Rivaldo Soares named NJCAA Div. I Men's Basketball First Team All-American
LEVELLAND — A catalyst for the South Plains College men’s basketball team the past two seasons, sophomore guard Rivaldo Soares was recognized as one of the top players in the country Wednesday as the Boston native was tabbed an NJCAA Div. I Men's Basketball First-Team All-American.
LEVELLAND — A catalyst for the South Plains College men's basketball team the past two seasons, sophomore guard Rivaldo Soares was recognized as one of the top players in the country Wednesday as the Boston native was tabbed an NJCAA Div. I Men's Basketball First Team All-American.
Soares, who was named the Most Valuable Player of the Western Junior College Athletic Conference early this year, anchored the Texans on both ends of the floor, leading SPC to a share of the WJCAC title and an appearance in the Elite Eight of the NJCAA Men's Basketball National Tournament.
Soares led South Plains in scoring, averaging 15.2 points per game during his sophomore stint, shooting 45.5 percent from the field and 34.5 percent from the 3-point line. Soares was a also consistent factor around the glass, averaging 6.8 rebounds per game.
A perennial scorer for South Plains, Soares scored in double figures 17 times this season, recording four double-doubles, most notably, a career outing on March 11 against Western Texas, dropping in a career-high 28 points to go along with 10 boards in the Texans' 87-80 victory over the Westerners.
2021 NJCAA Men's Basketball All-America Teams:
| FIRST TEAM ALL-AMERICANS | ||||
| PLAYER | COLLEGE | POS. | CLASS | |
| Tyrel Morgan | Northern Oklahoma-Tonkawa | G/W | So. | |
| Rivaldo Soares | South Plains (TX) | G | So. | |
| Matt Mayers | Hutchinson (KS) | F | So. | |
| Dalen Ridgnal | Cowley (KS) | F | So. | |
| Linton Brown | Indian River State (FL) | G | So. | |
| El Ellis | Tallahassee (FL) | G | So. | |
| Tyem Freeman | Indian Hills (IA) | G | Fr. | |
| Dashawn Davis | Trinity Valley (TX) | G | So. | |
| Malevy Leons | Mineral Area (MO) | F | So. | |
| Deng Dut | Southern Idaho | G | So. | |
| SECOND TEAM ALL-AMERICANS | ||||
| PLAYER | COLLEGE | POS. | CLASS | |
| Tyrone Williams | Grayson (TX) | G | So. | |
| Keisei Tominaga | Ranger (TX) | G | So. | |
| Tylor Perry | Coffeyville (KS) | G | So. | |
| De'Marius Boyd | Walters State (TN) | G | So. | |
| Jackson Makoi | Daytona State (FL) | G | So. | |
| Dalton Knecht | Northeastern (CO) | G | So. | |
| Jalen Reynolds | South Georgia Tech | F | So. | |
| Kaleb Higgins | Holmes (MS) | G | So. | |
| Jordan Johnson | Hinds (MS) | G | So. | |
| Elijah Farr | Olney Central (IL) | F | So. | |
| THIRD TEAM ALL-AMERICANS | ||||
| PLAYER | COLLEGE | POS. | CLASS | |
| Stephen Byard | Cochise (AZ) | F | Fr. | |
| Kejuan Clements | Triton (IL) | F | Fr. | |
| Jaeden Zackery | Chipola (FL) | G | Fr. | |
| Talton Jones | Cape Fear (NC) | G | So. | |
| Josiah Shackleford | Brunswick (NC) | C | Fr. | |
| Cody Deen | Panola (TX) | G | Fr. | |
| Dezi Jones | Moberly Area (MO) | G | So. | |
| Jalen King | South Georgia State | F | So. | |
| Marvin Price | Salt Lake (UT) | W | So. | |
| Sydney Curry | John A. Logan (IL) | F/C | So. | |
| HONORABLE MENTION ALL-AMERICANS | ||||
| PLAYER | COLLEGE | POS. | CLASS | |
| Jahcoree Ealy | Connors State (OK) | G | So. | |
| Justin Warren | Highland (IL) | G | So. | |
| Khaleb Wilson-Rouse | New Mexico Military | G | So. | |
| Tim Dalger | Independece (KS) | W | So. | |
| Brandon Mason | Southwest Tennessee | G | So. | |
| Dayne Prim | Western Wyoming | F | So. | |
| Erik Oliver | Laramie County (WY) | G | So. | |
| Koby Isaac | Southeastern (IA) | G | Fr. | |
| Khari Broadway | North Dakota SCS | G | So. | |
| Charles Lampten | Dawson (MT) | C | So. | |
| Keonte Jones | Mineral Area (MO) | G | Fr. | |
| Chris Wright | Georgia Highlands | G | So. | |
| Matt Norman | Snow (UT) | G | So. | |
| Yazid Powell | Harcum (PA) | G | So. | |
| Rakeim Gary | Wallace-Selma (AL) | G | So. | |
| Vonterius Woolbright | Lawson State (AL) | G | So. | |
| Jaronn Wilkens | Pearl River (MS) | F | Fr. | |
| Justin Archer | Vincennes (IN) | F | Fr. | |
| Jamarion Sharp | John A. Logan (IL) | F/C | So. | |
| Brian Moore | Northeastern Oklahoma A&M | G | Fr. | |