The Governor Mifflin Double
Gov. Mifflin Grads Breckley, Venne Cop MAC Commonwealth League Players of Week
SELINSGROVE, (Pa.) - A pair of Susquehanna University seniors and Governor Mifflin High School grads are both of this week's Middle Atlantic Conference Commonwealth League Basketball Players of the Week as Sean Breckley earned men's honors, while Kristen Venne is the women's pick.
The 6-0 Breckley led the Crusader men to a second-place finish in the Hurricane Division of the Land of Magic Classic last week in Daytona Beach, Fla., putting together his best week this season while averaging 20.0 points and shooting 61.5 percent from three-point range (8 of 13) and 62.5 percent (15 of 24) overall. He tied for team scoring honors with 23 points in a 97-70 win over Cornell (Iowa), hitting on 3 of 4 treys and 9 of 14 shots overall. He also led the team with 17 points and a career high seven assists in a 99-68 loss to host and NAIA Division II power Embry-Riddle in the championship game, hitting a season best 5 of 9 three-pointers.
The MAC free throw shooting champ in each of the last two seasons, Breckley leads the regulars this season at 81.8 percent (9 of 11) and is also the team leader in assists (2.9 per game). He is the team's second most accurate three-point shooter at 48.3 percent (14 of 29), ranking eighth in the MAC, while standing fourth in scoring (9.4 ppg).
"Sean had two very good offensive nights for us down in Florida. Aside from his scoring, he has also become our assist leader and is doing some other nice things for us," said 10th-year Susquehanna men's basketball head coach Frank Marcinek. "He's one of those seniors who we need to continue to step up for us if we're going to turn things around this season."
Breckley is a biochemistry major and the son of Harold and Bonnie Breckley of Reading.
The Susquehanna men are 2-6 overall, 1-2 and tied for fourth in the MAC Commonwealth League. The Crusaders open 1999 play with back-to-back 7:30 road games at regionally-ranked Franklin & Marshall (6-1) Tuesday, and Scranton (7-2) Thursday.
A two-time returning NCAA Division III All-American and three-time first-team Commonwealth League All-Star, the 5-9 Venne averaged 22.5 points and 11.5 rebounds per game as her team split its two games at the Scranton State Farm Classic. In the process, she moved into second on the Susquehanna women's career scoring list with 1,543 points (Record: 2,075, Deb Yeasted, 1981-85), also cracking 700 rebounds -- now with 702. Venne moved past Laurie Pankuck (1,539 points, 1987-91) into second all-time as she scored a game high 24 points and grabbed 12 rebounds in an 82-71 win over Hanover Tuesday, and had game highs with 21 points and 11 rebounds in the 83-69 loss to Franklin Wednesday. She has now scored in double-figures in 23-straight games, and 79 of 81 at Susquehanna.
She leads the team in scoring this season (21.4 ppg), ranking second in the MAC, and is tied for the team lead in steals (2.7 per game). She also is second on the squad and fifth in the MAC in field goal percentage (54.8%, 69 of 126), ranking second on the team in rebounding (6.9 per game) and third in assists (2.2 per game).
"Kristen played with fire in her eyes during both games at Scranton. She really answered the bell and really carried us in both games, particularly the first one," said 12th-year Susquehanna women's basketball head coach Mark Hribar.
Venne is an Academic All-American candidate as a psychology major and the daughter of Richard and Ann Venne of Shillington.
Susquehanna is presently 5-4 overall, 2-1 and tied for second in the Commonwealth League. The Crusaders will begin their 1999 schedule Friday as they play York (Pa.) in the 6 p.m. game of the Days Inn Gettysburg College Tournament.
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