Story courtesy of Georgia Southern sports information
STATESBORO, Ga.- There were a number of deserving candidates, but one of the smallest stood above the rest. Georgia Southern’s 5-foot-8 senior Elton Nesbitt, who helped the Eagles to the Southern Conference regular season championship, is the recipient of the CollegeInsider.com Mid-Major Most Valuable Player.
“There is no doubt in my mind that he is one of the top guards in America,” says Georgia Southern head coach Jeff Price. “Unfortunately he doesn’t get nearly the recognition he deserves. Being named Mid-Major MVP is a well-deserved honor. It’s great for Elton and it’s great for our program.”
Nesbitt might be small in stature, but he certainly puts up big numbers. The first Georgia Southern player to be named Southern Conference Player of the Year, Nesbitt became the only Eagle in school history to record 600 points in more than one season.
On five occasions this season he tallied 30 or more points, with a season-best 36 in a win over UNC Greensboro. Twice he made seven three-point baskets in a game and on Feb. 8 he made eight three-pointers at Chattanooga.
He is the only Eagle to ever record 100 three-pointers in a single season.
“It’s a shame most people have no clue who he is,” says CollegeInsider.com’s editor-in-chief Joe Dwyer.
“What’s so impressive is the fact that the team’s best player is also the team’s hardest worker. He can beat you from the perimeter and he can beat you with the dribble. He does a great job of getting to the free-throw line.”
Nesbitt put together quite a career, finishing as the school’s all-time leader in free throws (353). He is also first in career three-pointers made (259), second in steals (193), fifth in scoring (1721) and is third on the all-time list in three-point field goal percentage (.374).
“His teammates followed his lead,” says Price. “When the best player in the league works so hard, everyone else follows. I wish people could see how hard he works every day in practice.”
Nesbitt is just the seventh player in school history to reach 1,500 career points, which he eclipsed on Jan. 28 with his 36-point performance against.