SHU's Rodriguez (DI), Richards & Toney (DII-III) Named Weekly Winners
MBWA Players of the Week (11-27 to 12-3) 2017-18 / Week 1
FFI: Chuck Stogel, MBWA - 914-428-6111, chstogel@aol.com
Metropolitan Basketball Writers Association
www.MetBasketballWriters.org
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Rodriguez, Richards, Toney Nab Men's Weekly Honors
NEW YORK (Dec. 5, 2017) ---
Desi Rodriguez of Seton Hall in Division I, and
Dequawne Richards of Mercy and
Sam Toney of NJCU 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 Nov. 27-Dec. 3, are unique in that they encompass players from 74 Met area schools across Divisions I, II and III.
A 6-6 guard-forward from the Bronx, NY, Rodriguez --- who also was named the Big East player of the week --- averaged 26.5 points on 55.9% shooting from the field (19-of-34) along with 7.5 rebounds and 3.0 assists as the Pirates (7-1) defeated two Top 20 opponents last week.
Against No. 22 Texas Tech at Madison Square Garden, Rodriguez posted a game-high 24 points on 7-of-16 shooting, including 3-of-6 from 3-point range and 7-of-7 at the free throw line. He also added four assists and seven rebounds in the victory.
Then on the road at No. 17 Louisville, Rodriguez posted a game- and season-high 29 points on 12-of-18 shooting to go with eight rebounds and two assists. He connected on the game-winning layup with 7.5 seconds remaining to break a 77-77 tie and lead The Hall to a 79-77 win over the Cardinals, the program’s first win in Louisville since Feb. 25, 1952.
A 6-5 junior forward from the Bronx, NY, Richards averaged a team high 25.0 points and 6.5 rebounds per game as the Mavericks (4-2) went 2-0 at home last week, defeating Nyack 77-60 and Fisher 97-71. He opened the week with 17 points and eight rebounds against Nyack and then posted 33 points on 10-of-18 shooting in the win over Fisher. Richards shot 56.7% (17-of-30) from the floor and 92.3% (12-of-13) at the foul line.
A 6-4 sophomore forward from Plainfield, NJ, Toney --- who also was named the NJAC player of the week --- averaged 33.0 points, 13.0 rebounds and 2.0 blocks as the Gothic Knights posted two conference victories en route to the team’s best start since its 1991-92 Final Four season. In becoming the first NJCU player to score 30-plus points in back-to-back games, he connected on 48.9% of his shots from the field (23-of-47), including eight 3-pointers.
Toney scored 36 points and pulled down 17 boards in an 87-83 overtime win over William Paterson, marking the most points scored in a single game by an NJCU player in the 24-year history of the school’s current home court. He followed with 30 points and nine rebounds in an 86-83 win at Rutgers-Camden, maintaining his seasonal lead as the NJAC top scorer with 21.9 ppg.
Players receiving MBWA Men’s Division I Honorable Mention for the week: Rickey McGill, Iona; Lucas Meisner, Columbia; Brian Parker, Marist; Shamorie Ponds, St. John’s.
Players receiving MBWA Men’s Divisions II-III Honorable Mention for the week: Deshawn Cann, Purchase; Derrick Dorn, Caldwell; Simcha Halpert, Yeshiva; Christopher Moseley, Ramapo.