Jan. 3, 2012
CHICAGO - Ben Averkamp (Germantown, Wis./Germantown), Walt Gibler (Cincinnati, Ohio/St. Xavier) and Troy Hambric (Detroit, Mich./Detroit Country Day), have been named Loyola University Chicago's Athletes of the Month for the month of December, it was announced today. Averkamp and Gibler shared the men's award, while Hambric was named female athlete of the month.
Averkamp, a 6-foot-8 junior forward, tallied 17.0 points, 7.4 rebounds. 1.4 assists, 1.0 blocks and 0.9 steals in nine December outings. Twice named to the Jesuit Men's Basketball Honor Roll in December, Averkamp scored 20 or more points on five occasions, and hit the game-winning shot at the buzzer as part of a career-best, 31-point performance in a 57-55 win at Toledo on December 10. Averkamp registered a pair of double-doubles in December and closed out the month with 20 points and 11 boards against Detroit.
This season, he is posting team highs of 15.0 ppg and 7.1 rpg and is one of only two players to rank among the top five in the Horizon League in both scoring and rebounding through games of December 31.
Gibler had an equally impressive December, scoring in double digits in each of his eight appearances and totaling 16.0 ppg, 8.3 rpg and 1.3 apg, while shooting 55 percent (39 for 71) from the field. The senior forward recorded three double-doubles in December and scored a personal-best 29 points against city rival DePaul on December 7. He also tossed in 17 points and gathered a career-high 12 rebounds in a win at Canisius on December 22. Gibler is closing in on both the 1,000-point and 500-rebound marks for his career and is on pace to become the 18th player in Loyola history to record both 1,000 points and 500 rebounds.
The Cincinnati native is averaging 13.5 ppg and 6.9 rpg this season.
Hambric scored in double figures six times in seven contests in December, averaging 12.1 ppg, 8.0 rpg, 1.3 apg, 1.0 bpg and 1.3 spg per game, while shooting 54 percent (37 for 69) from the field. She recorded her first career double-double by producing 16 points and a career-high 15 rebounds in Loyola's victory over Nebraska-Omaha on December 18.
In a hard-fought, 70-65 loss to No. 22 DePaul on December 3, Hambric totaled 16 points and six rebounds, and also managed 16 points and eight boards in a victory over Milwaukee in the Horizon League opener for both teams on December 29.
For the season, Hambric is contributing 10.8 ppg and a team-high 7.2 rpg. The Rambler women are back in action later this week when they host Wright State (Jan. 5) and Detroit (Jan. 7).
