Monday, December 18, 2017

PORTLAND, Ore. – A pair of outstanding single-game performances for Western Washington’s Daulton Hommes and Alaska’s Cassi Williams has earned the duo selection as the GNAC’s Players of the Week.

Hommes was honored as the Men’s Basketball Player of the Week after he averaged 19 points per game and shot 45.7 percent from the field and 88 percent from the free throw line as the Vikings went 2-1 last week. He punctuated the week, however, with an outstanding 37-point performance that lifted Western Washington to an 80-76 win over Harding on Saturday at the Hoops in Hawaii Holiday Classic. In 38 minutes, Hommes made 11 of 18 from the field and 15 of 16 from the free throw line to go along with 12 rebounds, three assists and a block.

Hommes followed the 37-point effort up with 13 points in Sunday’s 86-77 win over Tampa on Sunday. He made 5 of 7 from the free throw line to go along with seven rebounds.

Williams was tabbed as the Women’s Basketball Player of the Week after a record-setting performance in the Nanooks’ 90-42 rout of Multnomah on Saturday. Williams scored 29 points in the contest and set a UAF record with nine three-pointers, bettering the mark of seven set by Amy Woodruff during the 2000-01 season. Williams made 10 of 14 from the field, with all but one of her shots coming from beyond the arc, to go along with four rebounds in 24 minutes of action.

The 29 points was a career high for Williams, who sat out the 2016-17 season. She had played in a total of 46 minutes over five games before Saturday’s breakout performance.

GNAC PLAYER OF THE WEEK SELECTIONS – WEEK 16
MEN’S BASKETBALL
Daulton Hommes (Western Washington, F, 6-7, So., Lynden, Wash. – Lynden Christian): Hommes averaged 19 points per game in three contests for the Vikings, shooting 45.7 percent from the field and made 22 of 25 from the free throw line. In Saturday’s 80-76 win over Harding at the Hoops In Hawaii Holiday Classic, Hommes came alive for 37 points on 11 of 18 from the field and 15 of 16 from the free throw line to go along with 12 rebounds and three assists. He followed that up with a 13-point performance in Sunday’s 86-77 win over Tampa, which included seven rebounds and a 5 for 7 effort from the free throw line. Also Nominated: Michael Kluting (Alaska), Jarrett Gray (Concordia), Zharon Richmond (Montana State Billings), Vince Boumann (Western Oregon).

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
Cassi Williams (Alaska, G, 5-10, Sr., Klawock, Alaska – Klawock): Williams set a UAF single-game record for three-pointers made as she led the Nanooks to a 90-42 rout of Multnomah on Saturday. She led all scorers with 29 points on 24 minutes off the bench, connecting on 10 of 14 from the field and 9 of 13 from the three-point arc. Also Nominated: Rylee Kane (Montana State Billings).