HELENA -- Montana Tech senior Ethan Venema landed the Erck Hotels/Frontier Conference men's basketball defensive player of the week award, the conference office announced Tuesday.
Venema, a forward from Manhattan, collected 12 rebounds and blocked three shots to help the Orediggers to a pair of victories in last week's Best Western Tip Off Classic at home.
He began the weekend with four points, seven rebounds, three blocks, and two assists as Montana Tech rolled over Westcliff, 77-53.
Venema followed that with nine points, five boards, and two assists in the Orediggers' 94-77 defeat of Lewis-Clark State.
The senior currently leads the Montana Tech team in rebounding at 6.3 per game and blocked shots with six through the season's first four contests.
It's the first weekly conference award of Venema's three-year Oredigger career.
He and the Montana Tech men, which received votes in the NAIA's preseason coaches' poll and sport a 4-0 record, will remain home in out-of-conference play this week as Stanton visits Valley Bank Arena for a 6 p.m. tip Friday.
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