Cherry chosen Big Sky Player of the Week
2/13/2012 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Feb. 13, 2012
OGDEN, UTAH (Feb. 13, 2012) - The University of Montana's Will Cherry has been selected as the Big Sky Conference men's basketball Player of the Week for the second time this season after leading the Grizzlies to three victories and moving into the top 10 in conference history in steals.
Cherry, a 6-foot-1 junior guard from West Oakland, Calif., averaged 22.7 points, 3.7 rebounds, 3 assists and 4.3 steals per game, leading the Grizzlies to wins over Idaho State (76-40), and at Northern Colorado (75-68) and at Sacramento State (67-58).
Montana has won eight straight games and is tied for first place with Weber State at 12-1 in the conference standings. During the three games, Cherry shot 57.9 percent from the field, 50 percent from 3-point range, and 81.8 percent from the free-throw line. He also averaged just two turnovers per game.
Last Monday against ISU, Cherry scored 21 points with three rebounds, three steals and an assist in just 25 minutes. He made 8-of-10 shots from the field, and was 2-of-3 from 3-point range, and 3-of-3 from the free-throw line.
On Thursday at NC he scored a career-high 30 points with eight steals, four assists and four rebounds. He made 12-of-20 shots from the field, was 3-of-6 from 3-point range, and 3-of-4 from the free-throw line.
On Saturday in the win over the Hornets, Cherry scored all 17 points in the second half as the Grizzlies rallied from a 30-25 half-time deficit. He also had four assists, four rebounds, two steals and a block, and made 12-of-15 free throws.
Cherry, who has been named Player of the Week four times in his career, closed the week with 203 career steals. He is now ranked second in Montana history and is eighth on the Big Sky's all-time list. He trails Griz record-holder J.R. Camel (215 steals, 1995-98) by just 12, and is just 80 away from the league's all-time leader, DeShawn Freeman of Sacramento State (283 steals, 2002-06).
His 68 points in Montana's last three games give him 1,082 for his career, ranking him 18th in school history.
Others Nominated
Parker Kelly, G, Eastern Washington: Scored 17 points in a loss.
Kenny McGowen, G, Idaho State: Averaged 19.7 points in three games.
Gabe Rogers, G, Northern Arizona: Averaged 16 points and 3.5 assists per game in two games.
Shawn Reid, G, Montana State: Averaged 17 points in two losses.
Tate Unruh, G, Northern Colorado: Averaged 17.5 points in a win and a loss.
Chehales Tapscott, F, Portland State: Scored 15 points with 16 rebounds in a win.
Joe Eberhard, F, Sacramento State: Averaged 17 points and 6.5 rebounds in a win and a loss.
Damian Lillard, G, Weber State: Averaged 20 points and 4.5 assists in two games.
