Tourney MVP Steven Bennett earns Player of the Week honors

Steven Bennett earns PacWest weekly honors

PHOENIX, AZ - Chaminade junior guard Steven Bennett (Los Angeles, CA/Dorsey) has been named the Pacific West Conference Men's Basketball Player of the Week.

The honor was announced by the PacWest Media Office in Phoenix, AZ, on Monday, Dec. 14, for games contested Dec. 7-13.

Bennett was named the MVP and to the All-Tournament Team of the 2009 Hawai‘i Tournament hosted by Chaminade on Dec. 11 & 12.

In a 2-1 week for the Silverswords that also included a tough loss at Division I Hawai‘i, Bennett averaged 16.7 points and 9.3 assists per contest, ranking seventh in scoring and first in assists per game in the PacWest for the week.

He also was tops in the league in assist/turnover ratio for the week (14.0).

Men's Basketball Weekly Report (PDF)

PacWest Men's Basketball Weekly Top 10 Honor Roll

Jeremiah Barnes (left) - Dixie State (Jr., 6-1, 180, G, Compton, CA/Los Altos)...scored 16 points in Red Storm's lone game of the week - a 72-59 win over Cal St. Dominguez Hills...shot 50.0% from the floor (6 for 12)...recorded three steals.

Austin Bryan - Dominican (CA) (Fr., 6-4, 190, G, Wenatchee, WA/Wenatchee)...scored 16 points and shot 54.5% (6 for 11) from the field in lone game of the week - a tough 69-65 loss at Division I Santa Clara...hit 2 of 4 three-point attempts (50%)...registered three steals.

Virgil Buensuceso - BYU-Hawaii (Sr., 5-9, 170, G, Eagle Rock, CA/Eagle Rock)...helped BYU-Hawaii to a 1-1 week by averaging 17.0 points, 5.0 rebounds and 3.5 assists per game...tied for fourth in scoring and tied for seventh in assist average for the week in the PacWest...was perfect from the foul line (9 for 9)...ranked fourth in assist/turnover ratio for the week (3.5)...tied for fifth in three-pointers made per game (2.5)...named to the All-Tournament Team during the Hawai‘i Tournament hosted by Chaminade on Dec. 11 & 12.

Mike Helton - Hawai‘i Pacific (Sr., 6-6, 187, G/F, El Paso, TX/Montwood)...led the PacWest in scoring for the week...averaged 23.5 points per game.

C.J. Jackson - Hawai‘i Pacific (Sr., 6-8, 265, F, Buena Vista, GA/Tri-County)...named to the All-Tournament Team during the Hawai‘i Tournament hosted by Chaminade on Dec. 11 & 12...averaged 15.5 points and 15.5 rebounds per game...led the PacWest in rebounding for the week...ranked 11th in scoring...shot 59.1% from the floor (13 for 22)...ranked eighth in shooting during the week...shot 83.3% (5 for 6) from the line...led the PacWest in blocks per game for the week (2.5).

Gaby Ngoundjo - Grand Canyon (Jr., 6-8, N/A, F, Little Rock, AR/Christian)...averaged 10.5 points and 7.5 rebounds in a 1-1 week for the Antelopes...shot 57.1% from the field (8 for 14)...ranked 10th in shooting and sixth in rebounding for the week in the PacWest...tied for second during the week in blocked shots per game (2.0).

Chandler Pearson - Chaminade (Jr., 6-3, 190, G, Huntington, UT/Emery)...named to the All-Tournament Team during the Hawai‘i Tournament hosted by Chaminade on Dec. 11 & 12...helped Silverswords to a the tourney title and a 2-1 week...lone loss was to Division I Hawai‘i...averaged 14.7 points and 10.0 rebounds per game...ranked second in rebounding and 13th in scoring for the week in the PacWest...ranked 7th in three-pointers made per game (2.3) for the week.

Rory Patterson - BYU-Hawaii (Jr., 6-6, 220, G/F, Logan, UT/Logan)...guided BYU-Hawaii to a 1-1 week by averaging 15.0 points per game...ranked 12th in scoring for the week in the PacWest...ranked second for the week in three-pointers made per game (3.5)...shot 43.8% (7 for 16) from beyond the arc...named to the All-Tournament Team during the Hawai‘i Tournament hosted by Chaminade on Dec. 11 & 12.

Justin Smith (right) - Hawai‘i Hilo (Sr., 6-6, 205, F, Los Angeles, CA/Reseda)...named to the All-Tournament Team during the Hawai‘i Tournament hosted by Chaminade on Dec. 11 & 12...averaged 13.5 points per game over two contests for the Vulcans...connected on 54.2% (13 for 24) of his shots from the field...tied for ninth in rebounding average for the week (6.5).

Devin Williams - Academy of Art (Jr., 6-0, 180, G, Gardena, CA/Price)...scored 17 points and collected seven rebounds in AAU's lone game of the week - a 73-71 loss vs. Simpson (CA)...shot 50% from the floor (3 for 6)...doled out five assists...made 9 of 11 free throw attempts (81.8%)...hit 2 of 3 three-point attempts.