Virgin Islands, SUNO, Talladega, Fisk garner Week 13 HBCUAC MBB Weekly Awards

NEW ORLEANS - January 27, 2025 - The University of the Virgin Islands men's basketball player Amayoa'ah Phillips wins Historically Black Colleges and Universities Athletic Conference (HBCUAC) Offensive Player of the Week. Jamal Gibson of Southern University at New Orleans takes home Defensive Player of the Week. Jordan Brewer of Talladega College claims Freshman of the Week. Fisk University's Doyel Cockrill III earns Newcomer of the Week. The athletes were honored for their performances from January 20 to January 26, the conference announced on Monday.

Phillips brings home his third weekly honor after tallying 23.3 points per game in three contests last week. He made 23 of 49 shot attempts. He scored 32 points against Kuyper College on Thursday, which was a point shy of his career-high. His 21 points against Tougaloo were all in the second half.

Gibson provided another dominant performance for his 11th weekly award. He grabbed 22 rebounds with 14 on the defensive end and blocked three shots in Saturday's game against Dillard. He leads the nation with 239 defensive rebounds and averages 15.9 per game.

Brewer put up nine points per game, leading the Tornadoes to two victories. He hit six of seven shot attempts and averaged three rebounds and two steals per game. This is Brewer's second honor. 

Cockrill III garners his sixth weekly honor. He posted two 20-plus scoring games to lead the Bulldogs to a 1-1 week. In Thursday's game at Talladega, Cockrill put up 27 points - hitting nine of 15 shots. He followed that performance with 21 points on six made field goals in a victory over Voorhees. Cockrill ranks second in the HBCUAC with 427 points and 66 field goals.

Additional men's basketball weekly nominees: Evan Alexander (Philander Smith), JaMarkus Alexander (Oakwood), Khalif Allim (Dillard), Willie Anderson (Tougaloo), Michael Ashley (Fisk), Jordan Bell (Oakwood), Tory Cargo (Dillard), Cali Davis (Wilberforce), Keshawn Evans (Voorhees), Rodney Felton (Tougaloo), Calvin Finch Jr. (Stillman), Jordan Green (Oakwood), Raymond Guillory (Wiley), Umar Lawson (Voorhees), Germainn Marshall (Wilberforce), Justin McNelkan (Fisk), Jeremiah Miller (Stillman), Jesse Olverson Jr. (Wilberforce), Bentravin Phillips (Dillard), Raymond Reece (Philander Smith), Eliyah Stevens (Virgin Islands), Shaun Walker (Talladega), Amorey Womack (Philander Smith)

2024-25 Men's Basketball Players of the Week

-HBCUAC-

About HBCU Athletic Conference
The HBCU Athletic Conference (HBCUAC) is the only HBCU conference in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA). The HBCUAC membership includes Dillard University (LA), Fisk University (TN), Oakwood University (AL), Philander Smith University (AR), Rust College (MS), Southern University at New Orleans (LA), Stillman College (AL), Talladega College (AL), Tougaloo College (MS), University of the Virgin Islands (St. Thomas), Voorhees University (SC), Wilberforce University (OH), and Wiley University (TX). HBCUAC sponsors championships in men's and women's basketball, men's and women's cross country, men's and women's track and field, women's volleyball, softball, and baseball. In 2022, the HBCUAC secured the largest media rights deal in conference and NAIA history, signing a multimillion-dollar deal with Urban Edge Network. On July 1, 2024, the conference rebranded from the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference (GCAC) to the HBCU Athletic Conference, marking a new era for the conference that embodies the makeup of its membership. For more information, visit hbcuac.org.