Iona's Lizarazu Named DI; Stevens' Astel Named DII-III Players of the Week
MBWA Players of the Week (1-16 to 1-23) 2016-17 / Week 6
FFI: Chuck Stogel, MBWA - 914-428-6111, chstogel@aol.com
Metropolitan Basketball Writers Association
www.MetBasketballWriters.org
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Lizarazu, Astel Hailed as Players of the Week
NEW YORK (Jan. 24, 2017) ---
Marina Lizarazu of Iona in Division I and
Kaitlyn Astel of Stevens in Divisions II-III have been named Women’s Players of the Week, respectively, by the Met Basketball Writers Assn.
The designations, for games played Jan. 16-22, are unique in that they encompass players from 74 Met area schools across Divisions I, II and III.
A 5-8 senior guard from Madrid, Spain, Lizarazu --- who also was named Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference player of the week --- led the Gaels (11-8) to a pair of conference victories, playing all 40 minutes in each game and averaging 25 points, 4.5 rebounds, 4.0 assists and 3.0 steals. She shot 51.5% from the fllor and 50% from beyond the arc as Iona toppled Manhattan 76-62 and Monmouth 60-54 .
Lizarazu scored a career-high 26 points on the road at Manhattan, hitting 10-of-17 from the floor, along with dishing out a game-high six assists and swiping a game-high four steals. Against Monmouth, who was coming off a win over MAAC-leading Quinnipiac, Lizarazu posted 24 points and added five rebounds while going 10-of-12 at the free throw line, including 4-of-4 in the final 30 seconds to seal the win.
A 5-11 grad student guard from Staten Island, NY, Astel --- who also was named Empire 8 player of the week --- averaged 24 points as the Ducks (8-7) surged over .500 overall and into a tie atop the conference standings with a home victory over Ithaca and road wins over Nazareth and St. John Fisher. For the week she shot 55% (26-of-47) from the field and nailed 90% (18-of-20) at the free throw line.
Astel opened her week with a 23-point, 18-rebound performance in defeating Ithaca 74-43 and closed the week by scoring a school-record 36 points in a come-from-behind 81-68 triumph over St. John Fisher. In between she registered 13 points, two blocks and a steal as Stevens toppled Nazareth 75-66.
Astel’s record-setting 36 points marks the highest single-game total for any women’s player in the Empire 8 this season and the second-highest output ever in the conference.
Players receiving MBWA Women’s Division I Honorable Mention for the week: Akina Wellere, St. John’s; Camille Zimmerman, Columbia.
Players receiving MBWA Women’s Divisions II-III Honorable Mention for the week: Marajiah Bacon, Kean; Calli Balfour, Adelphi; Aliyah McDonald, Molloy; Christina Pasaturo, Staten Island; Madison Rowland, Queens.
Previous MBWA 2016-17 Women’s Players of the Week: Dec. 6, Madison Hovren, Army, Div. I; Madison Rowland, Queens, Divs. II-III; Dec. 13, Robin Perkins, Rider, Div. I; Calli Balfour, Adelphi, Divs. II-III; Dec. 20, Alexis Lewis, Iona, Div. I; Sierra Clark, Adelphi, and Kristen Drogsler, Caldwell, Divs. II-III; Jan. 10, Jade Walker, St. Jonn’s, Div. I; Katie Sire, Montclair State, Divs. II-III; Jan. 17, Madison Hovren, Army, Div. I; Sierra Clark, Adelphi and Alyssa McDonough, FDU Florham, Divs. II-III.