NEC MEN'S BASKETBALL CO-PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
Keith Braxton, Saint Francis U
6’5”, 208 lbs.
Jr., G, Glassboro, NJ/Delsea (Lawrenceville School)
Braxton led first place Saint Francis U to a pair of key wins over fellow NEC contenders last week, averaging 16.0 points, 10.0 rebounds, 5.5 assists and 2.5 steals in the process. He shot 55.0 percent from the field and 55.6 percent three-point range as the Red Flash assumed a two-game lead in the standings. Braxton did it all in Thursday’s 87-62 win at FDU, finishing with 21 points, eight rebounds, five assists and four steals. The Glassboro, NJ product hit 4-6 from outside the arc and was 8-13 overall from the floor. Two nights later, he posted his league-leading tenth double-double of the year with 11 points, 12 rebounds and six assists as SFU edged Robert Morris, 72-69, in Loretto. Braxton, who has won three NEC Player of the Week honors this year, paces the conference with 9.9 rpg, and also ranks sixth in scoring (16.4) and assists (4.0), and second in steals (1.7).
Glenn Sanabria, St. Francis Brooklyn
5’11”, 180 lbs.
Sr., G, Staten Island, NY/Saint Peter’s
Sanabria was in top form last week in helping spark St. Francis Brooklyn to a pair of wins that moved the Terriers into a tie for second place in the conference. The graduate student from Staten Island caught fire from three-point range, shooting 61.5 percent from distance, while hitting at a 57.1 percent clip from the floor. Sanabria averaged 21.0 points, 4.0 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 3.0 steals in a terrific all-around week. He was named MVP of the Battle of Brooklyn after finishing with 17 points (4-6 3P), five boards, three assists and three steals in a 83-76 win over LIU Brooklyn. Sanabria poured in a season-high 25 points on 9-13 shooting, and added three assists and three steals in SFBK’s 90-79 win over CCSU on Saturday. He ranks second on the Terriers with 12.8 ppg and is averaging 14.5 ppg in league play.
NEC MEN'S BASKETBALL ROOKIE OF THE WEEK
Vado Morse, Mount St. Mary’s
6’0”, 155 lbs.
Fr., G, Suitland, MD/Bullis School
Morse moved into a tie for sixth place on the league’s all-time list with his sixth NEC Rookie of the Week award of the 2018-19 campaign. He averaged 22.0 points, 3.0 rebounds and 4.0 assists, while shooting 80.0 percent from the line. Morse scored 21 points on just eight shots and added four assists in Thursday’s 76-62 win over Robert Morris at Knott Arena. He came back with 23 points and four dimes in a 58-56 setback to Wagner on Saturday. In that game, the Suitland, MD native drilled a three-pointer with 5.5 seconds remaining to knot the score. Morse is the NEC’s top-scoring freshman and 11th overall with 14.6 ppg. The Mount has collected NEC rookie accolades in 10-of-15 weeks this season.
NEC PRIME PERFORMERS
Adam Grant (BRY, Jr, G)
Grant exploded for 29.5 ppg on 56.7 percent shooting from the floor and 52.4 percent from long range, where he hit 11-21. The junior added 4.5 apg. Grant hit 6-9 from three-point territory and matched his career-high with 32 points and seven assists against Sacred Heart on Thursday. Grant lifted his season scoring average to 15.4 ppg, ninth in the NEC.
SaBastian Townes (BRY, Jr, F)
Townes comes off a terrific week that saw him average 25.0 ppg, 3.5 rpg and 3.0 apg for the Bulldogs. He was a red-hot 61.3 percent from the field and made 5-10 from three-point land. Townes drained 10-13 shots as part of a 27-point, five-assist night vs. Sacred Heart last Thursday.
Tyler Kohl (CCSU, Sr, G/F)
Kohl contributed 22.0 ppg, 7.5 rpg and 2.5 apg last week for CCSU. He scored his 1,000th career point at SFBK on Saturday, finishing with a game-high 26 to go along with 10 rebounds in his seventh double-double effort of the year. Kohl remains in the NEC top-10 in scoring (18.8, second), rebounding (7.2, fifth), assists (4.6, fourth) and steals (1.4, eighth).
