PADONOU EARNS MAINE ROOKIE OF THE WEEK HONORS, DUTILLE NAMED TO ECAC HONOR ROLL
 

LEWISTON, Maine -- Bates College first-year forward Rommel Padonou of Libreville, Gabon, has earned Maine Rookie of the Week honors from the Maine College Basketball Coaches and Writers and Association (MCBCWA) for the week of Feb. 8.

Padonou averaged 23.7 points and seven rebounds per game in an 0-3 week for the Bobcats while shooting 56 percent form the field (28 of 50). Padonou scored a career-high 26 points and grabbed nine rebounds at UMaine Farmington Feb. 2. He scored 23 points and collected seven boards against Wesleyan University Feb. 6, and had 22 points on 10 for 15 shooting Feb. 7 against Connecticut College, the fifth-ranked team in New England.

Padonou, who was also named to the ECAC Weekly Honor Roll leads the Bobcats in scoring at 17.8 points per game, the fourth-best average in the New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC). Since returning two weeks ago from an ankle injury that kept him out of three games, the Bobcats' offense has improved by more than six points per game.

"Rommel is an exciting player with a lot of potential," first-year head coach Joe Reilly said. "He is the kind of player you can build a team around."

Padonou hails from Gabon on the west coast of Africa. He first came to the United States as a part of the World Scholar-Athlete Games, hosted by the Institute for International Sports in Kingston, R.I., and headed by Bates alumnus Dan Doyle '72. The staff of the World Scholar-Athlete Games recommended Padonou highly to coach Reilly, who has been pleased with the way the 6-4 forward has performed. Padonou, who can speak seven languages, including four African dialects is "a student-athlete in every sense of the word," Reilly said. "He is a very hard worker, on the court and in the classroom. Rommel is improving every day and he has a tremendous work ethic and positive attitude to go with his talent."

Padonou is a 1997 graduate of Lycee National Leon MBA. He is the son of Zeze Woka Albertine.

Bates College first-year center Katy Dutille of Lebanon, N.H., has been named to the Eastern College Athletic Association (ECAC) Weekly Honor Roll for the week of Feb. 8.

Dutille averaged 15 points 6.3 rebounds per game for the 14-3 Bobcats in a 2-1 week. On Feb. 2 at UMaine-Farmington, the 6-0 Dutille led all players with 20 points and nine rebounds, shooting nine for 19 from the floor in a 62 54 Bates defeat. She had nine points and five rebounds in a 77-55 win at Wesleyan University Feb. 6 and shot seven for 11 from the floor en route to 16 points and five rebounds Feb. 7 at Connecticut College.

Dutille, with 11.4 points per game, is one of four Bates regulars averaging double figures. Coach Jim Murphy's team was ranked fourth in the most recent New England Women's Basketball Association (NEWBA) NCAA Northeast region polls.

"Katy has performed so well as a rookie," Murphy said. "She has raised the level of her game and exceeded expectations to earn a starting role."

Dutille is a 1997 graduate of Lebanon High School. She is the daughter of Jim and Cindy Dutille.