The Can Ball Report's NC-Double-Eh Player of the Week

After having a monster two game stretch, Mississuaga, ON native and current St Bonaventure Bonnie Andrew Nicholson is The Can Ball Report's NC-Double-Eh Player of the Week.

Player of the Week

Andrew Nicholson (Mississauga, ON) – Soph., St Bonaventure

Mississauga, ON’s Andrew Nicholson had a monster week.  In helping his Bonnies split their two road games, Nicholson had back to back 20-point efforts averaging 27.5 points to go with 7.5 rebounds, an assists and 3.5 blocks on his way to being named The Can Ball Report’s NC-Double-Eh Player of the Week.  He was so good in fact that the Atlantic 10 Conference also named him Player of the Week.

In the Bonnies win against Massachusetts on Amherst on Jan. 20, Nicholson posted his fourth 20+ point outing of the season going off for 26 points, 7 rebounds, an assist and 5 blocks.  He went 10-of-18 from the field and a perfect 6-for-6 from the line. 

In the team’s next game against Duquesne Jan. 23 in what would end up a loss, Nicholson tied his season high with 29 points with 20 of them coming in the second half in a near comeback.  He added 7 rebounds, an assist and 2 blocks playing all 40 minutes of the game. 

For the season, Nicholson is the Bonnies’ leading scorer and rebounder with 16.7 points and 7.8 rebounds.   He also leads the team in blocked shots with 2.2 per contest as well as in FG% (61.2) and FT% (78.3).  Nicholson currently leads the A-10 Conference in FG% while placing in the top 10 in scoring (7^th), rebounding (8^th), FT% (8^th) and blocks (3^rd). 

Honorable Mention:  Papa Oppong, Eastern Kentucky – 14.5 ppg, 2.5 rpg, 1.5 apg, 1.5 spg, 9-of-20 FG, 7-of-13 3PT FG, 4-of-6 FT, 28.5 mpg, two games.

Line of the Week

Diego Kapelan (Vancouver) – Sr., McNeese State

Diego Kapelan has a rep of being a shooter.  He will put them up when he’s open and he will make them, usually from behind the arc.  He is currently the McNeese State Cowboys’ leading scorer and has been for two years now.  But on Jan. 20 vs. Southeastern Louisiana, Kapelan played 24 minutes in the win and came up empty for the first time all season. 

Kapelan had put up six shots, three of them from the three, and made none of them.  He doesn’t get to the free throw line all that much so he didn’t shoot any of those that game.  To make him the stat line of the week, the only other numbers he picked up in the boxscore was an assist, a steal, a turnover and two fouls.  It’s almost as if he wasn’t even playing in the same game as everyone else. 

Honorable Mention:  Andy Rautins, Syracuse – 36 mins, 0 pts, 1 rb, 6 asts, 3 stls, 1 blk, 0-of-2 FG, 0-of-2 3PT FG vs. Marquette on Jan 23.  His line overall isn’t that bad outside of his shooting but keep in mind that Rautins is a crazy outside threat and only took two shots in the game.  Two shots for the guy who is the designated shooter is a little off I think even if he’s trying to get others involved in the offense.