Christmas is Merry as CCAA Player of the Week for Red-Hot Broncos
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William Christmas led two more impressive victories for in-form league leader Cal Poly Pomona to earn his second career CCAA Player of the Week award for Dec. 2-8.
The fourth-year senior from Oceanside in San Diego County averaged 19.5 points, 5.0 rebounds, 4.0 assists, 1.0 steals and 31.5 minutes per game.
In an easier-than-expected 96-64 home defeat of Humboldt State Thursday that meant milestone career win No. 500 for 20th-year head coach Greg Kamansky, Christmas scored a game-high 24 points on 9-of-13 shooting from the field. He went 2-of-3 from long range and knocked down all four of his free throws, collecting six boards to match the game high, alongside four assists, one steal and a blocked shot.
Christmas shared the game high of 15 points with teammate Riley Schaefer and Chico State’s Kevin Warren in an absolute thriller in Chico on Saturday night. The Broncos led by as many as 20 at the 10:10 mark of the second half, before hanging on for a 69-67 triumph. Christmas’ two free throws with 1:43 left accounted for the visitors’ final two points, prior to a key steal with under 10 seconds to go. He shot 6-of-8, making his only three-pointer, and added four rebounds and four assists.
Christmas was Cal Poly Pomona’s lone CCAA Player of the Week a year ago for his first award, on Feb. 12. The 2016-17 CCAA Freshman of the Year and two-time All-CCAA First Team selection, he is a top early-season contender for CCAA Player of the Year, averaging 19.2 points per game, good for third in the league.
In a three-way tie for first place and in the middle of the league’s best current win streak at five in a row, Cal Poly Pomona (7-2, 3-1 CCAA) is idle this week due to final exams. The Broncos return to the court for a home pair against Cal State San Marcos and nationally-ranked preseason favorite UC San Diego on Dec. 19 and Dec. 22, respectively. All of their home games are free to watch on the CCAA Network.
Also nominated:
Nai Carlisle, Cal State East Bay
Leland Green, Humboldt State
Nick Kornieck, Cal State Dominguez Hills
Blake Seits, Cal State San Marcos