Big South Announces Men's Basketball Players of the Week - Jan. 9
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (www.BigSouthSports.com) – UNC Asheville forward Drew Pember (Knoxville, Tenn.) has been named the Big South Men’s Basketball Player of the Week, while Presbyterian guard Jalen Forrest (Decatur, Ga.) is the Freshman of the Week for games played Jan. 2-8, it was announced today.
Pember averaged 25.0 points, 8.5 rebounds, 2.5 blocks and 2.5 assists in helping the Bulldogs pick up a pair of comeback victories at High Point and vs. Campbell. He opened with 28 points along with seven rebounds at HPU last Wednesday, and then tallied a 22-point, 10-rebound double-double plus five blocked shots against Campbell to help Asheville rally from an 18-point second-half deficit. Pember was 23-of-29 from the free throw line ( =79.3 percent) in the two games, and also made five three-pointers.
Forrest averaged 15.0 points, 5.5 rebounds and 1.5 assists in two games off the bench last week. He first scored a career-high 17 points at Winthrop on Wednesday, along with a career-best seven rebounds plus two assists. Forrest then tallied 13 points and four boards against Charleston Southern on Saturday. He finished the week five offensive rebounds among his 11 caroms.
Also nominated for Player of the Week: Ricky Clemons (Campbell), Isaiah Wilkins (Longwood), Crosby James (Presbyterian), DaQuan Smith (Radford), Jordan Gainey (USC Upstate) and Cory Hightower (Winthrop).
Also nominated for Freshman of the Week: Kenyon Giles (Radford) and Justin Bailey (USC Upstate).