Monday, December 23, 2019

PORTLAND, Ore. – One made the most of Simon Fraser’s three-game trip to Hawaii. The other put up the numbers to give Seattle Pacific the wins when it needed it most in a critical juncture of the season.

Clan junior forward Jasdeep Singh and Seattle Pacific senior guard Hailee Bennett picked up the GNAC Player of the Week awards to end the 2019 calendar year as the two paces their teams to two win weeks.

Singh, who was named the Men’s Basketball Player of the Week, led Simon Fraser to a 2-1 week at the D2 Power Invitational in Honolulu with 54 points and 17 rebounds in the three games, shooting 44.7 percent from the field and 45.5 percent from three-point range. Singh opened the trip with his best performance, going off for 32 points on 12 of 21 from the field and 6 of 12 from three-point range to lead the Clan to an 86-83 overtime win over No. 21/22 ranked Southeastern Oklahoma State on Thursday. He added six assists and two rebounds in the winning effort.

Singh finished just short of a double-double with 12 points and nine rebounds in Friday’s 58-53 loss to Colorado Mines. He closed the week with 10 points and two rebounds in Sunday’s 74-67 win over Hawaii Pacific. For his efforts, Singh was named to the D2 Power Invitational All-Tournament First Team.

Singh enters the holiday break ranked third in the GNAC with 19 points per game. Simon Fraser enters the break with a 9-2 overall record.

Bennett, the Women’s Basketball Player of the Week, posted totals of 44 points and 14 rebounds as she led the Falcons to their first two wins of the season. She shot 57.1 percent from the field, 60 percent from three-point range and 87.5 percent from the free throw line in the two home victories, the first for SPU this season.

Bennett opened the week with a blistering 29-point performance in Monday’s 80-67 win over Cal State LA. She connected on 7 of 13 from the field, 4 of 7 from the arc and 11 of 12 from the free throw line. She also pulled down nine rebounds to finish just shy of a double-double. Three days later, Bennett finished with 15 points and five rebounds in the Falcons’ 76-50 win over Academy of Art. She shot 5 of 8 from the field and also dished four assists.

Bennett enters the break ranked second for the Falcons with 10.6 and 4.9 rebounds per game. The Falcons carry a 2-8 record into the holiday recess.

GNAC PLAYER OF THE WEEK SELECTIONS – WEEK 17
MEN’S BASKETBALL
Jasdeep Singh (Simon Fraser, F, 6-8, Jr., Delta, B.C. – Northwest Univ.): Singh led Simon Fraser to a 2-1 week at the D2 Power Invitational with 54 points and 17 rebounds and was named to the All-Tournament First Team. He opened with an effort of 32 points and six rebounds in Thursday’s 86-83 overtime win over No. 21/22 Southeastern Oklahoma State on Thursday, shooting 12 of 21 from the field and 6 of 10 from three-point range. He just missed a double-double with 12 points and nine rebounds in Friday’s 58-53 loss to Colorado Mines before closing with 10 points in Saturday’s 74-67 win over Hawaii Pacific. For the week, Singh shot 44.7 percent from the field. Also Nominated: Oggie Pantovic (Alaska Anchorage), Jeryn Lucas (Central Washington), Demonte Malloy (Saint Martin’s), Gavin Long (Seattle Pacific), Jaylyn Richardson (Western Oregon).

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
Hailee Bennett (Seattle Pacific, G, 5-7, Sr., Kalispell, Mont. – Glacier): Bennett led Seattle Pacific to its first wins of the season with totals of 44 points and 14 rebounds in two games. She led all scorers with 29 points and nine rebounds in Monday’s 80-67 win over Cal State LA, shooting 7 of 13 from the field, 4 of 7 from three-point range and 11 of 12 from the free throw line. Bennett then added 15 points and five rebounds in Thursday’s 76-50 win over Academy of Art. For the week, Bennett shot 57.1 percent from the field, 60 percent from three-point range and 87.5 percent from the free throw line. Also Nominated: Safiyyash Yasin (Alaska Anchorage), Kaelie Flores (Central Washington), Avery Albrecht (Northwest Nazarene), Bria Thames (Saint Martin’s), Keyonna Jones (Western Oregon), Anna Schwecke (Western Washington).