Every game he plays, Alex Herrera is earning the attention of the entire conference.
Herrera, the 6-foot-9 center from Ignacio who has led the Fort Lewis College men’s basketball team during his senior season, was named both the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Defensive and Offensive Player of the Week for his performances at Black Hills State and Chadron State last week.
The honors gave Herrera 14 RMAC Player of the Week awards during his career. He has earned four this season along with five Defensive Player of the Week nods last season. As a sophomore, Herrera was a Defensive Player of the Week twice and the Offensive Player of the Week twice, sweeping both awards on Jan. 28, 2013.
FLC’s career blocked shots record holder had a career night last Friday against Chadron State in Nebraska. He dropped 33 points, which matched a career-high, and he grabbed nine rebounds and blocked seven shots. He shot 68.4 percent from the field in the game.
Herrera scored 22 of his 33 points in the second half of that game to help FLC (10-2, 5-2 RMAC) to a 93-76 win.
“What do you say about Alex? He’s a two-time RMAC Defensive Player of the Year. He’s a really good player, and we’re all really glad he is on our team,” FLC associate head coach Bob Pietrack said after the game. “But he’ll tell you it wasn’t his best game.”
Herrera followed up that performance with 21 points and 12 rebounds to go along with three blocked shots in South Dakota against Black Hills State. It was his 10th double-double of the season.
Herrera is averaging a double-double this season with 22.4 points and 11.2 rebounds per game. He has 47 blocked shots and is an efficient shooter at 55.6 percent.
He leads all of Division II in blocked shots, two in front of Corbin Jackson of Florida Tech. Herrera has scored the seventh most points in the country, and his 11.2 rebounds also are good for eighth in the nation.
HHH
Herrera wasn’t the only FLC forward honored by the RMAC on Monday. Junior forward Mary Brinton was named the RMAC Women’s Basketball Offensive Player of the Week after averaging a double-double in two games.
She averaged 17.5 points and 10 rebounds per game after scoring a season-high 21 points Friday against Chadron Staten before scoring 14 points and grabbing 12 rebounds Saturday in a loss to Black Hills State.
Brinton boasts the best shooting percentage in the conference at 56.7 percent. She is averaging 13.1 points and six rebounds per game returning from off-season surgery.
It is Brinton’s first Offensive Player of the Week award. She was named the conference’s Defensive Player of the Week on Jan. 20, 2014.
HHH
The FLC men’s and women’s teams will be in action at home this Friday and Saturday with games against New Mexico Highlands and Western New Mexico, respectively.
jlivingston@durangoherald.com
