INDIANAPOLIS -- Green Bay sophomore guard Keifer Sykes (Chicago, Ill./Marshall) has been named the Horizon League Men’s Basketball Player of the Week, while Wright State junior forward Jerran Young [Cedar Hill, Texas/Cedar Hill (McLennan CC)] has been named the Newcomer of the Week, for the week of Dec. 17-23.
Green Bay (5-7) rebounded from a slow start to the year to defeat Marquette, 49-47, on Wednesday, before knocking off visiting South Dakota, 72-55, Saturday night. Wright State (8-4) held off Miami University, 67-58, and led No. 11/11 Cincinnati at the half before falling, 68-58.
Sykes averaged 18.5 points and 6.5 assists in the two games, coming the same week he was named to the Bob Cousy Award Watch List by the Naismith Hall of Fame. On Wednesday, Sykes scored a game-high 20 points in the Phoenix’s win over a Marquette team receiving votes in the national polls. Sykes followed up that effort with an efficient 17-point, 8-assist performance as Green Bay cruised to a 72-55 win over South Dakota. He was 6-of-8 from the field and knocked down each of his four free throw attempts. Sykes scored or assisted on 50 percent of the Phoenix points against the Coyotes.
The second-leading scorer in the Horizon League at 16.8 points per game, the 5-foot-11 Chicagoan is shooting 45.3 percent from the field, 47.1 percent from long range and 84.3 percent from the free-throw line.
Young came off the bench in both of Wright State’s games, posting a career-high 19 against Miami. Four-of-eight from the floor, Young went 11-for-14 at the free-throw line to help the Raiders seal the result. In Wright State’s 10-point loss at Cincinnati, Young was the Raiders’ top offensive threat, fighting through leg cramps to post 14 points and 10 rebounds. The double-double was the first by a Raider since Jan. 30, 2010.
The 33 points on the week represented over half of Young’s season total; having appeared in all 12 games this season, Young is now averaging 5.0 points and 3.7 rebounds per game.
Green Bay and Wright State will both return from the Christmas holiday with games on Sunday, Dec. 30. The Phoenix will host Illinois-Springfield at the Resch Center, tipping at 7 p.m. ET. The game will be carried live on Phoenix Flix. Wright State will welcome Mount St. Joseph to the Nutter Center for a 2 p.m. ET game, with the Horizon League Network having live coverage.
Top Performers for the Week:
Doug Anderson, Detroit (Sr., F) - Led the Titans with 18 points in a 72-68 loss at No. 3/3 Syracuse, including several highlight-reel dunks.
Ben Averkamp, Loyola (Sr., F) - Moved into a tie for 25th on the Loyola career scoring chart with 17 points in a 54-49 win at Saint Peter’s. The senior was 13-of-13 at the free-throw line in the victory.
Ryan Broekhoff, Valparaiso (Sr., F) - Despite sitting out Saturday’s victory, Broekhoff averaged 13.5 points and 9.5 rebounds over two games, recording a double-double against Oakland with 10 points and 10 boards.
Top Newcomers for the Week:
Junior Lomomba, Cleveland State (Fr., G) - Making the first two starts of his career, Lomomba led Cleveland State with a career-best 16 points at Akron.
Juwan Howard, Jr., Detroit (So., G/F) - Howard continued his amazing stretch of scoring in double figures to six straight games with a team-high 18 against No. 3/3 Syracuse and 12 at Alcorn State.
Cully Payne, Loyola (Jr., G) - Payne totaled six points, five rebounds, three assists and a steal in Loyola’s road win. Over the last four outings, the junior guard has dished out 22 assists and committed only seven turnovers.
J.J. Panoske, Milwaukee (Fr., F) - Playing a career-best 27 minutes, Panoske scored 13 points at Wisconsin, adding six rebounds, three blocks and two steals.
LaVonte Dority, Valparaiso (Jr., G) - Dority led the Crusaders in scoring in two of three games last week, including a 19-point effort in Valparaiso’s 79-51 win over Purdue-Calumet.
Men’s Basketball Player of the Week:
Nov. 12: Keifer Sykes, Green Bay
Nov. 19: Kendrick Perry, Youngstown State
Nov. 26: Ryan Broekhoff, Valparaiso
Gary Talton, UIC
Dec. 3: Cole Darling, Wright State
Dec. 10: Ryan Broekhoff, Valparaiso
Dec. 17: Daniel Barnes, UIC
Dec. 24: Keifer Sykes, Green Bay
Men’s Basketball Newcomer of the Week:
Nov. 12: Jordan Aaron, Milwaukee
Bobby Hain, Youngstown State
Nov. 19: JT Yoho, Wright State
Nov. 26: Josh Crittle, UIC
Dec. 3: Bryn Forbes, Cleveland State
Dec. 10: Juwan Howard, Jr., Detroit
Dec. 17: Devon Turk, Loyola
LaVonte Dority, Valparaiso
Dec. 24: Jerran Young, Wright State
Tags: Green Bay - Men's Basketball · Horizon League - Men's Basketball · Wright State - Men's Basketball
