Courtesy of PatriotLeague.org
CENTER VALLEY, Pa. – Lehigh senior center Tim Kempton has been voted The Rock Patriot League Men’s Basketball Player of the Week for the fifth time this season, while American freshman guard Sa’eed Nelson was selected as The Rock Patriot League Men’s Basketball Rookie of the Week for the third time this season when voting results from the League’s men’s basketball sports information directors and media members were tabulated on Monday afternoon.
Kempton scored a career-high 36 points in the Mountain Hawks, 79-73 victory over American on Sunday afternoon, become the first Lehigh player since C.J. McCollum in 2012 to eclipse the 35 points in a single-game. Kempton also pulled down 11 rebounds in each of the Mountain Hawks’ two games last week.
Nelson continues to pace American in scoring, averaging 18.5 points over two games last week. The freshman guard is fourth in the League in scoring (16.5 ppg) and among the NCAA leaders in minutes played (38:12) and steals (2.5).
Klinewski earned honorable mention for the second time in as many weeks, after scoring a career-high 34 points in a loss to Boston University on Sunday. Klinewski is averaging 25.3 points in four conference games to lead all scorers, shooting 62.5 percent from the field during that stretch. He is joined as an honorable mention by Loyola Maryland junior guard Andre Walker, who averaged 18.5 points, 2.5 assists and 2.0 steals during a 1-1 week. Walker hit a game-winning 3-pointer in the Greyhounds victory over Lehigh on Thursday. Bucknell sophomore guard Kimball Mackenzie took over in the Bison’s Thursday evening comeback victory over American, as he scored 18 of his 24 points in the second half to help them stay undefeated in League play.
Patriot League play continues on Wednesday, January 11 with five games. Lehigh travels to Bucknell (7 p.m.), Colgate travels to Army West Point (7 p.m.), American travels to Boston University (7 p.m.), Lafayette travels to Holy Cross (7:05 p.m.) and Navy travels to Loyola Maryland (7:30 p.m.) with each game being streamed live on the Patriot League Network. The matchup between the Leopards and Crusaders will also be televised on the American Sports Network.
PATRIOT LEAGUE MEN’S BASKETBALL THE ROCK PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Tim Kempton, Lehigh, Sr., C/F, 6-10, Scottsdale, Ariz./Brophy College Prep
Tim Kempton earns his fifth Player of the Week honor after posting a pair of double-doubles, while averaging 27.0 points and 11.0 rebounds, while shooting 64.3 percent from the floor in a 1-1 week for the Mountain Hawks. Kempton scored a career-high 36 points, while shooting 11-of-17 from the field to go with 11 rebounds in Lehigh’s 79-73 win over American on Sunday. His 36 point performance is the most by a Lehigh player since C.J. McCollum scored 35 against Fairfield in 2012. Earlier in the week, Kempton scored 18 points, pulled down 11 rebounds and had four assists in an 84-83 loss to Loyola Maryland. Kempton leads the League in scoring (21.7 ppg) and rebounding (10.4 rpg).
PATRIOT LEAGUE MEN’S BASKETBALL THE ROCK ROOKIE OF THE WEEK,
Sa’eed Nelson, American, Fr., G, 6-1, Pleasantville, N.J./Saint Augustine Prep
Nelson earns his third Rookie of the Week honor after averaging 18.5 points, 6.0 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 2.0 steals during a 0-2 week for the Eagles. Against Bucknell, Nelson finished with 18 points and four rebounds to keep American close in a 68-60 loss to one of the League’s two remaining unbeaten teams. Nelson shot 7-of-13 from the floor for 19 points, to go with eight rebounds and three assists in a 79-73 loss to Lehigh on Sunday. He is second in the NCAA in minutes played (38:12) and fourth in the Patriot League in scoring (16.5 ppg) and first in steals (2.5 spg).
WEEKLY HONORABLE MENTION
Matt Klinewski, Lafayette, Jr., F, 6-8, Vorhees, N.J./Eastern Regional
Klinewski averaged 27.5 points and 6.0 rebounds per game, while shooting 63.6 percent (21-of-33) from the floor in a 1-1 week for Lafayette. He paced the Leopards with a career-high 34 points on 12-of-17 shooting to go with seven rebounds and two assists in a 91-75 loss to Boston University on Sunday. He also scored 21 points on 9-of-16 shooting to help Lafayette defeat Army West Point, 79-76 on Thursday night. Klinewski has scored 30 points in two of the Leopards’ four League games.
Andre Walker, Loyola Maryland, Jr., G, 6-2, Westbury, N.Y./Christ the King
Walker averaged 18.5 points, 2.5 assists and 2.0 steals per game during a 1-1 week for Loyola Maryland. Against Lehigh, Walker scored 16-of-23 points in the second half, including his game-winning 3-pointer with 0.8 seconds remaining to earn an 84-83 victory on Thursday evening. Walker also recorded four steals against the Mountain Hawks. Against Army West Point, Walker finished with 14 points, three assists and two rebounds
Kimball Mackenzie, Bucknell, So., G, 6-1, Oakville, Ontario/John Carroll (Md.)
Mackenzie averaged 17.0 points, 2.0 assists and 2.5 rebounds during a 2-0 week, to help Bucknell remain undefeated in Patriot League play. Mackenzie scored 18 of his 24 points in the second half in the Bison’s, 69-60, comeback victory over American on Thursday. He also added four rebounds and three assists, while going 11-for-11 from the free-throw line against the Eagles. Mackenzie also scored 10 points in Bucknell’s victory over Holy Cross to give him four straight double-figure scoring outputs to start League play.
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