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BYU’s Gonzales, UVU’s Aimaq and Williams honored as hoops players of the week

By Jared Lloyd - | Nov 29, 2021

UVU sophomore center Fardaws Aimaq dunks the basketball during the 77-68 win over Denver in overtime at the UCCU Center in Orem on Saturday, Nov. 28, 2021. (Courtesy UVU Athletics)

BYU sophomore Shaylee Gonzales and a pair of Utah Valley basketball players, Wolverine centers Fardaws Aimaq and Josie Williams, put together some great performances in recent games and were recognized with weekly awards on Monday.

Gonzales was voted as the West Coast Conference Player of the Week after leading the women’s basketball team to a 3-0 week, including two wins over ranked teams to win the St. Pete Showcase.

Gonzales averaged 22.7 points over the three-game span to pace the Cougars and stay undefeated at 7-0 and ranked No. 21 in the AP Top 25. The Gilbert, Arizona, product also posted 5.7 rebounds, 3.0 steals and 2.7 assists while shooting 53.8 percent from the field. Gonzales was also named the player of the week by ESPN women’s college basketball writer Mechelle Voepel.

After scoring 24 en route to a 101-point team effort against Utah State, Gonzales scored another 24 against No. 17 Florida State to push the Cougars to a 61-54 win in the opening game of the St. Pete Showcase. Gonzales also led a swarming defense with five steals on a night where BYU picked up 14 as a team and forced 25 turnovers to knock off the Seminoles.

A preseason All-WCC selection, Gonzales went on to score 20, including hitting the game-winning free throws to beat No. 22 West Virginia 58-57 on Saturday and win the St. Pete Showcase. She was named MVP of the tournament for her performance.

Gonzales leads BYU in scoring at 18.9 points per game. She is shooting 47.1 percent from the field on the year and 84.8 from the free throw line while grabbing 5.4 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 2.3 steals.

On the UVU men’s side, Aimaq won the TicketSmarter Western Athletic Conference Basketball Player of the Week award for the second straight week after being named SoCal Challenge MVP following wins over Idaho and Nicholls State and then adding a home win against Denver on Saturday.

On the week, he averaged 14.5 points per game and 15.3 rebounds per game with three double doubles, giving him a NCAA-best six on the young season.

The redshirt sophomore is a nominee for the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Center of the Year award. He currently leads the nation with 96 total rebounds and ranks second in the country in rebounds per game at 13.7 boards a contest. He leads the country in double-doubles (6) and fronts the nation in defensive rebounds per game (10.0).

Aimaq will be back in action on Wednesday night at the UCCU Center as Utah Valley hosts BYU in a UCCU Crosstown Clash game. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m. Tickets are available at GoUVU.com/Tickets.

On the women’s side, UVU center Josie Williams earned the same recognition.

Williams, a junior center from West Haven, Utah, had a pair of monster games to help the Wolverines go 2-0 on the week.

On Tuesday against Colorado Mesa, she finished with 17 points and added 13 rebounds, three assists and three blocks in a 62-50 win.

She found a way to step her game up even more on Saturday, scoring 17 points and bringing down a career-high 19 rebounds while also adding four blocks and three assists in a 62-43 win over Portland State.

She currently leads the nation with 14.0 rebounds per game.

It’s the fifth time that Williams has received the honor in her career.

UVU junior Josie Williams goes up for a shot during the Wolverine win over Park in the season-opener at the UCCU Center in Orem on Tuesday, Nov. 11, 2021. (Jared Lloyd, Daily Herald)

BYU’s Shaylee Gonzales lines up for a free throw against No. 22 West Virginia in the St. Pete Showcase in St. Petersburg, Fla., on Saturday, Nov. 27, 2021. (BYU Courtesy Photo)

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