Darnell Edge (FDU, Sr, G)
Edge caught fire from three-point range, making 9-10 in a split for the Knights. He recorded 20.0 ppg on 63.6 shooting, highlighted by a career-high 32-point outing in Saturday’s win over Bryant. He hit 7-8 from outside the arc and 11-14 overall against the Bulldogs. Edge is fifth in the NEC in scoring (16.6) and leads the league in three-point accuracy (.469).
Ty Flowers (LIU, R-So, F)
Flowers was in the zone last week, averaging 23.0 ppg on 67.9 percent shooting, including an 80.0 percent mark from three-point range, where he sank 8-10 in LIU’s split. He added 4.5 rpg, 3.0 bpg and 2.5 spg. Flowers keyed LIU’s victory over Sacred Heart on Saturday with 24 points (4-5 3P), five blocks and three steals. Flowers is second on the Blackbirds with 14.2 ppg.
Vado Morse (MSM, Fr, G)
In taking home his sixth NEC Rookie of the Week award, Morse put up 22.0 ppg, 3.0 rpg and 4.0 apg in the Mount’s home split. He led all scorers with 21 points on just eight shots in Thursday’s win over RMU. Morse is the leading freshman scorer on the circuit and ranks 11th overall with 14.6 ppg.
Sean Hoehn (SHU, Sr, G)
It was another stellar week for Hoehn, who paced the Pioneer attack with 26.0 ppg, while also contributing 4.0 rpg and 3.5 apg. He shot 48.6 percent, hit at a 53.3 percent clip from downtown and made all 10 of his free throws. Hoehn scored a game-high 33 points and made 6-9 triples as the Pios edged Bryant on Thursday. The senior is the NEC’s third-leading point producer at 18.0 ppg.
Glenn Sanabria (SFBK, Gr, G)
Sanabria elevated his game in a 2-0 week for the Terriers, averaging 21.0 ppg, 4.0 rpg, 3.0 apg and 3.0 spg to earn NEC Co-Player of the Week honors. He made 57.7 percent of his shots from the floor and went 8-13 (.615) from outside the arc. Sanabria was at his best in Saturday’s win over CCSU, going for 25 points on 9-13 shooting. He also earned MVP honors of the Battle of Brooklyn on Thursday. He upped his season average to 12.8 ppg.
Keith Braxton (SFU, Jr, G)
Braxton did it all once again in a Red Flash sweep with 16.0 ppg, 10.0 rpg, 5.5 apg and 2.5 spg. He sank 5-9 (.556) from distance and converted 55.0 percent from the field. The NEC Co-Player of the Week notched 21 points, eight rebounds, five assists and four steals in Thursday’s road win at FDU. Braxton remains the league leader with 9.9 rpg, to go along with 16.4 ppg (sixth), 4.0 apg (sixth) and 1.7 spg (second).
Jamaal King (SFU, Sr, G)
King averaged 19.0 ppg on efficient 52.0 percent shooting and shot 81.8 percent from the stripe in SFU’s 2-0 week. He tossed in 2.5 apg and 2.5 spg for good measure. King earned game-high honors with 23 points in Saturday’s rivalry win over RMU. The senior ranks 10th in the conference with 15.2 ppg.
TOP STORYLINES FROM AROUND #NECMBB
Here’s all you need to know from the 15th week of the 2018-19 season...
FLASH TAKE CONTROL, BATTLE LINES DRAWN IN NEC STANDINGS
With two weeks to go, there are more questions than answers when it comes to the NEC regular season hoops race.
One thing we know for sure is that Saint Francis U has ascended like a lightning bolt to the top of the league standings.
Following a middling 3-4 start to NEC play, the preseason favorites have won seven straight - the tenth-longest current streak in the nation - clinched an NEC playoff spot and look like every bit the championship contender.
Last week, the Red Flash posted an impressive 87-62 win at FDU, then came home and completed a season sweep of western PA rival Robert Morris with a tightly contested 72-69 victory.
While SFU holds a two-game lead in the standings, a five-car pileup has clogged up second place.
When Saturday’s games ended, Fairleigh Dickinson, Robert Morris, Sacred Heart, St. Francis Brooklyn and Wagner all found themselves tied for the second spot at 8-6 with four games remaining.
