SELINSGROVE, (Pa.) – Susquehanna University senior guard and co-captain Rob Makarewicz (Sugarloaf/Hazleton Area H.S.) is this week's MAC Commonwealth Conference and WQSU-FM Crusader Men's Basketball Player of the Week as he averaged 19.0 points while leading the Crusaders to a 3-0 week. The perfect week included victories over nationally-ranked Franklin & Marshall (91-75), and the championship in the King's Ramada Plaza/Hotel Monarch Classic.
Sophomore small forward Amy Harrington (Danville/Danville H.S.) was this week's WQSU Crusader Women's Basketball Player of the Week as she averaged 20.0 points per game while her team split its games at last weekend's Gettysburg Days Inn Tournament.
Makarewicz also averaged 3.0 rebounds and 2.3 steals last week, in addition to the 19.0 points per game — shooting 54.1 percent from the field (20 of 37) and 87.5 percent from the free throw line (14 of 16). He was the Most Valuable Player at the King's Ramada Plaza/Hotel Monarch Classic as he averaged 19.5 points in two wins while leading the Crusaders to the title. Makarewicz hit the shot which gave Susquehanna its first lead of the game with :30 left in a 71-68 come-from-behind first-round win over Kean Saturday, and then scored a game high 27 on 11 of 13 shooting from the field and a 4 for 5 day from the line in Sunday's 94-84 championship game win over the hosts. He also had 18 in the F&M upset, hitting 9 of 10 free throws.
"Robbie had a big week and the kind of week we know he is capable of. We've been playing pretty well as of a late and his leadership has been a big reason why," said 11th-year Crusader head coach Frank Marcinek.
The team scoring leader (16.5 ppg), Makarewicz is now fourth in the MAC Commonwealth Conference in scoring — also leading it in free throw percentage (88.4%, 38 of 43) and tying for third in three-point field goals per game (2.1; 23 of 59, 39.0%).
Makarewicz is an accounting major and the son of Robert and Agnes Makarewicz of Sugarloaf.
Susquehanna's season best four-game winning streak has the team at 8-3 overall, 2-1 in the MAC Commonwealth Conference as it resumes conference play with a big 8 p.m. game Wednesday at defending champion and current co-leader Lebanon Valley (7-4, 3-0 MAC CC).
Harrington may be emerging as the team's "go-to" player offensively, as she earned All-Tournament Team honors at Gettysburg while being the game's leading scorer both days — averaging 20.0 points. Harrington scored a career high 24 in Saturday's win, knocking down three treys and 5 of 7 free throws.
She now leads the team in scoring (14.5 ppg) and ranks third in the MAC Commonwealth Conference. She also leads the team in three-pointers made (14 of 51, 27.5%) and is second in free throw percentage (78.7%, 37 of 47) — ranking fifth in conference foul shooting.
She is a communications and theatre arts major and the daughter of Dr. Thomas and Patricia Harrington.
The Crusader women will take a 7-3 record and 2-1 MAC Commonwealth mark into a key 6 p.m. conference game Wednesday at Lebanon Valley (7-3, 1-2 MAC CC).
As WQSU-FM (88.9 on the dial) Crusader Players of the Week, Makarewicz and Harrington will be featured on the station's Coaches' Corner Show this Saturday, January 15, beginning at 12:30 p.m. The show will be aired prior to the live broadcast of Susquehanna's MAC Commonwealth Conference doubleheader with Elizabethtown.
