in points, seventh in rebounds, and 13th in field goal percentage among active leaders. 

The Bevo Francis Award Watch List will be narrowed down to 50 players a month from today on February 15th and continue to be cut in half with each passing month before the award winner is announced on April 6th. The complete list is avaliable at the link above.