SELINSGROVE, (Pa.) – Susquehanna University junior center Leslie Clementoni (Hughesville/Hughesville H.S.) is the MAC Commonwealth Conference Women's Basketball Player of the Week as she surpassed her career scoring high twice while averaging 26.5 points and 10.0 rebounds, leading the team to a split in two conference games. Clementoni also earned the WQSU-FM Crusader Women's Basketball Player of the Week.
Senior co-captain and two-guard Garrett Thompson (Harrisburg/Central Dauphin East H.S.) is WQSU's Crusader Men's Basketball Player of the Week as he averaged 11.0 points, 4.7 rebounds and 2.0 steals per game in a 1-2 week.
The 6-1 Clementoni bettered her career scoring best in each game last week, netting 24 in a loss at MAC Commonwealth leader Messiah, and 29 while rallying her team from as many as 16 down for a critical win at Widener Saturday. She also had a team high nine rebounds at Messiah, and a game high 11 at Widener. In addition to her scoring and rebounding averages for the week, she shot 64.7 percent (22 of 34) from the field, and 75.0 percent (9 of 12) from the line.
"I think Leslie was very deserving of the honor. She really had a big game at Widener, particularly in the second half when we really needed it," said 13th-year head coach Mark Hribar. "She plays with so much heart and intensity and is just an absolute great kid and great player. I'm really proud of her."
Clementoni leads the team in rebounding (8.1 per game) – now ranking third in the MAC Commonwealth Conference statistics – also topping it in field goal percentage (47.4%, 92 of 194) and steals (27/1.6 per game), while standing second in scoring (14.0 ppg). She has now scored in double figures in 15-straight games and had five double-doubles while having a breakout year since replacing star center and fellow senior tri-captain Karyn Kern (26.2 ppg, 13.2 rpg) (Brodheadsville/Pleasant Valley H.S.), who suffered a season-ending knee injury.
She is a journalism major and the daughter of Sue Rhodes of Hughesville, and Ron Clementoni, also of Hughesville.
The Crusader women are 11-6 overall, 5-4 and in fourth place in the MAC Commonwealth Conference as they host Moravian in a conference game Tuesday at 6 p.m.
In addition to his points, rebounds and steals, the 6-2 Thompson also topped the team last week with seven assists (2.3 per game) while shooting 83.3 percent (5 of 6) from the free throw line. Thompson's offensive week included a dramatic steal and ensuing slam dunk to ignite the team in its win over Scranton Monday. Defensively, he continued to bother the opposing team's top offensive player with his tenacious man-to-man defense. The team's best defender, Thompson (7.6 ppg, 3.4 rpg) tops the team in free throw percentage (85.2%, 23 of 27).
Thompson is a broadcasting major and the son of Dr. Sterling and
Barbara Thompson of Harrisburg.
As WQSU-FM (88.9 on the dial) Crusader Players of the Week, Clementoni and Thompson will be featured on the station's Coaches' Corner Show this Saturday, February 5, beginning at 5:30 p.m. The show will be aired prior to the live broadcast of Susquehanna's doubleheader at arch-rival Lycoming.
