Player of the Week

CollegeHoops.net Player of the Week: Jonny Flynn

Jeff Borzello — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 11:18:44 -0500

Thanksgiving week is always a hotbed for college basketball -- holiday tournaments and invitationals are a nice reprise for people who don't want to watch riveting NFL blowouts on Thanksgiving or overhyped college football games on Saturday. Plus, there's really nothing better than eating leftovers, laying on the couch and watching some college hoops. As a result of all the top-notch match-ups, there were plenty of outstanding individual performances this week.

Tyler Hansbrough got things kicked off with a dominant performance in the Maui Invitational title game, in only his second game back from injury. Notre Dame's Kyle McAlarney's 39 points were overshadowed in the loss. James Harden of Arizona State had games of 40 and 32 points, but he too could not lead his team to a title. Of course, Blake Griffin had another monster week -- but he doesn't get the CHN Player of the Week again. This week, the honor goes to Syracuse's Jonny Flynn.

The 6-0 sophomore point guard cemented his spot among the nation's elite at his position with a sensational week, leading the Orange to victories over Florida and Kansas en route to a CBE Classic title. 'Cuse also knocked off Virginia. Flynn started the week with an 18-point, four-assist performance against Florida in the semi-finals. In the title game against Kansas, Flynn had 25 points and five assists, including a three-pointer with seconds left in regulation to force the game into overtime. Flynn played 43 minutes against the Jayhawks. To cap the week, Flynn helped the Orange to a comeback victory over Virginia, scoring 15 points and dishing out six assists. He also turned the ball over just twice and played another 39 minutes. On the season, Flynn is averaging 20.0 points, 5.0 assists, and 1.7 steals per game, while shooting nearly 42 percent from three-point range and playing more than 36 minutes per game.

CollegeHoops.net Player of the Week Archive

- Nov 31: Jonny Flynn, Syracuse

- Nov 24: Blake Griffin, Oklahoma

Mid-Major Player of the Week: Ahmad Nivins

Joey Whelan — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 10:04:12 -0500

As a companion to CHN's National Player of the Week, we will be presenting a Mid-Major Player of the Week as well this season. All non-BCS players are eligible for this award. In the case that the National POY is a non-BCS player, they will be repeated here as well.

Ahmad Nivins - Saint Joseph's

3 Games: 16 ppg, 9.3 rpg, 3 bpg

Sure there are plenty of guys that had better stat lines this week, but no one did it against stiffer competition than the Hawks big man in the middle. A double-double against a potential Final Four team in Texas and a strong 16 and 8 showing against a talented Alabama team in the Maui Invitational were enough to give Nivins the honors for this week. Yes, he beat up on an outmanned Indiana squad in his second game, but you can't deny the performances in his other two games. Don't be shocked to see Nivins pop up on this list several more times this year.

Just Missed Out

Josh Akognon - Cal State Fullerton

3 Games: 24.7 ppg, 4.7 rpg, 2 apg

The Anaheim Classic turned out to be some entertaining basketball thanks in large part to the play of the undersized Akognon. He lit up stiff competition by dropping 24 points on both Wake Forest and Saint Mary's, then finished off the weekend with 26 against Charlotte. We knew the California native could score in bunches, and while he was a little trigger happy from the perimeter this week, he proved he could do it against big name programs.

Josh Heytvelt - Gonzaga

3 Games: 15 ppg, 6 rpg, 1.7 bpg

The Bulldogs announced themselves as a legitimate Final Four contender by winning the Old Spice Classic, and Heytvelt announced his return as a strong presence inside. He started slow in the tournament opener with Oklahoma State, but rebounded nicely for two fine showings versus Maryland and Tennessee. With the balanced scoring attack the ‘Zags have it is doubtful that the senior will put up huge numbers on a regular basis, but when Heytvelt is on his game, 15 and 6 should be the norm.

Stefon Jackson - UTEP

3 Games: 20.3 ppg, 7.3 rpg, 1.3 apg, 2 spg

Highlighted by a brilliant performance against Wake Forest, Jackson may have had the best showing from anyone at the Anaheim Classic, and with the cast of characters present this weekend, that's saying something. The senior torched the Demon Deacons for 31 points, hitting 13 of his 14 attempts from the free throw line. His 17 and 10 showing against Saint Mary's shouldn't be overlooked either.

