Gonzaga’s Braden Huff earns second WCC Freshman of Week honor

Braden Huff, Gonzaga’s breakout redshirt freshman forward, was named the West Coast Conference Freshman of the Week after nearly securing his first college double-double in the Bulldogs’ 100-76 nonconference win over Jackson State on Dec. 20.

It’s the second time Huff has been named freshman of the week this season – he also earned the award on Dec. 4 – and the fourth time a Gonzaga player has been honored by the conference inside the first seven weeks of the season.

Senior forward Anton Watson and junior point guard Ryan Nembhard were named WCC Player of the Week in consecutive weeks on Nov. 27 and Dec. 4.

Huff struggled during Gonzaga’s 76-63 loss to UConn at Seattle’s Climate Pledge Arena, scoring just one point on 0-for-4 shooting from the field, but the Illinois native rebounded to total 17 points and nine rebounds in a blowout win against Jackson State.

The 6-foot-10 forward made 7 of 9 shots from the field and went 3 of 7 from the free-throw line while finishing one rebound shy of his first double-double in a Zags uniform. Huff also tacked on two blocked shots and one steal.

Huff has scored 17 points or more in five games this season. He’s averaged 17.8 points per game in GU’s home games against Yale, Eastern Oregon, Cal State Bakersfield, Arkansas-Pine Bluff, Mississippi Valley State and Jackson State.

Huff’s averaging 11.3 points and 4.5 rebounds while shooting 63% from the field and 40% from the free-throw line. Huff, Watson and fellow forward Ben Gregg are the only Zags shooting better than 40% from behind the arc.

San Francisco’s Malik Thomas was named WCC Player of the Week after hitting his career high in consecutive games, scoring 19 points in a 91-52 victory over Northern Arizona and 22 points in a 77-57 win over Fresno State.