PDF Release
NEC Player of the Week: AJ Bramah, RMU
NEC Co-Rookies of the Week: Rob Higgins, SFBK & Benson Lin, BRY
Previous NEC Releases: January 13 |
January 6 |
December 30 |
December 23 |
December 16 |
December 9 |
December 2 |
November 25 |
November 18 |
November 11 |
Preseason Poll Release
NEC MEN'S BASKETBALL PLAYER OF THE WEEK
AJ Bramah, Robert Morris
6’7”, 185 lbs.
Jr., F, San Leandro, CA/San Leandro (Sheridan College)
Bramah was nearly perfect in a 1-1 week for Robert Morris, averaging 17.0 points and 12.0 rebounds while shooting a white-hot 87.5 percent from the floor, making 14-16 shots. He also drained 6-7 from the stripe. Bramah finished with 16 points off the bench on 5-7 from the field and 6-6 from the stripe in a four-point setback to first place Merrimack on Saturday. Two days later under the bright lights of CBSSN, the San Leandro, CA product erupted for a career-high 18 points and tied a 40-year old school record with 20 rebounds in a 67-55 win over Sacred Heart. He made all nine of his shots from the field, and added two assists and two blocks in 29 minutes as the Colonials improved to 5-1 against conference rivals. Bramah leads the NEC in field goal percentage in league play, hitting at an astounding 78.3 percent rate, while contributing 16.0 ppg and 9.7 rpg, both top-five figures on the circuit.
NEC MEN'S BASKETBALL CO-ROOKIES OF THE WEEK
Rob Higgins, St. Francis Brooklyn
6’1”, 175 lbs.
Fr., G, Middletown, NJ/Middletown North
Higgins continues to provide instant offense off the bench for the Terriers. Last week, he averaged a team-high 13.7 points, to go along with 2.0 rebounds and 1.0 steal per game. Higgins scored a career-high 20 points on 8-16 shooting last Wednesday in his first-ever meeting with neighborhood rival LIU. It was his sixth straight double-digit scoring game. The streak ended with an eight-point effort in a 69-64 win at Wagner on Saturday, but he came back strong on Monday with 13 points, three rebounds and a pair of steals at the Mount. Higgins, out of Middletown, NJ, is the NEC’s leading freshman scorer both overall (11.1 ppg) and in conference play (12.8 ppg).
Benson Lin, Bryant
6’4”, 180 lbs.
Fr., G, New Taipei City, Taiwan/St. Andrew’s (RI)
Lin collected his league-leading third NEC Rookie of the Week honor after contributing 14.5 ppg, 2.5 rpg and 1.5 spg for the Bulldogs. He matched his career-high with 19 points last Wednesday at Merrimack, converting 7-12 from the floor and 4-8 from three-point land. Lin also pitched in with three assists and a pair of steals. Three days later he tallied 10 points and four boards vs. LIU at home. Lin is the NEC’s second-leading freshman point producer and ranks second on Bryant with 9.9 ppg on the year. The New Taipei City, Taiwan native is also fifth on the circuit with 2.1 three-pointers per outing.
NEC PRIME PERFORMERS
Juan Cardenas (BRY, Sr, F)
Cardenas comes off his finest week of the season, averaging 20.5 ppg, 4.0 rpg, 1.5 bpg and 1.0 spg. He dropped a career-high 26 points that included a 4-5 mark from three-point range at Merrimack on Wednesday. He also passed Alex Francis and Vlad Kondratyev to improve to third on Bryant’s D1 career blocks list with 53 rejections.
Jahlil Jenkins (FDU, Jr, G)
Jenkins was the sparkplug for the Knights in a 1-1 week with 15.5 ppg, 5.0 apg and 2.5 spg. In FDU’s win over CCSU on Monday, Jenkins went for 16 points on 5-10 from the field and racked up a season-high eight assists to go along with 15 points at SFU last Wednesday. Jenkins, who ranks seventh in the NEC with 15.6 ppg, has moved up to 24th in school history in points (1,081), ninth in assists (343) and eighth in steals (123).
