Samuel Light Named USBWA National Player of the Week

2018 Jan 9

Lebanon Valley College men's basketball player Samuel Light of Jonestown, Pa. is going to wrap up his awards-laden last few days with the biggest one yet, as the U.S. Basketball Writers Association (USBWA) announced Jan. 9 that the senior guard has been named the organization's Division III Men's National Player of the Week.

Light, a graduate of Northern Lebanon High School, is pursuing a bachelor of science in business administration at The Valley.

His most recent weekly accolade is the most impressive on a list that includes being named the ECAC South Player of the Week and MAC Commonwealth Player of the Week, respectively. He also earned a spot on the D3hoops.com Team of the Week. As a group, Lebanon Valley was pegged the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) Division III Team of the Week.

Light helped lead the Flying Dutchmen to consecutive conference wins over the top two teams in the MAC Commonwealth in No. 6 Lycoming and an Albright squad that received 46 votes in the latest D3hoops.com Top 25 poll.

In an 81-71 win over the nationally-ranked Warriors on Wednesday night, Light scored a game-high 27 points on 7-15 shooting, including 6-12 from beyond the arc. The senior also finished 7-9 from the charity stripe and added five rebounds, two steals, and an assist. In a 78-70 win at Albright on Saturday afternoon, Light scored a game-high 30 points on 10-17 shooting, including going 3-4 from 3-point territory. The team captain recorded his first double-double of the year by grabbing 10 rebounds to go along with three steals and two assists. For the week, Light averaged 28.5 points, 7.5 rebounds, 2.5 steals and 1.5 assists per game, while shooting 56 percent from distance and 53 percent from the field.

Each Tuesday, the USBWA selects men's and women's Division III National Players of the Week. This is the fourth season that the USBWA will recognize national players of the week from Division III.

The U.S. Basketball Writers Association was formed in 1956 at the urging of then-NCAA Executive Director Walter Byers. With some 900 members worldwide, it is one of the most influential organizations in college basketball. It has selected an All-America team since the 1956-57 season. For more information on the USBWA and its award programs, contact executive director Joe Mitch at 314-795-6821.

The Dutchmen (11-4, 5-1 MAC Commonwealth) return to action when they host conference foe Arcadia at Sorrentino Gymnasium on Wednesday night, Jan. 10.