Now that the 2008-09 Hofstra Men’s Basketball regular season is done, the Pride knows that it will go as far as its best player, Super Sophomore Charles Jenkins, will take it.
Notice to the rest of the CAA for the upcoming CAA Tournament in Richmond, VA next weekend: Jenkins might be peaking at just the right time to carry the Pride pretty far.
One week after earning the CAA’s sole Player Of The Week award on February 23rd, Jenkins was named the Co-CAA Player Of The Week along with Delaware’s Marc Egerson, on Monday, March 2nd, after averaging 27.0 points, 5.5 assists, and 3.0 steals in two games last week.
In a 76-55 Hofstra loss at Georgia State on February 25th, Jenkins was the only Pride player to score in double figures, posting 19 points, making 7 of 15 shots from the field and 5 of 7 free throws, while adding 3 assists and a steal.
Three days later, Jenkins scored a career-high against North Carolina-Wilmington for the second time this season, pouring in a game-high 35 points, to lead Hofstra to a thrilling 88-81 overtime victory at home. Jenkins made 11 of 18 field goal attempts (including 2 of 4 from three-point range) and 11 of 13 foul shots, while dishing out 8 assists, committing just 2 turnovers, grabbing 4 rebounds, and getting a game-high 5 steals. Jenkins scored 6 points during a decisive 8-0 Hofstra run to end the game. The run started with a tough driving shot off the glass that put the Pride ahead to stay, 82-81, with 1:31 left in the game, and was capped with four Jenkins free throws in the final minute.
It was the third CAA Player Of The Week award of the season for the star guard who won four CAA Rookie Of The Week awards en route to being named the CAA Rookie Of The Year a season ago.