Raiquan Clark (LIU, Sr, G/F)
Clark was steady in a 2-1 week for the Sharks, pitching in with 16.3 ppg, 8.0 rpg, 1.0 bpg and 1.0 spg, while hitting 50.0 percent of his shot attempts. He recorded his fifth double-double of the season with 21 points and a season-high 14 boards in Saturday’s win at Bryant. Clark leads the NEC 19.8 ppg, and also ranks in the top-10 in rebounding (7.7, 8th) and field goal percentage (.540, sixth).
Idris Joyner (MC, Sr, F)
Joyner led first place Merrimack to a 3-0 week with 17.7 ppg, 5.3 rpg and 2.7 spg. He posted shooting splits of .667/.375/.714 over the three games. Joyner’s week commenced with a career-high tying effort against Bryant, scoring 16 points in the Warriors’ comeback win. On Monday, he netted a career-best 28 points - the most for a Merrimack player this season - and shot 11-12 from the field. In doing so, he lifted his team-leading scoring average to 14.1 ppg in NEC play.
Damian Chong Qui (MSM, So, G)
Chong Qui averaged 14.5 ppg, 6.0 rpg and 5.5 apg in a terrific all-around week that saw the Mount stretch their win streak to three games with a pair of victories. He opened with 13 points, six assists and five boards in a 79-52 victory over CCSU on Saturday, and followed with 16 points, seven rebounds and five assists in a 20-point win over SFBK on Monday. He shot 53.3 percent from the field, 66.7 percent from distance and 90.0 percent from the line. Chong Qui leads the Mount with 11.9 ppg this season.
Nana Opoku (MSM, So, F)
Opoku seems to be getting better each game. Last week, he put up 14.0 ppg, 8.5 rpg, 3.0 bpg and shot a scorching 71.4 percent from the floor. Opoku recorded his second career double-double with 17 points and 10 caroms in a win over SFBK on Monday, two days after rejecting a season-high six shots as the Mount downed CCSU. He is averaging 9.1 ppg and 6.1 rpg this season.
AJ Bramah (RMU, Jr, F)
Bramah was spectacular last week for the Colonials, averaging 17.0 ppg and 12.0 rpg while shooting 14-16 from the floor, an 87.5 percent conversion rate. For the fourth consecutive game, Bramah matched a personal-best with 16 points against Merrimack on Saturday. Two days later in a 67-55 win over Sacred Heart, he registered his fifth double-double of the year with a career-high 18 points and school record-tying 20 rebounds. The junior hit all nine of his shots from the floor. Bramah has now scored in double figures in 14 consecutive games, and has bumped his season averages to 12.1 ppg and 8.3 rpg.
E.J. Anosike (SHU, Jr, F)
Anosike recorded three double-doubles last week to extend his streak to five and league-leading total to ten on the season. He averaged 18.0 ppg, 14.3 rpg, 1.7 bpg and shot 55.9 percent from the floor. Of his 43 rebounds, 22 came on the offensive glass. In SHU’s win at CCSU, Anosike finished with 21 points and 14 boards, then added 20 points and 17 rebounds at RMU on Monday. He leads the NEC with 11.6 rpg and ranks sixth with 15.9 ppg.
Keith Braxton (SFU, Sr, G)
Braxton averaged 17.4 ppg, 7.3 rpg, 3.3 apg, and shot 61.1 percent from the floor and 50.0 percent from downtown as SFU went 2-1 on the week. The senior guard put on a show in front of a national audience on ESPNU on Wednesday, finishing with 17 points, eight rebounds and five assists in a win at FDU. He followed with 24 points and 10 rebounds in a 72-65 win over SHU on Saturday. Braxton ranks in the NEC top-10 in scoring (16.4), rebounding (7.4) and assists (3.8).
Alex Morales (WC, Jr, G)
Morales had a strong all-around week for the Seahawks with 17.5 ppg, 8.0 rpg, 3.0 apg, 1.5 bpg and 63.6 shooting from the field. He scored a career-high 25 points on 11-15 shooting and added eight boards and a pair of blocks vs. SFBK on Saturday. Morales is 10th in the league in scoring (14.5).
TOP STORYLINES FROM #NECMBB WEEK 11
WARRIORS CAME TO PLAY
Three weeks into the 2019-20 conference season and it’s a NEC newbie that has pushed its way to the top of the standings.
