Temple University Athletics
Dionte Christmas Named ESPN.com National Player of the Week
12.14.08 | Men's Basketball
Dec. 14, 2008
PHILADELPHIA - Temple University All-America candidate Dionte Christmas has been named ESPN.com's National Player of the Week for the week ending December 13. Christmas also was named Atlantic 10 Conference Co-Player of the Week and Philadelphia Big 5 Player of the Week. It is the ninth A-10 Player of the Week honor of his career, the most by a Temple player and tying him with Marcus Camby (UMass, 1994-96) for third most in league history.
Christmas, who shares the honor with senior guard Aaron Jackson of Duquesne, scored a season-high 35 points to lead the Owls to an 88-72 upset of #8/8 Tennessee Saturday afternoon in a nationally-televised (ESPN) game at the Liacouras Center. The Philadelphia native shot 12-of-22 from the field, including seven-of-14 from behind three-point range. He also added three steals, two rebounds and two assists. The two-time A-10 scoring champion tallied 30 of his points after intermission, and, during one stretch, drained three consecutive treys, to help extend a four-point lead to 67-52. His seven three-pointers matched his highest output from behind the arc.
The 6-5 senior guard, who is looking to become the first player in A-10 history to win three consecutive scoring titles, tops the conference at 21.0 points per game. He also leads the league with a 3.63 three-point made per game average. With his 35 points, he passed Bill Mlkvy (1,539 points, 1949-52) and John Baum (1,544, 1966-69) and is currently in 1,549 points to rank 12th all-time in Temple history.
