Monday, February 19, 2018

PORTLAND, Ore. – Exceptional scoring performances never seem to go out of style for Montana State Billings senior Alisha Breen, who turned in another pair of high-output efforts to lead the honorees for GNAC Players of the Week.

Breen was named the Women’s Basketball Player of the Week for the fifth time this season after she averaged 28 points per game as she helped the Yellowjackets clinch a GNAC Championships berth. Breen finished just short of a triple-double against Concordia on Thursday, amassing a line of 25 points, eight rebounds and eight assists to lead MSUB to the 77-57 victory. She then notched her 14th double-double of the season against Western Oregon on Saturday with 31 points and 11 rebounds.

Speaking of triple-doubles, Central Washington’s Fuquan Niles succeeded in the feat to earn himself Men’s Basketball Player of the Week laurels. He notched the fifth triple-double in GNAC history, and the first that involved blocks, as he finished with 12 points, 10 rebounds and 10 blocks in Thursday’s 80-76 win over Concordia. The 10 blocks tied both the CWU and GNAC single-game record. Niles then finished short of a triple-double with seven points, seven rebounds and eight blocks against Western Oregon. Niles finished the week with totals of 19 points, 17 rebounds and 18 blocks.

Both Softball Players of the Week succeeded in helping their teams to victories in Hawaii. Central Washington’s Jacie McDaniels was named the Softball Player of the Week after she batted .500 in four games for the Wildcats, going 7 for 14 with four runs, four RBIs and two doubles. She went 3 for 4 with a run and an RBI in Saturday’s 5-4 win over Hawaii Pacific and then went 2 for 4 with two runs, two RBIs and a pair of doubles in Sunday’s 8-4 win over Chaminade.

Simon Fraser’s Alia Stachoski earned Softball Pitcher of the Week honors after she won both games for the Clan over Chaminade on Saturday. She went the distance in the opener, allowing two runs on four hits and five walks and struck out six to win the opener 9-2. Stachoski earned the win in the nightcap in a relief appearance, allowing one run on two hits and struck out two in 2.1 innings for the 14-6, six-inning victory.

Northwest Nazarene’s Casey Sheehan was selected as the Baseball Player of the Week after he batted .529 in the Nighthawks’ four games at CSU-Pueblo, going 9 for 15 with five runs, eight RBIs, a double and four home runs. He went 2 for 4 with a double, a home run and two RBIs in Friday’s opener and then went 3 for 4 with a three-run homer in the second inning of the nightcap. He wrapped the series by going 4 for 5 with a solo homer in Saturday’s nightcap.

Sam Wong gave Montana State Billings its second-straight Baseball Pitcher of the Week award after he allowed two runs, one earned, on four hits and struck out six in six innings of work in the Yellowjackets’ 9-2 win at the College of Idaho on Sunday.

GNAC PLAYER OF THE WEEK SELECTIONS – WEEK 25
MEN’S BASKETBALL
Fuquan Niles (Central Washington, C, 6-11, Sr., Seattle, Wash. – North Idaho JC): Niles was a defensive force for the Wildcats as he finished with 19 points, 17 rebounds and 18 blocks in two games. Niles notched the fifth triple-double in GNAC history, and the first involving blocks, against Concordia on Thursday with 12 points, 10 rebounds and 10 blocks to lead the Wildcats to the 80-76 victory. The 10 blocks tied the CWU and GNAC single-game records. Niles finished just short of another triple-double against Western Oregon on Saturday, finishing with seven points, seven rebounds and eight blocks. Also Nominated: Jarrett Gray (Concordia), Zharon Richmond (Montana State Billings), Coleman Wooten (Seattle Pacific), Kedar Salam (Simon Fraser), Tanner Omlid (Western Oregon), Deandre Dickson (Western Washington).

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
Alisha Breen (Montana State Billings, F, 5-10, Sr., Choteau, Mont. – Choteau): Breen helped the Yellowjackets clinch a spot in the GNAC Championships, averaging 28 points against Concordia and Western Oregon. She fell just short of a triple-double against Concordia on Thursday as she finished with 25 points, eight rebounds and eight assists, shooting 7 of 13 from the field, 4 of 9 from three-point range and 7 for 7 from the free throw line, in the 77-57 victory. Against Western Oregon on Saturday, Breen notched her 14th double-double of the season with 31 points and 11 rebounds. For the week, Breen shot 51.5 percent from the field, 47.1 percent from three-point range and went 14 of 16 from the free throw line. Also Nominated: Hannah Wandersee (Alaska Anchorage), Taylor Baird (Central Washington), Danielle Hartzog (Concordia), Tayler Drynan (Simon Fraser), Shelby Snook (Western Oregon), Hannah Stipanovich (Western Washington).

BASEBALL PLAYER
Casey Sheehan (Northwest Nazarene, OF, 6-1, Sr., Redlands, Calif. – Riverside CC): Sheehan batted .529 in four games for the Nighthawks, going 9 for 15 with five runs, eight RBIs, a double and four home runs in four games at CSU-Pueblo. Sheehan went 2 for 4 with a double, a home run and two RBIs in the opener on Friday and then went 3 for 4 with a three-run homer in the second inning of the nightcap. He wrapped the series by going 4 for 5 with a solo homer in the first and a two-run shot in the sixth inning of Saturday’s nightcap. Also Nominated: James Smith III (Central Washington), Jalen Garcia (Montana State Billings).

BASEBALL PITCHER
Sam Wong(Montana State Billings, P, 6-4, Jr., Boise, Idaho – Treasure Valley CC): Wong earned his first win of the season in the Yellowjackets’ 9-2 win in the series finale Sunday at the College of Idaho. He allowed two runs, one earned, on four hits and struck out six in six innings of work on 96 pitches. Also Nominated: Connor Stevenson (Central Washington).

SOFTBALL PLAYER
Jacie McDaniels (Central Washington, C, 5-6, Sr., Walla Walla, Wash. – Walla Walla CC): McDaniels led the Wildcats to a 3-2 Hawaii road trip as she hit .500 in four games, going 7 for 14 with four runs, four RBIs and two doubles. McDaniels went 3 for 4 in the with a run and an RBI in Saturday’s 5-4 win over Hawaii Pacific before going 2 for 4 with two runs, two RBIs and a pair of doubles, including a two-RBI double in the second, in Sunday’s 8-4 win over Chaminade. Also Nominated: Elena Cook (Concordia), Heather Tracy (Montana State Billings), Taylor Gillis (Simon Fraser).

SOFTBALL PITCHER
Alia Stachoski (Simon Fraser, P, 5-10, Sr., Port Coquitlam, B.C. – Riverside): Making a stop in Hawaii on the way from their Australia trip, Stachoski led the Clan to a pair of wins over Chaminade on Saturday. She went the distance in the 9-2 win in the opener, allowing two runs on four hits and five walks while striking out six. Stachoski then earned the win in relief in the 14-6, six-inning game two win, allowing one run on two hits while striking out two over 2.1 innings. Also Nominated: Samantha Byron (Concordia).