Credit: Courtesy of the MEAC

Along with the weekly individual honors the MEAC announces each week, other top performers are deserving recognition as well, and the MSR during the bi-weekly conference call asked coaches to share their flowers on the following players.   

WBB

Coppin State โ€“ Angel Jones had a team-high 19 points and a career high eight rebounds, and Laila Lawrence added 13 points and five steals along with five boards in a win over North Carolina Central.

    โ€œLaila and Angel have been playing lights out,โ€ said CSU Coach Jermaine Woods.

Delaware State โ€“ Kiarra McElrath averaged 23 points and three steals in two games for the Hornets.ย  McKenzie Stewart added 19 rebounds, two blocks and three steals in the same span.ย ย 

      Coach Jazmone Turner said of the two players, โ€œThey are the two young players I am excited to see grow at our institution in next few years.โ€  On Stewart, โ€œMcKenzie is a workhorse and sheโ€™s our defensive captain and our defensive leader.โ€  On McElrath, โ€œKiarra is just a phenomenal person, and as an athlete, she adds a scoring power. In the last few games, her scoring ability, and her ability to set the tone for us but also to facilitate and get other people involved.โ€

Howard โ€“ย Destiny Howell led the Bison to its first conference win of the season with 22 points, four steals and five rebounds; Saniyah King contributed 10 points and nine assists, and Zennia Thomas posted a double-double (12 pts, 11 rebs).

     On Thomas, โ€œZennia has been amazing.  She has been a key piece in the structure of our team this year to be able to get the ball inside and play outside,โ€ observed Howardโ€™s Daniel Marks, a member of the coaching staff.

Norfolk State โ€“ Diamond Johnson scored 21 points, seven rebounds, three steals and three assists, and shot .642 from the field in a recent win.ย ย 

     โ€œSheโ€™s a super special talent and a special person as well,โ€ said NSU Coach Larry Vickers.  โ€œShe truly loves basketball and does everything the right way.โ€

MBBย 

Coppin State โ€“ Julius Ellerbe IIIโ€™s 16 points, eight rebounds and an assist led CSU to a win over North Carolina Central, and Johnathan Dunn added eight points, seven boards, two steals, a block, and an assist.

     โ€œBoth bring a different skill set,โ€ admitted Coach Larry Stewart on Ellerbe and Dunn, both transfers.  โ€œThey both can go downhill.  We are going to be leaning on those two guys as we get into the heat of the MEAC conference.โ€

North Carolina Central โ€“ Floyd Rideau averaged 16 points, three rebounds, 2.5 assists and 2.5 steals in a 1-1 week for the Eagles.ย  Dionte Johnson had 16 assists in their win over NAIA St. Andrewโ€™s, and is averaging 10.5 assists, 4.5 steals, four rebounds and almost five points during that week.

    โ€œTheyโ€™re learning and still trying to grasp what we are trying to accomplished,โ€ noted Coach LeVelle Moton.  โ€œI think they are starting to get their feet wet.โ€

South Carolina State โ€“ Drayton Jones led the Bulldogs with 20 points with six rebounds, a block, an assist, and a steal in a win over Morgan State, and Omar Croskey put up 17 points, grabbed six rebounds, two assists and three steals.

     โ€œBoth of them have put in a ton of work,โ€ concluded Coach Erik Martin.  โ€œOmar probably our toughest player on the team.โ€

Charles Hallman is a contributing reporter and award-winning sports columnist at the Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder.