VALDOSTA —
Kourtnee Williams had herself a solid Christmas break and start to the new year.
The sophomore guided the Valdosta State women’s basketball team to a 3-1 record, including back-to-back Gulf South Conference victories, en route to being named the Gulf South Conference Player of the Week.
Williams averaged 16.3 points, 6.3 rebounds, 4.5 assists and 2.8 steals during the four-game stretch for the Lady Blazers, earning her first career Player of the Week honor.
“(Kourtnee) is just a steady presence for us,” Valdosta State head coach Kiley Hill said, following a win over St. Leo.
“She is asked to do so many things defensively and now I am asking her to do so many things offensively, take the ball off the bounce, space the floor.”
With the honor, Williams became the second Lady Blazer to earn Player of the Week honors this season, after senior Brittney Nelson garnered the honors the second week of the season.
Williams led Valdosta State in scoring throughout the four games, starting with her 18-point, nine-rebound, six-assist performance against Saint Leo, where she connected on the go-ahead field goal with less than a minute remaining. The Lady Blazers won. 69-64.
She followed that performance up with a 19-point, six-rebound and five-steal showing on the road versus Albany State.
Williams also put in 13 points with six assists in a hotly contested GSC victory over Alabama-Huntsville, connecting on the game-winning field goal with 20 seconds remaining.
“I’m going to do whatever it takes,” Williams said. “If it is going to take me to hit the clutch shot, I’ll take the clutch shot.”
Two days later, Williams scored 15 points and hauled in eight rebounds, and dished out four assists, while recording four steals in the 51-40 win over Shorter.
Throughout the stretch, Williams proved to be Valdosta State’s go-to player at the end of the game.
For the season, Williams is averaging a team high 14.4 points with 5.9 rebounds and 2.9 assists per game. She has already surpassed her freshman season in points and rebounds.
Williams will look to lead VSU against West Georgia and West Alabama on the road this week. The Lady Blazers are 9-3 on the season.
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VSU’s Williams named GSC Player of the Week
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