Reinhardt’s Cheeks named AAC Freshman of the Year
From Reinhardt reports
WALESKA, Ga. — No. 25 Reinhardt’s Rebecca Cheeks, a former Sonoraville High standout, was named Appalachian Athletic Conference Freshman of the Year and Lindsey Huffman earned AAC Coach of the Year honors as the conference announced its postseason awards for women’s basketball Wednesday night in Kingsport, Tenn.
Cheeks, from Ranger, Ga., nearly averaged a double-double during the regular season with 16.3 points and 9.8 rebounds per game. A four-time AAC Player of the Week honoree, Cheeks also earned NAIA Division II Women’s Basketball Player of the Week honors earlier this season. Cheeks finished fourth in the AAC in scoring in conference games (17.36 per game) and was second in rebounds per game (9.82) in AAC play.
Cheeks also earned First Team All-AAC honors, the only Lady Eagles to do so this season. Earning Second Team All-Conference honors were Bria White and Erika Woodfin. White, from Spring Hill, Tenn., was second on the RU team in scoring with 11.6 points per game and in rebounds per game with 8.0. Her 8.27 rebounds per AAC game ranks her third in the league. Woodfin, from Trenton, Ga., set a career-high in scoring with 305 points this season. Woodfin is just six points shy of 1,000 for her career after averaging 10.2 points per game this season for the Lady Eagles.
Huffman, in her fifth season as head coach of the Lady Eagles, led Reinhardt to a 26-4 record, the best record in program history. RU also earned a share of the AAC regular season championship, the first time that the program has earned a regular season title. A Woodstock, Ga., native who played her high school basketball at Etowah High School, Huffman has four winning seasons in her five years with the Lady Eagles and has won a championship in two of her five years following an AAC tournament title in the 2012-13 season.
Reinhardt had three members of the AAC All-Defensive Team, the most of any program in the conference. Cheeks earned recognition with 24 blocks and 49 steals, with Jaleya Mosley (47 steals) and former Sonoraville High standout Payton Smith (39 steals) also earning recognition as well.
Sara Byers was named Reinhardt’s representative to the AAC Champion of Character team. The award is presented by the conference to the player from each team that best represents the NAIA Champions of Character initiative.
In other college basketball news recently:
Cheeks records double-double, but Reinhardt falls in semis
No. 25 Reinhardt struggled from the field at the wrong time Friday as the Lady Eagles fell in the semifinals of the Appalachian Athletic Conference Championship to Bryan, 60-54, Friday afternoon in Kingsport, Tenn.
The Lady Eagles (275) led by 10 points at the half, 35-25, but could only muster five points in the first 10 minutes of the second half as the lead evaporated to a single point, 40-39, after three quarters. By midway through the fourth quarter, Bryan had grabbed a lead of seven points and the Lady Eagles could never climb all the way back.
Former Sonoraville High standout Rebecca Cheeks had a double-double with 10 points and 13 rebounds, with Bria White scoring a team-best 13 points. Jaleya Mosley finished a rebound shy of a double-double with 10 points and nine boards.
Milligan’s loss in the first semifinal meant that Reinhardt would have to win the tournament to be guaranteed an automatic bid to the NAIA Division II National Championship. Now, the Lady Eagles must hope for an at-large bid. Even if they do not get that bid, the season was a special one for Reinhardt. The program won a share of the AAC regular season championship for the first time and set a new program record in wins with 27, shattering the previous mark of 21. Cheeks became the first RU women’s basketball player to earn NAIA Player of the Week honors en route to picking up AAC Freshman of the Year recognition.
Crider helps Lady Chargers to win in home finale
The Lady Chargers wrapped up the final home game of the regular season with a 69-48 conference win over the Lady Golden Eagles of Chattahoochee Tech. Chattahoochee Tech fought throughout the first half matching basket for basket with GHC. The game was tied at 11 at the end of the first period and tied at 26 to end the first half.
Midway through the third period of play the Lady Chargers went on a 27-3 run behind the strong play of sophomore Pam Diokpara who posted a double – double, 23 points and 13 rebounds. “Pam had a great night , and I thought Maria Crider played really well tonight for us and shot the ball well from the perimeter,” said Lady Charger Head Coach Brandan Harrell. Crider, the former Sonoraville High standout, finished the game with 10 points and Kateryna Khomenko had 11 points.
Coach Harrell also praised Chattahoochee Tech’s Tyemshia Dozier, a former Pepperell High School player. “Tyemshia had a tremendous effort for them tonight, she was on another level and played with great intensity, she was fun to watch.” Dozier finished the night with 26 points and 7 rebounds.
The Lady Chargers (16-13) and (10-2) in conference play return to action on Saturday as they travel to Andrew College, tip off 2:00pm.