Valerie Nainima Breaks Northeast Conference Record With Ninth Choice Hotels/NEC Rookie of the Week Award

2/12/07 -- For a record-breaking ninth time this season, freshman Fijian phenom Valerie Nainima (Suva, Fiji) garnered Choice Hotels Northeast Conference Rookie of the Week honors. Nainima’s nine awards surpass the previous mark of eight set by former Blackbird Kim Mac Millan during the 1999-2000 season.

In Long Island’s lone game last week, a 58-47 win over Monmouth on Feb. 10, Nainima netted a game-high 19 points to mark the 16th time she has led her team in scoring this season. She shot 8-for-18 from the floor, including a trifecta of three-pointers.

One of those threes came following a brilliant no-look, half-court pass. Nainima broke out of Monmouth’s full court press and, looking to her left, fired a pass to the right wing to Marquita Thompson.

Nainima sold the fake to Connie James on the left wing so well that Thompson almost didn’t see the ball until it was in her hands. Thompson passed right back to Nainima, who banged home a trey that put the game out of reach for Monmouth, at 46-27. Nainima added five rebounds, four steals and three assists as the Blackbirds won their 12th game in a row.

At 19-5 (12-1 NEC), Long Island has equaled its program record for wins in a season, matching the 1976-77 squad that finished 19-4. The Blackbirds have also won 11 straight games on their home court and will look to extend that streak tonight when they host Central Connecticut State at 7:00 p.m.