BETHLEHEM, Pa. – Loyola Maryland sophomore forward Santi Aldama claimed his second-consecutive Patriot League GEICO Men’s Basketball Player of the Week when the League office announced weekly accolades on Tuesday. Army West Point freshman guard Jalen Rucker received rookie of the week honors for the first time.
Aldama collected GEICO Men’s Basketball Player of the Week honors for the second-straight week after averaging 24.5 points and 15.5 rebounds to split a two-game series against Lafayette. The sophomore forward became the first Patriot League men’s basketball student-athlete to record a 30-point, 20-rebound game since Colgate’s Adonal Foyle in 1995, finishing with 30 points and 22 rebounds in a triple-overtime loss to the Leopards on Saturday.
Rucker picked up GEICO Men’s Basketball Rookie of the Week award by scoring in double figures in both of the Black Knights’ games against Colgate over the weekend. The Baltimore, Md. native averaged 15.5 points and 3.0 assists in two games while tying his career-high with 18 points against the Raiders on Sunday.
Boston University senior guard Javante McCoy, Colgate senior guard Jordan Burns, Holy Cross senior guard Austin Butler and Lafayette senior guard Justin Jaworski all received an honorable mention for their performances during the weekend of League games.
The Patriot League men’s basketball players of the week are selected in a vote by League media members and each school’s sports information director, who are not eligible to vote for their student-athletes.
2020-21 Patriot League Men’s Basketball Standings (as of 2.16.21)
| School |
Division |
Pct. |
Patriot League |
Pct. |
Overall |
Pct. |
| NORTH |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Colgate!* |
9-1 |
.900 |
9-1 |
.900 |
9-1 |
.900 |
| Army West Point |
4-4 |
.500 |
5-5 |
.500 |
9-6 |
.600 |
| Holy Cross |
3-7 |
.300 |
3-9 |
.250 |
3-9 |
.250 |
| Boston University |
2-6 |
.250 |
4-6 |
.400 |
4-6 |
.400 |
| CENTRAL |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Lafayette |
3-1 |
.750 |
7-5 |
.583 |
7-5 |
.583 |
| Bucknell* |
4-2 |
.667 |
4-4 |
.500 |
4-4 |
.500 |
| Lehigh |
1-5 |
.167 |
3-7 |
.300 |
3-7 |
.300 |
| SOUTH |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Navy |
3-0 |
1.000 |
8-1 |
.889 |
11-2 |
.846 |
| American |
2-2 |
.500 |
2-2 |
.500 |
2-2 |
.500 |
| Loyola Maryland |
0-3 |
.000 |
2-7 |
.222 |
2-7 |
.222 |
!Clinched divisional No. 1 seed; *Clinched a berth in the Patriot League Tournament
Full Standings and Tiebreaker Information
PATRIOT LEAGUE GEICO MEN’S BASKETBALL PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Santi Aldama, Loyola Maryland, So., F, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain/Canterbury Academy
*Aldama averaged a double-double with 24.5 points and 15.5 rebounds to go along with 3.0 assists and 1.5 blocked shots per game to help Loyola Maryland split a two-game weekend series against Lafayette.
*The sophomore forward tied his career-high of 30 points and grabbed a career-high 22 rebounds in a triple-overtime loss to Lafayette on Saturday. He was the first Patriot League student-athlete since Colgate’s Adonal Foyle in 1995 to record a 30-point, 20-rebound game.
*He finished with 19 points, nine rebounds and four assists in Loyola Maryland’s 88-69 win over Lafayette on Sunday.
PATRIOT LEAGUE GEICO MEN’S BASKETBALL ROOKIE OF THE WEEK
Jalen Rucker, Army West Point, Fr., G, Baltimore, Md./Gilman
*Rucker scored in double figures in both of Army West Point’s games against Colgate, averaging 15.5 points and 3.0 assists over the weekend.
*He tied a career-high with 18 points in the Black Knights loss to the Raiders on Sunday.
*Rucker scored 13 points and dished out four assists against Colgate on Saturday.
HONORABLE MENTIONS
Javante McCoy, Boston University, Sr., G, Milwaukee, Wis./Phillips Exeter Academy (N.H.)
*McCoy averaged 18.5 points, 3.0 rebounds and 3.5 assists while shooting 60 percent (12-for-20) from the floor to help Boston University split a two-game weekend series with Holy Cross.
*He finished with 21 points, four rebounds and six assists in the Terriers’ 86-68 win over the Crusaders on Sunday.
Jordan Burns, Colgate, Sr., G, San Antonio, Texas/John Marshall
*Burns averaged 19.0 points, 3.5 rebounds and 4.0 assists while shooting 57 percent (4-for-7) from 3-point range to help Colgate sweep a two-game series from Army West Point to clinch the top seed in the North Division.
*He scored 22 points, including 17 in the second half in the Raiders’ 92-83 comeback victory over the Black Knights on Sunday, helping his team to its best record through 10 Patriot League games (9-1) in program history.
Austin Butler, Holy Cross, Sr., G, Charlotte, Latrobe, Pa./Greater Latrobe Senior
*Butler averaged 16.0 points and 6.5 rebounds while shooting 55 percent (12-for-22) from the field to help Holy Cross split a two-game weekend series with Boston University.
*He posted his 10th collegiate double-double with 20 points and 11 rebounds in Saturday’s 82-65 win over the Terriers.
Justin Jaworski, Lafayette, Sr., G, Schwenksville, Pa./Perkiomen Valley
*Jaworski averaged 25.0 points, 4.5 rebounds and 2.5 steals to help Lafayette split its two-game weekend series against Loyola Maryland. He shot 1.000 percent (20-for-20) from the charity stripe during the two-game stretch.
*The senior guard scored 33 points, shooting 10-of-22 from the floor and 12-for-12 from the foul line in Lafayette’s 97-94 triple-overtime win over the Greyhounds.
Men’s Basketball Player of the Week
1.6 – Justin Jaworski, Lafayette, Sr., G
1.11 – E.J. Stephens, Lafayette, Sr., G
1.19 – John Meeks, Bucknell, Sr., F
1.26 – Jamir Harris, American, Sr., G
2.2 – John Meeks, Bucknell, Sr., F
2.9 – Santi Aldama, Loyola Maryland, So., F
2.16 – Santi Aldama, Loyola Maryland, So., F
Men’s Basketball Rookie of the Week
1.6 – Andre Screen, Bucknell, Fr., C
1.11 – R.J. Johnson, Holy Cross, Fr. G
1.19 – Johnny O’Neil, American, Fr., F
1.26 – Jalen Rucker, Army West Point, Fr., G
2.2 – Deuce Turner, Bucknell, Fr., G
2.9 – Kyle Jenkins, Lafayette, Fr., F
2.16 – Jalen Rucker, Army West Point, Fr., G
ABOUT THE PATRIOT LEAGUE
The Patriot League is in its fourth decade of academic and athletic achievement, continually demonstrating that student-athletes can excel at both academics and athletics without sacrificing high standards. The Patriot League’s athletic success is achieved while its member institutions remain committed to its founding principle of admitting and graduating student-athletes that are academically representative of their class. Participation in athletics at Patriot League institutions is viewed as an important component of a well-rounded education.