OVC/MVC Awards – Freshmen Stepping Up

Jones & Wright are Separating Themselves

(St. Louis, MO) – We’re watching freshmen stepping up and being recognized as more than ‘the future’. Numerous first year players from the Ohio Valley and Missouri Valley Conference teams are starring and becoming focal points of their individual team’s attack.

Lindenwood’s Jadis Jones is on a near historic rookie run and Valparaiso’s All Wright is trying to give the Beacons their second straight ‘Freshman of the Year’ award winner. They are just two of the outstanding freshmen stepping up.

Players of the Week

Jones has been dominating the OVC’s rookie honors and this week he is the league’s ‘Co-Player of the Week’. Lindenwood won a pair of games and the 6’5 wing averaged 21.5 points and 6.5 rebounds, including a 27-point performance during an overtime win against Southern Indiana.

One of the OVC’s top newcomers, Marko Maletic joins Jones as the ‘Co-Player of the Week’. The Western Illinois guard led the Leathernecks to two victories and is one of the nation’s top three-point shooters. Maletic averaged 22 points and seven rebounds. His 87 triples are a new WIU season record and his 17.1 scoring average is second in the OVC to SIUE’s Ray’Sean Taylor.

Bradley won both of its games and moved within one game of first place Drake. The Braves (21-6, 12-4) were the Valley’s only 2-0 team last week and during the sweep, Deen averaged 18.5 points, including a 25-point game against Southern Illinois. The Valley’s ‘Player of the Week’ became the MVC’s third player to earn multiple ‘Player‘ honors.

Newcomers Making a Splash

Maletic is the OVC’s ‘Newcomer of the Week’. It is the Toledo-transfer’s league-leading third ‘Newcomer’ honor. Maletic’s .486 three-point shooting percentage leads the OVC and is second nationally.

Indiana State’s Samage Teel earned the season’s first ‘Newcomer of the Week’ award and Monday, the Presbyterian-transfer picked up his fourth weekly nod. Teel exploded for 36 points against Illinois State and added 21 during the Sycamores’ earlier game. He is second to Drake’s Bennett Stirtz in the MVC scoring race (17.6 ppg).

Freshmen Stepping Up

Obviously, Jones would be the OVC ‘Freshman of the Week’. The New Madrid, Missouri native has earned TEN weekly rookie honors. Jones is one off the OVC record held by Eastern Kentucky’s Matt Witt. Lindenwood teammates have earned three of the other four weekly awards and the Lions are tied for the most ‘team’ wins of this OVC honor.

Wright is now a five-time winner of the Valley’s ‘Freshman of the Week’ award. The Valpo rookie has scored 17, or more points in five of his last six games and averaged 18.5 points last week. Wright is second to Evansville’s Gabriel Pozzato in the freshman scoring race. The Ace’s rookie star averages 15.1 points-per-game and Wright tallies 13.2. Wright’s teammate Cooper Schwieger is the Valley’s reigning ‘Freshman of the Year‘.

Do Good

 

Editor: Cover photo of Jadis Jones, courtesy of Lindenwoodlions.com and Don Adams Jr.