SXU Basketball Student-Athletes Earn CCAC Honors
Three outstanding players from Saint Xavier University's (SXU) men’s basketball team earned All-Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference (CCAC) honors at the conclusion of the CCAC Tournament. These prestigious awards recognize high achieving student-athletes who demonstrated academic and athletic excellence throughout the 2023-2024 season.
Senior guard Cedric Johnson claimed All-CCAC First Team honors; junior forward Andre Brandon was an All-CCAC Second Team selection; and freshman forward James Stevenson was named the CCAC Men's Basketball Freshman of the Year in addition to being on the All-Freshman Team.
Johnson, who was named All-CCAC Second Team last season, attributes his academic and athletic successes to all the hard work done behind the scenes, from lifting in the gym to study sessions off the court. Johnson led the team in scoring at 22.3 points per game and 7.5 rebounds per game. His 579 total points rank him No. 23 in single-season team history.
"I try to juggle staying on top of grades and playing basketball by staying consistent with my routine. Making and setting time aside specifically for academics can be challenging sometimes, but the more consistent you are with creating that time, the easier it gets completing assignments within a busy schedule," Johnson said.
Brandon, who started all 29 games for the Cougars and shot a team-best 40.0 percent from three-point range is thrilled to see that his hard work is paying off, and he plans to keep reaching higher both academically and athletically as he continues his career at SXU and prepares for post-graduation.
"Both my athletic and academic experiences from SXU will play a big role when I graduate from here. There is always going to be temporary adversity in life, and that's what I come across when playing and studying, so addressing the situation the best I can is always going to stick with me."
Though SXU's men's basketball season ended at the end of February, Johnson has advice for the rest of SXU on what it takes to be a successful student-athlete.
"My advice to students struggling to juggle academics and sports would be to try and make your learning experiences as enjoyable as possible. Study in groups, take advantage of tutoring, use studying games, and most importantly, ask for help. Engaging with your teachers and becoming familiar will help build relationships and can go a long way when it comes down to the crunch. My last piece of advice would be to cut out things that are possible distractions. Use do not disturb mode, turn off your TV, and use common study places to lock in on completing your work," Johnson said.