HPU’s John Brown Named Big South Player of the Week

HIGH POINT, N.C. – High Point University men’s basketball redshirt-junior forward John Brown has been named Big South Co-Player of the Week, the league announced Monday.

Brown shares the honor this week with Josh Cameron of Coastal Carolina. It marks the fourth time Brown has earned the weekly league award in his career.

Brown averaged 22.5 points, 7.0 rebounds, 2.5 blocks, 2.5 assists and shot 51.7 percent (15-29) from the floor in a 2-0 week for High Point. The Jacksonville, Fla., native also connected on 15-of-18 (.833) free throw attempts and made three steals in the two games.

In Monday’s game at UNCG, Brown – the preseason Big South Player of the Year – tallied a game-high 24 points (10-12 FT, 7-13 FG) and grabbed five rebounds while making a number of key free throws down the stretch in the 76-68 win over the Spartans.

On Saturday’s game vs. William & Mary, Brown notched a game-high 21 points and nine rebounds while blocking a season-high five shots in the contest. He posted 13 of his 21 points in the second half to help HPU erase a 15-point deficit with 16 minutes to play in the game. Brown also dished out three assists and two steals against a very good William & Mary team picked second in the CAA preseason poll. His alley oop slam in the game’s final minute effectively clinched the win for the Panthers inside the Millis Center.

On the year, Brown ranks second in the Big South in scoring (19.6 ppg) and field goal percentage (.566) and is fifth in the league in blocks (1.4 bpg).

He is a preseason candidate for the Lou Henson Award, given annually to the top mid-major player in college basketball.

Brown and the Panthers return to action on Wednesday against No. 14/13 Ohio State. Tip-off in Columbus is scheduled for 7 p.m. The game will be televised nationally on ESPNU.