College roundup: Bates, UMF athletes earn state basketball awards

For the second time this season, Bates senior guard Morgan Kennedy has been named co-player of the week by the Maine Women’s Basketball Coaches Association.

The MWBCA announced its latest weekly honors Tuesday. Kennedy shared the Player of the Week award with University of New England’s Jordyn Franzen.

Kennedy powered the Bobcats to a pair of wins over the past week. The senior captain tied a season-high with 22 points in a win over Maine Maritime Academy on Jan. 3, to go along with four rebounds, two assists and a steal. She backed that up with 19 points, four rebounds and one block in a win over Connecticut College on Sunday.

Kennedy previously received Player of the Week honors on Dec. 5, sharing the award with Bowdoin’s Sydney Jones.

Kennedy’s Bates teammate Sarah Hughes was named to the MWBCA weekly rookie honor roll. The freshman guard compiled nine points, six rebounds, one assist, one block and one steal against Maine Maritime, then totaled five points and two assists in the win over Connecticut College.

MEN’S BASKETBALL
COACHES HONOR HARRIMAN, BEGIN II: The Maine Men’s Basketball Coaches and Writers Association also announced its weekly awards Tuesday, and players from the University of Maine at Farmington and Bates College took the top two honors.

UMF forward Will Harriman was selected the Player of the Week, following a standout performance in a win over Dean last week. Harriman went off for 30 points, nine rebounds and two assists without committing a turnover. It’s the second honor of the week for Harriman, who was named the North Atlantic Conference Player of the Week on Monday.

Bates freshman guard Marc Begin II was named the MMBCWA Rookie of the Week, the second straight time the coaches association has picked Begin II for the honor. He was named the MMBCWA Player and Rookie of the Week on Dec. 12.

Begin II’s week started with a 47-point outburst in an 84-80 loss to St. Joseph’s College on Jan. 2. That was one point shy of the program record for individual points in a game. Begin II also added eight rebounds, four assists and three steals. In a loss to Connecticut College on Sunday, Begin II compiled 14 points, three assists, two rebounds, two steals and one block.

UMPI 83, BATES 69: The Owls (4-9) pulled away from the Bobcats (2-10) during a 10-minute stretch late in the final minutes of the first half and beginning of the second half to earn a nonconference victory in Presque Isle.

Bates led 36-33 — its largest lead of the game — with about four minutes remaining in the opening half. UMaine-Presque Isle finished the half on a 15-4 run then started the second with a 14-4 run to take its largest lead of the game, 59-44 with 14:07 remaining in the contest.

Doug McCalla and Dany Harris put up 19 points apiece for the Owls to lead all scorers. Saquan Carswell added 13 points for UMPI. Harris also grabbed nine rebounds.

Stephen Ward led Bates with 18 points and 14 rebounds. Elliott Cravitz made 4 of 8 shots from 3-point range and scored 14 points, and Peter Psyhogeos finished with eight points and eight rebounds and Marc Begin had seven points and six rebounds.