Seton Hall's Powell (DI), Baruch's Harris, Manhattanville's Smith (DII-III) Earn Accolades
MBWA Players of the Week (12-3 to 12-9) 2018-19 / Week 2
FFI: Chuck Stogel, MBWA - 914-428-6111, chstogel@aol.com
Metropolitan Basketball Writers Association
www.MetBasketballWriters.org
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Powell, Harris and Smith Earn MBWA Weekly Accolades
NEW YORK (Dec. 11, 2018) ---
Myles Powell of Seton Hall in Division I, and
Andre Harris of Baruch and
Sean Smith Jr. of Manhattanville as co-winners in Divisions II-III, have been named Men’s Players of the Week by the Met Basketball Writers Assn.
The designations, for games played Dec. 3-9, are unique in that they encompass players from 73 Met area schools across Divisions I, II and III.
A 6-2 junior guard from Trenton, NJ, Powell --- who also was named the Big East Conference player of the week --- averaged 19.0 points and 4.0 assists in two victories by the Pirates (6-3), including an 84-83 overtime triumph over then No. 9 Kentucky at Madison Square Garden. He shot 48% from the field and 42% from 3-point range in the two games.
Powell began his week at home with an all-around performance, registering 10 points, four assists, three rebounds, a block and a steal in a 77-57 win over New Hampshire.
Against Kentucky he poured in a team-high 28 points, including 25 points in the second half and overtime. He made five 3-pointers in the final 5:27 of the second half, including an off-balance trey with 1.5 seconds remaining in regulation that temporarily put the Pirates in front before the Wildcats hit a half-court shot at the buzzer to send the game into overtime. Powell hit one more trey in the extra period to help secure the upset victory.
Powell now has five 20-point games this season, including 30- and 40-point efforts, and is currently the Big East’s leading scorer at 23.0 points per game.
A 6-6 senior forward from Melville, NY, Harris --- who also was named the CUNY Athletic Conference player of the week --- averaged 25.0 points, 15.0 rebounds, 3.0 steals and 2.0 assists as the Bearcats (6-2) registered league victories over CCNY (82-58) and Hunter (91-87 OT).
He posted 21 points and pulled down a career-high 18 rebounds in the homecourt win over CCNY. Harris then struck for a career-high 29 points, including eight points in overtime, along with 12 rebounds on the road at Hunter.
A 6-4 sophomore guard-forward from Yonkers, NY, Smith --- who also was named the MAC Freedom conference player of the week --- averaged 35.5 points and 10.5 rebounds as the Valiants (4-5) dropped an 81-62 decision at Delaware Valley and a 91-87 verdict to Wilkes.
Smith began the week with a game-high 25 points and a team-best 10 rebounds against Delaware Valley. He then erupted for a program record 46 points along with 11 rebounds for his fourth consecutive double-double in a homecourt loss to Wilkes
Players receiving MBWA Men’s Division I Honorable Mention for the week: Zach Cooks, NJIT; Nick Honor, Fordham; Shamorie Ponds, St. John’s; Justin Wright-Foreman, Hofstra.
Players receiving MBWA Men’s Divisions II-III Honorable Mention for the week: Kendall Francis, Mount St. Mary; Bryan Griffin, Mercy; Ahmad Harrison, Caldwell; Curtis Jenkins, Molloy; Gabriel Leifer, Yeshiva; Alan McDonald, Old Westbury; Cedrick McFadden, Concordia; Demetre Roberts, STAC; Daraja Rodwell, Dominican; Sam Toney, NJCU.
Previous MBWA 2018-19 Men’s Players of the Week: Dec. 4, Justin Wright-Foreman, Hofstra, Div. I; Elijah Lott, Purchase, Divs. II-III.