Three Stars: Notice, Smith, Reimer earn honours
MacEwan Athletics
EDMONTON – Jake Notice of the Griffins men's basketball team is the MacEwan Athletics first star of the week after scoring 44 total points in a pair of weekend games against the University of Fraser Valley.
In producing more than a quarter of MacEwan's offence on the weekend, Notice set a new school record for the most free throws made by a Griffins player in a Canada West game when he drained 14 of them on 16 chances during Friday's contest.
Other athletes recognized this week include second star Dallas Smith of the men's hockey team and third star Nikki Reimer of the women's hockey team.
Notice and Smith are on the three stars honour roll for the first time this season, while Reimer is making her second appearance, having also been named third star on Oct. 30.
1st star: Jake Notice, W, men's basketball
Bath, UK, third-year, Arts
After a consistent weekend with two 20+-point nights in a pair of losses to the UFV Cascades, Notice has moved into the top 15 in Canada West in scoring with 16.4 points per game.
Although the Griffins lost both matches to the Cascades, the third-year former member of the Bristol Flyers of the British Basketball League was the top offensive performer for either team with 44 total points – more than a quarter of the Griffins' total offensive output.
On Friday, he accounted for a team-high 20 points, adding four rebounds, four assists and a steal. He was particularly effective from the free-throw line where he knocked down 14 of 16 opportunities to set a new MacEwan record for the most by a Griffins player in a Canada West game.
On Saturday, Notice was the class of the court for either side, netting a game-high 24 points on 56 per cent shooting from the field. He added five rebounds, five assists and two steals.
Notice and the Griffins will travel to Calgary this weekend to face the Mount Royal University Cougars Friday and Saturday.
2nd star: Dallas Smith, F, men's hockey
Beaumont, AB, fifth-year, Commerce
Making a return to the lineup from an injury, the veteran forward used his speed and hockey sense to perfection in leading the Griffins to a pair of weekend wins over Concordia.
In Friday's 5-1 win at the Downtown Community Arena over their cross-town rivals, Smith led the Griffins with a goal and two assists – recording one of his helpers on the game-winner. Smith's tally in the game was on a short-handed breakaway.
In Saturday's 7-3 win at the Bill Hunter Arena, he added two more points (a goal and an assist). His tally, coming on the powerplay 6:56 into the second period, kicked off a five-goal period for the Griffins, erasing a slow start as they took over the game.
For the season, Smith has four goals and eight assists in nine games – putting him sixth on the team in scoring.
Smith and the Griffins will play a home-and-home series against NAIT on Friday (7 p.m., NAIT Arena) and Saturday (6 p.m., Downtown Community Arena).
Dallas Smith had five points in a pair of weekend wins over Concordia (Matthew Jacula photo).
3rd star: Nikki Reimer, D, women's hockey
Winnipeg, MB, fifth-year, Science
Arriving at the SAIT Arena 10 minutes after their scheduled puck drop due to poor road conditions en route to Calgary, the Griffins remarkably found their legs and cruised to a 6-2 win.
Key to that huge offensive output was their captain, Nikki Reimer, who had a four-point effort – two goals and two assists.
One of her tallies was on the powerplay, while the other game short-handed. Her two apples were both assists on the PP as the Griffins went 4-for-9 with the man advantage.
Although she didn't hit the scoresheet in Saturday's 3-2 loss to SAIT in the rematch, Reimer leads all defencemen in the ACAC this season with 11 points (three goals and eight assists) in 12 games.
Reimer will lead the Griffins into action against the cross-town rival NAIT Ooks on Friday (7 p.m., Downtown Community Arena).
Nikki Reimer lines up for a faceoff against SAIT last Saturday. She had four points in two games against the Trojans (Matthew Jacula photo).
