Mbakop Ngassam voted RRAC Player of the Week; runner-up for state award

NEW ORLEANS — Xavier University of Louisiana’s O.C. Mbakop Ngassam was selected Red River Athletic Conference Player of the Week in women’s basketball for Jan. 24-30.

Mbakop Ngassam, a 6-foot-2 fifth-year center from Yaounde, Cameroon, and a graduate of Roane State (Tennessee) Junior College, averaged 15.7 points, 12 rebounds and three blocks during the Gold Nuggets’ 3-0 week — all RRAC victories. Mbakop Ngassam had career highs of 27 points and 18 rebounds Thursday in an 86-83 overtime home victory Thursday against Texas College, and she tied her career high of six blocks in a 61-58 home decision against Jarvis Christian.

The weekly award is the first of Mbakop Ngassam’s XULA career. She is XULA’s first weekly winner in this sport since teammate Victory Udechi was honored twice in the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference — XULA’s previous league — during the first half of the 2020-21 season.

Mbakop Ngassam was the runner-up in voting for another award announced Monday: Louisiana Player of the Week. Louisiana-Lafayette’s Ty’Reona Doucet was that honoree.

The Gold Nuggets — 12-5 overall, 7-1 in the RRAC and winner of its last six games — will play two RRAC opponents this week at XULA’s Convocation Center: LSU-Alexandria at 5:30 p.m. Thursday and LSU-Shreveport at 2 p.m. Saturday.