UA Fort Smith Athletics

            Legendary Westark Community College men’s basketball coach Gayle Kaundart had a knack for discovering talented players in unlikely places that often were off the beaten path patrolled by other coaches.
DeWayne Shepard was proof of that.
            Shepard played for Helena-West Helena Central High School, an eastern Arkansas Class AAAA school not often frequented by college coaches in the late 1970s. The Cougars weren’t among the state’s elite teams during Shepard’s senior season (1979-80), which limited his exposure and allowed Kaundart to sign the up-and-coming basketball star.
            For two seasons, Shepard, who was known by his coaches and teammates as “Shep”, was one of the Lions’ “go to” players. He helped lead the Lions to an impressive 65-10 overall record during his two seasons.
            Only 6-foot-5, Shepard played much bigger, exhibiting great power, quickness and leaping ability. He averaged 13 points and 10 rebounds per game and, as a sophomore, led the Lions in scoring in 15 of their 37 games. He wasn’t one dimensional either, using his long arms and quickness to block or alter shots on defense.
            As a freshman, Shepard was one of the key contributors in the Lions’ magical 1980-81 season during which they won the Bi-State Conference, the NJCAA Region II Tournament and the NJCAA National Tournament.
            Shepard scored 19 points and collected 10 rebounds as the Lions beat Lincoln College 67-50 to win their first NJCAA National Championship in school history. That double-double performance earned Shepard MVP accolades.
            A star on the basketball court, Shepard also was the consummate student-athlete. After graduating from Westark, he went on to play two seasons at Cal State-Fullerton, earning a bachelor’s degree. He later earned a master’s degree in education.