PSAC Men's Basketball Athletes of the Week/Weekly Report - 11
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Lock Haven, Pa. - Kutztown's Devon McBride, the leading scorer in the PSAC, turned in two straight 30-point performances to earn the PSAC East Athlete of the Week honor for the second time this season. Mercyhurst's Matt Lee also earns his second PSAC West Athlete of the Week award after a career-high performance to help lead the Lakers to a pair of wins.
East Stroudsburg's Whis Grant earns his third East Freshman of the Week award of the season while Gannon's Adam Blazek is the West Freshman of the Week for the third time on the year.
PSAC East Athlete of the Week
Devon McBride, Kutztown
Senior, Guard
Richmond, Va./Hill School
McBride posted back-to-back 32-point performances to help Kutztown to wins over Mansfield and Bloomsburg, running the Golden Bears' winning streak to nine and pulling them into a tie for first place in the PSAC East. McBride also added 6.0 rebounds per game while shooting 21-of-38 from the field (55.3 percent), including 6-of-13 from three-point range (46.2 percent), and made 16-of-18 from the free throw line (88.9 percent). In Wednesday's win over Mansfield, he had six rebounds and scored 20 of his 32 points in the second half, helping stretch Kutztown's two-point lead with under 10 minutes to play into the final 12-point margin of victory. McBride also had six rebounds and dropped in 32 more points, including a perfect 4-for-4 from the free throw line in the final minute of the game was Kutztown iced the game from the charity stripe, turning a three-point lead heading into the final minute into a nine-point margin of victory.
PSAC East Freshman of the Week
Whis Grant, East Stroudsburg
Freshman, Guard
Plymouth Meeting, Pa./Plymouth Whitemarsh
Grant is the East Freshman of the Week for the second consecutive Monday after averaging 21.5 points, 2.5 rebounds and 2.5 steals. He was red hot from the floor, making 13-of-18 shots from the field (72.2 percent), including a sizzling 7-of-10 from three-point range. He also converted on 10-of-13 free throws (76.9 percent). In Wednesday's three-point loss to Bloomsburg, Grant scored 21 points on 6-of-10 shooting from the floor and added two rebounds and two assists. He then dropped in 22 points on 7-of-8 shooting and also contributed three rebounds, two assists and three steals in Saturday's win over West Chester. Grant now has five 20-point games this season and has been in double figures in scoring in 17 of 20 contests.
PSAC West Athlete of the Week
Matt Lee, Mercyhurst
Sophomore, Guard
Bloomfield, N.J./Bryant University
Lee averaged 25.0 points and 4.5 rebounds to help Mercyhurst to a 2-0 week with wins over Edinboro and California. He made 20-of-34 shots from the floor (58 percent), including 10-of-15 from three-point range (67 percent) and also chipped in 1.5 assists and a steal per game while committing just three turnovers in 60 minutes of playing time. Lee scored a career-high 29 points on 12-of-22 shooting, including 5-of-8 from beyond the arc in Wednesday's win over Edinboro. He also added a career-high seven rebounds against the Fighting Scots. In Saturday's win over the Vulcans, Lee scored 21 points, which included four straight threes in a 2:10 span in the first half. He also added three assists and shot 8-for-12 from the field to help the Lakers to their fifth straight win.
PSAC West Freshman of the Week
Adam Blazek, Gannon
Freshman, Guard
Erie, Pa./Cathedral Prep
Blazek earns the West Freshman of the Week honor for the second straight week after averaging 21.0 points, 5.5 rebounds and 3.5 assists in Gannon's 1-1 week. He shot 55.6 percent from the field (15-for-27), including 5-of-7 from three-point range (71.4 percent) and made 7-of-9 free throws (77.8 percent). He also turned the ball over just twice in 74 minutes of playing time at point guard. He began the week by scoring a career-high 23 points along with six rebounds in a seven-point loss to Slippery Rock. He then recorded 19 points, five rebounds and five assists while shooting 7-of-11 from the field in Saturday's win over Lock Haven. Blazek has now reached double digit scoring in his last four games.
Team Notes
Bloomsburg
The Huskies 14 wins this season are the most for the team since the 2001-02 season when the team also won 14 games ... The home loss last Saturday to Kutztown was just the second home loss of the season for the Huskies who are now 7-2 at the Nelson Field House ... Senior Larry Webster needs just eight points to reach 1,000 for his career. He would be the 24th player in school history to reach the milestone ... Webster has 651 career rebounds and needs just nine more rebounds to take over 10th place on the school's career rebounding list.