Picked last in the NEC preseason poll, Merrimack has defied expectations and then some, assuming sole control of first place in the league with a 6-1 mark following an impressive 3-0 week.
The Warriors edged Bryant, 71-67, in North Andover, last Wednesday, then pulled off a rare feat, sweeping it’s swing through the Keystone State with wins over fellow NEC contenders Robert Morris (53-49) and Saint Francis U (72-55). Merrimack became the first NEC school to pull off the Pennsylvania sweep in nearly two years (Wagner, January 26 & 28, 2018).
Merrimack head coach Joey Gallo, who formerly served as an assistant at Robert Morris, knows how difficult it is to win back-to-back games on this trip.
“It doesn’t happen very often,” said Gallo. “Naturally being our first year in Division I we spent a lot of time in November and December on the road, so that prepared us. These guys have been battle-tested on the road and I’m really impressed with what they just did.”
In its back-and-forth affair with then unbeaten RMU, Merrimack held the Colonials scoreless in six of their last eight possessions and limited their high-powered attack to 0.79 points per possession, in part by forcing 16 turnovers. Senior guard
Jaleel Lord (Jersey City, NJ/St. Anthony) helped seal the deal, scoring the Warriors last six points to finish with a team-high 14 in the defensive battle.
Two days later, the Warriors shot a season-high 56.5 percent from the field, fueled by a career-high 28-point performance from senior forward
Idris Joyner (Plainfield, NJ/St. Anthony). Joyner finished 11-12 from the floor, including 2-2 from long range, and was 4-4 from the line. On the defensive side, Merrimack was up to its old tricks with 15 steals while forcing 21 turnovers. Senior guard
Juvaris Hayes (Paterson, NJ/St. Anthony) was responsible for six swipes, raising his season average to an NCAA-best 3.8 per game.
The defensive numbers Merrimack has produced in league play are eye-popping to say the least.
- PPG: 57.7 (1st in NEC)
- Turnover Rate: 28.0% (1st)
- Steal Percentage: 18.3% (1st)
- Defensive Efficiency: 91.2 points allowed per 100 possessions (2nd)
- 2-point field goal defense: 47.8% allowed (3rd)
On the offensive end, the Warriors have been remarkably balanced and do not feature a single player averaging in double-digits. Eight different players have earned game-high scoring honors this season.
Now the Warriors return home for three games looking to put some distance between themselves and the rest of the field with RMU just a half-game back, SFU one-game behind, and LIU and the Mount 1 1/2 games out.
RMU’S BRAMAH BULL
Before a nationwide audience on Monday night, Robert Morris junior forward
AJ Bramah (San Leandro, CA/San Leandro (Sheridan College)) made quite the impression.
Coming off the bench, Bramah sparked the Colonials to a 67-55 win over Sacred Heart with a career-high 18 points, while matching a 40-year school record with 20 rebounds. He hit 9-9 from the field, and added two assists and two blocks.
In doing so, the NEC Player of the Week became the only player in the nation over the last decade to finish a game with at least 18 points and 20 boards without missing a shot from the field.
The RMU single-game rebound mark was originally established by Mike Morton when he snared 20 rebounds in a 67-63 loss at Baltimore January 12, 1980.
Bramah has now scored in double figures in 14 consecutive games, the longest active streak by an RMU player. He’s averaging 16.0 ppg, 9.7 rpg and is shooting 78.3 percent from the floor in league play.
SHARKS DELIVER FIRST BITE IN BATTLE FOR BROOKLYN
While the actual Battle of Brooklyn takes place at the Steinberg Wellness Center on February 18 on ESPNU, the opening salvo in the NEC’s fiercest rivalry was fired last Wednesday at the Pope Center.
In a game that aired on SNY, LIU overcame a 10-point second half deficit, then held off St. Francis Brooklyn down the stretch for a 69-66 win.
With the score tied at 63, it was LIU senior guard
Julian Batts (Pittsburgh, PA/Jeannette) that made the two biggest plays of the game. He drilled a step-back three with 3:12 to play, then converted a playground style layup that beat the shot clock buzzer to give the Sharks a 68-63 edge with under a minute to play.
Batts finished with 15 on the night and senior swingman
Raiquan Clark (New Haven, CT/Hillhouse) added a team-high 17 for LIU, which shot 51.7 percent in the second half.
