EDISON, NJ – Women's basketball freshmen
Ajia James and
Sky Castro have been named this week's Hercules Tires Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) Women's Basketball Player and Rookie of the Week, respectively. The awards stem from the duo's career weekend at Niagara, where the team finished 1-1 against the Purple Eagles, securing the first road win at Niagara since the program's 59-54 win at the Gallagher Center on Jan. 2, 2011.
James was lights out against Niagara in the Peacocks' weekend split with the Purple Eagles. The freshman finished the weekend with a pair of double-doubles, bringing her season tally up to four. During the Feb. 20 matchup between the two sides, James finished with career highs in scoring and rebounding, dropping 20 points while pulling down 15 boards. Additionally, the rookie shot 52.9 percent from the floor, going 9-for-17 from the field. In Sunday's 70-55 win over the Purple Eagles, James scored 17 points on 50 percent shooting while topping her career mark in rebounding once again, pulling down 16 boards with an even eight offensive and eight defensive rebounds. The Stafford, Virginia native now ranks sixth in the league on the glass with 7.8 rebounds per game.
Castro also stepped up massively for Saint Peter's this past weekend, averaging 17 points and eight rebounds through the two games. On Feb. 20, Castro was locked in from the floor, finishing with a career-high 18 points while going 9-for-11 from the field. The rookie followed the performance up with a double-double in the Peacocks' 70-55 win on Feb. 21, scoring 16 points while securing 12 rebounds in the exchange. The freshman forward also set a new career best in free throws on Sunday, shooting a perfect 6-for-6 from the charity stripe. Castro joins James in the league's Top 10 for rebounding, as the Queens native currently ranks ninth with 7.5 boards per game.
The Peacocks return to action this weekend as the team returns to Jersey City for their final home series of 2020-21 against Siena from Feb. 27-28.