How fast can things change? In a span of 48 hours, SFBK and WC both moved from fifth to second place.
This season could be just the second in league history that the second place team will suffer more than six losses. FDU, SHU and SFBK all tied for second with 11-7 marks in 2015-16.
With all the parity, it should make for a fantastic race for one of the four quarterfinal home games.
LIU Brooklyn separated itself from CCSU and Bryant with Saturday’s win over Sacred Heart, and now sits alone in seventh with a 6-8 record.
The Blue Devils and Bulldogs are tied for eighth at 5-9 with Mount St. Mary’s a game back at 4-10 as all 10 teams remain alive for one of the eight playoff spots.
POINTS-A-PLENTY & SUPERLATIVES PLENTIFUL IN BRYANT-SHU CLASH
If you love scoring and red-hot shooting, Bryant and Sacred Heart delivered a Valentine's Day special last Thursday.
The basketball must have seemed 10 feet wide for the two teams, who combined for 209 points in a 105-104 thriller in Smithfield.
Sacred Heart trailed by as many as 16 points in the second half before rallying for the win behind 33 points from senior guard Sean Hoehn (Morristown, NJ/Morristown (St. Thomas More)), who hit 6-9 shots from long range and dropped in the go-ahead bucket with 12 seconds to play. Hoehn was matched shot-for-shot by Bryant junior guard Adam Grant (Franklin, VA/Norfolk Collegiate School), who finished with 32 points, seven assists and also drained 6-9 from downtown.
The game wound up being the highest scoring regulation NEC game in nearly 14 years. You have to go all the way back to February 21, 2005 when St. Francis Brooklyn outlasted FDU, 110-103, to find one with a higher combined total.
Counting overtime games, it was the most points since - you guessed it - Sacred Heart edged Bryant in triple overtime, 112-110, in the same Chace Center on January 14, 2017. In that one, Grant hit a host of clutch shots from distance en route to an NEC freshman record nine three-pointers and 32 points.
Bryant shot 69.2 percent in the game last Thursday, the highest percentage in an NEC game in nearly 21 years. FDU shot 70.5 percent in an 89-73 win over Robert Morris on February 26, 1998. The NEC record is 72.9 percent by Monmouth in an 89-80 victory over LIU Brooklyn on January 30, 1988.
The Bulldogs’ 69.2 success rate from the floor is the fifth-best in the nation this season, the third-best in games vs. DI opponents and the highest in any conference game. Only Xavier (.714 vs. EKU on 12/15) and Iowa State (.702 vs. Southern on 12/9) shot better in DI games.
Bryant shot 79.3 percent (23-29) from two-point range, the most prolific mark in a conference game dating back to when CCSU shot 80.0 percent against the Bulldogs on January 13, 2018.
Bryant’s 81.7 effective field goal percentage was the best by an NEC team dating back to at least the 2002-03 season.
The Bulldogs also scored 1.465 points per possession, the 13th-highest in a DI game in 2018-19. SHU wasn’t far behind at 1.438 ppp.
Sacred Heart's 17 three-pointers were the most in an NEC outing since Mount St. Mary's drilled 17 against Bryant on Valentine’s Day in 2013. In that game, the Mount’s Sam Prescott hit 10 from distance and finished with 44 points.
Sacred Heart is also one of 19 teams across the nation this season to hit at least 17 three-pointers while shooting at least 53 percent from three-point range in a game this season.
The two teams combined to hit 30 three-pointers at a 54.5 percent success rate. The 30 triples were the most in an NEC game since LIU and Monmouth combined for 36 in the Blackbirds’ 112-92 victory on February 21, 1998.
KOHL IS NEWEST ADDITION TO NEC 1K CLUB
The NEC inducted an 11th active player to its 1,000-point club when CCSU senior guard/forward Tyler Kohl (Allentown, PA/Mineral Area College) reached the milestone last week.
Needing less than two seasons, Kohl surpassed 1,000 on a second half three-pointer at St. Francis Brooklyn on Saturday. He enters play this week with 1,008 points.
Kohl became the 230th player in NEC history and 38th in CCSU annals to hit 1,000 points.