California
The Vulcans posted a split in divisional play last week, winning at Clarion and losing in overtime to Mercyhurst … Cal U has played two overtime games this season (both at home), marking the first time it has played multiple overtime games in the same year since the 2007-08 campaign … The Vulcans are now 8-7 in overtime games since the 2002-03 season … Cal U has lost six of the seven meetings against Mercyhurst since the Lakers joined the PSAC four years ago … Senior Chad Tipton has made 49 three-pointers this season and enters the week only three shy of breaking his career high set last year … Senior Steve Swiech and freshman Jeremy Posey have combined for 50 of the team’s 76 blocks this season after the Vulcans registered 84 blocks as a team last year
Cheyney
Jason Sabb's 31 points against Shippensburg was the third time this season that the junior scored more than thirty points. Sabb and Brandon Baylor have scored in double figures in all but one contest this year ... The 10 three pointers that the Wolves made against Shippensburg ties a season high (two other occasions) ... Cheyney turned the ball over only five times against Shippensburg; it was the third time this season the CU kept turnovers in single digits ... CU opponents have shot better than 50% in the last six contests ... CU will play its final non-conference game this week at the University of the Science before hosting East Stroudsburg and Bloomsburg.
Clarion
Senior forward Paul McQueen became the 11th known player in school history with 600 career rebounds Saturday when he had 10 at Edinboro giving him 607 in his career. McQueen is also 11 points shy of 1,000 in his career ... Freshman guard Winfield Willis recorded his 6th 20-point game of the season when he scored 20 at Edinboro Saturday. Willis has 330 points this year moving him into 4th place in freshman scoring at Clarion since 1970 past 2,000-point scorer Reggie Wells, Sr. and Oronn Brown ... Clarion's win at Edinboro Saturday marked the Golden Eagles 2nd straight at McComb Fieldhouse, something that hadn't happened since the 1978 and 1979 seasons.
East Stroudsburg
ESU (12-8, 8-6 PSAC) is two games ahead of 4th-place West Chester and two games behind co-leaders Bloomsburg and Kutztown after a 1-1 week ... Warriors fell 70-67 to Bloomsburg Wednesday before posting 94-82 win vs. West Chester Saturday ... Fr. G Whis Grant had back-to-back 20 point games (21 vs. BU, 22 vs. WCU) and shot 13-18 (7-10 3-pointers) for the week ... Grant leads ESU with 14.7 ppg and has 294 points this season ... Warriors shot 10-16 from 3-point line and had just 10 turnovers vs. WCU ... Grant and Jr. F Duane Johnson (16 points) combined for 38 points on just 14 shots ... ESU is 14-4 since the start of last season when Johnson and Jr. F Terrance King both hit double figures … Sr. G Russell Graham III scored 29 points last week, going 19-for-27 at the foul line ... ESU has won 5 straight vs. WCU for the first time since 1991-92 ... ESU has also won 5 straight vs. Cheyney (longest since 1960-63) and travels there Wednesday ... Warriors begin second half of PSAC East schedule at Kutztown on Saturday.
Edinboro
Jay Fletcher became the third Edinboro player to score 30 or more points in a game when he dropped in a career-high 30 points against Clarion. The junior guard made 6 of 12 three-pointers … Bryan Theriot had 33 points and Clint Nicholson 31 vs. Urbana, and Isaiah Prince fell just short with 29 vs. Mansfield … Theriot, who entered the game ranked sixth in the PSAC in scoring and second in rebounding, missed the Clarion game due to a recurring injury … Clint Nicholson registered his first double-double of the season against Mercyhurst with 22 points and 11 rebounds, falling one board shy of his career high. The senior guard now has 937 career points … Edinboro looks to snap a four-game losing streak with a pair of road contests this week. The Fighting Scots renew their rivalry with California (Pa.) on Wednesday, February 1 while concluding the first half of action against PSAC West competition, then play at Lock Haven on Saturday, February 4.
Gannon
Gannon split two games last week to remain in the PSAC Western Division playoff hunt, sitting one game out of the final playoff spot with eight games remaining … The Knights moved to 20-0 all-time against Lock Haven Saturday with an 80-49 victory … Gannon held the Eagles without a field goal during a span of 11 minutes and 25 seconds during the first half, a span in which they missed 18 consecutive shots and turned the ball over five times … Junior Darrell Blanton recorded his seventh double-double with 25 points and a season-high 15 rebounds against Slippery Rock … Blanton then narrowly missed his eighth double-double with 10 points and nine rebounds at Lock Haven, falling one rebound shy for the fourth time this season … Freshman Adam Blazek had a season-high 23 points against the Rock … Blazek committed only two turnovers in 72 minutes last week.
