INDIANAPOLIS (USBWA) – Chris LaBelle of Centenary University (Hackettstown, N.J.) and Olivia Nagy of John Carroll University (University Heights, Ohio) were named the U.S. Basketball Writers Association Division III National Players of the Week for the week ending January 12.
LaBelle, a 6-1 junior guard from Hamilton, N.J., set three team records as the Cyclones (9-6, 4-0) won all three of their games last week. In Monday's 98-94 overtime win against Clarks Summit, LaBelle scored a team-record 45 points, including a program-best 18 free throws, while adding 10 rebounds, three assists and a steal. On Thursday, he recorded a triple-double with 33 points, 10 rebounds and a school-record 12 assists in a 102-83 victory over Keystone. Then, on Saturday in another overtime affair, LaBelle finished with 28 points, four rebounds, eight assists, and two steals in Centenary's 104-99 win over Cairn. For the week, he averaged 35.3 ppg, 8.0 rpg, 7.6 apg, and 1.0 spg, while shooting 50 percent (29-of-58) from the field, 80.7 percent (42-of-52) from the foul line and 35.2 percent (6-of-17) from three-point range. LaBelle, who was on the floor for all but one minute of action last week, was also named the Colonial States Athletic Conference (CSAC) Player of the Week.
Nagy, a 6-2 sophomore center from Lakewood, Ohio, recorded a pair of double-doubles as the Blue Streaks (11-2, 5-1) won both of their games last week. On Wednesday, Nagy scored 22 points, posted career highs of 19 rebounds and eight blocks, and added a steal in John Carroll's 60-52 victory at Otterbein. On Saturday, she totaled 24 points, 11 rebounds, five blocks, two steals, and an assist in her team's 90-72 win over Wilmington. Over the two games, Nagy averaged 23 points, 15 rebounds, 6.5 blocks, 1.5 steals, and 0.5 assists. She shot 58.8 percent (20-of-34) from the field and 60 percent (6-of-10) from the charity stripe. Nagy, who currently leads NCAA Division III with 4.15 blocks per game (third best in all NCAA Divisions) and is 13th in field goal percentage (.585), was also named the Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC) Player of the Week.
Each Tuesday, the USBWA is selecting men's and women's Division III National Players of the Week. This is the sixth season that the USBWA will recognize national players of the week from Division III.
The U.S. Basketball Writers Association was formed in 1956 at the urging of then-NCAA Executive Director Walter Byers. With some 900 members worldwide, it is one of the most influential organizations in college basketball. It has selected an All-America team since the 1956-57 season. For more information on the USBWA and its award programs, contact executive director Malcolm Moran at 814-574-1485.