INDIANAPOLIS (USBWA) – Eric Demers of Gordon College (Wenham, Mass.) and Alexis Jones of Augustana College (Rock Island, Ill.) were named the U.S. Basketball Writers Association Division III National Players of the Week for the week ending December 15.

Demers, a 6-1 senior guard from Acushnet, Mass., produced a pair of 40-point performances for the Fighting Scots (5-4) last week. In a 76-73 overtime loss to then-No. 17 (D3hoops.com) Nichols on Tuesday, Demers scored 49 points (third-highest in NCAA Division III this season) and added 10 rebounds and a block. Then, in Saturday's 99-90 loss to Plymouth State, he totaled 42 points, five rebounds and two steals. For the week, Demers averaged 45.5 ppg, 7.5 rpg, 1.0 spg, and 0.5 bpg while shooting 53.3 percent (32-of-60) from the field, 90 percent (9-of-10) from the line and 50 percent (18-of-36) from three-point range. He currently leads all NCAA divisions in scoring (33.9 ppg) and three-pointers (5.67 per game). Demers, who reached the 2,000-point plateau on Saturday and is now Gordon's all-time leading scorer (2,016), was also named the Commonwealth Coast Conference (CAC) Player of the Week.

Jones, a 5-7 senior guard from Chicago, Ill., filled up the box score in the Vikings' lone contest last week. Facing then-No. 22 (D3hoops.com) Illinois Wesleyan, she totaled 24 points, 14 rebounds, five assists, and six steals as Augustana improved to 6-5 with its 86-80 victory. Jones shot 10-of-17 from the field and 4-of-5 from the free throw line. She posted a double-double in the second half alone, recording 18 points (including 8-of-11 shooting from the floor) and collecting 10 rebounds as the Vikings held off the Titans. For her outstanding performance, Jones was also named the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin (CCIW) Player of the Week.

Each Tuesday, the USBWA is selecting men's and women's Division III National Players of the Week. This is the sixth season that the USBWA will recognize national players of the week from Division III.

The U.S. Basketball Writers Association was formed in 1956 at the urging of then-NCAA Executive Director Walter Byers. With some 900 members worldwide, it is one of the most influential organizations in college basketball. It has selected an All-America team since the 1956-57 season. For more information on the USBWA and its award programs, contact executive director Malcolm Moran at 814-574-1485.

2019-20 USBWA Division III National Players of the Week
• Week ending Nov. 10: Nate Schimonitz, Nebraska Wesleyan University and Tessa Zamolyi, Misericordia University
• Week ending Nov. 17: Jake Ross, Springfield College and Leah Porath, University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh
• Week ending Nov. 24: Matthew Mancuso, University of Scranton and Katelyn Pickunka, Smith College
• Week ending Dec. 1: Hunter Martineau, Hilbert College and Sydney Kopp, DePauw University
• Week ending Dec. 8: Jared Wagner, York College and Amina Wiley, Mitchell College
• Week ending Dec. 15: Eric Demers, Gordon College and Alexis Jones, Augustana College
• Week ending Jan. 5: Tyler Frederick, La Roche University and Katie Garrish, Southern Virginia University
• Week ending Jan. 12: Chris LaBelle, Centenary University and Olivia Nagy, John Carroll University
• Week ending Jan. 19: Sam Jefferson, Colby College and Dejah Terrell, Albright College
• Week ending Jan. 26: Nate West, LeTourneau University and Taite Anderson, Bethel University
• Week ending Feb. 2: Brian Cameron, Wesley College and Abbey Lawrence, Case Western Reserve University
• Week ending Feb. 9: Jake Ross, Springfield College and Katie McShea, Marymount University
• Week ending Feb. 16: Isaiah Brown, SUNY Potsdam and Yuleska Ramirez-Tejeda, Emmanuel College
• Week ending Feb. 23: Nate West, LeTourneau University and Shyla Osmond, Albertus Magnus College
• Week ending March 1: Gabriel Leifer, Yeshiva University and Kelly Williams, Randolph-Macon College