Thompson, Vasquez-Simmons, Gavin, and Jenkins Named MAAC Men's Basketball Players of the Week
MAAC Sports
MAAC Player of the Week
Jason Thompson, Rider
Senior, Forward, 6-11, 250, Mt. Laurel, N.J./Lenape
Thompson, a senior forward, averaged 22.3 points, 10.3 rebounds, 4.0 blocks and 3.3 assists in a 2-2 week for the Broncs. In three games in the Old Spice Classic, against teams from the ACC, Big Ten and the Big 12, Thompson compiled 69 points, 32 rebounds and nine blocked shots to earn All-Tournament team honors. In the victory over Penn State, he had 21 points and 10 rebounds for his 33rd career double-double. In the nine-point loss to North Carolina State, Thompson had 24 points and 15 rebounds. Against 20th-ranked Kansas State, he compiled 24 points and seven rebounds, over highly touted freshman Michael Beasley.
MAAC Co-Rookies of the Week
Tomas Vasquez-Simmons, Canisius
Freshman, Forward, 6-7, 190, Rochester, N.Y./School of the Arts
Vasquez-Simmons, a freshman forward, averaged 6.5 points, 7.5 blocks and 6.0 rebounds last week in two games at Navy and LIU. In the game at Navy, he tied a school record with eight blocks in a game, which ranks as the third most by a Navy opponent, and then he responded in his first collegiate start Nov. 24, at LIU with seven more blocks.
Jay Gavin, Marist
Freshman, Guard, 6-1, 195, Seat Pleasant, Md./Bishop McNamara
Gavin, a freshman guard, averaged 7.0 points, 4.0 assists and 2.0 rebounds in 20.0 minutes per game as the Red Foxes earned victories at Colgate and at home against Richmond this past week. He had a career-high seven assists against Richmond on Nov. 24, six coming in the second half as Marist erased a 17-point deficit to record the victory.
WESLEY JENKINS, SAINT PETER’S
Freshman, Guard, 6-2, 185, Newark, N.J./Bloomfield Tech
Wesley Jenkins had his coming out party in a 65-58 win over Rutgers on Sunday at the Armory. He scored a game-high and career-high 26 points, on 8-16 from the field, including 6-7 from behind the arc and 4-4 from the line. He also grabbed seven rebounds in 38 minutes of action. The freshman also scored eight of the Peacocks first 10 points in the contest and went 2-2 from the line in the final minute to put the scarlet Knights away.