FARMINGTON, Utah (January 10, 2023) – Following the second weekend of Big Sky Conference play, the league office has announced that Idaho’s Isaac Jones and Eastern Washington’s Steele Venters have been named Co-Men’s Basketball Player of the Week.
Jones had one of the best games across the NCAA landscape this season, as he scored 42 points against Sacramento State in a contest that went to overtime. Additionally, he secured 12 rebounds, blocked four shots, dished out four assists and accounted for three steals all while shooting 73 percent from the field.
For the weekend, he averaged 29.5 points per game, 11 rebounds per game and shot 72 percent from the field.
Meanwhile, in Cheney, Venters helped the Eagles move to 4-0 in league play with back-to-back impressive performances.
He averaged 25.0 points, while shooting 56.7 percent overall from the floor and 47.4 from three point range. He added four rebounds, one assist, one block and two steals.
Venters delivered a signature moment against Sacramento State. After the Hornets tied the game with under a minute to play, Venters sank a three-pointer with two second left in the game. Eastern won the game 78-75. Venters scored 25 points in the game and shot 75.0 percent overall and 71.4 on three-point shots.
In Eastern's 92-80 win over Portland State, Venters scored 25 points on 44.4 percent shooting and 33.3 percent on threes. With Venters help, the Eagles are on a six-game winning streak and have started 4-0 in Big Sky games.
Venters is ninth in the conference in points per game (15.7) and shooting percentage (46.7%). He is sixth in made three-pointers per game with a 2.0 average. In conference games, Venters is averaging 19.8 points per game to rank fifth and is seventh in shooting percentage (53.2%).
For both Jones and Venters this is their second Player of the Week honor this season.
Other’s Nominated: Junior Ballard (WSU), Zach Chappell (SAC), Jalen Cone (NAU), Jorell Saterfield (PSU), Darius Brown II (MSU), Brayden Parker (ISU), Dalton Knecht (UNC), Josh Bannan (UM)
2023 Big Sky Championship
The 2023 Big Sky Conference Basketball Championships will take place once again in Boise, Idaho, and run from March 4-8 at Idaho Central Arena.
The official championship brackets have been released, and are available
here.
To purchase tickets, visit
www.BigSkyInBoise.com.
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Previous Winners
Week 1 –
Dillon Jones, Weber State
Week 2 –
Josh Bannan, Montana
Week 3 –
Isaac Jones, Idaho
Week 4 –
Steele Venters, Eastern Washington
Week 5 –
Zach Chappell, Sacramento State
Week 6 –
Jalen Cone, Northern Arizona
Week 7 –
Cedric Coward, Eastern Washington
Week 8 –
Dillon Jones, Weber State