Buie (Hofstra/Div I), Caraballo (STAC/Divs II-III) Claim Final Weekly Honors

2/25/2020 7:09:28 AM

MBWA Players of the Week (2-17 to 2-23) 2019-20 / Week 10

FFI: Chuck Stogel, MBWA - 914-428-6111, chstogel@aol.com

Metropolitan Basketball Writers Association
www.MetBasketballWriters.org
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
    
NEW YORK (Feb. 25, 2020) --- Desure Buie of Hofstra in Division I and Osbel Caraballo of St. Thomas Aquinas in Divisions II-III have been named Men’s Players of the Week by the Met Basketball Writers Assn.
 
The designations, for games played Feb. 17-23, are unique in that they encompass players from 71 Met area schools across Divisions I, II and III.
 
The award was the second weekly honor for Buie this season. He previously was selected on Feb. 4.
 
The MBWA has now concluded its Players of the Week program for the 2019-20 season.
 
A 5-11 senior guard from the Bronx, NY, Buie --- who was named Colonial Athletic Association player of the week for the fourth time this season --- averaged 26.5 points, 7.5 assists and 3.0 steals in helping the Pride (22-7) extend its win streak to eight games with a pair of road victories. Hofstra also has won a nation’s best 11 away games this year.
 
Posting game-high scoring totals in both contests, Buie got his week started with 26 points, six assists, four rebounds and three steals in an 81-74 triumph over Drexel. He followed in a 78-62 victory at Delaware with 27 points, nine assists, six rebounds and three steals.
 
A 6-5 sophomore forward from Bolivar, Venezuela, Caraballo --- who also was named the East Coast Conference co-player of the week --- averaged 25.5 points and 7.5 rebounds in leading the Spartans (22-4) to an 80-58 win at Queens and a 105-92 victory at home against New York Tech. He shot an awesome 78.5% (22-of-28) from the field in the two games, including nailing 5-of-6 from 3-point range.
 
Caraballo dropped 26 points and grabbed nine rebounds against Queens. He had 25 points on 11-of-13 shooting along with six rebounds in the win over New York Tech.
 
Players receiving MBWA Men’s Division I Honorable Mention for the week: E.J. Crawford, Iona; Tommy Funk, Army West Point; Sandro Mamukelashvili, Seton Hall; Mike Smith, Columbia.
 
Players receiving MBWA Men’s Divisions II-III Honorable Mention for the week: Riley Collins, Drew; Blaine McDonough, U.S. Merchant Marine; Ryan Turell, Yeshiva; Peyton Wejnert, Pace.
 
Previous MBWA 2019-20 Men’s Players of the Week: Dec. 10, Elijah Olaniyi, Stony Brook, Div. I; Peyton Wejnert, Pace, Divs. II-III . . . Dec. 17, Ron Harper Jr., Rutgers, Div. I; Elijah Lott, Purchase, Divs. II-III . . . Dec. 24, Quincy McKnight, Seton Hall, Div. I; Chris LaBelle, Centenary, Divs. II-III . . . Jan. 14, Myles Powell, Seton Hall, Div. I; Chris LaBelle, Centenary, Divs. II-III . . . Jan. 21, Myles Powell, Seton Hall, Div. I; Peyton Wejnert, Pace, and Elijah Lott, Purchase, Divs. II-III . . . Jan. 28, Tommy Funk, Army West Point, and Romaro Gill, Seton Hall, Div. I; Gabriel Leifer, Yeshiva, Divs. II-III .... Feb. 4, Desure Buie, Hofstra, Div. I; Gabriel Leifer, Yeshiva, Divs. II-III . . . Feb. 11, Myles Powell, Seton Hall, Div. I; Brandon Jacobs, Pace, and Gabriel Leifer, Yeshiva, Divs. II-III . . . Feb. 18, Matt Wilson, Army West Point, Div. I; Spencer Foley, Adelphi, Divs. II-III.