Sykes Sets Record with Sixth #HLMBB Weekly Honor

INDIANAPOLIS -- Green Bay junior guard Keifer Sykes (Chicago, Ill./Marshall) has been named the Horizon League Men’s Basketball Player of the Week, while Oakland guard Kahlil Felder (Detroit, Mich./Pershing) has been named the Freshman of the Week, for the week of Jan. 20-26. The award is the sixth of the season for Sykes, while Felder is receiving the honor for the fourth time in his career.

Sykes is now tied for the Horizon League all-time record with 10 career player of the week honors, matching former Detroit standout Rashad Phillips, who collected 10 awards between 1998-2001. Sykes’ six awards this season give him the single-season conference record, breaking a tie with Norris Cole (Cleveland State, 2010-11), Phillips (2000-01) and Darin Archbold (Butler, 1991-92).

Green Bay (17-3, 7-0 Horizon) extended its winning streak to 12, defeating Oakland, 83-69, on Wednesday before rallying past Detroit, 62-52, on Sunday. Oakland (8-14, 3-4 Horizon) pushed the Phoenix to open the week before knocking off UIC, 76-75, on Duke Mondy’s buzzer-beating 3-pointer on Saturday.

Sykes did most of his damage in the second half of both wins, scoring 36 of his 49 points after halftime. Posting 20 of his game-high 27 in the final 20 minutes against Oakland, Sykes added eight rebounds and six assists. Versus Detroit, Sykes scored 16 of his game-high 22 points in the second half, contributing eight rebounds in the game as well.

With 1,290 career points, Sykes sits 14th in Green Bay history and is 90th in the Horizon League record books. Averaging 20.8 points and per game, Sykes is tied for the conference lead in scoring and trails only Felder with 5.1 assists per game.

After dueling with Sykes on Wednesday, finishing with 14 points and eight assists, Felder eclipsed the 20-point mark with 21 points on 9-of-11 shooting. Felder handed out nine assists in the win over UIC, the eighth time this season he has had seven or more in a game.

Averaging 5.4 assists per game, Felder leads the Horizon League and is on pace to become the first freshman to lead the conference since the 1992-93 season. Felder is currently tied for the Oakland freshman record with 119 assists on the year.

Green Bay will head to Valparaiso (12-10, 4-3 Horizon) for a midweek game on Wednesday, Jan. 29, with the Horizon League Network carrying the game at 8:05 p.m. ET. The Phoenix will return to the Resch Center on Saturday, Feb. 1, hosting Wright State (13-10, 5-3 Horizon) at 7 p.m. ET. ESPN2 will have live coverage.

Oakland will host Youngstown State (13-9, 4-3 Horizon) on Friday, Jan. 31, at 7 p.m. ET, in a game carried on ESPN3. The Golden Grizzlies will wrap the weekend on Sunday, Feb. 2, traveling to Milwaukee (13-9, 3-5 Horizon). HLN will provide live coverage at 1 p.m. ET.

Top Performers for the Week:

• Kelsey Barlow, UIC (Sr., G) - Continuing to play on a sprained ankle, Barlow posted 20 points in UIC’s last-second loss at Oakland. The effort marked the sixth time this season the senior has finished with 20 or more points.
• Alec Brown, Green Bay (Sr., C) - With six rebounds against Detroit, Brown became the first player in Horizon League history to accumulate more than 1,500 points, 750 rebounds and 250 blocks in his career.
• LaVonte Dority, Valparaiso (Sr., G) - Scoring 16 of his 27 points in the second half, Dority helped Valparaiso overcome a nine-point halftime deficit in a 74-71 win at Youngstown State. The total marked the third consecutive game Dority reached 20 or more points.
• Jon Harris, Cleveland State (Sr., F) - Notched his second double-double of the season on Wednesday, collecting 18 points and 11 rebounds as Cleveland State knocked off UIC.
• Trey Lewis, Cleveland State (So., G) - In Cleveland State’s 2-0 week, Lewis averaged 16.5 points per game, scoring 16 points and handing out five assists in a 74-64 win at UIC ahead of a 17 point, four assist effort against Valparaiso.
• Kendrick Perry, Youngstown State (Sr., G) - The focal point of opposing defenses, Perry averaged 16.5 points per game, including an 18-point effort in Youngstown State’s key 68-67 victory over Wright State. .
• Jarod Williams, Detroit (Fr., G) - Williams sparked Detroit to a 73-54 win at Milwaukee, scoring a career-high 16 points.
• Jerran Young, Wright State (Sr., F) - Young led the way in Wright State’s 73-57 win over Milwaukee, going 7-of-10 from the floor en route to 19 points.

Men’s Basketball Player of the Week:
Nov. 11: Kendrick Perry, Youngstown State
Nov. 18: Steve McWhorter, Milwaukee
                Keifer Sykes, Green Bay
Nov. 25: Alec Brown, Green Bay
Dec. 2: Keifer Sykes, Green Bay
Dec. 9: Keifer Sykes, Green Bay
Dec. 16: Kelsey Barlow, UIC
Dec. 23: Travis Bader, Oakland
                Alec Brown, Green Bay
Dec. 30: Shawn Amiker, Youngstown State
Jan. 6: Keifer Sykes, Green Bay
Jan. 13: Keifer Sykes, Green Bay
Jan. 20: Alec Brown, Green Bay
               LaVonte Dority, Valparaiso
Jan. 27: Keifer Sykes, Green Bay

Men’s Basketball Freshman of the Week:
Nov. 11: Alec Peters, Valparaiso
Nov. 18: Kahlil Felder, Oakland
Nov. 25: Alec Peters, Valparaiso
Dec. 2: Lexus Williams, Valparaiso
Dec. 9: Matthew Grant, Detroit
Dec. 16: Alec Peters, Valparaiso
Dec. 23: Kahlil Felder, Oakland
Dec. 30: Pat Birt, UIC
Jan. 6: Jarod Williams, Detroit
Jan. 13:  Kahlil Felder, Oakland
Jan. 20: Lexus Williams, Valparaiso
Jan. 27: Kahlil Felder, Oakland