State Fair Community College Roadrunners student-athletes Dru Smith and Kamari Balton spent the summer preparing and participating in showcase events for their sophomore seasons.

Smith played in the All-American Camp in Atlanta on July 9-10 against some of the best rising sophomores in community college basketball. The event provided an opportunity for participants to play two or three games each day.

"Camps like this provide opportunities for student-athletes to get exposure to Division I and Division II coaches throughout the country," said Roadrunners Basketball Head Coach Matt Brown. "Dru played well at camp and was probably the most improved player on our team throughout the spring. He felt that he did well. We had calls from coaches who saw him play at the event. It was good for him to play against good players in the off-season and identify his strengths and areas that he needs to improve."

Smith played in 28 games as a freshman, while starting 13. He averaged 8.9 points per game. He averaged one steal per game, while dishing out 1.5 assists.

Balton participated in the Mullen's Junior College Top 100 Camp in Wichita, Kansas, among some of the best players in the country. The event took place on July 21-22.

"This camp was an opportunity for players to determine the areas of the game they are good in and the areas they need to improve," said Brown. "Kamari said that he played well at the camp. This also helped his recruitment. We have already had college coaches want more information about him as a player and a person."

Balton transferred to SFCC from North Arkansas College, where he was named a 2017-2018 NJCAA Division II first-team All-American. He placed 12th in scoring in NJCAA Division II, averaging 21.7 points per game. He finished fifth in the country in assists per game with seven. He averaged 5.9 rebounds and led his team in steals per game with 2 while helping the team to a 19-11 record.

David Rohrbach

SFCC Athletics