BRENTWOOD, Tenn. – Eastern Kentucky University men’s basketball players JaVontae Hawkins (Player), Jarelle Reischel (Newcomer) and Nick Mayo (Freshman) swept the weekly Ohio Valley Conference awards on Monday, Feb. 8, the league office announced.
The sweep comes after a week in which EKU (14-12, 5-6 OVC) went on the road and defeated two of the top three teams in the conference in Tennessee State and Belmont.
Hawkins (pictured) was named the Player of the Week after averaging 30.0 points-per-game and 6.5 rebounds-per-game. The redshirt junior from Flint Michigan torched Tennessee State for a career-high 36 points on Thursday night at the Gentry Center, at one point connecting on five consecutive three-pointers in the first half to give the Colonels a sizeable lead. He also had six rebounds, two blocks and a steal as EKU defeated TSU, 97-81.
Two nights later, Hawkins scored a game-high 24 points to lead EKU to an 88-78 win over Belmont at the Curb Event Center, the Bruins’ first-ever OVC home loss. He also grabbed seven boards and dished out two assists.
Hawkins shot 64 percent (21-of-33) from the field, 69 percent (9-of-13) from deep and a perfect 9-of-9 from the free throw line during the week.
He ranks fifth in the league in scoring at 17.4 points-per-game this season.
Reischel was named the Newcomer of the Week after averaging 15.5 points-per-game, 3.0 rebounds-per-game, 3.0 assists-per-game and 3.5 steals-per-game in the Colonels’ two victories.
The senior from Frankfurt, Germany was his usual versatile self, as he had 11 points, two rebounds, three assists and a career-high five steals in the win over TSU on Thursday. He followed that up with 20 points, four rebounds, three assists, two steals and a block in the win over Belmont on Saturday.
Reischel currently leads the OVC in scoring at 19.0 points-per-game.
Mayo earned his fifth consecutive and ninth overall Freshman of the Week honor after nearly averaging a double-double in Nashville.
The forward from Oakland, Maine averaged 14.5 points-per-game and 9.5 rebounds-per-game in the two EKU wins. He posted his third double-double of the year at Tennessee State on Thursday, scoring 21 points and matching a career-high with 10 rebounds. On Saturday, he had eight points, nine rebounds, four assists, three blocks and a steal to help the Colonels upend first-place Belmont.
Mayo ranks fifth in the league in scoring (17.8 points-per-game) and fourth in field goal percentage (63.4) during OVC play.
Hawkins, Reischel, Mayo and the rest of the Colonels return to action this Thursday night, Feb. 11, when they travel to play Morehead State at 7:00 p.m.
EKU Athletics Photo
