Monday, November 27, 2017

PORTLAND, Ore. – The top players in a trio of road victories for Saint Martin’s men’s basketball and a pair of Division I wins for Alaska Anchorage have been selected as the GNAC Players of the Week.

Saint Martin’s junior guard Luke Chavez was named the GNAC Men’s Basketball Player of the Week after he led the Saints to three road victories, topped by an upset of No. 7 ranked Cal Baptist on Saturday. Chavez averaged 19 points, 3.3 assists and 2.3 rebounds per game while shooting 54.5 percent from the field and 56.3 percent from three-point range in the three contests.

Chavez opened the week with 14 points and four assists in the Saints’ 73-70 win at Cal State Monterey Bay on Tuesday. In the opening game of the CBU Thanksgiving Classic on Friday, Chavez led all scorers with 26 points on 7 of 14 from the field, 4 of 7 from three-point range and a perfect 8 of 8 from the free throw line in a 77-67 win over Academy of Art. He also had four rebounds and three steals in the victory. Chavez finished the week with a 17-point effort in Saturday’s 93-88 victory over the host Lancers, connecting on 6 of 8 from the field, to go along with five assists.

Alaska Anchorage senior forward Shelby Cloninger was named the Women’s Basketball Player of the Week after she led Alaska Anchorage to two wins over Division I opponents as the Seawolves won the final GCI Great Alaska Shootout. Cloninger was named the tournament’s Most Outstanding Player after she averaged 16 points and seven rebounds per game while hitting 9 of 18 from the field, 7 of 13 from three-point range and a perfect 7 of 7 from the free throw line.

Cloninger led all scorers with 19 points in the Seawolves’ 69-59 win over Maryland-Eastern Shore on Tuesday. She connected on 6 of 8 from the field and 5 of 6 from the arc to go along with seven rebounds. In Thursday’s 59-53 exhibition win over Tulsa, Cloninger scored 13 points to go along with seven rebounds and a pair of blocks.

GNAC PLAYER OF THE WEEK SELECTIONS – WEEK 13
MEN’S BASKETBALL
Luke Chavez (Saint Martin’s, G, 6-4, Jr., Woodacre, Calif. – South Puget Sound CC): Chavez led Saint Martin’s to a 3-0 week on the road by averaging 19 points, 3.3 assists and 2.3 rebounds per game while connecting on 54.5 percent from the field and 56.3 percent from three-point range. After leading the Saints with 14 points in a 73-70 win at Cal State Monterey Bay on Tuesday, Chavez led all scorers with 26 points on 7 of 14 from the field, 4 of 7 from three-point range and 8 of 8 from the free throw line in a 77-67 win over Academy of Art. Chavez then added 17 points on 6 of 8 from the field and 3 of 3 from the arc in a 93-88 upset of No. 7 Cal Baptist. Also Nominated: Jacob Lampkin (Alaska Anchorage), Christopher Edward (Concordia), Kendall Denham (Montana State Billings), Ali Faruq-Bey (Western Oregon), Deandre Dickson (Western Washington).

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
Shelby Cloninger (Alaska Anchorage, F, 6-0, Sr., Kamiah, Idaho – North Idaho JC): Cloninger was named the Most Outstanding Player of the women’s bracket of the final GCI Great Alaska Anchorage, averaging 16 points and seven rebounds in two wins over Division I foes. She led all scorers with 19 points on 6 of 8 from the field and 5 of 6 from three-point range to go along with seven rebounds in a 69-59 win over Maryland-Eastern Shore. Cloninger finished with 13 points to go with seven rebounds in a 59-53 win over Tulsa to win the tournament title. Also Nominated: Rylee Kane (Montana State Billings), Elin Johansson (Saint Martin’s), Sophie Swant (Simon Fraser), Savannah Heugly (Western Oregon), Hannah Stipanovich (Western Washington).