Pac-12 Player of the Week
Chris Duarte, Oregon
This 6’6 junior had a breakout performance for the red hot Ducks in their matchup on December 29th against Alabama State. Oregon is now on a 5-game winning streak. While averaging 12 points per game on the season, Duarte (pictured) has begun to show just what he is capable of, scoring 31 points on 80 percent shooting from the field. The junior college transfer also added five rebounds, six assists, and a steal. When a guy scores from all over the place and affects the game so much, it has to be a nice confidence boost for this young player from the Dominican Republic. At 6’6, 190 lbs., Duarte also has the size to really contend on both ends with bigger guards and even small forwards in some cases. Look for his role to increase following his recent performances. While Gonzaga is the #1 rated team in the nation, Oregon may actually be the best team in the West and ultimately standing longer come tourney time. With maturity, athleticism and balance, They’re a legitimate Final Four contender this season.
Who’s Hot
Washington State Cougars
Don’t look now but the Washington State Cougars are rolling through the competition with six wins in a row. Make no mistake about it, CJ Elleby is the driving force that has been making this team successful as of late. In their most recent matchup, which was against Arkansas-Pine Bluff, Elleby led the way for the Cougars with 22 points on 8-18 shooting. He also contributed seven boards, two assists, and blocked three shots. His consistent scoring and all around disruptiveness are not to be ignored. It’ll be interesting to see how Washington State responds when push comes to shove and conference play becomes tougher and more competitive.
Who’s Not
Cal Golden Bears
Cal has a 6-7 record overall which isn’t too bad but they are coming off three consecutive losses so it is clear things aren’t trending in the right direction as of late. The Golden Bears fell to Harvard on December 29th. Usually it is Matt Bradley leading the way for this team, which it was again as he had a team leading 15 points. Outside of him, Cal had two other players score in double figures but not much else outside of that. What hurt them in this game was that Bradley went 0-6 from beyond the 3-point line. He cannot be the main man on this team every single night and the team be successful, others must step up if this team wants to end their losing streak.
Top 5 Scorers in the Pac-12 other than CJ Elleby
1. Tres Tinkle, Oregon State
The 6’7, 5th year senior has been a catalyst for this Beaver squad every since his freshman year in 2015. Tinkle does it all for Oregon State averaging just over 20 points per game, 7.3 rebounds, and 4.2 assists. This young man can score from anywhere on the court, and does so very efficiently, which helps make him so versatile along with his size. He shoots just under 54 percent from the field and just under 50 percent from beyond the arc.
2. Timmy Allen, Utah
This 6’6, 204 lb. sophomore has been a driving force for the Utes all season long. He made a big jump from what his production level was from last season where he averaged just over 12 points per game. Now, he averages 21 points per game this season for Utah and he does it efficiently shooting over 55 percent from the field. He also converts on 86 percent of his free throws which can’t go unnoticed for a guy who can penetrate the basket so easily.
3. Isaiah Stewart, Washington
The 6’9, 250 lb. hulk of a freshman has been turning heads with his production so far this season for the Washington Huskies. In 30 minutes per game this year, Stewart has averaged 19.2 points per game on over 61 percent field goal shooting to go along with his 8.8 rebounds per game. So far, Stewart has been an absolute problem for opposing defenses and it’ll be interesting to see how he fares against more competitive conference opponents.
4. Oscar da Silva, Stanford
The 6’9 junior from Germany has been one of the more prolific scorers in the Pac-12 so far this season. Stanford has themselves a very efficient scorer in da Silva. He is averaging nearly double what he did last year, which is just under 18 points per game while shooting 61.8 percent from the field. He has also shown versatility and demonstrated his 3-point shooting ability shooting 37 percent from beyond the arc and he also is an 83 percent free throw shooter.
5. Payton Pritchard, Oregon
Pritchard was sensational last year in the NCAA tournament and this year he has been an even better scorer for the Ducks so far. The 6’2 senior is averaging 18.5 points per contest on over 51 percent shooting and just a hair under 40 percent shooting from beyond the 3-point line. These are impressive numbers for someone who is not only Pritchard’s size but someone who handles the ball so often. This guy can hurt your defense from just about anywhere on the court.