Kohl joined SFU senior forward Saint Francis U junior guard Keith Braxton (Glassboro, NJ/Delsea (Lawrenceville School)) (1,385), Saint Francis U senior guard Jamaal King (Salisbury, MD/Bishop O’Connell (VA)) (1,384), FDU senior forward Mike Holloway (Pittsgrove, NJ/Arthur P. Schalick) (1,362), LIU Brooklyn senior swingman Raiquan Clark (New Haven, CT/Hillhouse) (1,331), St. Francis Brooklyn graduate student guard Glenn Sanabria (Staten Island, NY/St. Peter’s) (1,288), FDU senior guard Darnell Edge (Saugerties, NY/Saugerties) (1,288), Sacred Heart senior guard Sean Hoehn (Morristown, NJ/Morristown (St. Thomas More (CT))) (1,280), Wagner redshirt senior guard Romone Saunders (Temple Hills, MD/Potomac) (1,265), Bryant junior guard Adam Grant (Franklin, VA/Norfolk Collegiate) (1,235) and Robert Morris senior guard Matty McConnell (Oakdale, PA/Chartiers Valley) (1,043) as the NEC’s 1,000-point scorers.
FAMILY TIES
In what could be the last meeting between two cousins, Saint Francis U junior Keith Braxton (Glassboro, NJ/Delsea (Lawrenceville School)) and FDU senior Mike Holloway Jr. (Pittsgrove, NJ/Arthur P. Schalick) squared off in Hackensack last Thursday with friends and family in the stands.
While the Red Flash galloped to an 87-62 win, each player brought his best in a contest that aired nationally on CBSSN.
Braxton finished with 21 points, eight rebounds, five assists and four steals, while Holloway led all scorers with 22 points on 10-13 shooting, and added six boards.
In the head-to-head battle between the family members, SFU has won four of the seven meetings between the two schools, though FDU knocked the Red Flash out of the playoffs in 2018 with a 84-75 win in Loretto.
For more on the ties that bind the two NEC stars, Ryan Peters recently penned a feature on the cousins and rivals.
https://necovertime.wordpress.com/2019/01/04/braxton-holloway-nec-family-ties/
TERRIERS TAKES BACK BATTLE OF BROOKLYN TROPHY
Following a two-year stay at the Steinberg Wellness Center, St. Francis Brooklyn reclaimed the Battle of Brooklyn trophy last Thursday at the Pope Center.
The 44th annual battle between the two neighborhood rivals featured some deadeye three-point shooting by the Terriers, who hit 12-23 from outside the arc.
Graduate student guard
Glenn Sanabria (Staten Island, NY/St. Peter’s) earned the Lai-Lynch MVP trophy after hitting 5-8 from downtown and scoring a team-high 17 points.
LIU holds a 25-19 lead in the all-time BOB series.
NOTEWORTHY NUGGETS
When FDU senior guard
Darnell Edge (Saugerties, NY/Saugerties) shot 7-8 from three-point land in Saturday’s win over Bryant, the 87.5 success rate was the highest in a league game in over five years for players hitting at least seven triples. St. Francis Brooklyn’s Ben Mockford went 7-8 vs. Sacred Heart on January 18, 2014.
Saint Francis U junior
Keith Braxton (Glassboro, NJ/Delsea (Lawrenceville School)) is one of 15 players in the nation this season to post at least 21 points, eight rebounds, five assists and four steals in a game. That was Braxton’s line in SFU’s win at FDU on Thursday. Other players on that list include LIU Brooklyn’s
Raiquan Clark (New Haven, CT/Hillhouse), who had 22 points, nine boards, five assists and six steals against New Rochelle on November 6, along with heavy hitters Zion Williamson (Duke) and Shamorie Ponds (St. John’s).
Wagner senior guard
Romone Saunders (Temple Hills, MD/Potomac) struggled from the field at Mount St. Mary's on Saturday, making just 2-14, but hit his biggest bucket of the season with a runner at the buzzer to win it, 58-56. For the week, he averaged 15.0 ppg, 8.0 rpg and 3.5 apg.
