TORONTO - The Ontario Colleges Athletic Association (OCAA) is proud to announce that Durham College men’s basketball student-athlete Eric Smith is its 2010-11 male athlete of the year.

Smith, a third-year forward from Ajax, Ont., had a season to remember at Durham. He averaged a double-double in 20 regular season games, leading the OCAA with 432 points and 206 total rebounds. He scored at least 30 points in a game three times, and surpassed the 1,000-point plateau for his career.

In addition to these stellar numbers, Smith was second in the OCAA with 94 free throws and sixth among all players with 56 assists. The law and security student was named the OCAA men’s basketball player of the year for his efforts.

Smith earned 11 double-doubles throughout the season, including one in an 84-76 victory over then No. 1 nationally-ranked Algonquin in February. It was Algonquin’s only loss during the regular season.

In Durham’s final six games, Smith averaged 22 points and 10 rebounds per game. The Lords won five of six games to finish with a regular season record of 15-5, good for second place in the OCAA East and their first berth into the OCAA men’s basketball championship tournament in 12 years. Durham lost to Fanshawe in the OCAA quarter-finals. Smith scored 22 points in a 79-67 loss.

Durham hosted the Canadian Colleges Athletic Association (CCAA) men’s basketball championship where the Lords finished in eight place. Smith once again averaged a double-double with 47 points and 31 rebounds in three games on the national stage.