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Previous CollegeSports360 Primetime Performers: Dec. 20
RELEASE: Dec. 27, 2011 CONTACT: Pete LaFleur (editor@collegesports360.com)
Stanford's Ogwumike, Wagner's Ortiz Named Primetime Performers of the Week
There was a limted college sports schedule in the week leading up to Christmas, but a handful of student-athletes still stood out and comprise the latest group of honorees from CollegeSports360.com, comprising the Division I Primetime Performers Weekly Honor Roll (for Dec. 19-25, 2011). A pair of basketball players – Stanford senior forward Nnemkadi Ogwumike (Cypress, Texas) and Wagner sophomore guard Kenneth Ortiz (Neward, N.J.) – are the top honorees, as Primetime Players of the Week.
Ogwumike – pictured at right – rose to the big-game challenge with 42 points and 17 rebounds (both career-highs), as the #4 Cardinal ran away from #6 Tennessee, 97-80. Ortiz, pictured below, directed a strong all-around team effort, as the Seahawks beat a ranked opponent for the first time since 1978 – with 59-54 win at #13 Pittsburgh (Ortiz had 12 points and assisted on seven other Wagner baskets).
This Primetime Performer listing provides a quick look at noteworthy feats from the past week and is a great way for potentially new fans or casual fans to learn about various college sports – while also paying tribute to some athletes who may be more well-known on a national level.
The other seven honorees include: Marshall football junior wide receiver Aaron Dobson (Dunham, W.V.) ... three other men's basketball guards – Davidson junior Nik Cochran (Vancouver, B.C.), Missouri junior Michael Dixon (Kansas City, Mo.) and LSU sophomore Alston Turner (Muscle Shoals, Ala.) ... and three other women's basketball playes – Ogqumike's Stanford teammate, sophomore point guard Toni Kokenis (Oak Brook, Ill.), Gonzaga sophomore guard Haiden Palmer (Moreno Valley, Calif.), and Georgetown junior guard Sugar Rodgers (Suffolk, Va.).
The nine honorees are featured below (with individual info. and action photos; headshots in right-sidebar).
... Selection for these CollegeSports360 weekly awards is based on any/all of the following "primetime" criteria (i.e. not solely based on raw stats):
• Performed at a high level in a game/event that involves a team receiving votes in the national polls or in a game/event that is key to the team's postseason achievements.
• In general, preference is given based on the quality of the opponent, contribution to team success and situational factors involved in the player's accomplishments.
• Exhibited strong leadership and/or involved in clutch performances, such as gamewinning goals, noteworthy comebacks, late scores, momentum-shifting play, all-around performance, team spirit, etc.
• Overcame adversity or extreme circumstances (for the team and/or individual).
• Bonus consideration is given for key performances away from team's home field and/or against a traditional rival.
Thanks to the respective schools for helping provide the various photos on this page.
PRIMETIME PERFORMERS WEEKLY HONOR ROLL (Division I sports)
(for week of Dec. 19-25, 2011 ... courtesy of CollegeSports360.com)
"It's not so much what you do, as it is when you do it."
NIK COCHRAN
(Davidson ... Jr. ... G ... Vancouver, BC ... #12)
..... Led team with 21 points – including eight key points down the stretch – as Wildcats posted beat a ranked oppponent for first time since 2008, 80-74 vs. #12 Kansas (at the Sprint Center, in Kansas City) ... misfired only twice in the entire game, making 5-of-6 field goals (4-of-5 on 3s) and 7-of-8 freet throws ... moments aftet checking back into the game, his 3-pointer stretched lead to 71-65 with 1:33 to play (also made five FTs in final minute) ... averaged a point per minute (21), adding a pair of rebounds and three assists ... key member of Davidson that trailed for only 14 seconds in the entire game ... added nine points (three 3s) and two assists in 73-65 loss at UMass, which reached 10 wins before the Christmas break.
MICHAEL DIXON
(Missouri ... Jr. ... G ... Kansas City, MO ... #11)
..... Lived up to his status as a super-sub and strong free-throw shooter, coming off the bench to score 18 points – as #8 Missouri remained unbeaten with 78-74 win over #24 Illinois, in the annual border rivalry Braggin' Rights game (played at Scottrade Center, in St. Louis) ... made 2-of-3 three-pointers and 10-of-12 FTs, adding four assists, two rebounds and a steal in his 28 minutes of reserve duty ... drained go-ahead 3-pointer with 4:43 to play (66-64) and later assisted on a Ken English layup that pushed Tigers back in front, 72-20, with 1:28 remaining (also added pair of free throws in final seconds) ... key member of first Missouri team to start 12-0 since the 1981-82 squad opened with 19 wins ... averaging 13.1 ppg (all off the bench) ... had made nearly 93% of his free-throws this season (50-of-54).