Senior forward
Deniz Celen (Ankara, Turkey/özel gürçag okullari) and NEC Co-Rookie of the Week
Rob Higgins (Middletown, NJ/Middletown North) scored 20 apiece for SFBK.
MOUNT’S JEFFERSON, OPOKU ON THE RISE
With a young Mount St. Mary’s team right in the hunt with a 4-2 NEC record, much of the credit can go to the Mount’s imposing front line that seems to be getting better with each passing game.
Sophomores
Malik Jefferson (Hopewell, VA/Hopewell) and
Nana Opoku (Woodbridge, VA/Potomac) have the size - both are 6’9” - athleticism, and seemingly unlimited potential based on their recent performances.
Jefferson was a three-time NEC Rookie of the Week last season, and finished the year with 8.5 ppg, a team-high 6.1 rpg and 59.2 percent shooting from the floor. By refining his interior game, Jefferson has blossomed into one of the NEC’s top bigs. The Hopewell, VA native is coming off a four-game stretch that saw him contribute 18.5 ppg on 64.0 percent shooting, and 9.3 rpg.
Meanwhile, Opoku has gone from resident shot blocker to a legitimate offensive threat and high-flyer extraordinaire for the Mount. Opoku recorded 14.0 ppg, 8.5 rpg, 3.0 bpg and shot 71.4 percent last week, and has been terrific in league play with 11.8 ppg, 8.8 rpg and 56.0 percent shooting from the field.
DID YOU KNOW?
Speaking of Mount St. Mary’s forward
Nana Opoku (Woodbridge, VA/Potomac), the sophomore earned the #1 spot on the nightly SportsCenter Top-10 on Monday with his slam early in the second half against St. Francis Brooklyn that has to be seen to be believed.
https://twitter.com/MountAthletics/status/1219426836788260865?s=20
BRAXTON MAKING HIS MARK
While Saint Francis U senior guard
Keith Braxton (Glassboro, NJ/Delsea (Lawrenceville School)) has reached second on the NEC’s career rebounding chart, he’s also making his way up the scoring list.
With 1,800 points to his credit, Braxton is now 16th all-time in the conference.
NEC Career Scoring Leaders
10. Desi Wilson FDU 1,902 1988-91
11. Jeremy Chappell RMU 1,875 2005-09
12. Junior Robinson MSM 1,872 2014-18
13. Jamal Olasewere LIU 1,871 2009-13
14. Joe Griffin LIU 1,830 1991-95
15. Jeff Hamilton SFU 1,810 1981-85
16. Keith Braxton SFU 1,800 2016-20
He is one of four players in the league’s history to be ranked in the career top-20 in both scoring and rebounding, joining Bryant’s Alex Francis (2085, 5th in scoring; 990, 6th in rebounding), CCSU’s Ken Horton (1,966, 7th in scoring; 842, 18th in rebounding) and LIU’s Jamal Olasewere (1,871, 13th in scoring; 963, 10th in rebounding).
With 1,045 boards, Braxton moved past Quinnipiac’s Justin Rutty (1,032) last week, leaving just all-time rebounding king Jalen Cannon of St. Francis Brooklyn in Braxton’s headlights. Cannon snared 1,159 boards from 2011-15.
On the Braxton 2K/1K watch, the Glassboro, NJ native needs 200 points to hit 2,000 for his career. No player in NEC history has ever recorded 2,000 points and 1,000 rebounds.
NEC Career Rebounding Leaders
1. Jalen Cannon SFBK 1,159 2011-15
2. Keith Braxton SFU 1,045 2016-20
3. Justin Rutty QU 1,032 2007-11
4. Ron Robinson CCSU 1,022 2000-04
4. Carey Scurry LIU 1,013 1982-85
6. Alex Francis BRY 990 2010-14
7. Obie Nwadike CCSU 980 2003-07
8. Eric Taylor SFU 967 1994-98
9. Corsley Edwards CCSU 966 1998-02
10. Jamal Olasewere LIU 963 2009-13
LIU’S CLARK RISING UP THE CHARTS
Saint Francis U’s Saint Francis U senior guard Keith Braxton (Glassboro, NJ/Delsea (Lawrenceville School)) isn’t the only one etching his name near the top of the NEC career scoring chart.
