Santa Monica CA.
August 15, 2019
Santa Monica College Men's Basketball sophomore power forward Lucas Zemen signed a letter of intent to play at Ottawa University, a NAIA institution in Kansas. Zemen was a key contributor to Santa Monica College's state tournament run in the 2018-2019 season. Zemen averaged 6.8 points per game, grabbed 5.8 rebounds per game, and led the team with a 78.6% free throw percentage.
In the 2018-2019 season, Zemen scored in double figures nine times and grabbed 10 or more rebounds on four occasions. Zemen played in all 32 games, including 12 starts. Zemen scored a career-high of 17 points off of the bench on December 17th, but his biggest game was his 10 point and 11 rebound performance in the Sweet 16 at Riverside City College on March 9th where the Corsairs won 66-54 to advance the CCCAA state tournament.
"Lucas was a tremendous leader all season for our team," stated Head Coach Joshua Thomas. "He sacrificed his role for the betterment of the team. We sat down and I recommended that he come off of the bench to help stabilize the second unit. Lucas was on board despite starting 12 of the first 13 games of the season." He always put the team first and did whatever we needed to win games. He grabbed some big rebounds and competed every game."
In his first season at Santa Monica College in 2016-2017, Zemen started 11 games and shot 64.3% from the field and 50% from three-point range.
"Ottawa University has signed a competitive young man in Lucas. He can rebound, shoot from the perimeter, defend multiple positions, pass, and score in the post. Winning is very important to him. Our Corsair Men's Basketball family are proud of Lucas, and we look forward to following his career in Kansas. Lucas is a great young man on and off the court," said Thomas. "Furthermore, Lucas decided to play for our coaching staff, and we are indebted to him for that. I do not take that for granted and I am thankful that he believed in the vision of our men's basketball program. He was instrumental in taking this program to heights that it had not seen in quite some time."