NORFOLK, Va., Nov. 30, 2021 – Senior forward Kris Bankston of Norfolk State has been named the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) Men’s Basketball Player of the Week, presented by Coca-Cola, it was announced on Tuesday, as junior forward Cameron Butler of North Carolina Central and freshman guard Elijah Hawkins of Howard were named MEAC Defensive Player of the Week and Rookie of the Week, respectively.
 
Bankston (F, 6-8, 230, r-Sr., Little Rock, Ark.) averaged 19 points and 7.8 rebounds in the NSU Spartans’ two wins at the Boost Mobile HBCU Challenge in Phoenix, Ariz. He had 18 points on 7-for-9 shooting with five rebounds in a win over Hampton, followed by 20 points with 10 rebounds in a victory over Grambling. The 20 points are a career high for Bankston and the double-double was the second of his career as a Spartan.
 
Butler (F, 6-10, 205, Jr., Chicago, Ill.) averaged 5.0 rebounds and 1.0 blocked shot over three contests, along with an average of 13.7 points. He had seven rebounds against the Apprentice School and six boards against Warren Wilson.
 
Hawkins (G, 5-11, 160, Fr., Washington, D.C.) captured MEAC Rookie of the Week accolades for a third straight week after totaling 11 points, five rebounds, six assists and five steals against Austin Peay.
 
Other Top Performers
Tyree Corbett (Coppin State) averaged 11.5 points and 3.5 rebounds against Canisius and East Carolina.
 
Nendah Tarke (Coppin State) averaged 16.0 points, 7.5 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 2.0 steals in close losses to Canisius and East Carolina. Against East Carolina, he scored 20 points with three rebounds, four assists and two steals.
 
Tai Bibbs (Howard) scored 12 points with four rebounds against Austin Peay.

Malik Miller (Morgan State) had a pair of double-doubles in Phoenix, going for 10 points and 12 boards against Grambling State and 13 points and 10 rebounds against Hampton.
 
Alex Caldwell (North Carolina Central) shot 52.9 percent from beyond the arc in three games while averaging 11.0 points. He also dished out 3.7 assist per game and he knocked down his first five treys for 15 points against Warren Wilson.