IUP
The 16th-ranked Crimson Hawks went 2-0 last week, with a blowout home win over Lock Haven and a last-second road win at Slippery Rock ... IUP got an early lead on the Bald Eagles, taking a 27-point halftime lead en route to an easy 82-44 victory … Three players reached double-figures, led by Sr. G Julian Sanders 17 points, while Sr. G Ashton Smith added 14 and Jr. G Anthony Wells scored 13 … Meanwhile, Jr. C Danny Ayebo picked a good time to score his only two points of the game against The Rock, getting an offensive rebound and tip-in with 3.2 seconds left to give the Crimson Hawks a 63-62 win … Along with Ayebo’s key score, IUP won the game at the foul line, converting 19-21 at the charity stripe while Slippery Rock went just 12-20…Smith scored a game-high 24 points while Sanders added 19.
Kutztown
The Golden Bears (13-5, 10-4) extended their winning streak to nine with wins over Mansfield and Bloomsburg … KU is undefeated in Eastern Division play … In the 77-65 win over Mansfield, KU mounted a late 15-3 run to eventually win its eighth straight game by double-digits. Devon McBride scored five straight buckets in the run on his way to 32 points. It was Kutztown's first win at Mansfield since a quarterfinal game in the 2009-10 season … The win over Bloomsburg pushed KU into a tie for first place in the division. After letting up a 16-point second half lead, KU managed to hold on a take down the Huskies, 74-65. KU forced 22 turnovers, the second-most of the season, while giving up the ball just 14 times. More importantly, KU capitalized on Bloomsburg's mistakes and finished with 23 points off turnovers … McBride leads the team with 21.6 points per game. Senior guard Nate Edwards is averaging 18.7, with junior guard Micah Fraction (14.7) and senior forward Eric Brennan (13.3) also averaging double figures. Brennan leads the team in rebounding (9.4).
Lock Haven
Lock Haven lost a pair of PSAC West games last week … The Bald Eagles are 0-17 overall and 0-14 in PSAC play … Lock Haven closed out last season on a 19-game losing skid and the Bald Eagles have now 36 straight game dating back to December 4, 2010 … A huge bright spot for first-year head coach Mike Nestor has been the play of freshman guard Terrell Johnson … The Philadelphia native is averaging 13.2 points per game (24th best in PSAC) and he’s second in the conference in minutes played per game with 36.4 … Sophomore Anthony Baker adds 9.7 points per game off the bench and newcomer Andre Rivers contributes 9.1 points per game to help The Haven cause … LHU is on the road this week to take on Mercyhurst before hosting Edinboro on Saturday.
Mansfield
Mansfield snapped a season long, three-game losing streak with a critical win over Millersville to keep the Mountaineers PSAC playoff hopes alive … Mansfield, which had ranked among the poorer shooting teams in the PSAC earlier in the season, has shot 51% or better from the floor in three of its last four games … All seven of Mansfield’s wins this season have come at Decker Gymnasium while the Mountaineers still have not won a road game on year … Mansfield is shooting 45.7 % at Decker but just 40.4% on the road while pulling down an average of 38.1 boards in games at Decker to 31.8 on the road … Joe Bell doesn’t play like a rookie any more scoring in double-figures in each of the last nine game including 20 or more points three times during that stretch.
Mercyhurst
Mercyhurst continued its stellar play, extending its winning streak to five with an 82-78 overtime win at California (Pa.) Saturday ... Matt Lee scored 17 first-half points on his way to 21 on 8-12 shooting in the win ... Senior Bill Weaver recorded 18 points and eight boards, including a three-point play in overtime and a crucial offensive rebound to seal the Lakers' victory ... Luis Leao made his return after missing eight games due to injury-he scored 15 points with five boards in 24 minutes ... Hurst also won at Edinboro, 76-62 ... Lee put up career highs in points (29) and rebounds (seven) to lead the Lakers ... Mercyhurst sits alone in second place in the Western Division, one game back of IUP ... The Lakers host Lock Haven Wednesday, February 1, and then head to Slippery Rock February 4 for the start of the second round of divisional action.
