Dec. 15, 1997
Lewis Leads the Way for the Sun Devils
Arizona State basketball player Ahlon Lewis has had to be a leader for the greater part of his life. His father died when he was 12 years old, and he was left to be the only father figure for his three younger sisters.
"Since I was the only man in the house with my mother and my sisters, I have had to be a guardian from the age of 12 years old to now," he said.
|
| Ahlon Lewis |
Now, as the starting point guard on the ASU basketball team, Lewis, a senior from Houston, Texas, is again showing his ability to lead.
Through nine games, Lewis has established himself as the named and unnamed leader. As one of two captains, Lewis leads the team by example and by expression. By example, he currently leads the team with 77 assists and an 8.6 assist-per-game average.
Lewis has had four games this season with double digits in assists, which tops his career high nine assists set last year.
"What I've done this season is basically accept my role as a team leader, and as a captain." he said. "As a captain, I am not trying to be anyone's preacher or anything, but I am just trying to lead the team."
By expression, Lewis tries to impress upon his teammates how important it is to work hard and play hard.
While Lewis has been leading the basketball team on the court, he has also taken to leading younger children in need of direction off the court. He interns at Tempe High School twice a week as he works toward a degree in social work.
"I like to work with ninth graders," he said. "At that age they are really vulnerable and they really listen to what you are saying to them because they want to know what they can do to make life a little better."
Lewis loves working with kids and is excited to graduate so that he can either coach or counsel children. Graduating itself, though, will be a big accomplishment for Lewis.
" I will be the first person in my family to graduate from a Division I school," he said. "I am really excited about that. That is what I am concentrating on now."
Lewis, who is expected to graduate from ASU in May 1998, graduated from Sharpstown High School in Houston, Texas, in 1994. In high school, Lewis earned two letters in basketball, and was named the team MVP as a senior. He was a First Team All-State pick, and he was also a First Team All-Houston pick. Lewis broke the school record for assists in three straight seasons.
After high school, Lewis played basketball for two years at San Jacinto Junior College in Pasadena, Texas, and was an All-Texas Eastern Athletic League selection. He led the team in assists, steals and free-throw percentage.
Lewis came to ASU from San Jacinto, and played in 29 games during the 1996-97 season. He averaged 16.4 minutes per game, and was third on the team with 77 assists.
This year, there are personal and team goals that he would like to accomplish.
"I would like to lead the nation in assists as a personal goal," he said. "I would also like our team to finish in the top three in the Pac-10 so we can earn a berth to the tournament."
While Lewis has goals that he wants to accomplish, he just wants the team to do well. With his leadership, the team already has done well.