Brits in College: Week 8 Recap

By Rowan Shiell on January 4, 2014

Welcome to the first update, of the British players in division one of the NCAA, for 2014. Teams are either wrapping up their nonconference games or beginning conference play.

We had some really good performances this week and POW was another close race.

Player of the Week

Ovie Soko | Duquesne | Forward | Senior

Soko lead his team, scoring 21 points, in a victory over Texas Pan American on Sunday. He made seven of his eleven shot attempts and had two steals, a block and an assists in the 19 point victory.

Thursday was another victory for Duquesne over Appalachian State. Soko scored 22 points, grabbed eight rebounds and also recorded two blocks, an assist and a steal.

This is the fourth straight game the senior has scored over twenty points. All four games were victories as Duquesne upped their record to 7-5 entering Atlantic 10 play.

Soko has now scored 20 or more in a team-high five games this season. He is 47-of-56 (.839) from the foul line in his past four games.

Best of the Rest

Fahro Alihodzic | University of Alabama at Birmingham | Senior | Forward

Last Sunday Alihodzic posted 10 points and seven rebounds in UAB ‘s victory over Alabama A&M. He did this in 22 minutes of action.

Chris Caird |Drake | Junior | Forward

Caird had a good week as Drake won both their games making it four consecutive victories.

The 6’6” junior started the week with 17 points, five rebounds and three assists in Drake’s 23 point rout of IUPUI on Sunday. He played 23 minutes scoring 15 points in the first half.

On Wednesday he had 10 points, five rebounds and three assists in another blowout victory over Evansville. He was limited by four fouls.

Jesse Chuku | Lehigh | Sophomore | Forward

Monday saw Chuku score 13 points in a tightly contested game with Bryant University. The Londoner had seven rebounds and four blocks but it wasn’t enough as Bryant would win on a last second layup.

Three days later Lehigh needed double overtime to win their first conference game. Chuku scored 18 points to go with six rebounds.

Ben Mockford | St Francis (NY) | Senior | Guard

Mockford scored a season high 17 points in a three point victory over Delaware State on Monday. The 6’2” guard made some much needed free throws in the dying moments of the game to ensure the victory. He also made five of his nine three point attempts.

Will Neighbour | UALR | Senior | Forward

UALR won both their games and Neighbour played a crucial part in both victories. First he scored 15 points, grabbed nine rebounds and dished out five assists in a 20 point victory over Grambling State on Monday.

Thursday things were a little rough for the forward as he finished the game against Texas State with only four makes in fifteen tries. His shot wasn’t falling but he ensured the victory by getting to the free throw line to make 11 of 13 attempts, leading his team to a come from behind, four point victory.

The senior finished with 20 points, five rebounds, two blocks and two assists. Neighbour has scored in double figures in all thirteen of UALR’s games this season. This was his fifth 20 point game.

He currently leads the team in scoring and rebounding and makes almost 53% of his field goals.

Alex Young | UC Irvine | Guard | Sophomore

Young had a bad game, in a loss to Arizona State on Saturday, scoring only six points and dishing out three assists but had five turnovers.

Last night he was able to shake the post holiday blues to score 18 points, grab six rebounds and dished out six assists to lead his team to a victory over Morgan State.

Luke Nelson | UC Irvine | Guard | Freshman

Young’s team mate, Nelson, had 12 points, three rebounds and five assists against Arizona State and nine points, four assists against Morgan State.

Tom Pereira | Rider | Guard | Senior

Tow Pereira finally made an update scoring 12 points in a one point victory over Pennsylvania on Sunday.

Thursday he scored six points and grabbed three rebounds in his second consecutive start which was a victory over Niagara. Rider is currently 3-0 in conference play.

Will Saunders | Charleston Southern | Senior | Forward

Saunders scored 13 points on Saturday in Western Illinois blowout victory over St Andrews. The Londoner also had seven rebounds and two assists.

Next game he had seven points and five rebounds in Monday’s loss to Florida State.

That game featured three Brits, fellow team mate Alhaji Fullah (2 points, six rebounds) and Florida State’s Robert Gilchrist (4 points, 2 rebounds).

Adam Thoseby | South Dakota | Guard | Sophomore

Thoseby scored 11 points in a loss to Youngstown State on Sunday. His team did win their second game of the week, against CS Northridge. Thoseby score four points in the second game.

Prince Ibeh | Texas | Sophomore | Centre

Ibeh posted eight points, seven rebounds and two blocks in Texas’s victory over Rice on Monday. He only played in 19 minutes.

Fellow Brit Ross Wilson, who plays for Rice, went scoreless.

Image Credit: Duquesne Athletics

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