Worth Noting

A.J. Slaughter - Western Kentucky

His numbers for the week aren't anything to write home about, but any time a player scores 25 points and grabs 9 rebounds in helping his team upset a top five opponent, that is worth some ink. So with that in mind, kudos to Slaughter and the Hilltoppers for pulling the major upset over then #3 Lousiville yesterday.

CollegeHoops.net Player of the Week: Blake Griffin

Jeff Borzello — Mon, 24 Nov 2008 23:53:51 -0500

Despite the lack of true opening day like many of the other major sports, college basketball did not enter without a bang this season. Most of the marquee teams and players were on center stage throughout the week, and ESPN's 24-hour marathon of college basketball really got people excited for the season - even though the real season began two weeks ago, on December 10 (Duke vs. Presbyterian? Houston vs. Georgia Southern? Really?).

As expected, the cream of the crop rose to the top immediately - several of the major All-American candidates had great weeks right off the bat. Stephen Curry averaged almost 36 points per game last week; James Harden put up 25, 6 and 5 through his first three games; Luke Harangody had back-to-back monster games where he combined for 57 points and 31 rebounds; and the list goes on. But the best week in the country? Blake Griffin of Oklahoma.

The preseason All-American lived up to his billing through his first games, putting up at least 20 points and 18 rebounds in each games, and averaging 26 points and almost 20 rebounds per game in his opening quartet of contests. He also shot 74.5 percent from the floor. Griffin dominated Davidson in the Sooners' biggest game of the week, dropping 25 points and grabbing 21 rebounds as Oklahoma won 82-78. If he continues to put up these kind of performance, Oklahoma is going to be right there with Texas for the Big 12 title - and could be in the mix for a Final Four run.

CollegeHoops.net Player of the Week Archive

- Nov 24: Blake Griffin, Oklahoma

Big 12 Weekly Awards: Griffin is POY

Shawn Siegel — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 12:02:08 -0500

IRVING, Texas - Blake Griffin (Oklahoma) and Toney McCray (Nebraska) have been named the first Phillips 66 Big 12 Men's Basketball Player and Rookie of the Week, respectively, for the 2008-09 season in voting by a panel of media covering the conference. It is the fourth career weekly honor (three player, one rookie) for Griffin and the first for McCray.

PLAYER OF THE WEEK

Blake Griffin, Oklahoma, F, So., 6-10, 251, Oklahoma City, Okla./Oklahoma Christian School

Griffin posted his 11th career double-double with 24 points and 18 rebounds in the Sooners' 83-54 victory over American. The sophomore forward connected on 9-of-11 (.818) field goals, including his first career 3-pointer. His rebound total was a career high and included 16 defensive boards - three less than the entire AU team. Griffin also recorded one assist, one block and one steal without committing a turnover.

ROOKIE OF THE WEEK

Toney McCray, Nebraska, G, Fr., 6-6, 205, Missouri City, Texas/Fort Bend Elkins

McCray played in his first game for NU after redshirting last season and helped the Cornhuskers to a 63-46 win over San Jose State. The freshman guard finished with 17 points and nine rebounds, both game highs. He shot 6-of-15 (.400) from the floor and made 5-of-8 from the charity stripe. He also had one block and one steal in 23 minutes of action.

CollegeHoops.net Player of the Week: Jamar Butler

Jeff Borzello — Sun, 09 Mar 2008 21:38:49 -0400

This year has seen a number of trends, the latest one being bubble teams constantly losing when they have a chance to make a statement to the committee and potentially improve their resume enough so that it is NCAA Tournament-worthy. It seemingly happens every week, and this week was no different. UAB lost by 48 to Memphis; Illinois State by 30 to Drake; Florida lost two games this week; Virginia Tech gave up two late free throws to fall to Clemson by one; Southern Illinois lost to Northern Iowa – the list is endless. One team that made a move in the right direction this week was Ohio State. The Buckeyes knocked off Purdue and Michigan State in back-to-back games, and may have worked their way into the field. If they do make the Tournament, they will have to thank Jamar Butler for his outstanding week.