LIU senior swingman Raiquan Clark (New Haven, CT/Hillhouse) has also cracked the top-20 all-time in the conference, and is right on pace to hit 2,000 for his career.
Clark, who leads the NEC with 19.8 ppg, raised his career scoring total to 1,763 last week, good for 18th in league annals.
NEC Career Scoring Leaders
10. Desi Wilson FDU 1,902 1988-91
11. Jeremy Chappell RMU 1,875 2005-09
12. Junior Robinson MSM 1,872 2014-18
13. Jamal Olasewere LIU 1,871 2009-13
14. Joe Griffin LIU 1,830 1991-95
15. Jeff Hamilton SFU 1,810 1981-85
16. Keith Braxton SFU 1,800 2016-20
17. Charles Jones LIU 1,772 1996-00
18. Raiquan Clark LIU 1,763 2016-20
HAYES THIEVERY UPDATE
Merrimack senior guard Juvaris Hayes (Paterson, NJ/St. Anthony), is about to move one step closer to an all-time NCAA record.
The ringleader of a Warrior defense that ranks among the nation’s best, Hayes need just three more steals to move into second place on the NCAA career list.
The Paterson, NJ native has amassed 412 steals in his four years, leaving him 36 behind Ramapo’s Tennyson Whitted, the NCAA’s all-time leader.||
NCAA Players With 400 Career Steals
Tennyson Whitted Ramapo 448 2000-03
Jonte Flowers Winona State 414 2005-08
John Gallogly Salve Regina 413 1995-98
Juvaris Hayes Merrimack 412 2016-20
Hayes, who ranks first in the country with 3.8 spg and a 6.5 steal percentage this season, is on target to become the seventh player in NEC annals to finish with 100 steals in a season.
MOUNT DEFENSIVE NUMBERS
The Mount’s 4-2 start to NEC play has been triggered by a defense that has put a virtual stranglehold on opponents.
Mount St. Mary’s has held NEC competition to a league low 37.4 percent shooting from the field, and also ranks first in effective field goal percentage defense (.425), two-point field goal percentage defense (.435) and block percentage (13.0). The Mountaineers have yielded 59.9 ppg against NEC competition, which ranks them second on the circuit.
The Mount has also been doing work on the boards, ranking second with a +6.3 rebound margin. SHU leads the league at +7.5.
The last team to lead the NEC in both field goal percentage defense and rebound margin during conference play was Wagner back in 2013-14.
BRAXTON NAMED SENIOR CLASS AWARD FINALIST
Saint Francis U senior guard
Keith Braxton (Glassboro, NJ/Delsea (Lawrenceville School)) can add yet another honor to his star-studded career.
Last week Braxton was named one of 30 men’s basketball candidates for the 2019-20 Senior CLASS Award. To be eligible for the award, a student-athlete must be classified as an NCAA Division I senior and have notable achievements in four areas of excellence: community, classroom, character and competition.
An acronym for Celebrating Loyalty and Achievement for Staying in School, the Senior CLASS Award focuses on the total student-athlete and encourages students to use their platform in athletics to make a positive impact as leaders in their communities.
Braxton is a Finance and Accounting double major with a 3.365 cumulative GPA. Braxton has landed on the NABC Honors Court in each of his three seasons in Loretto and was the 2018-19 NEC Winter Scholar-Athlete of the Year.
A three-year captain, Braxton has taken part in numerous community service activities since his arrival, including Stay in To Win, where he talked to local junior high school students about the importance of staying in school. He has also volunteered at Potato Fest, the Special Olympics and Sports4Kids Day.
In 2016-17, Braxton went to the Pittsburgh Children’s Hospital and handed out beads as part of the Beads of Courage initiative and participated in the Penn Cambria Read Across America Day, where he read to elementary school students.
The men’s and women’s candidates will be narrowed to two fields of 10 finalists in February. The Senior CLASS Award winners will be announced during the 2020 NCAA Men’s Final Four and NCAA Women’s Final Four this spring.
KNIGHT & DAY
Fairleigh Dickinson is starting to heat up.
The Knights shot 51.6 percent from the field and 45.0 percent from three-point range while averaging 84.0 points in their split last week. The two stellar offensive efforts marked the program’s first 80-point scoring efforts of the year against a DI opponent.
