A year ago, Kathleen Smith came off the bench in every game for the Williams College women’s basketball team. The former Central Catholic star totaled 19 points and 14 rebounds for the entire season.
Well, this season has been quite different.
The junior forward was named the NESCAC Player of the Week after averaging 18.5 points and 10.5 rebounds per game in wins over Tufts (67-63) and Connecticut College (55-37).
During the win over the Jumbos, Smith scored a career-high 27 points, shooting 11 of 19 from the field and 5 for 6 from the foul line, to go along with eight rebounds. She recorded her fifth double-double of the season with 10 points and 13 rebounds, to go along with two blocks, in the victory over the Camels.
A Plaistow, N.H., native, Smith has scored double figures 11 times this season. She is averaging 12.3 points and a team-leading 8.3 rebounds per game, while shooting an efficient 60.7 percent from the field. She ranks fourth in the NESCAC in rebounds per game.
Pfeil honored at SNHU
Two years ago, Samantha Pfeil was named the Merrimack Valley Conference Player of the Year and a two-time Eagle-Tribune All-Star. Now the former Methuen High star has added to her accolades, being named Southern New Hampshire University’s Female Athlete of the Week.
Pfeil recorded 14.0 points, 4.0 rebounds, and 2.0 assists per game during a 2-0 week for the Penmen, while hitting 68.8 percent of her shots from the field, including 57.1 percent from beyond the arc, and knocking down both free throw attempts.
She posted 12 points and six rebounds and a pair of assists in a 75-56 win against Saint Anselm College and then netted a career-high 16 points with a pair of rebounds and two assists in the 67-54 victory at Adelphi University.
Efosa continues to soar
Providence College graduate student Grace Efosa, a former Whittier Tech star, ended last season No. 28 all-time in scoring with 1,115 points. Already this season, she has scored 430 points, averaging 13.4 per game along with 4.3 rebounds and 30 total steals for the 10-10 Friars.