After performing consistently strong for his team in past encounters, and hitting a round-high 27 points in the field, Ipswich’s Alex Desroches has taken out the men’s Player of the Week award for Round 8. Desroches led the way for his team in their 84-61 defeat over South West Metro on Saturday, missing just two of his 12 attempts in the field for an enviable 83.3% hit rate, and 75% at the foul line. He also brought in six rebounds and four steals in the win, which saw him hit nine points in the second quarter to help the Force push out their four-point lead at the start of the quarter to go into halftime up by 15 points, and subsequently hold a strong lead for the remainder of the match to take the 23-point win, Ipswich’s third victory for the season. The six-foot-four Canadian import has proved to be a valuable asset for Ipswich in his first season with the team, pulling solid performances in a team that is still finding its feet with a new-look line-up. Desroches currently sits on an average of 19.8 points at 49.7% in the field and 61.4% at the free-throw line per game, in addition to averages of 10.8 rebounds, 1.7 assists and 1.2 blocks per game. He is currently ranked fifth in the league for rebounds, with a total of 32 offensive and 65 defensive rebounds this season. The guard came into the side this year following a season playing in Coffs Harbour, and was recruited to the Ipswich team with the help of his Canadian links to new Force coach Andrew Summerville. Desroches’ college career at the University of New Brunswick saw him average 15.7 points and 8.6 rebounds per game in his final year. Desroches was named Defensive Player of the Grand Final for the Coffs Harbour Suns in his team’s 91-61 win over Tamworth in the 2012 Warratah League championship match, and he was ranked fourth in the league during the season in top points scorers, with a total of 339 points for the season, and an average of 26.08 points per game. Other strong performers this week include Mackay Meteors’ Damon Heuir, who hit 21 points against Bundaberg and 18 points at 72.7% in the field in the win over Gladstone, while team-mate Jacob Holmes was also strong in his first outings for Mackay with 13 points and 11 rebounds against Bundy and 19 points, 14 rebounds, seven assists and five steals against Gladstone. Zarryon Fereti was solid in defeat for Bundaberg with 25 points against Mackay, and 26 points against Rockhampton.