N鈥橨ai LeBlanc excelling in senior season with Menlo College
ATHERTON, Calif. — Senior guard N鈥橨ai LeBlanc is playing his first season as a full-time starter and having his best season yet.
LeBlanc grew up in Redwood City, California, only a couple of miles away from Menlo College. He played basketball at Sequoia High School and was a three-year starter on the varsity team.
He won many awards in high school. As a sophomore, he was named honorable mention all-conference. As a junior, he was also named honorable mention all-conference for the second time, and he helped his team to a conference championship. As a senior, he was named second team all-conference, second team all-county, and team captain.
LeBlanc went to NAIA Menlo College out of high school and made an impact off the bench as a freshman. He played in all 31 games and started 11 of them. He averaged 8.1 points per game and shot the ball well, as he hit 41.2% of his shots from the field and 42.2% of his 3-point attempts. He had some strong games, scoring 18 points against Arizona Christian University and William Jessup University. LeBlanc鈥檚 play improved down the stretch. He scored 11 or more points in four of the five final games of the season.
LeBlanc turned a corner going into his sophomore season. He started almost every game and averaged 12.1 points per game along with 3.6 rebounds. He also averaged 4.9 assists per game, 10th at the NAIA Division I level. He had another strong game against Arizona Christian University and scored a career-high 24 points. He also had a 15-point, 10-assist double-double against Arizona Christian University (the first double-double of his college career).
LeBlanc did not stop playing well in his junior season. He played in 26 games 鈥� starting 10 — in the COVID-19 shortened season. He averaged 11 points, three rebounds, and four assists per game. He shot the ball exceptionally well, hitting 46% of his field-goal attempts and 43% of his shots from behind the arc.
LeBlanc entered the Menlo College basketball history books many times in his junior season. He became top 10 in field-goals attempted (680), 3-point field goals made (139), 3-point field-goals attempted (351) and assists (294).
Unfortunately, Menlo鈥檚 basketball season was canceled last year, but its 2021-22 season began in October. Menlo is 9-3, and LeBlanc is a significant part of the team鈥檚 early success. He is again a full-time starter and averaging 14.3 points per game. It looks like Menlo College will have a strong season, and N鈥橨ai LeBlanc will be a big part of that.
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