Wright-Foreman (Hofstra/DI), Griffin (Mercy/DII-III) Tabbed With Weekly Awards
MBWA Players of the Week (1-21 to 1-27) 2018-19 / Week 7
FFI: Chuck Stogel, MBWA - 914-428-6111, chstogel@aol.com
Metropolitan Basketball Writers Association
www.MetBasketballWriters.org
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Wright-Foreman, Griffin Named MBB Players of the Week
NEW YORK (Jan. 29, 2019) ---
Justin Wright-Foreman of Hofstra, for the third time this season in Division I, and
Bryan Griffin of Mercy in Divisions II-III have been named Men’s Players of the Week by the Met Basketball Writers Assn.
The MBWA designations, for games played Jan. 21-27, are unique in that they encompass players from 73 Met area schools across Divisions I, II and III.
This is the third consecutive week that a Hofstra player has captured the weekly MBWA designation, following Wright-Foreman himself two weeks ago and Eli Pemberton last week.
A 6-2 senior guard from Queens, NY, Wright-Foreman --- who also was selected Colonial Athletic Association player of the week for the sixth time this season and previously was presented with the MBWA weekly honor on Dec. 4 and Jan. 15 --- averaged 24.0 points, 3.5 rebounds and 4.5 assists in leading the Pride (19-3) to a pair of CAA victories on the road, extending the nation’s longest winning streak to 16 games and keeping Hofstra’s league-leading record unblemished (9-0).
The six weekly conference honors for Wright-Foreman are the most for any player in the league since Hofstra joined the CAA in 2001-02.
Wright-Foreman got his week started with a 23-point effort in Hofstra's 85-68 win over James Madison last Thursday. He shot a dazzling 73% (8-of-11) from the field in the game, including 3-of-4 accuracy from beyond the arc. He also added five assists, three rebounds and two steals. In the Pride's 84-61 win over Towson on Saturday, Wright-Foreman posted 25 points on 9-of-15 (60%) shooting and added four assists and four rebounds.
For the week he shot 17-of-26 overall (65.4%) and is now third in the nation in Division I scoring with 26.0 points per game.
A 6-8 sophomore forward from Pomona, NY, Griffin --- who also was named East Coast Conference player of the week ---averaged a team-high 27.0 points and 15.0 rebounds to go with 2.5 blocks per game and 58.3% shooting (21-of-36) from the field as Mercy (6-11) defeated NYIT 80-76 and LIU Post 87-65.
Griffin opened the week with 23 points and 11 rebounds on 8-of-13 shooting at NYIT on Wednesday. He closed the week with a career-high 31 points and 19 rebounds on 13-of-23 shooting with four blocks and four assists at home against LIU Post on Saturday.
Players receiving MBWA Men’s Division I Honorable Mention for the week: Raiquan Clark, LIU; E.J. Crawford, Iona; Abdul Lewis, NJIT; Gabe Stefanini, Columbia.
Players receiving MBWA Men’s Divisions II-III Honorable Mention for the week: Frank Basile, St. Joseph’s-LI; Micah Kerr, Kean; Gabriel Leifer, Yeshiva; Conor McGuinness, Adelphi; Daraja Rodwell, Dominican; Sean Smith Jr., Manhattanville; Jade Spencer, Brooklyn; Sam Toney, NJCU; Peyton Wejnert, Pace; Rahsaan Williams, Felician.
Previous MBWA 2018-19 Men’s Players of the Week: Dec. 4, Justin Wright-Foreman, Hofstra, Div. I; Elijah Lott, Purchase, Divs. II-III ... Dec. 11, Myles Powell, Seton Hall, Div. I; Andre Harris, Baruch, and Sean Smith Jr., Manhattanville, Divs. II-III ... Dec. 18, Shamorie Ponds, St. John's (Div. I); Kendall Francis, Mount Saint Mary, and Curtis Jenkins, Molloy (Divs. II-III) ... Jan. 8, Shamorie Ponds, St. John's (Div. I); Enike Anyia, Sarah Lawrence, and Andre Harris, Baruch (Divs. II-III) ... Jan. 15, Justin Wright-Foreman, Hofstra (Div. I);
Conor McGuinness, Adelphi (Divs. II-III) ... Jan. 22, Eli Pemberton, Hofstra (Div. I); Enike Anyia, Sarah Lawrence (Divs. II-III).