PORTLAND, Ore. – A pair of comprehensive scoring and rebounding efforts in last week’s Great Northwest Athletic Conference basketball games took home the latest GNAC Player of the Week awards announced on Monday.
 
MEN’S BASKETBALL PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Jaxon Nap – Seattle Pacific University
First-career player of the week.
 
Nap was a beast on the boards last week, pulling down 23 total to help the Falcons win a pair of conference games. In a 97-86 triumph over Western Washington last Thursday, Nap made 6 of 7 field goals on his way to 19 points while adding eight rebounds and three assists. On Saturday in a 71-56 triumph over Simon Fraser, Nap grabbed 15 rebounds while adding nine points, four assists and a pair of steals. Overall on the week the 6-foot-7 transfer from Montana shot 60.0% (9-for-15) while averaging 14.0 points, 11.5 rebounds and 3.5 assists. Nap upped his season scoring average to 10.4 points per game, and the newcomer ranks second in the conference with 9.6 rebounds per game. Nap’s field-goal percentage of 52.7 ranks 10th in the conference as well.
 
SPU Head Coach Keffrey Fazio: “Jaxon has been playing well for us, and this past week his rebounding numbers were especially good. We rely on his consistency scoring and rebounding, and I think he’s an underrated passer as well. His focus has been on doing what it takes to win games, and that’s what I’m most proud of.”
 
Also Nominated: Bishop Tosi, Alaska Anchorage; Chris Lee, Alaska Fairbanks; Cavin Holden, Central Washington; Kael Robinson, Montana State Billings; Sullivan Menard, Northwest Nazarene; Myles Samuels, Saint Martin’s; Luke Howard, Simon Fraser; Jason Gallant, Western Oregon; Grant Kepley, Western Washington.
 

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WOMEN’S BASKETBALL PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Asher Cai – Central Washington University
Third-career player of the week, first this season.
 
Cai led all GNAC players last week with 46 points and was fourth among all GNAC players with 18 rebounds to take home her first weekly honor of the season. Upping her streak of 20-point games to four, Cai started her week with a 22-point, 9-rebound effort in CWU’s 82-70 road win over Simon Fraser. Cai knocked down eight field goals while adding three steals and three assists to contribute to the victory. In a narrow, 67-65 road loss to preseason favorite Western Washington on Saturday, Cai made 10 more shots on her way to 24 points while adding nine boards, three steals, a pair of assists and a block. Cai shot 46.2% overall in last week’s games, and her 3.0 steals per game were tied for the most among all players that had two games. Through the first 14 games of the season, Cai ranks second in the conference with 18.9 points per game and sixth in the league with 6.6 rebounds per game.
 
CWU Head Coach Randi Richardson: “Asher was efficient and dynamic moving well off the ball, did a great job finding ways to get to the paint and shot it well from three in both games. She also did a great job rebounding from her guard position. It is great to see continued growth in her skillset, approach and her leadership, which I know will only continue as she keeps putting work in.”
 
Also Nominated: Emilia Long, Alaska Anchorage; Aspen Giese, Montana State Billings; Madeline Gebers, Northwest Nazarene; Jada Travis, Saint Martin’s; Hunter Beirne, Seattle Pacific; Sophia Wisotzki, Simon Fraser; Bella Pedrojetti, Western Oregon; Alyson Deaver, Western Washington.