Jelani Watson-Gayle Earns SIAC Freshman of the Year

By Sam Neter on February 28, 2018

Benedict College

Jelani Watson-Gayle (’98) has been named the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC) Freshman of the Year.

The former England Under-16 and Newham Youngblood guard was among the top 3-point shooters in the conference during his first season. He averaged 12.5 points per game and led the team in 3-pointers made (67) and was second in 3-point percentage (.462), whilst ranking third in the league in 3-point percentage and fourth in 3-pointers made.

Watson-Gayle was Under-16 MVP at the inaugural Hoopsfix All-Star Classic in 2014, and left the UK in 2015 to join Westminster High School where he scored over 1000 points in two seasons before signing with NCAA Division II school Benedict last year.

All-conference honours are voted on by the league’s head coaches and sports information directors.

Here he is in his last season in England showing out at the Junior Final Fours with Newham:

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