Heading into the season, Butler knew he was going to have to take on yet another role this season; with such a young team, Butler had to be the elder statesman and become more of a leader. This week epitomized the transformation that Butler has undergone. He scored 25 points against Purdue earlier this week, and followed it up with a 20-point, four-rebound, two-assist performance in the Buckeyes’ win over Michigan State on Sunday. He shot 7-for-12 from three-point range, hitting 11-of-18 from the field overall. Butler was also perfect from the free-throw line, hitting all 16 foul shots he took. On the season, the senior guard is averaging 14.5 points and 6.0 assists per game.

Ohio State heads into the Big Ten Tournament with plenty of momentum off of its two big wins this week. Ironically, the Buckeyes will face Michigan State again in the quarterfinals of the conference tournament – a game they might have to win in order to feel safe about their chances come Selection Sunday. However, they wouldn’t even be in this position without Butler’s huge week.

2007-08 Collegehoops.net Players of the Week
March 2nd - Robert Vaden, UAB
February 25th - Al Fisher, Kent State
February 18th - Chris Douglas-Roberts, Memphis
February 11th - Tyler Hansbrough, UNC
February 4th - Ryan Anderson, California
January 27th - Jerryd Bayless, FR, Arizona
January 20th – Davon Jefferson, FR, USC
January 13th – Michael Beasley, FR, Kansas State
January 6th - Shan Foster, SR, Vanderbilt
December 30th - Brian Butch, SR, Wisconsin
December 23rd - Dwayne Curtis, SR, F, Mississippi
December 16th - Gary Forbes, SR, F, UMASS
December 9th - Joe Alexander, JR, F, West Virginia
December 2nd - Jerryd Bayless, FR, G, Arizona
November 25th - DJ Augustin, SO, G, Texas
November 18th - Jon Brockman, JR, F, Washington
November 11th - Michael Beasley, FR, F, Kansas State

CollegeHoops.net Player of the Week: Robert Vaden

Jeff Borzello — Sun, 02 Mar 2008 22:05:52 -0500

Rob McKiver scored 52 points in one game. Tyrese Rice scored 46 points against North Carolina. Sean Singletary scored 41 points at Miami (Fl.). Michael Beasley had 69 points and 26 rebounds in his two games this week. And none of them are this week’s Collegehoops.net Player of the Week. The list of impressive and standout performances gets bigger as the season winds down as the star players step-up and attempt to lead their teams to victory. However, many of those big-time games are done in losing efforts. Therefore, this week’s honor goes to UAB’s Robert Vaden, who had an outstanding week, and – get this – his team actually won two games.

UAB struggled earlier in the season as the Blazers’ plethora of transfers and newcomers were taking time to mesh with the returnees and with each other. However, they have made their way into the at-large mix on the strength of their 13-3 record in the last 16 games, and on the back of Vaden. This week was no different. The Blazers picked up a road win over UTEP and a home victory against Tulane, pushing them into second in Conference-USA. Vaden was the main reason for the wins – he finished with 41 points, six rebounds and three assists against UTEP, and 30 points and four rebounds vs. Tulane. He also shot 14 for 25 from three-point range and 19 of 21 from the foul line in the two games. The 6-5 junior is now averaging 22.0 points and 3.6 rebounds per game on the season.

With just two games left in the season, UAB needs to finish strong to garner consideration for an NCAA Tournament berth. Unfortunately, one of those games is at Memphis in a rematch of their epic 79-78 Tigers’ win two weeks ago. In that game, Vaden had 27 points and five assists. He needs to come through with another huge performance if UAB is to win on the road. As the past week showed, though, he is certainly capable of it.

