ST. LOUIS (USBWA) Baba Waples of Penn State Berks (Reading, Pa.) and Garis Grant of Agnes Scott College (Decatur, Ga.) were named the U.S. Basketball Writers Association Division III National Players of the Week for the week ending January 15.
Waples, a 5-9 senior guard from Reading, averaged 35.6 points, 2.3 rebounds, 3.6 assists, and 2.3 steals in the Defenders (2-9) three games last week. He opened with a NCAA Division III season-high 53 points, including the 1,000th of his career, in Penn State Berks· 123-122 overtime loss to St. Elizabeth on Tuesday. Waples shot 17-of-26 from the field, 11-of-12 from the foul line and 8-of-11 from three-point range in the game to go along with three assists, two steals and a rebound. In a two-point loss (84-82) to Penn College of Technology on Thursday, Waples scored 35 points (14-of-30 FG, 4-of-5 FT, 3-of-10 3FG), had five assists, four steals and a rebound. Then, in an 83-81 win over Bryn Athyn on Saturday, he finished with 19 points (7-of-11 FG, 2-of-2 FT, 3-of-3 3FG), five rebounds, three assists, and a steal. Waples, who was also selected the North Eastern Athletic Conference (NEAC) Player of the Week, shot 56.7 percent (38-of-67) from the field, 89.5 percent (17-of-19) from the foul line and 58.3 percent (14-of-24) from downtown during the week.
Grant, a 5-11 freshman forward from Charleston, S.C., averaged 25.3 points, 18.6 rebounds and 2.6 blocks in the Scotties (2-9) three games last week. Grant collected a program-record 24 rebounds, the fifth-highest total in NCAA Division III this season, in Agnes Scott·s 65-50 win over Wesleyan (Ga) on Wednesday. She also scored 19 points (8-of-13 FG, 3-of-5 FT) and had a block in the contest. In a 65-61 loss to Salem on Saturday, Grant scored a career-high 33 points (13-of-25 FT, 7-of-8 FT) and added two assists and a block. Then, in a 61-36 loss to Piedmont on Sunday, Grant recorded another double-double with 24 points (8-of-16 FG, 8-of-12 FT) and 13 rebounds while adding a career-best six blocks. Also named the USA South Player of the Week, Grant shot 53.7 percent (29-of-54) from the field and 72 percent (18-of-25) from the foul line during the week.
Each Tuesday, the USBWA is selecting men's and women's Division III National Players of the Week. This is the third season that the USBWA will recognize national players of the week from Division III.
The U.S. Basketball Writers Association was formed in 1956 at the urging of then-NCAA Executive Director Walter Byers. With some 900 members worldwide, it is one of the most influential organizations in college basketball. It has selected an All-America team since the 1956-57 season. For more information on the USBWA and its award programs, contact executive director Joe Mitch at 314-795-6821.
2016-17 USBWA Division III National Players of the Week
Week ending Nov. 20: Khory Moore, Virginia Wesleyan College and Camille McPherson, Moravian College
· Week ending Nov. 27: Ty Sabin, Ripon College and Mikayla Miller, Gustavus Adolphus College
· Week ending Dec. 4: Sam Amsbaugh, Simpson College and Sara Tarbert, Stevenson University
· Week ending Dec. 11: Jayde Dawson, Amherst College and Zarkia Mattox, Ferrum College
· Week ending Dec. 18: Anthony Mosley Jr., Illinois Institute of Technology and Emily Martin, Elizabethtown College
· Week ending Jan. 1: Tyheim Monroe, Cabrini College and Lisa Murphy, Carnegie Mellon University
· Week ending Jan. 8: Frank Schettino, College of Staten Island and Kelly Williams, Randolph-Macon College
· Week ending Jan. 15: Baba Waples, Penn State Berks and Garis Grant, Agnes Scott College
· Week ending Jan. 22: Ty Sabin, Ripon College and Lisa Murphy, Carnegie Mellon University
· Week ending Jan. 29: Marcos Echevarria, Nichols College and Kara Hageman, Case Western Reserve University
· Week ending Feb. 5: Caleb Thomasson, Sul Ross State University and Kaitlin Langer, University of St. Thomas
· Week ending Feb. 12: Brendan Wind, Nazareth College and Savannah Olsen, Newbury College
· Week ending Feb. 19: Keegan Ryan, St. John Fisher College and Jill Valley, Westfield State University
· Week ending Feb. 26: Ty Sabin, Ripon College and Katie Sommer, Wartburg College