GLIAC -- The Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) has announced weekly awards following the opening weekend of the 2021 men's basketball season. Lake Superior State Junior Forward Kemon Bassett earned GLIAC Men's Basketball North Division Player of the Week honors, while Grand Valley St. senior forward Christian Negron captured South Division accolades.
NORTH PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Kemon Bassett - Lake Superior State
Kemon Bassett has earned his first GLIAC North Player of the Week award of his career as the junior transfer completed his first weekend of play as a Laker. Bassett, who previously played for Schoolcraft CC, made a strong first impression as a Laker as he averaged 21.5 points per game in the series against Wayne State. In the first game of the series, Bassett scored 20 points as he went 7-for-10 shooting and 6-for-11 at the free throw line. The forward also contributed six rebounds and two assists in the loss. Bassett followed up with another solid game for the Lakers in Saturday’s game against the Warriors, scoring a team-high 23 points in 34 minutes of playing time. The Pre-Nursing major posted his first double-double as a Laker as he added a team-best 10 rebounds in the team’s 75-64 win. Following the first weekend of conference play, Bassett ranks second in the GLIAC in points per game (21.5) and fourth among his conference peers in rebounds per game (8.0)
SOUTH PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Christian Negron - Grand Valley State
Negron notched a pair of double-doubles to lead the Lakers to two wins over SVSU on opening weekend. He recorded 12 points and 11 boards with a pair of blocks in the season opener before a career-high 25 point performance, going 10-for-10 from the free throw line, with 12 rebounds and four blocks in a comeback win Sunday. Overall, he went 14-17 at the free throw line for the weekend and dominated from his center position on both ends of the floor against a team that features four players of at least 7 feet tall.
HONORABLE MENTION
NORTH: Max Bjorklund (NMU), Solomon Oraegbu (UWP), Vincent Miszkiewicz (PNW), Eric Carl (MTU), Walt Kelser (FSU)
SOUTH:Evan Lowden (NU), Darian Owens-White (WSU), Hunter Shedenhelm (AU), Malik Ellison (SVSU),
