WASHINGTON – The Atlantic 10 Conference has named Dayton junior DaRon Holmes II its Men's Basketball Player of the Week. Saint Joseph’s freshman Christ Essandoko was chosen as the league’s Rookie of the Week. The awards were announced Monday and are for games played Jan. 29 – Feb. 4.
 
Holmes averaged 29.5 points, 9.5 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 3.0 blocks in two Dayton wins. The forward from Goodyear, Ariz., shot .679 (19-of-28) from the floor and .833 (20-for-24) from the line, and made one of the two 3-pointers he took. On Tuesday, he had a 25-point, 12-rebound double-double against George Washington. He followed that by matching his career high of 34 points in the come-from-behind win over St. Bonaventure on Friday. Holmes scored 25 of his 34 points in the game's final 18 minutes after the Bonnies had taken a seven-point lead. He also scored 12 of UD's last 16 points in the game's final 3:22. His 13 free throws made were a career high and he blocked four shots in the SBU win.
 
Helping the Hawks to a 2-0 week, Essandoko averaged 11 points, 12 rebounds and 2 blocks per game while shooting 50 percent (6-of-12) from the field, 66.7 percent (2-for-3) from 3-point distance and 88.9 percent (8-of-9) from the line. In Wednesday's win over George Mason, the center from Paris grabbed a season-best 15 rebounds and added six points and three blocks. He followed with a near double-double scoring 16 points and grabbing nine rebounds in a win at La Salle on Saturday.
 
HONOR ROLL
Dae Dae Grant averaged 24 points and 4.0 assists last week, leading Duquesne to a pair of wins, including a 31-point, five assist outing at Rhode island when he swished seven threes … Kyle Rose contributed in all aspects of the game in Fordham’s win at Saint Louis, scoring 26 points on 9-of-15 (.600) shooting with three rebounds, four assists, two blocks and three steals … Keyshawn Hall averaged 21.0 points, 6.0 rebounds and 1.5 assists in two games for George Mason.… Loyola Chicago’s Des Watson led the Ramblers to a pair of wins with 19 points and five assists in the two games, adding two blocks and two steals versus SLU … Rhode Island’s David Green was consistent in a 1-1 week scoring 20 point and grabbing five rebounds in each game, making two 3-pointers in each game as well. Saint Joseph’s Erik Reynolds II averaged 17.5 points per game, shooting .556 percent (10-of-18) from the field and .615 (8-for-13) from beyond the arc to lead the Hawks to two wins.