Dixie State's Ryan Sanchez claims final PacWest weekly award

QUEEN CREEK, AZ - Dixie State senior guard Ryan Sanchez (Ogden, UT/Fremont) led the Red Storm to a sweep of Grand Canyon to close out the season and claim the final Pacific West Conference Men's Basketball Player of the Week award of 2008-09.

The honor was announced on Monday, March 9, by the PacWest Media Office in Queen Creek, AZ, for games played from March 2-8.

Sanchez averaged 22.0 points, 8.0 rebounds and 2.50 steals per game, leading the PacWest in scoring and thefts while ranking fifth in rebounding for the week.

He shot 88.2% (15 for 17) from the line and 68.4% from the field, making 13 of 19 field goal attempts. Sanchez ranked fourth in shooting and sixth in foul shooting for the week.

PacWest Men's Basketball Weekly Top 10 Honor Roll

Lucas Alves - BYU-Hawaii (Jr., F/C, 6-9, 230, Casa Branca, Brazil)...averaged 18.0 points, 10.0 rebounds and 2.00 blocks per game in a 2-0 week for the Seasiders...ranked third in scoring and second in rebounding for the week in the PacWest.

Jacob Briggs (photo) - Hawai‘i Hilo (Sr., F, 6-4, 200, Burbank, CA/Village Christian)...averaged 14.7 points and 6.7 rebounds over three contests during the final week of the season...ranked seventh in the PacWest in scoring and rebounding for the week...shot 57.11% from behind the arc (8 for 14) and averaged 2.67 three-pointers made per game...ranked third in the league in both categories...averaged 1.67 steals per contest...was 8 for 9 from the line (88.9%).

Virgil Buensuceso - BYU-Hawaii (Jr., G, 5-9, 170, Eagle Rock, CA/Eagle Rock)...averaged 14.0 points, 4.00 assists and 4.00 three-pointers made in a 2-0 week for the Seasiders...shot 61.5% from three-point land (8 for 13)...ranked second in three-point shooting and first in three-pointers made per game for the week in the conference...ranked 10th in scoring and seventh in assist average.

Eric Cuen - Grand Canyon (Jr., F, 6-5, 190, Somerton, AZ/Yuma Catholic)...averaged 13.0 points and 8.0 rebounds per game for the Antelopes over two contests...shot 62.5% from the floor (10 for 16)...ranked eighth in scoring, fifth in rebounding and sixth in shooting for the week in the PacWest.

Jay DeMaestri - Hawai‘i Hilo (Sr., F, 6-6, 240, Mill Valley, CA/Tam)...closed out final week of his collegiate career by averaging 15.0 points and 8.7 rebounds per game...ranked fifth in scoring and fourth in rebounding for the week in the PacWest...averaged 2.33 three-pointers made per game (5th in the league)...was 6 for 6 from the line.

Rishi Kakad (photo) - Hawai‘i Pacific (Jr., G, 6-2, 185, Phoenix, AZ/Horizon)...averaged 14.3 points per game in three contests last week for the Sea Warriors...ranked ninth in scoring for the week in the PacWest...led the league in three-point shooting last week with a 77.8% average...connected on 7 of 9 attempts.

Nathan Sims - BYU-Hawaii (Sr., G/F, 6-3, 200, Sky Valley/Desert Hot Springs)...helped BYU-Hawaii cap off a tremendous regular season with a 2-0 final week...averaged 16.0 points and 4.50 assists per game...ranked fourth in scoring and second in assist average for the week in the PacWest.

Joel Smith (photo) - Chaminade (Sr., G, 6-4, 210, Lompoc, CA/Lompoc)...averaged 20.5 points and 4.0 rebounds per game as the Silverswords closed out the year with a 1-1 week...averaged 4.50 assists and 4.00 three-pointers made per game...ranked first in both categories for the week in the PacWest...ranked second in scoring...shot 44.4% from beyond the arc (8 for 18) to rank fourth for the week.

Mohamed Tangara - Chaminade (Sr., C, 6-8, 250, Bamako, Mali)...averaged 14.0 points and 13.0 rebounds per game last week...averaged 2.00 steals and 1.50 blocks per game...led the PacWest for the week in rebounding and steal average...ranked 10th in scoring and third in blocks per game.

Marques Whippey (photo) - BYU-Hawaii (So., G, 6-5, 215, Bua, Fiji)...averaged 10.5 points, 9.5 rebounds and 4.50 assists per game during a 2-0 week for the Seasiders...ranked third in rebounding and second in assist average for the week in the conference...shot 72.7% from the field (8 for 11) to rank third in the league.