Posted: Feb 15, 2021
GLIAC -- The Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference has announced its player of the week awards following week six of the women's basketball season. Parkside junior guard Alyssa Nelson earned GLIAC Women's Basketball North Division Player of the Week, while Wayne State junior forward Sam Cherney captured South Division Player of the Week honors.
NORTH PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Alyssa Nelson - Parkside
Although the Parkside women's basketball team didn't have the week they wanted, junior Alyssa Nelson had one to remember. In two games at Wayne State, Nelson averaged 25.5 points and 6.5 rebounds per contest. In Saturday's contest, she poured in a career-high 32 points on 11-of-21 shooting, and 7-of-16 from three, including a buzzer-beating, step-back three to send the game to overtime. In her last five, the New Berlin, Wis. native has averaged 25.0 points and 5.8 rebounds per game, on 58.5-percent shooting.
SOUTH PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Sam Cherney - Wayne State
Wayne State University junior forward Sam Cherney (Farmington Hills, Mich. / North Farmington) led the Warriors to a sweep of Wisconsin Parkside by recording a double-double in both games. For the weekend, she averaged 19.0 points per game and 14.5 rebounds, along with 1.5 blocks, 2.5 steals and 3.5 assists. Cherney shot 52 percent (14-of-27) from the floor and 83 percent (10-of-12) from the charity stripe.
In Friday's 69-60 win, she had 17 points and a game-high 11 rebounds plus four assists and two blocks. This included 13 points and nine rebounds just in the second half. Cherney continued that momentum into Saturday by notching nine points and 10 rebounds in the first half. She scored eight points in the third quarter to keep the Warriors within striking distance. Late in regulation she had a big offensive rebound which led to a go-ahead three pointer. In overtime with WSU leading 80-77, she made both free throw attempts to seal the win.
A 2019-20 GLIAC All-Defensive Team selection, Cherney is currently leading the GLIAC in rebounding (10.9 RPG) and blocked shots (2.3 BPG), while ranking fifth in field goal percentage (52.9). This is Cherney's first GLIAC South Division Player of the Week selection.
HONORABLE MENTION
NORTH: Mattison Rayman (LSSU), Ellie Mackay (MTU), DeShonna Day (FSU) Ellie Mackay (MTU), Savaya Brockington (PNW)
SOUTH: Jayla Strickland (NU), Kaitlyn Zarycki (SVSU), Karlee Pireu (AU), Ellie Droste (GVSU),