NEC-TV RETURNS TO CBSSN AIRWAVES
In the second of three straight Thursday night games on CBS Sports Network, Bryant plays host to Wagner this week. Tipoff is at 7:00 pm with Dave Popkin (PxP), Joe DeSantis (color) and Paul Dottino (sideline) on the call.
On February 28, it’s the annual NEC Wild Card game to wrap up the men’s hoops regular season on CBSSN. Early next week, the league office will make the decision to air one of these five contests:
- Bryant at St. Francis Brooklyn
- CCSU at LIU Brooklyn
- FDU at Mount St. Mary’s
- Robert Morris at Sacred Heart
- Saint Francis U at Wagner
Come the playoffs, all quarterfinal games will air on NEC Front Row. The semis will be carried on ESPN3 and Front Row. ESPN2 will broadcast the title game.
STATISTICAL IMPROVEMENTS
Entering the final two weeks of NEC regular season play, it seems an opportune time to examine the players who have made the most significant strides in their game compared to last season.
Most Improved 2017-18 to 2018-19 (current NEC ranking)
Scoring: E.J. Anosike (SHU) - 4.2 ppg to 13.9 ppg (14th in NEC)
Rebounding: Yaradyah Evans (SHU) - 1.3 rpg to 4.4 rpg
Assists: Chase Freeman (WC) - 1.0 apg to 3.4 apg
TERRIER TALES
With a pair of home wins last week, St. Francis Brooklyn boosted its season win total to 16, the most since tying the program record with 23 victories back in 2014-15.
The Terriers also moved to 10-2 at home on the year and have posted a 20-5 record at the Pope Center over the last two seasons.
FINISHING AT THE RIM
Field goal percentage at the rim takes into accounts layups, dunks or tip-ins, and is a good measure to see those who are most adept at finishing around the hoop.
Which NEC players do it best?
Looking at players who have at least 50 attempts around the rim, CCSU senior forward
Deion Bute (Phillipsburg, St. Maaren/Tallahassee CC) is the most proficient, converting 72.0 percent of his attempts. Bute has taken 59.5 percent of his shots around the rim this season, making 59-of-82.
LIU Brooklyn senior swingman
Raiquan Clark (New Haven, CT/Hillhouse) has attempted 253 shots around the rim, 98 more than any other player in the league. He’s drained 58.9 percent of those opportunities to rank 15th in the conference and fourth among NEC players with 100+ attempts.
Among players with 100 attempts at the rim, the league leader is Mount St. Mary’s freshman
Malik Jefferson (Hopewell, VA/Hopewell), who has made 75-117 for a 64.1 percent success rate.
NEC Top-5, FG% at Rim (min. 50 att.)
Deion Bute, CCSU 72.0 percent (59-82)
Ty Flowers, LIU 70.8 percent (51-72)
Charles Bain, RMU 70.0 percent (42-60)
Deniz Celen, SFBK 69.4 percent (43-62)
Yannis Mendy, RMU 67.1 percent (47-70)
SHU’S PARKER APPROACHING MILESTONE
Sacred Heart freshman guard
Cameron Parker (Beaverton, OR/Tilton School) may be just one game away from becoming an NEC record holder.
Parker is five assists shy of eclipsing Jason Brickman’s NEC freshman record of 180 assists back in the 2010-11 season. The LIU Brooklyn legend went on to accumulate 1,009 dimes over the course of his career to rank first in the conference and fourth on the all-time NCAA list.
Parker, who averaged 5.5 apg last week, leads the NEC and ranks eighth nationally with 6.8 apg on the year.
SFBK’S SANABRIA CRACKS TOP-25 ON LONG DISTANCE LIST
On a day that saw him take over in a big St. Francis Brooklyn win, senior guard
Glenn Sanabria (Staten Island, NY/St. Peter’s) had even more to celebrate.
With a trio of three-pointers in the Terriers’ win over CCSU, the Staten Island native moved into the NEC career top-25 with 230 triples.
Sanabria is now tied with the Mount’s Junior Robinson and Monmouth’s Dejan Delic, and needs just 10 more to reach the top-20. He is fourth in SFBK history.
