ST. LOUIS (USBWA) Keith Brown of Endicott College (Beverly, Mass.) and Yuleska Ramirez-Tejeda of Emmanuel College (Boston, Mass.) were named the U.S. Basketball Writers Association Division III National Players of the Week for the week ending November 18.
Brown, a 6-2 junior guard from Pelham, N.H., scored a 2018-19 NCAA Division III-high 49 points in the Gulls opener en route to averaging 29.7 points per game as Endicott began the season 4-0. Hosting Eastern Nazarene on Monday, Brown shot 14-of-22 from the field, 12-of-14 from the foul line and 9-of-13 from three-point range in compiling the 49 points. He added four rebounds, two blocks and a steal. In a 90-73 win over #5 (D3hoops.com) MIT on Thursday, Brown scored 19 points (8-of-19 FG, 3-of-7 3FG) while also totaling three rebounds, two assists, a steal, and a block. After compiling 13 points (5-of-13 FG, 3-of-5 3FG) and collecting two rebounds in an 85-62 win over Suffolk at the Babson Invitational on Saturday, he totaled 38 points (14-of-23 FG, 3-of-6 FT, 7-of-11 3FG) - 29 of which came in the second half - as Endicott erased an 18-point halftime deficit to defeat host Babson 97-88. Over the four games, Brown shot 53.2 percent (41-of-77) from the field, 75 percent (15-of-20) from the line and 61.1 percent (22-of-36) from behind the arc. For his efforts, Brown was also named the Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) Player of the Week.
Ramirez-Tejeda, a 5-7 junior guard from South Boston, Mass., averaged a double-double (35.0 ppg, 18.0 rpg) for the Saints during their 2-0 opening week. She set career highs in points (28) and rebounds (16) on Saturday in the opening round of the Emmanuel Tip-Off Classic. In that 96-63 victory over Gallaudet, Ramirez-Tejada shot 14-of-20 from the field and added two assists in only 21 minutes of action. Then, in Sundays 102-89 victory against Westfield State, she bettered those numbers by scoring an NCAA Division III-high 42 points (20-of-24 FG, 2-of-3 FT) and collecting 20 rebounds while adding five assists and five steals. Named Most Valuable Player of the Classic, Ramirez-Tejeda shot 77.3 percent (34-of-44) from the field and 66.6 percent (2-of-3) from the foul line over the two games. For her efforts. Ramirez-Tejada was also named Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) Player of the Week.
Each Tuesday, the USBWA is selecting men's and women's Division III National Players of the Week. This is the fourth 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.
2018-19 USBWA Division III National Players of the Week
Week ending Nov. 18: Keith Brown, Endicott College
and Yuleska Ramirez-Tejeda, Emmanuel College
·
Week ending Nov. 25: Demitrius Underwood, University
of Texas at Dallas and Allison Chernow, Emory University
·
Week ending Dec. 2: Kevin Dennis, Morrisville
State College and Hannah Norlin, University of Wisconsin-Superior
·
Week ending Dec. 9: Sean Smith, Jr., Manhattanville
College and Madison Temple, Thomas More University
·
Week ending Dec. 16: Auston Francis, Wheaton
College (Ill.) and Madison Temple, Thomas More University
·
Week ending Jan. 6: Will Carius, Monmouth College (Ill.)
and Maddie Hasson, Bowdoin College
·
Week ending Jan. 13: Elijah Hirsh, Berry College and Katie Garrish, Southern Virginia University
·
Week ending Jan. 20: Hakeem Animashaun, Salem State University; Kierra McCarthy, Westfield State University
·
Week ending Jan. 27: Sam Jefferson, Colby College; Caitlin Corbett, Hartwick College
·
Week ending Feb. 3: Andrew Romero III, Johnson & Wales University; Rebecca Prociak, King's College
·
Week ending Feb. 10: Aston Francis, Wheaton College (Ill.); Rachael Windhausen, Oswego State University
·
Week ending Feb. 17: Kevin Dennis, Morrisville State College; Rah Rah Thompson, Albertus Magnus College
·
Week ending Feb. 24: Luke Smith, Sewanee; Yuleska Ramirez-Tejeda, Emmanuel College