KNOXVILLE -- After posting double-doubles in each of the Tennessee basketball team’s wins last week, sophomore power forward Jarnell Stokes was named SEC Player of the Week Monday by the conference office.
This week’s honor marks Stokes’ second SEC Player of the Week award of the season, as he also earned the title the week of Feb. 11. Last season, he earned one SEC Player of the Week award and one SEC Freshman of the Week honor.
Stokes’ two SEC weekly honors this year, coupled with two SEC Player of the Week awards this season for point guard Trae Golden, give Tennessee a league-leading four such awards on the season.
In UT victories over Auburn and Missouri last week, Stokes averaged 12.0 points and 12.5 rebounds. His two double-doubles gave him a total of 14 this season, which tie for the most among SEC players and are the most by a Vol in a single season since Ian Lockhart had 14 during the 1989-90 campaign.
In the regular-season finale vs. Missouri – which entered the game ranked second nationally in rebounding and leading the SEC in rebounding defense – Stokes grabbed a game-high 13 boards, including six on the offensive glass. He also kept Mizzou big men Alex Oriakhi and Laurence Bowers off the glass, as the pair combined for just 11 rebounds. The Tiger duo also was limited to only two offensive rebounds in the game.
Stokes was the only player in the SEC to average a double-double during conference play this season (13.1 ppg, 10.7 rpg), and the Memphis, Tenn., native was one of just four players in all of “major” college basketball to accomplish that feat during their respective conference’s league schedule.
Monday’s most recent honor for Stokes marks the seventh SEC weekly award received by a Vol during the tenure of second-year head coach Cuonzo Martin.
Stokes and the Vols begin postseason play at the SEC Tournament Thursday at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville. Tennessee (19-11, 11-7 SEC) will face the winner of Wednesday’s game between South Carolina (14-17, 4-14 SEC) and Mississippi State (9-21, 4-14 SEC). Thursday’s game tips at 3:30 p.m. ET (2:30 p.m. CT) and will be televised regionally on the SEC Network.
(E-mail Stan Crawley at wscrawley@earthlink.net)