Big Weeks For Big Men Small (USF), Reese (JU) Net Men's Basketball Accolades

CHICAGO --- University of St. Francis' Merrick Small (Ipswich, Australia) has earned his second Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference Men's Basketball Offensive Player of the Week award, while Judson University's EJ Reese (Lafayette, Ind.) has garnered the recognition on the defensive side of the ball after the two big men authored big numbers during the seven-day period ending Feb. 15.  The league office made the announcement on Tuesday.

Small established a career-high in points with 26 as part of a double-double last Wednesday when St. Francis defeated Olivet Nazarene University 77-74 in a first-place showdown.  He also pulled down 12 rebounds, dished out seven assists and blocked one shot, while shooting 61.1 percent from the field (11-of-18).

The senior forward/center contributed another 16 points, five rebounds, five assists and one block in an 85-69 road loss to Saint Xavier University on Saturday.

For the two games combined, Small averaged 21.0 points on 55.2 percent shooting, 8.5 rebounds, 6.0 assists and 1.0 blocks per contest.

St. Francis went 1-1 on the week to put its record at 18-7 overall and 13-5 in league play, which places it in a tie for second place in the conference standings.

Reese dominated the boards to the tune of 15.5 per game, including 13.0 on the defensive end, en route to authoring a pair of double-doubles.  Besides the rebounding, he also averaged both 2.0 steals and blocks, 3.5 assists and 18.0 points per game on 62.5 percent shooting (15-of-24).

The junior center totaled 13 rebounds (11 defensive), three steals, three blocks, four assists and 24 points in an 84-75 decision over Viterbo University last Wednesday.  In that same game, he hit on 10 of his 13 shots from the field (76.9 pct.).

Reese followed that up with a monstrous performance on Saturday, producing 18 rebounds (15 defensive) to go along with one block, one steal, three assists and 12 points in an 89-83 setback to Calumet College of St. Joseph.

Judson is now 5-21 overall and 2-16 in the CCAC following the 1-1 week.    

Other Offensive Nominees: Hunter Duncan (Judson), Eli Edwards (Olivet Nazarene), Colin Adams (Viterbo), Romello Ali (Indiana Northwest), Ashton Atwater (Saint Xavier), Vincent Mayes (Governors State), Guillermo Narbona (St. Ambrose), Kyle Olagbegi (Indiana South Bend), J.Caleb Slawinski (Calumet St. Joseph), Donovan Waleskowski (Holy Cross).

Other Defensive Nominees: Vincent Mayes (Governors State), Merrick Small (St. Francis), Jerry Abushanab (Saint Xavier), Colin Adams (Viterbo), Quindarius Davis (Calumet St. Joseph), CJ Hornbeak (Indiana South Bend), Amarion Johnson (Indiana Northwest), Guillermo Narbona (St. Ambrose), Callaghan Weatherspoon (Holy Cross).