It’s time to vote on the Charlotte Observer HS basketball player of the week
It’s time to vote on the Charlotte Observer high school basketball player of the week.
Readers can vote, as often as they like, until Friday, when a winner will be named.
Meet this week’s nominees.
Ben Burnham, Carmel Christian basketball: The 6-foot-8 senior forward had a triple-double with 22 points, 16 rebounds and 10 blocks in a 72-57 win over Victory Christian at Rock Hill Sports and Event Center Jan. 26.
Burnham, a Winthrop University commit, is averaging 23.2 points, 12.4 rebounds, 2.6 blocks per contests for a Carmel Christian team (19-1) that has won 13 straight games.
Kennedy Calhoun, Hickory Ridge basketball: The 5-foot-5 senior point guard averaged 18 points, five rebounds, six assists and six steals in back-to-back wins over previously unbeaten Jay M. Robinson this week to remain a perfect 7-0 through Saturday.
Calhoun started her week with 12 points, five rebounds, eight assists and six steals in a 52-46 win at Jay M. Robinson in a showdown for first place in the South Piedmont conference Jan. 26.
Calhoun followed that up with 24 points, four rebounds, four assists and six steals in a 54-44 victory over Jay M. Robinson Jan. 28.
Calhoun, a Longwood University (VA) commit, is averaging 16.6 points, 5.3 rebounds, 4.4 assists and 3.9 steals for Hickory Ridge.
Bethel Ekperigha, Victory Christian basketball: The 5-foot-6 junior doubled her season average with 29 points to go with seven steals and four assists in a 48-27 win over Carmel Christian Jan. 26.
Ekperigha is averaging 14 points, 4.5 assists and 3.5 steals per game for Victory Christian (8-4).
Aliciah Fields, Northwest Cabarrus basketball: The 6-foot-3 senior scored 24 points, including scoring her 1,000th career point, to lead the Trojans to a 69-29 win over Central Cabarrus, Jan. 26. Fields also had 13 rebounds and four blocks in the same game.
Fields scored 14 points and had seven rebounds in a 47-28 victory at Central Cabarrus, Jan. 28, to help Northwest Cabarrus improve to a perfect 7-0 through Friday..
Daevin Hobbs, Jay M. Robinson basketball: The 6-foot-5 sophomore averaged 32.5 points in two wins over Hickory Ridge this week.
Hobbs had 30 points in an 82-81 win over the Ragin’ Bulls, Jan. 26.
Two nights later, Hobbs had 35 points and 11 rebounds in an 82-79 victory at Hickory Ridge.
Hobbs is averaging 24.4 points per game for Jay M. Robinson (4-4).
Maraja Pass, Shelby basketball: The 5-foot-5 sophomore point guard averaged had another big week averaging 27.5 points, 9.5 assists and eight rebounds per game as Shelby rolled past East Gaston and East Rutherford to stay unbeaten at 8-0.
Pass started her week with 20 points, six assists and seven rebounds in a 62-38 win over East Rutherford, Jan. 26.
Two days later, Pass recorded a double-double with 35 points, 13 assists and nine rebounds in a 91-61 win over East Gaston.
Pass is averaging 22.3 points, 6.1 assists, 6.1 rebounds and 7.3 steals per game for Shelby.
Mary Schleusner, Charlotte Latin basketball: The 6-foot-1 junior forward averaged 11 points, 13 rebounds, four blocks and three assists in three games as Charlotte Latin beat Covenant Day and Providence Day, while losing to Charlotte Country Day.
Schleusner started her week with 14 points, including the game-winner at the buzzer, to go with 14 rebounds, five assists and three blocks in a 49-48 win over Covenant Day Jan. 26.
Two days later, Schleusner had nine points, 13 rebounds, two assists and one block in a 54-52 loss to Charlotte Country Day.
Schleusner finished the week off with 11 points, 14 rebounds, nine blocks and three assists in a 42-32 win over Providence Day Jan. 30.
Audrey Strange, Weddington basketball: The 6-foot senior forward scored 13 points and grabbed eight rebounds to help Weddington upset previously unbeaten Cuthbertson 56-50, Jan. 26.
Strange followed that up with a double-double -- 12 points and 11 rebounds -- to lead the Warriors to a 53-40 victory at Parkwood Jan. 28.
Strange, a Randolph-Macon College (VA) commit, is averaging 10 points, seven rebounds and two assists for Weddington (5-2, through Friday).
Beckham Tharpe, North Iredell basketball: The 6-foot-8 sophomore had 27 points, 10 rebounds, six blocks and four assists to lead North Iredell to a 75-63 win over Statesville Jan. 26.
Tharpe followed that up with 12 points in just two quarters of play in a 70-44 victory over Carson Jan. 29.
Tharpe is averaging 14 points and eight rebounds per game for North Iredell (6-1).
Marquis Williams, Mountain Island Charter basketball: The 6-foot-5 senior averaged 21.5 points and nine rebounds in wins over Carolina International and Pine Lake Prep this week.
Williams had 22 points, 14 rebounds, four assists and three blocks in a 65-47 at Pine Lake Prep, Jan. 26.
He followed that up with 21 points, four rebounds and three assists in a 68-61 win at Carolina International Jan. 29.
Williams is averaging 18 points and nine rebounds per game for Mountain Island Charter (6-1, through Friday).
** Information published today includes statistics through Jan. 30.
Want to nominate an athlete?: Athletes of the week highlights high school players with outstanding performances. The goal is to recognize all athletes in all sports, both the most accomplished and the underrated or underappreciated players. If you want to suggest someone to be included in the Athletes of the week column, send email to Jay Edwards at edwardswork23@gmail.com.