NEC Career 3P List
20. Kyle Johnson LIU 240 2007-11
21. Danny Basile MAR 239 1992-96
22. Terence Ward UMBC 233 1998-01
23. Steve Glowiak SHU 232 2011-15
24. Glenn Sanabria SFBK 230 2014-19
Junior Robinson MSM 230 2014-18
Dejan Delic MU 230 2003-07
27. Charles Jones LIU 225 1996-98
28. Steve Paterno MAR 224 1987-91
Ricky Cadell SFBK 222 2007-11
BRAXTON REACHES TOP-20 ON NEC REBOUNDING CHART
Working his way up the NEC career rebounding list, Saint Francis U junior guard
Keith Braxton (Glassboro, NJ/Delsea (Lawrenceville School)) jumped two more spots last week and is now 20th all-time.
He passed Wagner’s Nigel Wyatte (834) and Largest Agbejemisin (829) last week.
Braxton needs just 10 boards this week to crack the top-15.
The Glassboro, NJ native also needs 324 rebounds over the remainder of his career to pass St. Francis Brooklyn’s Jalen Cannon (1,159 from 2011-15) and become the league’s all-time leader.
The Glassboro, NJ native is the NEC leader with 9.9 rpg on the year.
NEC Career Rebounding List
14. Brandon Peel CCSU 881 2012-16
15. Lucky Jones RMU 846 2011-15
16. Julian Boyd LIU 843 2008-13
17. Ken Horton CCSU 842 2007-12
18. Alan Tomidy MAR 838 1991-96
19. Freddie Burton LIU 836 1986-89
20. Keith Braxton SFU 836 2016-19
21. Nigel Wyatte WC 834 2000-04
22. Largest Agbejemisin WC 829 1983-87
23. Rik Smits MAR 811 1984-88
24. Ronnie Drinnon SFU 804 2012-16
25. Earl Brown SFU 792 2011-15
LAROSE’S EFFICIENCY NUMBERS SKYROCKETING
Kinnon LaRose (Ogdensburg, NY/Ogdensburg Free Academy (Siena)) arrived at Sacred Heart two years ago with the reputation as a knock down shooter.
He hasn’t disappointed.
After a solid first year with the Pioneers that saw him average 9.3 ppg and hit 59 shots from three-point range, the redshirt junior has upped his efficiency numbers across the board in 2018-19.
LaRose has bumped his field goal percentage from 42.4 percent to a robust 52.3 percent, his two-point shooting from 60.0 percent to 68.9 percent and his three-point accuracy from 34.7 percent to 41.5 percent.
So good are his splits that LaRose is the only player in the nation with 52/69/41 splits who average at least 8.0 ppg and make at least one three-pointer per game.
He also ranks eighth nationally in offensive rating at 134.9 on the year.
LaRose has shot 50.0 percent or better from the field AND from three-point range in seven of his last eight games. He has hit at a 63.2 percent clip (24-38) from the floor and 52.4 percent from long range (11-21) in that span.
WELCOME BACK KOBY
After missing 15 games, sophomore forward
Koby Thomas (Philadelphia, PA/Imhotep Charter) was a welcome sight for Robert Morris fans. On Saturday, the 2017-18 NEC Rookie of the Year suited up for the first time since December 15 and made an immediate impact.
He earned the start and finished with his second double-double of the season, tallying 13 points and a game-high 13 boards.
Thomas averaged 12.0 ppg and 6.9 rpg in his freshman campaign.
STAT TRACKER
CCSU senior forward
Deion Bute (Philipsburg, St. Maarten/Tallahassee CC) grabbed 11 rebounds vs. SFBK on Saturday to match a career-high for the second time in three games. Bute also equaled a career-best with three blocked shots at Wagner.
Sacred Heart freshman guard
Koreem Ozier (Racine, WI/Scotland Campus Sports) averaged 14.0 ppg, 3.0 rpg, 2.5 apg and 2.5 spg in a split for SHU. He scored 23 and hit 4-7 from three-point range at LIU Brooklyn on Saturday.
St. Francis Brooklyn junior guard
Rosel Hurley (Cleveland, OH/Shaker Heights) tallied 16.5 ppg in a 2-0 week for the Terriers. He started with 13 points and five rebounds in a win over LIU Brooklyn in the Battle of Brooklyn, then dropped a career-high 20 points on 9-12 shooting from the floor as SFBK downed CCSU.