ANSON DOBSON
(Marshall ... Jr. ... WR ... Dunbar, WV ... #3)
..... Took home MVP honors at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, as Herd knocked off favored Florida International, 20-10, to win the Beef 'O' Brady's Bowl ... his seven catches for 81 yards included Marshall's only touchdowns, the first coming on a 31-yard catch-and-run in the waning moments of the first half (for 10-10 score) ... sealed the win with 35-yard TD catch, on 4th-and-7 with 30 seconds left to play ... his strong play helped freshman quarterback Rakeem Cato have a solid day (27-of-39 passing, for 226 yards).
TONI KOKENIS
(Stanford ... So. ... PG ... Oak Brook, IL ... #31)
..... Poured in a career-best 26 points – backing up the 42 scored by her teammate Nnemkadi Ogwumike – to lead the #4 Cardinal in a convincing 97-80 win over #6 Tennessee (Stanford's 68th straight home victory) ... had four assists and drained 5-of-10 three-pointers from her point guard position (shot 8-of-18 from the floor, 5-of-6 from the free-throw line) ... also had a pair of rebounds while playing nearly the entire game (38 minutes) ... averaging 10-2 points per game, with a 2.3 assist-to-turnover ratio (30/13) while makign 41% of her three-pointers.
*NNEMKADU OGWUMIKE pictured at top of page
(Stanford ... Sr. ... F ... Cypress, TX... #30)
..... Rose to the big-game spotlight for #4 Stanford in showdown with #6 Tennessee, racking up career-best totals in points (42) and rebounds (17) – as Cardinal ran away from the Lady Vols, 97-80 ... connected on 19 of her 27 shots (plus 4-of-4 free throws), with eight of her rebounds coming on the offensive end (added three assists and a pair of steals, in 39 minutes of action) ... led Cardinal team that now has won 68 straight games at Maples Pavilion.
*KENNETH ORTIZ pictured at top of page
(Wagner ... So. ... G ... Newark, NJ ... #15)
..... Point guard who directed strong all-around team effort, as Seahawks beat a ranked opponent for the first time since 1978 – with 59-54 win at #13 Pittsburgh ... made 6-of-9 shots for 12 points while assisting on seven other baskets, adding a pair of rebounds and a steal in 35 key minutes of play ... part of Wagner team that limited ace guard Ashton Gibbs to 14 points (1-of-7 on three-pointers), including a scoreless first half ... helped knock off Pitt program that never had lost to a Northeastern Conference team (70-0).
HAIDEN PALMER
(Gonzaga ... So. ... G ... Morena Valley, CA ... #3)
..... Played only 26 minutes but totaled 22 key points, as #24 Gonzaga knocked off #14 Georgia, 71-68 in Las Vegas ... 13 of her points came in the decisive 22-4 late-game run – highlgihted by her tying layup with 28 seconds to play and 3-pointer that capped the scoring with three seconds on the clock ... connected on 3-of-7 three-pointers in the big key (also had four rebounds and pair of steals) ... added 11 points in 82-76 win over Dayton (7 rbs, 3 ast, 2 steals).
SUGAR RODGERS
(Georgetown ... Jr. ... G ... Suffolk, VA ... #14)
..... Paced team with 24 points, as #17 Hoyas slowed down potent #7 Miami in impresssive 71-46 win ... made three 3-pointers, went 7-of-8 from the line and latched onto seven rebounds, in 31 minutes of action ... helped hold Hurricanes to the program's lowest point total since 2009 (lowest FG shooting pct., 20.6%, since 2009) ... helped extend Georgetown's winning streeak to nine games.
RALSTON TURNER
(LSU ... So. ... G ... Muscle Shoals, AL ... #22)
..... Scored a team-high 22 points, as Tigers improved to 9-2 with 67-59 comeback win over #10 Marquette ... made 4-of-5 three-points and 6-of-7 free throws (6-10 FGs), adding four rebounds and a steal in 35 minutes ... helped LSU end game with 14-3 run over final 3:22, turning 54-53 deficit into 8-point win (made pair of free throws with 1:19 to play, for 60-54 lead) ... also helped post 67-58 win at North Texas (8 pts, 5 rbs, assist, steal in 38 min.).