GNAC Players of the Week: January 5
By Melissa Maitland
GNAC Sports Information Specialist
Kristin LeBel (Women’s Basketball, Emmanuel) and Don
Poitras (Men’s Basketball, Rivier) have been named Great
Northeast Athletic Conference Players of the Week.
PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
Women’s Basketball – Kristin LeBel, Emmanuel,
Jr., Tolland, Conn.
Weekly Totals
Points (46/23.00 per game), Rebounds (5/2.50 per game) Assists
(6/3.00 per game)
LeBel was named the Most Outstanding Player at the California
Lutheran Holiday Classic after averaging 23 points per game at the
tournament. LeBel lead the Saints to wins over North Park, 80-67,
on Dec. 31 and over #10 ranked Messiah College, 60-56, on Jan. 2.
The junior guard shot just under 50% from the floor for the
tournament and recorded a game-high 26 points in Emmanuel’s
upset win over Messiah. The victory over Messiah also positioned
Emmanuel back in the Top 25 for the first time since the team
suffered its lone game this season against #2 ranked Amherst
College on Dec. 8. The Saints are now ranked #23 in Division III,
while Messiah dropped down to #17. LeBel is currently ranked 4th in
the GNAC in points (15.1 ppg) and free throw percentage (.855).
Emmanuel is in 1st place in the GNAC with an overall record of 8-1.
The Saints next face #15 ranked Tufts on Jan. 5 before beginning
conference play against St. Joseph’s (ME) on Jan. 7.
Men’s Basketball – Don Poitras, Rivier, Jr.,
Bow, N.H.
Weekly Totals
Points (35/17.50 per game), Rebounds (13/6.50 per game), Assists
(3/1.50 per game)
Poitras had a career-high 27 points against CalTech, along with 10
rebounds, to record a double-double on Jan. 2. The 66-49 victory
over CalTech allowed the Raiders to advance to the championship
game at the CalTech Invitational. In the championship round, Rivier
lost to Claremont McKenna College, 49-54, on Jan. 3. Poitras is
currently ranked 1st in field goal percentage in the GNAC (.658),
2nd in blocked shots (2.3 per game), 3rd in free throw percentage
(.900), 9th in rebounding (6.6 rpg) and 15th in points (14.1 ppg).
Rivier is currently in 9th place in the GNAC with a conference
record of 0-2 and an overall record of 3-6. The Raiders next play
Emerson on Jan. 9.
