University of the Incarnate Word Athletics

2020-21 (Redshirt Senior): Was the only Cardinal to start in all 22 games of the season helping the Cardinals reach the first Southland Conference tournament in program history…logged 688 minutes and averaged 7.6 points per game…led the team with 86 assists and third in the team with 167 total points, also collected 19 steals and six blocks…scored in double figures six times including a career-high 17 points against Abilene Christian on Jan. 30…scored nine points and hauled in seven rebounds in Southland Conference tournament game against Houston Baptist…finished two-year career at UIW with 36 starts, 1,336 minutes and 360 points…in four years at Tyler JC and UIW, played in 107 games with 65 starts and 1,534 minutes…averaged 7.2 points and 2.6 rebounds per game, tallied 299 assists and 103 steals…a 44.9% shooter (279-for-621), 34.1% from 3-point range (42-for-123) and 73.9% from the foul line (170-for-230).
 
2019-20 (Redshirt Junior): Appeared in 27 games with 14 starts while overcoming an injury…averaged 6.6 points and 3.3 rebounds per game…shot 46.9% (68-for-145) from the field and 18.2% (2-for-11) from 3-point range…went 41-for-62 (66.1%) at the foul line…grabbed 82 rebounds, 41 assists, 28 steals and five blocked shots…scored a career-high 18 points against Texas A&M-Corpus Christi on Feb. 29…shot 80% (8-for-10) in a 16-point effort against Houston Baptist on Jan. 29…registered double-digit points in ten games, including the final four games.
 
2018-19 (Junior): Redshirted.
 
Junior College:  Played at Tyler Junior College in Tyler, Texas, under coach Mike Marquis…as a freshman (2016-17), shot nearly 40% from behind the three-point line, and hit 87% of free throws…as a sophomore,  averaged 11.4 points and four assists per game…led Tyler to the Region 14 championship and a berth in the NJCAA Division I tournament in 2017-18…team achieved a 50-11 record through two years of play.

Prep School: Attended Quakerdale Promise Academy in New Providence, Iowa…played for coaches Tom Barrett and DeWayne Melton.

High School: Averaged 18.5 points and five rebounds a game for Western High School…played for coach Bart Miller…named Mid-Indiana Conference player of the year in 2013-14 and 2014-15…all-area in 2014-15...led team to conference championships in three straight seasons from 2012-15.
 
Personal: The son of Dennis and Joy Balentine of Kokomo, Indiana…has one brother, D.J. Balentine…is a general studies major.
 
Coach Cunningham says: “Des is a mature young man with a cerebral approach to the game. He works hard, feels the action, and appreciates the process. This serves him well as a hooper and will as a coach, which he aspires to be one day.  It’s exciting to have a fellow Indianan here in the great city of San Antonio.”