#3
Leonard Walker 
Senior * Forward
Springfield, IL * Lanphier H.S.
1998-99 Highlights: Played in just 11 games as a junior after suffering
a pair of injuries which included a torn ACL and a stress fracture in his left
foot…averaged 5.4 ppg and 3.8 rpg in just over 16 minutes a game…scored a season-high
13 points and added 6 rebounds against Ohio in the championship game of the
Carrier Classic on Dec. 4…averaged 10.5 ppg and 6.0 rpg at the Classic…topped
the Flames with 7 points and a career-high 3 blocked shots at Southern Illinois
on Dec. 21…had 7 points and 6 rebounds in 28 minutes in the win over UNC Wilmington
on Dec. 19…turned the ball over just four times in 178 minutes played.
1997-98 Highlights: One of the first to come off the bench for the Flames...averaged
3.8 ppg and 2.2 rpg while his 54.3% (25-of-46) field goal percentage led the
team...tallied 6 points on a perfect 3-for-3 showing from the field along with
2 rebounds versus UNC Charlotte in the first round of the NCAA Tournament...contributed
9 points, a career-high matching 8 rebounds and 2 blocked shots to the win over
Cleveland State on Feb. 19...added 4 points and 5 rebounds in 12 minutes to
the victory at Loyola on Jan. 24...played a (then) season-high 19 minutes at
Wisconsin-Milwaukee on Jan. 15 and responded with personal bests of 16 points
and 8 rebounds...had played a total of 45 minutes through the first 16 games
of the season and contributed just 8 points and 9 rebounds, but following the
Wisconsin-Milwaukee outing on Jan. 15, he improved to 15.4 minutes a game in
the final 12 outings of the year and averaged 6.0 ppg and 3.2 rpg...turned the
ball over just nine times in 230 minutes of action.
1996-97 Highlights: As a rookie, played in 27 of 29 games while starting
at Valparaiso...in just under 11 minutes a game, he averaged 2.2 points and
1.7 rebounds while shooting 44.1% (26-of-59) from the floor...had a season-high
6 points on four occasions, including the MCC Tournament Quarterfinal win over
Northern Illinois...had 4 points, 4 rebounds and 4 assists at Wisconsin-Green
Bay...added 4 points and 4 rebounds to UIC's victory over Cleveland State at
the MCC Tournament...had 5 points in 6 minutes in the season opener against
Illinois.
Prep Highlights: As a senior, finished second on the Lions' squad for
both scoring and rebounding with averages of 17.4 ppg and 6.8 rpg...started
in all 28 games he played in as Lanphier finished with a 25-4 record and advanced
to the supersectionals...shot 57% (199-of-349) from the field while hitting
65% (83-of-128) at the charity stripe...finished second on the squad with 33
steals and 12 blocked shots...earned honorable mention all-state honors and
was voted to the Central State Eight All-Conference squad...was selected to
play for the Class AA South Team in the Illinois Basketball Coaches Association
All-Star game during the summer of '96...as a junior, averaged 16 ppg and 6.6
rpg...earned all-state honorable mention as well as all-conference recognition.