INDIANAPOLIS -- Leading Valparaiso to a 3-0 mark at the 2k Sports Coaches vs. Cancer Classic subregional, junior forward Kevin Van Wijk (Hoofddorp, Netherlands/Katholieke Scholengemeenschap Hoofddorp) has been named the Horizon League Men’s Basketball Player of the Week, for the week of Nov. 14-Nov. 20. The accolade is the first of Van Wijk’s career.
On the week, the 6-foot-8 forward averaged 20.3 points and 9.7 rebounds per game as Valparaiso (5-1) collected four wins in the seven-day span. The Crusaders have won five straight games since dropping their season opener at then-No. 16/16 Arizona, 73-64.
Playing just 14 minutes on Monday, Van Wijk dominated down low against visiting Holy Cross (Ind.), collecting a double-double with 18 points and 14 boards. In the opener of the 2k Sports Classic subregional, Van Wijk helped Valparaiso overcome a late second half deficit, turning in his second consecutive double-double with 21 points and 10 boards in a 62-59 win over defending MAC champion Akron.
Sitting out Saturday’s 31-point win over IU-Kokomo, Van Wijk returned on Sunday to lead Valparaiso past Duquesne, 84-68. Controlling the low block, Van Wijk recorded 22 points and nine rebounds, giving him averages of 21.5 ppg and 9.5 rpg in the two Divison I games of the subregional.
Van Wijk joined teammate Ryan Broekhoff on the All-Tournament Team. Broekhoff collected MVP accolades, averaging 15.7 ppg, 9.0 rpg, 3.0 apg and 1.7 bpg in the three-game stretch.
Valparaiso will take its winning streak to Columbus, Ohio, on Friday, Nov. 25, for a meeting with No. 3/3 Ohio State. Tip-off is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. ET, with BTN carrying the game.
Top Performers for the Week:
- Trey Harmon, Cleveland State (Sr., G) - Harmon capped a 20-point performance on Friday with the game-winning three-pointer with 2.8 seconds remaining as Cleveland State knocked of St. Bonaventure, 67-64. Earlier in the week, Harmon recorded 14 points and three steals as the Vikings downed Rio Grande, 86-57.
- Ray McCallum, Detroit (So., G) - Knocking down three-pointers at will early, McCallum helped Detroit build an eight-point lead at Notre Dame in an eventual 59-53 defeat, scoring 20 points in the loss. Against visiting Concordia (Mich.), McCallum finished with 17 points, handing out three assists. On the season, McCallum has a 14:3 assist-to-turnover ratio.
- Denzel Brito, Loyola (So., G) - Brito finished in double figures in all three Loyola games last week, including a career-high 13 points in a narrow 65-61 setback at Eastern Illinois. Earlier in the week, the sophomore had grabbed a career-best six rebounds and scored what was then a career-high 12 points at Kansas State.
- Kaylon Williams, Milwaukee (Sr., G) - Making his season debut on Monday, Williams led Milwaukee to a 3-0 week, averaging 10.3 points and 6.7 assists during the week. Helping the Panthers to their first 4-0 start since 2004-05, Williams recorded 17 points, six assists and five rebounds in Milwaukee’s dominant 73-38 victory over Texas Southern on Sunday.
- Ashen Ward, Youngstown State (Sr., G) - Knocking down five three-pointers in an 80-62 win over Notre Dame (Ohio), Ward helped Youngstown State tie a school record with 14 three-pointers in the game. Ward led the way with 15 points in the Penguins’ 53-49 overtime victory over visiting UC-Riverside, moving YSU to 3-0 for the first time since 2000-01.
Men’s Basketball Players of the Week:
November 14: D’Aundray Brown, Cleveland State
November 21: Kevin Van Wijk, Valparaiso
Tags: Valparaiso - Men's Basketball
