Hawai‘i Pacific senior Mike Helton claims Player of the Week honor

Hawai‘i Pacific senior Mike Helton earns Player of the Week honor

PHOENIX, AZ - Hawai‘i Pacific senior guard/forward Mike Helton (El Paso, TX/Montwood) 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 Tuesday, Dec. 28, for games contested Dec. 14-20.

Helton led the Sea Warriors to a 2-0 week by averaging 22.0 points, 9.0 rebounds, 7.5 assists and 4.5 steals per game.

He led the PacWest in steals and assists, ranked third in scoring, and finished fourth in rebounding for the week.

He averaged 1.5 three-pointers made per game and led the league in free throw shooting after going 5 for 5.

Men's Basketball WeeklY Report (pdf)

PacWest Men's Basketball Weekly Top 10 Honor Roll

Steven Bennett (right) - Chaminade (Jr., 5-6, 155, G, Los Angeles, CA/Dorsey)...averaged 18.0 points per game over two contests for the Silverswords...also averaged 5.5 assists and 2.5 three-pointers made per game...ranked fifth in scoring, fourth in assist average, and tied for third in three-pointers made per game.

Austin Bryan - Dominican (CA) (Fr., 6-4, 190, G, Wenatchee, WA/Wenatchee)...led the Penguins to a 1-1 week by averaging 15.5 points per game...ranked ninth in scoring in the league for the week...tied for seventh in assists per game (3.5)...ranked fifth in free throw shooting for the week after making 12 of 14 attempts (85.7%)...tied for eighth in steal average (2.0)...averaged 1.5 three-pointers made per game (tied for 10th).

Jonathan Burnett - Academy of Art (Jr., 6-7, 225, F, Rock Island, IL/Rock Island)...averaged 12.5 points and 7.5 rebounds per game in two losses during the week...tied for eighth in rebounding for the week in the PacWest and ranked 14th in scoring...ranked fourth in shooting for the week after making 10 of 14 field goal attempts (71.4%).

Virgil Buensuceso - BYU-Hawaii (Sr., 5-9, 170, G, Eagle Rock, CA/Eagle Rock)...led the Seasiders to a win over Simon Fraser in their lone contest of the week...unleashed 24 points, six assists and a pair of three-pointers...made 8 of 11 foul shots.

Ray Murdock (left) - Hawai‘i Pacific (Jr., 6-3, 205, G/F, Phoenix, AZ/Pinnacle)...averaged 15.0 points and 6.5 rebounds per game in a 2-0 week for the Sea Warriors...tied for ninth in scoring and tied for 11th in rebounding in the PacWest for the week...ranked fifth in shooting for the week (64.7%) after making 11 of 17 field goal attempts...tied for second in assists per game for the week (6.0)...ranked second for the week in the league in three-point shooting (71.4%) after downing 5 of 7...averaged 2.5 three-pointers made per game - good enough to tie for third on the week.

C.J. Jackson - Hawai‘i Pacific (Sr., 6-8, 265, F, Buena Vista, GA/Tri-County)...averaged 14.5 points and 11.5 rebounds per game for the Sea Warriors in a 2-0 week...ranked 11th in scoring and second in rebounding in the PacWest for the week...shot 63.2% (12 for 19) from the floor to rank seventh.

Bryan Ngo - Hawai‘i Hilo (Sr., 5-10, 175, G, San Jose, CA/Santa Clara)...averaged 18.5 points and 3.5 assists in a 2-0 week for the Vulcans...ranked fourth in scoring average and tied for seventh in assists per game in the PacWest for the week...shot 60.0% (15 for 25) from the floor...tied for eighth in shooting for the week...also tied for third in steals per game (3.0) and ranked sixth in three-point shooting (57.1%)...made 4 of 7 from long range...averaged 2.0 three-pointers made per game to tie for fifth in the league for the week.

Gaby Ngoundjo - Grand Canyon (Jr., 6-8, N/A, F, Little Rock, AR/Christian)...scored 16 points and collected eight rebounds in Grand Canyon's lone game of the week - a tough loss vs. Seattle Pacific...led the PacWest in shooting (77.8%)...made 7 of 9 from the field...went 2 for 2 from the line.

Justin Smith (right) - Hawai‘i Hilo (Sr., 6-6, 205, F, Los Angeles, CA/Reseda)...averaged a double-double for the week by recording 23.5 points and 10.0 rebounds per game...led the Vulcans to a 2-0 week...ranked second in scoring and third in rebounding for the week in the PacWest...also ranked second in field goal percentage (76.9%)...made 20 of 26 shots from the field...tied for third in free throw shooting (87.5%) for the week after making 7 of 8 attempts.

Norman Wells - Hawai‘i Pacific (Jr., 6-8, 250, F, Madison, IN/Madison Consolidated)...helped the Sea Warriors to a 2-0 week...averaged 17.0 points and 6.5 rebounds per game...ranked sixth in scoring and tied for 11th in rebounding in the PacWest for the week...contributed 2.5 assists per game as well.