2007-08 Collegehoops.net Players of the Week
February 25th - Al Fisher, Kent State

February 18th - Chris Douglas-Roberts, Memphis
February 11th - Tyler Hansbrough, UNC
February 4th - Ryan Anderson, California
January 27th - Jerryd Bayless, FR, Arizona
January 20th – Davon Jefferson, FR, USC
January 13th – Michael Beasley, FR, Kansas State
January 6th - Shan Foster, SR, Vanderbilt
December 30th - Brian Butch, SR, Wisconsin
December 23rd - Dwayne Curtis, SR, F, Mississippi
December 16th - Gary Forbes, SR, F, UMASS
December 9th - Joe Alexander, JR, F, West Virginia
December 2nd - Jerryd Bayless, FR, G, Arizona
November 25th - DJ Augustin, SO, G, Texas
November 18th - Jon Brockman, JR, F, Washington
November 11th - Michael Beasley, FR, F, Kansas State

Player of the Week: Al Fisher

Jeff Borzello — Mon, 25 Feb 2008 01:06:04 -0500

Although there are plenty of critics, Bracket Busters weekend is one of the most exciting three days of college basketball all season if you’re someone that likes mid-major basketball. Bubble teams that are trying to make a move so they can get one of the last spots in the NCAA Tournament attempt to catch the committee’s eyes with a big win, while conference leaders need to grab solid victories to boost their resumes in case they don’t win the conference tournament. Kent State was one of the teams in the latter group – as the leader of the deep MAC, the Golden Flashes were right there for an at-large bid, but needed to pick-up a big win somewhere along the line. On Saturday, they did just that, going to Saint Mary’s and knocking off the Gaels, 65-57, behind a huge game from Al Fisher.

Fisher, a 6-foot-1 junior guard and the team’s leading scorer, has been one of the main catalysts for the Golden Flashes this season and his stellar play in the second half of the year was a major reason for their dominant play in the MAC. This past week, when Kent State needed him the most, he stepped his game up to another level. Fisher had 28 points, four rebounds and two assists, hitting 9-of-17 shots from the field, helping the Flashes beat the host Gaels. He had two key baskets down the stretch, increase KSU’s lead to five with under a minute remaining. Earlier in the week, Fisher finished with 20 points, five rebounds, six assists and three steals in a win at Buffalo. In the last seven games, Fisher is averaging nearly 21 points per game, more than six points higher than his season average.

Although Kent State is not a lock just yet, its win on Saturday night at Saint Mary’s will likely go a long way in determining the Golden Flashes’ Selection Sunday fate should they not win the MAC Tournament in a couple of weeks. However, if Fisher continues to play like this, Kent State won’t even need an at-large bid.

2007-08 Collegehoops.net Players of the Week
February 18th - Chris Douglas-Roberts, Memphis
February 11th - Tyler Hansbrough, UNC
February 4th - Ryan Anderson, California
January 27th - Jerryd Bayless, FR, Arizona
January 20th – Davon Jefferson, FR, USC
January 13th – Michael Beasley, FR, Kansas State
January 6th - Shan Foster, SR, Vanderbilt
December 30th - Brian Butch, SR, Wisconsin
December 23rd - Dwayne Curtis, SR, F, Mississippi
December 16th - Gary Forbes, SR, F, UMASS
December 9th - Joe Alexander, JR, F, West Virginia
December 2nd - Jerryd Bayless, FR, G, Arizona
November 25th - DJ Augustin, SO, G, Texas
November 18th - Jon Brockman, JR, F, Washington
November 11th - Michael Beasley, FR, F, Kansas State

Player of the Week: Al Fisher

Jeff Borzello — Sun, 24 Feb 2008 19:57:17 -0500

Player of the Week: Chris Douglas-Roberts

Jeff Borzello — Sun, 17 Feb 2008 21:52:58 -0500

Despite the fact that Memphis had played one of the toughest non-conference schedules in the country, there were still several lingering questions facing the Tigers. People wanted to know how they would react if they played a good team in a tough environment, or what they would do down the stretch of a tight games. This week was the perfect week for the Tigers to answer all those questions. They faced the two best teams in the Conference-USA (besides Memphis, of course) – Houston at home and UAB on the road. Well, they passed both tests, overcoming two halftime deficits to pick-up a couple of more wins towards their quest for an undefeated season. The main reason for the 2-0 week? Chris Douglas-Roberts.

