By Maliik Obee,
Special to the AFRO
On Feb. 26, the 2024 Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) Tournament will kick off for the fourth time in Baltimore, since moving to Charm City in 2022. The conference’s dozen teams participating in the men’s and women’s brackets will look to take home the crown, in the 79th rendition of the historic Black college tournament. After leading the Winston Salem State Rams to a 2023 CIAA title, guard Jaylen Alston is a name to know for next week’s tournament.
Alston left his mark in Baltimore in 2023, earning All-CIAA Tournament honors and the MVP award for his efforts in the Rams’ 62-57 championship victory over the Lincoln Lions. On Feb. 16, Alston recorded a double-double (14 points, 11 rebounds) to help the Rams defeat the Virginia Union Panthers in the NBA’s All Star Weekend HBCU Classic. With the tournament just days away, the versatile 6-foot-4 guard looks to join a distinguished group of Rams all-time to win three CIAA titles.
The Gibsonville, N.C. native shined at Eastern Guilford High, committing to Gardner-Webb University in Boiling Springs in 2018. After appearing in nine games as a freshman, Alston transferred to Winston Salem State in 2019. Alston made an immediate impact, averaging 12.5 points, six rebounds and shooting 50 percent from the field to help the Rams hoist the 2019-2020 CIAA title.
Alston stepped away from the game for personal reasons following the win, leading to a whirlwind of events, including COVID-19 that caused him to miss two seasons on the court. In 2022, Alston returned to the Rams, who climbed to 21-9 on the year and earned a Division II playoff appearance for their conference title win. Winston Salem State would fall 52-50 to the Crimson Hawks of Indiana University of Pennsylvania.
At 17-8, the Rams are riding a three-game win streak with two matchups against the Shaw Bears and Livingstone Blue Bears before the tournament gets underway. With his senior year nearing an end, Alston continues to take his game to new heights – in the moments that the Rams need him most.
Winston Salem State kicked off the month of February by honoring Alston for recording 1000-career points along with 500-career rebounds. In 25 appearances in 2024, Alston set new career-highs in points (17.5 ppg) and rebounds (8.2 rpg). The athletic slasher continues to score at will around the basket, while becoming more proficient. Alston is shooting a career-high 54 percent from the field, while hitting 74 percent of his free throw attempts. Alston has scored over 30 points in three contests this season, and six games of 20-plus – while being held under double-digits just twice. The combo guard can fill up the stat sheet in a hurry – but it’s his microwave scoring and clutch genes that make him a threat to help the Rams hoist the trophy.
At just 45 career three-point-attempts (22 percent), Alston isn’t much of a shooter from beyond the arc. But, the senior can put the ball in the basket in a variety of ways, seemingly at his discretion. From driving to the paint with his quick first step, to playing with his back to the basket, Alston shows no qualms about getting physical. For the third-straight season, Alston has grabbed 50-plus offensive rebounds, giving himself a shot at second-chance points. Of the Rams last 10 games, five have been decided by five points or less. At a career-high of 32 minutes per contest, the Rams have relied upon Alston and his ability to score in bunches and in a pinch.
With next week’s tournament approaching, Alston has a unique opportunity to capture his third conference title and help the Rams remove the bitter taste of falling short in the Division II playoffs to conclude a historic collegiate career.
All-Conference CIAA Watch Team:
Jaylen Alston – Guard, Winston Salem State
Reggie Hudson – Guard, Lincoln
Tahj Harding – Forward, Virginia Union
Jordan Hinds – Forward, Bluefield State
Avery Huggins – Forward, Johnson C Smith
The post CIAA Tournament Men’s player to watch: Jaylen Alston appeared first on AFRO American Newspapers.
