May 17, 2010
EASTON, Pa. - Fresh off an appearance in the Patriot League Tournament championship game, head coach Fran O'Hanlon and the Lafayette men's basketball program have signed two student-athletes to National Letters of Intent.
Jake Kreuser (Mendota Heights, Minn./Sibley) is a 7-0, 220-pound center and Les Smith (Cotati Calif./Marin Catholic/Kimball Union Academy) is a 6-0, 175-pound combo guard.
Kreuser, pronounced "cruiser," was a St. Paul Pioneer Press All-State Honorable Mention while earning Classic Suburban All-Conference honors as a senior. He guided his squad to a 25-7 overall record and a Classic Suburban Conference title with a 15-1 mark. Sibley won 20 of its final 21 games, including a school-record 19 straight. The program captured three straight conference titles, ringing up a record of 46-2 in that span. Sibley finished second in the state in his sophomore year of 2008 and third in his senior campaign. Kreuser finished with a three-year varsity record of 78-16.
"Jake is an active pivot who will add size and depth to our frontcourt," O'Hanlon said. "He gives us a good defensive presence and should help with our ability to rebound the ball."
In 2009-10, Kreuser averaged 11.1 points and 7.1 rebounds per game while playing alongside power forward Mike Rostampour (16.3 ppg, 7.9 rpg), a fellow Division I prospect. Kreuser led Minnesota's largest class (AAAA) with 64 blocked shots. As a junior, he teamed with Minnesota Gatorade and Associated Press Player of the Year, Mike Bruesewitz, who played in 28 games as a freshman at the University of Wisconsin. Kreuser is considering a Biology major at Lafayette.
Smith spent the 2009-10 school year at Kimball Union Academy in New Hampshire competing in the New England Prep School Athletic Conference while serving as team captain. That squad posted a 17-10 mark and a No. 5 seed in the NEPSAC Tournament under coach Mike Olson. Smith earned Second Team All-New England Class B honors, averaging 13.0 points, 4.0 rebounds and 4.0 assists while starting all 27 games.
"Leslie Smith is a versatile combo guard who can play multiple positions for us," O'Hanlon said. "He is a natural scorer but can play the point guard position if called upon. He also defends well and has proven to be very good at penetrating to the basket. He should add great backcourt depth to our team."
Smith's playing career began at Marin Catholic in Kentfield, Calif., the same school that produced Liz Virgin, a senior on the Lafayette women's basketball team. Smith missed the first 19 games of his senior season at Marin Catholic with a broken hand, but has been healthy ever since. He averaged 15.7 points, 4.6 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 1.1 steals per game in his injury-shortened season of 2008-09 for head coach Rick Winter, contributing 30 points vs. Drake and 28 against San Marin.
Smith was a was a four-year letterwinner and three-year starter at Marin Catholic, earning All-Marin County Athletic League honors as a junior and a senior. In his senior campaign, he collected Honorable Mention All-Area laurels from the San Francisco Chronicle. Smith is still deciding on his major.
An honor roll student at Marin Catholic and at Kimball Union Academy, Smith has served as mentor and teacher to younger children in the neighborhood and had the opportunity to coach underprivileged kids at Marin Catholic's summer basketball camps. He spent his community service requirement at Marin Catholic helping an elderly person in his community.
Coming off a 19-13 campaign, Lafayette returns four starters and its top three leading scorers.
