NEWBA Announces Weekly Awards for Nov. 21

Jill Valley
Westfield State
Senior • Guard • Orange, Mass.

Westfield State senior guard Jill Valley (Orange, Mass.) earns the first NEWBA Player of the Week award of 2016-17 after averaging 26.3 points, 4.0 rebounds and 2.3 assists per game in a 2-1 week for the Owls. She shot 57.7% from the field, 50% from three-point range and 90% from the free throw line. Valley earned MVP honors at the Brandeis Tip-Off Classic after scoring 30 points in both games (while playing just 20 minutes per game). She opened her week with 19 points, seven rebounds, three steals and two assists in a 78-74 loss to Keene State.  

Sadie Nelson
University of New England
Freshman • Guard • Windham, Maine

University of New England freshman guard Sadie Nelson earns NEWBA Rookie of the Week recognition after averaging 11.0 points, 5.7 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 1.7 steals per game as the Nor'easters went 3-0 and captured the Ramada Roundball Invitational Tournament, which featured three NCAA Tournament teams from last season. Nelson was named to the All-Tournament team after shooting 56.3% from the field, 62.5% from beyond the arc and 76.9% from the free throw line over the two games. She finished with 15 points and five rebounds in an 83-46 win over Maine-Farmington, before recording 14 points, five boards and four assists in a 79-59 victory over Regis.

• Ama Biney, WPI (Jr., G, Worcester, Mass.) - Biney averaged 14.3 points per game in a 2-1 week for the Engineers and was named the Worcester City Tournament MOP. The junior added 12 rebounds, 16 steals and five blocks in just 71 minutes. She bookended her week with a 16 and 18-point performances against UMass Dartmouth and Worcester State while averaging 13.5 points and totaling six steals in tournament play. 
• Georgia Bourikas, Suffolk (Sr., G, Hull, Mass.) - Bourikas averaged 17.7 points, 6.3 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 1.3 steals per game in a 2-1 week for the Rams. She shot 45% from the field, including 66.7% from three-point distance. Bourikas recorded 26 points, eight rebounds and four assists in a 59-54 overtime loss to Wesleyan. 
• Kennedy Guest-Pritchett, Smith (So., F, Fairburn, Ga.) - In a 3-0 week for Smith, Guest-Pritchett averaged 17.3 points on 21-of-41 (.512) shooting and 8.3 rebounds per game. The Fairburn, Georgia native recorded a double-double of 18 points, 10 rebounds in an 84-56 season opening win over Pine Manor and followed that with a 14 point, eight rebound effort against Daniel Webster in the Pioneers' 81-21 rout of Daniel Webster. Guest-Pritchett produced a season-high 20 points and added seven rebounds, one assist in the 53-36 Tyler Tip-Off Tournament championship game over Colby-Sawyer. For her efforts, she was named to the All-Tournament team. 
• Maria Jackson, Brandeis (Sr., F/C, Rochester, N.Y.) - Jackson averaged 16.0 points, 5.7 rebounds, 1.7 steals per game in a 2-1 week for the Judges. She was named to the Brandeis Tip-Off All-Tournament Team after scoring 21 and 18 points, respectively. 
• Brittany Stone, Regis (Jr., F, West Bridgewater, Mass.) - Stone was named to the Ramada Roundball Invitational All-Tournament Team after averaging 18.5 points, 9.5 rebounds, 2.5 blocks and 1.5 assists per game. She scored in double-figures in both games, including a 22-point, 13-rebound effort in Regis' 58-55 win over Johnson & Wales on Friday. 

Biney

Bourikas

Guest-Pritchett 

Jackson

Stone