Press Release
RUSSELLVILLE, Ark. – The Great American Conference announced the league’s sixth Men’s and Women’s Basketball Players of the Week for the 2021 season. Arkansas Tech’s Ashlei Lopez and Southern Nazarene’s Abby Niehues shared the Women’s honor while Arkansas-Monticello’s Denzel McDuffey garnered the Men’s award.
GAC WOMEN’S CO-PLAYER OF THE WEEK – Ashlei Lopez, Arkansas Tech, G, Jr., Rockford, Illinois
Lopez helped the Golden Suns remain undefeated as she averaged 21.7 points on 54.2 percent shooting in wins against Harding, Ouachita and Southern Arkansas. She scored a career-high 33 points as Tech rallied from a 10-point, fourth-quarter deficit against the Tigers. The Golden Suns have started 10-0 for just the second time in their Division II era
GAC WOMEN’S CO-PLAYER OF THE WEEK – Abby Niehues, Southern Nazarene, F, Sr., Mustang, Oklahoma
Niehues claimed a second-straight weekly accolade after she led the Crimson Storm to home wins against rival Oklahoma Baptist and No. 15 Southwestern Oklahoma State. She netted a career-high 24 points, on 9-of-11 shooting, against the Bison. She followed up with 14 points, seven rebounds and six blocks against the Lady Bulldogs. She shot 76.2 percent for the week.
GAC MEN’S PLAYER OF THE WEEK – Denzel McDuffey, Arkansas-Monticello, G/F, Sr., Jackson, Mississippi
McDuffey guided UAM to three wins that pushed the Weevils into first place in the Eastern Division. Against then-first-place Southern Arkansas, he scored 15 points, grabbed five rebounds and blocked three shots. He followed up with 17 points and nine rebounds at Henderson State. He capped the week with 19 points on 8-of-10 shooting against Ouachita.
OTHERS NOMINATED
Sage Hawley, F (Harding), Sonni Martin, G (Henderson State), Diamond Morris, G (Southern Arkansas), Andreja PecIiuraite, F (Oklahoma Baptist), Madison Rehl, G (East Central), Makyra Tramble, F (Southwestern Oklahoma State)
Josh Apple, F (East Central), Adokiye Iyaye, G (Southern Nazarene), Aaron Lucas, G (Southern Arkansas), Raekwon Rogers, F (Henderson State), Kendarious Smith, G (Ouachita), Brantly Thompson, G (Oklahoma Baptist)
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