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The Inside Stuff Funk Receives Patriot League Player of the Week Nod

Charles Grevious

Moderator
Moderator
Dec 23, 2009
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CENTER VALLEY, Pa. – Tommy Funk of the Army West Point men’s basketball team was named the Patriot League Player of the Week for the fourth time this season.

The Warrington, Pa., native becomes the first cadet since Jarell Brown ’08 to receive player of the week recognition from the league four times in the same year. Funk and fellow senior captain Matt Wilson have now combined for five player of the week honors this season, marking the most by an Army squad in a single season since the 2007-08 campaign.

Funk was stellar in a 1-1 week for the Black Knights, averaging 24.5 points, 8.0 assists and 5.0 rebounds per game while shooting 39 percent from the field and 36 percent from long range. The senior played a full 40 minutes in a Wednesday game against Loyola and the full 45 minutes in an overtime win versus Navy on Saturday, but he only turned the ball over twice while handing out 16 total assists (8.0 assist-to-turnover ratio).

In a midweek tilt opposite the Greyhounds, he shot 7-of-19 from the field and 3-of-10 from long range on his way to a 17-point outing. He dished out a game-high nine assists and recorded just one turnover to go along with three rebounds. In that contest Funk extended his double-digit scoring streak to 22 games, which was the longest single-season double-digit streak in program history since Army Hall of Famer Kevin Houston ’87 did it in 29 straight games as a senior.

Funk then led the Black Knights to a thrilling 86-75 overtime win versus rival Navy on Saturday. He recorded the second 30-point game of his career after tallying 32 in the scoring column. His efforts helped Army sweep Navy in the regular season for the first time since the 2011-12 campaign. Against the Mids, he went 10-of-25 from the field, 5-of-12 from deep and 7-of-10 from the foul line. He reeled in seven rebounds and handed out seven helpers while turning the ball over once in a full 45 minutes of play.

Eight of his 32 points came in the overtime period, where Army outscored Navy, 17-6. It marked the third time in his career that he had double-digit makes in a game. Funk moved into the top-10 in program history in career points and took sole possession of seventh in career steals at Army after recording one takeaway versus the Mids. He became the first cadet to post two 30-point performances in the same season since Kyle Wilson ’16 did it twice as a junior in 2014-15. Funk has now handed out five or more assists in 12 straight games.

Funk and the Black Knights return to action on Wednesday night when they host Holy Cross for a 7 p.m. Patriot League tilt.

Courtesy of Army West Point Athletics Communications
 
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