FDU snapped a three-game losing streak on Monday with an 83-60 win over CCSU. Redshirt junior
Xzavier Malone-Key (Philadelphia, PA/Plymouth Whitemarsh) led the way with 23 points on 9-13 shooting.
FDU also started last year 1-4 in conference play, but went on to win 11 of its last 13 en route to capturing the NEC title.
TEAM EFFORT BOOSTS WAGNER
With Wagner looking to snap a four-game losing skid and a red-hot LIU team paying a visit, the Seahawks needed a team effort.
That’s exactly what they received on Monday.
All five starters scored in double-digits and Wagner dominated the glass on its way to a 72-64 win.
Graduate student
Curtis Cobb (Fall River, MA/ Wilbraham & Monsoon Academy (UMass)) hit 6-10 from three-point range and led the way with 19 points, while
Elijah Ford (Newark, NJ/Weequahic (Barton CC)) (16 points, eight rebounds),
Patrick Szpir (Wheeling, IL/Wheeling (Chicago State)) (11 points, nine rebounds),
Alex Morales (Paterson, NJ/Mainland Regional (Prince Georges CC)) (10 points, eight rebounds) all posted near double-doubles.
Wagner outrebounded the Sharks, 36-24, to make it three straight games the Green & White has won the battle of the boards.
SHU’S ANOSIKE WORKING THE GLASS
Sacred Heart’s
E.J. Anosike (East Orange, NJ/Paramus Catholic) has posted double-digit rebounds in each of his last six games, averaging 13.5 per game over that stretch. He leads the NEC and ranks seventh nationally with 11.6 per game. He has also recorded five straight double-doubles to move up to tenth in the country with 10 on the season.
GRANT 3P UPDATE
We continue to track Bryant senior guard
Adam Grant’s (Franklin, VA/Norfolk Collegiate School) chart progress for made three-pointers.
With three last week, Grant improved his career total to 267 triples, good for 12th on the NEC’s career chart.
He needs just three more to reach the top-10 and 19 to park himself in the top-five. Former CCSU star Tristan Blackwood holds the league’s all-time record with 328 trifectas from 2004-08.
NEC Career Three-Pointers Leaders
5. Shane Gibson SHU 286 2008-13
6. Dyami Starks BRY 281 2012-15
7. Stefan Perunicic SFBK 280 2008-12
8. James Williams LIU 277 2003-07
9. Justin Chiera CCSU 274 2002-06
10. Ryan Litke SHU 270 2006-10
Dedrick Dye WC 270 1999-03
12. Adam Grant BRY 267 2016-20
Landy Thompson MSM 267 2002-06
14. Kevin Booth MSM 265 1989-93
15. Dave Calloway MU 260 1987-91
CCSU DID YOU KNOW?
CCSU’s Greg Outlaw (Chicago, IL/Rezin Orr Academy) leads all NEC freshman with 1.3 spg and ranks third in scoring with 9.7 ppg.
NEC in NCAA STATS (Top-25)
Name School Category Rank Value
Hall Elisias BRY Blocks 8th 3.0
Adam Grant BRY 3PFG 9th 3.50
Raiquan Clark LIU PPG 24th 19.8
Ty Flowers LIU Def. Reb. 14th 7.68
Ty Flowers LIU Dub-Dub 17th 9
Juvaris Hayes MC Steals 1st 3.80
Josh Williams RMU 3PFG 7th 3.53
Josh Williams RMU 3P% 23rd .427
E.J. Anosike SHU Reb. 7th 11.6
E.J. Anosike SHU Off. Reb. 3rd 4.47
E.J. Anosike SHU Dub-Dub 10th 10
Cameron Parker SHU Assists 3rd 7.8
Jare’l Spellman SHU Blocks 24th 2.53
Curtis Cobb WC 3PFG 13th 3.27
Team Category Rank Value
LIU 3PFG 15th 10.1
Merrimack TO Margin 6th 5.55
Merrimack Steals 5th 10.6
Merrimack TO Forced 21st 17.3
Robert Morris Assists 13th 16.7
Sacred Heart Rebounding 18th 40.95
Sacred Heart Off. Reb. 19th 13.21