| 02-03 Players of
the Week
Romero “KCAC Player of the Week,” again! Jan 20, 2003
McPherson College junior forward Kenny Romero was named the KCAC (Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference) men’s basketball “Players of the Week” for the second consecutive week following the Bulldogs’ three-game sweep of Central Christian, Kansas Wesleyan, and Sterling in which he averaged 24.7 points and 12.7 rebounds a game.
“I really am pleased for Kenny,” said McPherson head coach Roger Trimmell. “He was very deserving of the honor again this week, but you never know how those things will go after he won it the week ago.”
Romero, who was named the “KCAC Player-of-the-Week” a week earlier as the Bulldogs were beginning their current five-game win-streak, began his week with 15 points, 6 rebounds, an assist and a block as the Bulldogs’ knocked off cross-town rival, Central Christian College, 70-59, on Monday (January 13).
But, that was just a warm-up for Romero’s “career night” performance last Thursday (January 16) against Kansas Wesleyan. With a 13-point, 14-rebound double-double already in his pocket at halftime, he wasn’t about to back off. Just missing another 20-minute, double-double (21 points, 9 rebounds in the second half), Romero finished the evening with 34 points, 23 rebounds, plus came away with 3 steals, an assist and a block as he carried the Bulldogs to an 82-66 win over the Coyotes.
“Kenny was a MAN!” gusted McPherson coach Roger Trimmell after seeing Romero’s stat line following the Bulldogs’ win at Kansas Wesleyan. “We’ve had some good players come through McPherson, like Jonathan Coachman (two-time KCAC Player of the Year in 1994 and 1995) and Josh Alexander (NAIA first team All-American in 2000), but I don’t think I’ve ever seen a player put up a line like he (Romero) did tonight.”
Then on Saturday (January 18), he finished off his week with 25 points, 9 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 block, and a steal in leading McPherson to a 64-55 win over Sterling, which had entered the contest tied for second in the KCAC race.
Romero, who is averaging 14.2 points and 7.9 rebounds per game for the 2002-2003 season, currently stands fourth in the KCAC in rebounding and eighth in total field goal percentage at 52.1%. After being slowed the first two months of the 2002-2003 season by an nagging injury to his shooting hand, Romero has averaged 20.7 points, 9.6 rebounds, and shot 57.7% from the floor in the Bulldogs’ seven games since the holiday break. “I believe Kenny is almost back to his old self,” said McPherson College head men’s coach Roger Trimmell regarding Romero’s injury and the fact that Romero was the named the KCAC “Freshman of the Year” in 2001 as well as to the All-KCAC first team that season.
“It is good to see Kenny start playing again like we know he can,” said Trimmell. “It was frustrating for him early when he was having trouble passing, catching, and shooting the ball. It’s a tough game to play when you can’t do those things, but Kenny has persisted and worked his way through it.”
A graduate of East High School in Pueblo, Colorado, Romero is majoring in physical education and sociology at McPherson College. He is the son of Bernadette McKeehan and Kenneth Romero, Sr., of Pueblo, Colo.
Romero named “KCAC Player of the Week” Jan 13, 2003
Romero, a graduate of East High School in Pueblo, Colorado, had 21 points, 6 rebounds, 2 assists, and a steal in the Bulldogs’ 92-62 win over Saint Mary College of Leavenworth (Kans.) on Thursday, before coming back on Saturday with 15 points, 7 rebounds, 3 steals, and an assist to lead a balanced McPherson attack against Friends University. For the week, he shot 76.2% from the floor, including a 6 for 6 field goal performance in the first half against Friends, while averaging 18.0 points a game. The two wins broke a six-game Bulldog, losing streak and raised the Dogs’ season record to 6-9 overall, 2-4 in the KCAC.
Romero, who was the named the KCAC “Freshman of the Year” as well as to the All-KCAC first team in 2001, had been slowed the first two months of the 2002-2003 season by an nagging injury to his shooting hand. “I believe Kenny is almost back to his old self,” said McPherson College head men’s coach Roger Trimmell regarding Romero’s injury.
On the season, Romero is seventh among conference rebounders (7.0 rebounds per game), and ninth in total field goal percentage (50.6%) while averaging 12.1 points.
“It is good to see Kenny start playing again like we know he can,” said Trimmell. “It was frustrating for him early when he was having trouble passing, catching, and shooting the ball. It’s a tough game to play when you can’t do those things, but Kenny has persisted and worked his way through it.”
“We have a couple more players that can score this year, and that has taken some of the (offensive) pressure off Kenny. But, for us to be successful as a team night in and night out, we need to see those kind of numbers from him.”
“Kenny had some injury and academic problems last year, but he has shown real maturity in buckling down and taking care of things both on and off the court. We really pleased to see him rewarded this way for his efforts.”
A physical education/sociology major at McPherson College, Kenny is the son of Bernadette McKeehan and Kenneth Romero, Sr., of Pueblo, Colo.
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