New Year, Same Names for Basketball Players of the Week
Three of the four OCCAC Basketball Players of the Week for Dec. 25-31 are repeat performers from last week and the fourth was honored earlier in the season. Dai’Shona Washington-Polk (D-II female), LiDonta Hicks-Gentry (D-II, male) and Angel Blakely (D-III female) are all back-to-back winners while Jake Schultz brought home the D-III men’s accolade.
By Kyle Kuhlman/OCCAC Sports Information
SPRINGFIELD, Ohio – Three of the four OCCAC Basketball Players of the Week for Dec. 25-31 are repeat performers from last week and the fourth was honored earlier in the season. Dai’Shona Washington-Polk (D-II female), LiDonta Hicks-Gentry (D-II, male) and Angel Blakely (D-III female) are all back-to-back winners while Jake Schultz brought home the D-III men’s accolade.
DAI’SHONA WASHINGTON-POLK
Owens Community College
Freshman guard/forward
Washington-Polk averaged 15.3 points, 7.7 rebounds, 3.0 steals and 2.0 assists in the ICC Holiday Tournament. She shot 56% (20-36) from the field, including three 3-pointers. Washington-Polk wrapped up the week with a 16-point, 13-rebound double-double to top Northern Iowa Area. She scored no less than 15 points in all three contests.
Washington-Polk was last week’s D-II Women’s Player of the Week as well.
ANGEL BLAKELY
Lorain County Community College
Sophomore forward
Blakely has won the weekly award in five of the last six weeks, including back-to-back-to-back-to-back (that’s four straight!). This week, she dropped in 27 points on nine made field goals, two from long range, and a perfect 7-for-7 performance at the charity stripe. Blakely added in seven rebounds, two steals and an assist while committing zero turnovers.
Lorain County has now represented the D-III player of the week in seven of nine weeks following Hannah Oehlstrom’s back-to-back distinctions to start the season.
LIDONTA HICKS-GENTRY
Sinclair Community College
Sophomore forward
Hicks-Gentry converted 8-of-12 (75%) field goal attempts for 16 points, paired with 10 rebounds for a double-double. He also dished out a pair of assists en route to his second straight D-II Men’s Player of the Week distinction.
JAKE SCHULTZ
Lorain County Community College
Sophomore guard
Schultz provided 18 points, three assists, a rebound and steal in the Commodores only game of the week. He connected on five made field goals and shot 3-for-5 (60%) from beyond the arc.
Lorain County now owns six of the nine OCCAC D-III Men’s Player of the Week awards this season, gathered by four different student-athletes:
Nov. 6 – Daniel Lott; Nov. 13 Jovon Jones; Nov. 27, Jan. 1 – Jake Schutlz; Dec. 11, 25 – Mike Rell