Douglas-Roberts, a 6-foot-7 junior swingman, had an outstanding week, cementing himself as the Tigers’ go-to-guy in the clutch. He had a very solid game against Houston, scoring 22 points, grabbing six rebounds and dishing out three assists, but saved his best for when the team needed it the most – against UAB. The Blazers looked they were going to be the first team to knock off the unbeaten Tigers, but CDR wouldn’t let it happen. Down four with under a minute left, he knocked down a three then – after Robert Vaden hit one of two free-throws for UAB – converted an acrobatic three-point play with just six seconds left to give the Tigers the one-point win. He finished with 32 points, seven rebounds and two assists, and also didn’t commit a single turnover. Overall, Douglas-Roberts averaged 27 points, 6.5 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 1.0 steals and 1.5 blocks per game on the week.

Memphis faces its toughest test of the season next weekend, when Tennessee comes to town in what might be the most anticipated non-conference game of the season. The Tigers have six regular-season games left and then the Conference-USA Tournament – can they run the table and go undefeated? If Douglas-Roberts plays the way he did the past week, it’s a definite possibility. On the season, he is averaging 17.5 points and 4.5 rebounds per game.

2007-08 Collegehoops.net Players of the Week
February 11th - Tyler Hansbrough, UNC
February 4th - Ryan Anderson, California
January 27th - Jerryd Bayless, FR, Arizona
January 20th – Davon Jefferson, FR, USC
January 13th – Michael Beasley, FR, Kansas State
January 6th - Shan Foster, SR, Vanderbilt
December 30th - Brian Butch, SR, Wisconsin
December 23rd - Dwayne Curtis, SR, F, Mississippi
December 16th - Gary Forbes, SR, F, UMASS
December 9th - Joe Alexander, JR, F, West Virginia
December 2nd - Jerryd Bayless, FR, G, Arizona
November 25th - DJ Augustin, SO, G, Texas
November 18th - Jon Brockman, JR, F, Washington
November 11th - Michael Beasley, FR, F, Kansas State

Player of the Week: Tyler Hansbrough

Jeff Borzello — Mon, 11 Feb 2008 11:40:10 -0500

Sometimes, when it comes to selecting a Player of the Week, there are simply performances that you can’t ignore. Usually, a player that leads his team to two big wins with two outstanding games gets more consideration than a player who is padding his stats in losses. This week was different, however. Tyler Hansbrough of North Carolina was just unbelievable. Yes, the Tar Heels went just 1-1 during the two games they had this week, but Hansbrough did everything he could – and then some – in an attempt to will UNC over the top.

Hansbrough, the 6-foot-9 junior big man, was a monster this week, averaging 33.5 points, 15.5 rebounds and 1.5 steals per game. North Carolina did lose to Duke on Wednesday, but it certainly wasn’t Hansbrough’s fault, as he finished with 28 points and 18 rebounds. Sunday’s double-overtime thriller over Clemson produced an even more memorable performance from Hansbrough – he finished with 39 points, 13 rebounds and three steals. Moreover, he shot an astounding 19 free throws against the Tigers, knocking down 17 of them. On the week, Hansbrough shot 21 for 28 (75 percent) from the free-throw line and shot 62 percent from the field (23 for 37).

The main source for the Tar Heels’ struggles this week was the absence of point guard Ty Lawson, who has been out with an ankle injury. Hansbrough did his best to make up for the lost production, but he can’t duplicate the impact Lawson has at both ends of the floor. Once Lawson returns, it could give Hansbrough even more opportunities for big games, as the defenses won’t be able to key in on him. UNC has just seven games left – and don’t be surprised if Hansbrough has already circled the March 9 return date at Cameron Indoor Stadium for a repeat performance against the Blue Devils.

2007-08 Collegehoops.net Players of the Week
February 4th - Ryan Anderson, California
January 27th - Jerryd Bayless, FR, Arizona
January 20th – Davon Jefferson, FR, USC
January 13th – Michael Beasley, FR, Kansas State
January 6th - Shan Foster, SR, Vanderbilt
December 30th - Brian Butch, SR, Wisconsin
December 23rd - Dwayne Curtis, SR, F, Mississippi
December 16th - Gary Forbes, SR, F, UMASS
December 9th - Joe Alexander, JR, F, West Virginia
December 2nd - Jerryd Bayless, FR, G, Arizona
November 25th - DJ Augustin, SO, G, Texas
November 18th - Jon Brockman, JR, F, Washington
November 11th - Michael Beasley, FR, F, Kansas State