The Lee basketball teams made a clean sweep of the Southern States Athletic Conference awards when Hollie German was named the women’s player of the week and Jamorris Gaines earned the same honors for the men.
German helped carry the sixth-ranked Lady Flames to wins at Southern Wesleyan and Coastal Georgia. In the win over Coastal on Saturday, the former Polk County standout scored 11 of Lee’s final 12 points (including two 3-pointers) in the 72-69 victory. German was 9-of-9 from the free throw line and finished the afternoon with 32 points.
For the week she totaled 54 points, had nine assists and posted seven steals.
Gaines was playing in only his third and fourth games of the season and is certainly making the best of his time with the Flames. The junior college transfer scored 48 points in wins over Southern Wesleyan and Coastal Georgia. He made 18-of-26 shots from the field and was 6-of-9 from behind the 3-point arc. In the win at SWC Gaines scored 28 points and grabbed seven rebounds. He came back with 20 points in Saturday win. He was also a perfect 6-of-6 from the line in the two victories for the 15-1 Flames.
Exciting times are planned for Walker Arena on Thursday beginning with the 6 p.m. women’s games against an Emmanuel team that is 4-3 in SSAC play and 10-5 overall.
It’ll be Mayfield Ice Night with free ice cream being served. At halftime of the men’s game the world famous Gym Masters will perform their amazing athletic fetes. Before the men’s action begins, the Lee University Festival Choir will be on hand to sing the National Anthem. The group is composed of some 350 members drawn from each of the seven ensembles at Lee and will travel to Washington on Jan. 21 to take part in the Presidential Inauguration.
The Lady Flames are 15-1 overall and on top of the SSAC East with a 6-1 record. Coach Marty Rowe club has won 12 straight.
German leads the SSAC in scoring (20.7). Jenna Adams is pouring in 13.3 points per game and also averaging nearly eight rebounds. Karley Miller has come on strong and is scoring at a 9.3 clip and pulls down 5.1 rebounds.
The Lee and Emmanuel men will be battling for first place in the SSAC East. The Flames are 15-1 overall and 6-1 in the SSAC. Emmanuel brings a 13-2, 6-2 mark to town. The Flames moved up to the sixth spot in this week’s NAIA poll and Emmanuel is at No. 18.
Lee continues to average 83 points per game and six players average in double-figure scoring. Will Barnes leads the way (20.7). Gaines has an 18.4 mark in his five games as a Flame. Chase Dunn is solid at 13.9, while Corey Billingsley is at 10.1 and Steve Bennett averages 10 points and eight boards a game. Sophomore Chad Lee joins Bennett as Lee’s leading rebounders.