NEW YORK (Feb. 17, 2015) ---
Jasmine Nwajei of Wagner and
Jah-Leah Ellis of the College of New Rochelle have been named Women’s Division I and Divisions II-III Players of the Week, respectively, by the Met Basketball Writers Assn.
The designations, for games played Feb. 9-15, are unique in that they encompass players from 74 Met area schools across Divisions I, II and III.
It was the second time this season Ellis has been named All-Met Player of the Week.
A 5-8 sophomore guard from Rockaway Park, NY, Nwajei averaged 33.5 points on 53.5% shooting from the floor, along with 8.0 rebounds and 4.0 assists, in leading the Seahawks (6-19) to a 1-1 week.
Entering the week as the nation’s No. 2 scorer with 25.0 points per game, Nwajei poured in 36 points --- the fifth-highest individual scoring game in Seahawks history --- in a 73-60 loss at Sacred Heart.
She followed that effort by tossing in 31 points to lead four players into double figures as Wagner overcame a five-point halftime deficit for an 82-75 decision over Fairleigh Dickinson. In addition to topping the 30-point level for a school-record fourth straight game, and a school-best 10th time this season, Nwajei dished out seven assists and grabbed seven rebounds while playing the entire 40 minutes.
A 5-11 senior forward from Harlem, NY, Ellis --- who also was named HVIAC player of the week --- was a dominant force as CNR (11-8) posted a 2-1 week. She tallied three double-doubles while averaging 17.7 points, 19.3 rebounds, 3.0 assists, 2.7 steals and 1.0 blocks over three games, including two critical conference wins that kept the Blue Angels tied atop the conference standings.
In a 68-67 senior night win over Yeshiva, Ellis registered 21 points, 18 rebounds, four assists and three steals. In a 57-48 triumph over Berkeley, she recorded her 16th double-double of the season, scoring 19 points to go with 24 rebounds, three assists and two steals.
In between in a 71-44 loss at John Jay, Ellis hauled down 16 rebounds to go with 13 points on 6-of-13 shooting, plus two assists, two blocks and three steals.
Players receiving MBWA Women’s Division I Honorable Mention for the week:
Damika Martinez, Iona; Daisha Simmons, Seton Hall.
Players receiving MBWA Women’s Divisions II-III Honorable Mention for the week:
Samantha Burden, STAC; Deja Gabiddon, Dominican; Kelly Fraser, Mount St. Vincent; Kaitlyn Read, NYU.
Previous MBWA 2014-15 Women’s Players of the Week: Dec. 9, Betnijah Laney, Rutgers; Dec. 16, Kelsey Minato, Army; Dec. 23, Aliyyah Handford, St. John’s, and Alyson Caiazzo, Manhattanville (co-winners); Jan. 13, Ka-Deidre Simmons, Seton Hall, Div. I . . . Madison Rowland, Queens, Divs. II-III; Jan. 20, Ka-Deidre Simmons, Seton Hall, Div. I . . . Bria Smith, NJCU, Divs. II-III; Jan. 27, Kelsey Minato, Army, Div. I . . . Jah-Leah Ellis, College of New Rochelle, Divs. II-III; Feb. 3, Kelsey Minato, Army, and Samantha Cooper, Fairfield (co-winners), Div. I . . . Melissa Peng, NYU, Divs. II-III; Feb. 10, Betnijah Laney, Rutgers, Div. I . . . Kelly Fraser, Mount St. Vincent, Divs. II-III.