WEEK of: DECEMBER 15-21, 2008
Freshman center
TAQUAN ABDULLAH (Kenilworth, NJ/David Brearley) is the NJCU Men's Athlete of the Week for the first time in his career and was selected as the
New Jersey Athletic Conference Men’s Basketball Rookie of the Week for the first time after scoring a career-high 14 points in a non-conference loss at Farmingdale State College on December 16.
In all, an NJCU player has earned the NJAC award in five of six weeks this season.
Abdullah, a 6-foot-7 player for the Knights, led three NJCU players in double figures in the loss to Farmingdale, and his 14 points came on 4-of-4 shooting and 6-of-6 from the line in 18 minutes before fouling out during the Knights’ only game of the week. The points, free throws made and free throws attempted were all career highs.
For the season, Abdullah has emerged as NJCU’s starting center in its last five games. He is averaging 7.4 points, 5.4 rebounds, 1.4 blocks, 1.3 assists and 1.0 steals per game while shooting .447 from the field (17-38), 3-of-7 from three-point distance (,429) and .833 from the line (15-18) in 21.6 minutes of action per contest. He has reached double figures in scoring twice and rebounding once. He is second on the team in rebounding, blocks and free throw shooting,
Among the NJAC leaders, Abdullah ranks fourth in blocked shots, fifth in free-throw percentage, 11th in defensive rebounding (4.14, 29), and 14th in overall rebounding.
