Dixie State's Ryan Sanchez earns PacWest honor

Ryan Sanchez earns Player of the Week honor

QUEEN CREEK, AZ - Dixie State senior guard Ryan Sanchez (Ogden, UT/Fremont) led his club to a 2-1 week and a victory over reigning PacWest Champion Chaminade in the conference opener to earn the Pacific West Conference Men's Basketball Player of the Week award.

The honor was announced on Monday, Jan. 5, by the PacWest Media Office in Queen Creek, AZ, for games played from Dec. 29-Jan. 4.

Sanchez averaged 16.7 points, 4.67 rebounds, 3.00 steals and 1.67 three-pointers made per game last week. He ranked fourth in the PacWest in scoring, third in assist average, second in steals per game and ninth in three-pointers made. He also hit 15 of 16 free throw attempts (93.8%).

PacWest Men's Basketball Weekly Top 10 Honor Roll

Perry Baggett (photo) - Hawai‘i Hilo (Sr., F, 6-7, 210, Oakland, CA/Crenshaw)...averaged a double-double for the week as the Vulcans posted a 1-1 record vs. Hawai‘i Pacific University...scored 11.5 points while grabbing 10.5 rebounds per contest...shared the PacWest lead in rebounds per game for the week...handed out 2.50 assists per game...shot 53.3% from the floor after making 8 of 15 field goal attempts.

Dan Bergeron - NDNU (Sr., F, 6-7, 210, San Jose, CA/Fremont)...helped lead the Argos to a split with Grand Canyon over the weekend...averaged a double-double, including 10.5 rebounds and 12.5 points per contest...shared the PacWest lead in rebounds per game for the week...ranked 10th in scoring in the league for the week...hit 5 of 6 free throw attempts (83.3%)...doled out 4.50 assists per contest to rank fourth in the league for the week.

David Cuen - Grand Canyon (Jr., F, 6-5, 210, Somerton, AZ/Cibola)...led the Antelopes to a 2-1 week, including a PacWest victory over NDNU in the league opener...averaged 17.3 points and 6.0 rebounds per game...ranked eighth in rebounding for the week in the PacWest...ranked third in scoring...averaged 2.00 steals per contest.

Jason Curtis (photo) - Hawai‘i Pacific (Sr., G, 6-0, 175, Landover, MD/Du Val)...averaged 17.5 points and 4.5 rebounds per game in a 1-1 week...made 9 of 11 free throw attempts (81.8%)...also averaged 3.50 assists and 1.50 steals per contest...ranked second for the week in scoring average in the PacWest.

Jay DeMaestri - Hawai‘i Hilo (Sr., F, 6-6, 240, Mill Valley, CA/Tam)...led the Vulcans to a 1-1 week, including a PacWest victory in the conference opener on Jan. 2...averaged 16.5 points and 9.0 rebounds per game...ranked fifth in scoring and fourth in rebounding for the week...led the conference in three-pointers made per game for the week (3.50).

Andre Hayes - NDNU (Jr., G, 6-3, 190, San Jose, CA/Piedmont Hills)...helped lead NDNU to a 1-1 weekend vs. GCU...averaged 12.5 points and 6.0 rebounds per game...tied for 10th in the PacWest for the week...tied for eighth in rebounding...hit 9 of 11 free throw attempts (81.8%)...averaged 1.50 steals per game.

Willis McPhee - Hawai‘i Pacific (Jr., F, 6-7, 210, Orlando, FL/Ocee)...shared the PacWest rebounding lead for the week by averaging 10.5 per game...averaged a double-double by also scoring 14.0 points per contest...shot 56.5% from the field (13 for 23)...recorded 3.00 steals per game, sharing second place in the PacWest for the week.

Engen Nurumbi (photo) - Grand Canyon (Sr., C, 6-7, 230, Kinshasa, Congo)...helped lead the Antelopes to a 2-1 week...averaged 16.3 points and 6.0 rebounds per contest...shot 52.8% from the field (19 for 36)...ranked eighth in rebounding, sixth in scoring and 10th in shooting for the week in the PacWest...averaged 2.33 steals per contest (4th in the PacWest for the week)...ranked second in blocks per game (1.33).

Joel Smith - Chaminade (Sr., G, 6-4, 210, Lompoc, CA/Lompoc)...scored 26 points and collected seven rebounds in lone game of the week for Silverswords - tough two-point loss at Dixie State...shot 68.8% from the field (11 for 16)...hit a trio of three-pointers and recorded pair of steals.

Tom Whitehead - Dixie State (So., F, 6-6, 185, St. George, UT/Dixie)...helped lead Dixie State to a 2-1 week by averaging 13.3 points per game and shooting 57.1% from the field (12 for 21)...made 8 of 9 free throw attempts (88.9%)...shot 50% from beyond the arc (8 for 16)...averaged 2.67 three-pointers made per game...ranked ninth in scoring, seventh in shooting, fifth in foul shooting, fifth in three-point percentage and fourth in three-pointers made per game for the week in the PacWest.