Millersville
Millersville received two double-doubles from Elijah Obade during the week. In the win over Shippensburg, Obade scored 21 points, grabbed 12 rebounds and blocked four shots. He followed that performance with 11 points and 13 rebounds at Mansfield … Obade has now registered three consecutive double-doubles and five on the season. He has grabbed 10 or more rebounds in 10 games. His 21 points against Shippensburg marked the second 20-point tame of his career. His four blocks tied a career-high. He has blocked at least one shot in 16 of 17 games and has two or more in 12 games … Anthony Coleman has been on a roll as well, scoring in double figures in six consecutive games. He averaged a team-best 17.8 points and also 5.2 rebounds during that stretch and was also a marksman from the field, hitting 58.8 percent of his shots and 20-of-24 free throws.
Shippensburg
Shippensburg snapped its losing skid with a win over Cheyney Saturday ... Senior Will Royal scored a season-high 22 points versus Cheyney and was a perfect 10-of-10 from the free throw line to go along with a game-high 12 rebounds for his fifth double-double of the season ... Graduate guard Dane Lauber has posted double figures in 9 of his last 10 games, including a career-high 22 at Millersville on Wednesday ... SU tied its season-low with just nine turnovers against Cheyney.
Slippery Rock
Sr. G Devin Taylor recorded his team-best ninth double-double of the season with 16 points and 10 rebounds in a last-second loss to #16 Indiana ... Last Saturday's game marked the team-best 12th time this season Taylor scored 10 or more points and the 13th time he had 10 or more rebounds ... Taylor, the No. 4 rebounder in the nation, is the only PSAC player who currently averages a double-double ... Rock began the week ranked first in the nation in team rebounding margin and 3-point field goal defense and second in overall field goal defense ... Rock travels to Clarion for the final game of the first half of the PSAC-West schedule Wednesday night ... Winner will assume sole possession of third place in the division standings.
West Chester
West Chester split its pair of PSAC contests on the road last week ... The Golden Rams defeated Cheyney, 79-49, on Wednesday, before falling at ESU, 92-84 ... The 30-point win over Cheyney was the largest margin of victory for West Chester in the series history ... The 49 points Cheyney scored marked the lowest output for the Wolves in a game against the Golden Rams ... The win ended a six-game losing streak to Cheyney as well ... Sr. F Lance McDowell registered a double-double in each contest.
Previous 2011-12 Athletes of the Week
1/23 - East Athlete: Jason Sabb, Cheyney
East Freshman: Whis Grant, East Stroudsburg
West Athlete: Darrell Blanton, Gannon
West Freshman: Adam Blazek, Gannon
1/16 - East Athlete: Eric Brennan, Kutztown
East Freshman: Joe Bell, Mansfield
West Athlete: Julian Sanders, IUP
West Freshman: Callon Dailey, Mercyhurst
1/9 - East Athlete: Devon McBride, Kutztown
East Freshman: Corey Blake, West Chester
West Co-Athletes: Bryan Theriot, Edinboro & Devin Taylor, Slippery Rock
West Freshman: Winfield Willis, Clarion
1/4 - East Athlete: Dontahe Jordan, Bloomsburg
East Freshman: Joe Bell, Mansfield
West Athlete: Torrance Timothy, Slippery Rock
West Freshman: Adam Blazek, Gannon
12/20 - East Athlete: Terrance King, East Stroudsburg
East Freshman: Joe Bell, Mansfield
West Athlete: Matt Lee, Mercyhurst
West Freshman: Terrell Johnson, Lock Haven
12/12 - East Athlete: Nate Edwards, Kutztown
East Freshman: Joe Bell, Mansfield
West Athlete: Ashton Smith, IUP
West Freshman: Winfield Willis, Clarion
12/5 - East Athlete: Trevon Johnson, Bloomsburg
East Freshman: Jerrod Johnson, Cheyney
West Athlete: Darrell Blanton, Gannon
West Freshman: Winfield Willis, Clarion
11/28 - East Athlete: Lance McDowell, West Chester
East Freshman: Reggie Charles, Shippensburg
West Athlete: Devin Taylor, Slippery Rock
West Freshman: Adam Blazek, Gannon
11/21 - East Athlete: Ed Hall, Bloomsburg
East Freshman: Matt Tobin, East Stroudsburg
West Athlete: Julian Sanders, IUP
West Freshman: Jeremy Posey, California
11/14 - East Athlete: Micah Fraction, Kutztown
East Freshman: Whis Grant, East Stroudsburg
West Athlete: Winfield Willis, Clarion
West Freshman: Tynell Fortune, California