NEC MEN'S BASKETBALL CO-PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
Allan Jeanne-Rose, CCSU
6’7”, 200 lbs.
Sr., F, Saint Joseph, Martinique/Saint John Paul II (Fairfield)
Jeanne-Rose and CCSU are off to a scintillating start in NEC play, highlighted by a two-game sweep last week that pushed the Blue Devils to 3-0 in the conference and sole possession of first place. Jeanne-Rose tallied 24.0 points and 7.0 rebounds per game while converting at a 50.0 percent clip from the field. He first rang up a game-high 24 points on 9-16 shooting and snared six boards in Saturday’s 75-61 win at Saint Francis U. Jeanne-Rose dropped another 24 points on Monday, leading all scorers as the Blue Devils held off Merrimack, 75-70, in a highly anticipated clash of New England rivals who both entered the game with unblemished conference records. The Saint Joseph, Martinique native added eight rebounds, and helped ice the game on a dunk with 2:21 to play and four free throws in the closing moments. Jeanne-Rose has put up a league-leading 23.3 ppg in league games and ranks second overall in the NEC at 16.4 ppg. He also ranks third in field goal percentage (.583).
Joey Reilly. Sacred Heart
6’0”, 170 lbs.
Gr., G, Cromwell, CT/East Catholic (Holy Cross)
Reilly, a preseason All-NEC pick, put on a shooting clinic last week as Sacred Heart improved its NEC record to 3-1 following a sweep of LIU and Le Moyne. The graduate guard averaged 23.0 points, while making 72.7 percent of his shots from the field. Even more impressive was his 10-13 mark from three-point range, a 76.9 percent success rate. Reilly netted a game and season-high 23 points in the Pios’ convincing 89-55 victory over LIU on Saturday, sinking 5-7 shots from deep. Two days later, he scored 17 of his game-high 23 points in the second half to spark SHU to an 80-73 conquest of Le Moyne in Syracuse. Reilly is contributing 18.0 ppg on 56.5 percent shooting over the first four games of NEC play. Overall, he is averaging 11.2 ppg and ranks sixth on the circuit with a 39.0 percent mark from downtown.
NEC MEN'S BASKETBALL ROOKIE OF THE WEEK
Adam “Budd” Clark, Merrimack
5’10”, 155 lbs.
Fr., G, Philadelphia, PA/West Catholic
Following another strong all-around week, Clark secured his third NEC Rookie honor, tying him for most in the NEC this season. He averaged 12.5 points, 4.5 rebounds, 6.5 assists and 1.0 steals during Merrimack’s split. Clark registered 10 points, four rebounds, five assists and a pair of steals in Saturday’s 66-62 win at Le Moyne. The Philly product went on to post 15 points, five boards, eight dimes and made 7-12 shots in a tightly contested loss at CCSU. Clark, who averages 10.6 ppg, is the NEC leader and ranks 12th nationally with 2.4 spg. Additionally, his 3.9 apg leads all NEC freshmen and ranks fourth overall on the circuit. In NEC competition, he has contributed 11.0 ppg and 6.3 apg.
NEC PRIME PERFORMERS
Allan Jeanne-Rose (CCSU, Sr, F)
Last week: 24.0 ppg, 7.0 rpg, 1.0 spg, 50.0 FG%, 84.6 FT%
- Posted a pair of game-high scoring efforts with 24 points apiece in CCSU’s 2-0 week.
- Finished with 24 points and eight boards to help the Blue Devils take down Merrimack in a battle of undefeated NEC teams on Monday.
- Averaging a league-best 23.3 ppg in NEC play.
- Ranks second in NEC in scoring (16.4) and third in field goal percentage (.583).
Jo’el Emanuel (FDU, So, F)
Last week: 18.7 ppg, 6.3 rpg, 2.3 apg, 1.0 spg, 48.3 FG%
- Poured in a career-high 29 points on just 11 shots in Saturday’s 81-74 OT win over Stonehill.
- Went to the line 38 times in three games last week.
- Averaging 14.8 ppg and 6.3 rpg against NEC rivals. Overall, he is contributing 11.6 ppg and 5.7 rpg.
Kaiyem Cleary (LEM, Gr, G)
Last week: 17.5 ppg, 7.5 rpg, 85.7 FT%
- Posted his first double-double of the year with 19 points and a season-high 11 rebounds against SHU on Monday.
- Averaging 19.3 ppg and 7.7 rpg in NEC play, which ranks him third and fifth, respectively, in the conference.
- Sits fifth in NEC in scoring (14.2), seventh in rebounding (5.7), first in FT percentage (.848), third in three-point percentage (.400) and seventh in made three-pointers (1.7).
Jordan Derkack (MC, So, G)
Last week: 17.5 ppg, 5.5 rpg, 3.0 apg, 1.0 spg, 54.2 FG%
- Led the Warriors with a game-high 19 points (8-12 FG), along with seven rebounds, four assists and two steals in Saturday’s four-point win at Le Moyne.
- Has reached double-digits in 16-of-17 games this season.
- Leads NEC with 17.8 ppg and has upped that average to 20.8 ppg in conference play.
- Ranks fifth in the conference in rebounding (6.0) and FG percentage (.528), seventh in assists (3.3) and fourth in steals (2.2).
Joey Reilly (SHU, Gr, G)
Last week: 23.0 ppg, 2.0 rpg, 1.5 spg, 72.7 FG%, 76.9 3P%
- Scored 23 points apiece in wins over LIU and Le Moyne.
- Made 5-7 shots from deep vs. the Sharks, then hit 5-6 triples against the Dolphins.
- Scored 46 points on just 22 shots on the week.
- Has posted 18.0 ppg on 56.5 percent shooting in NEC games. Overall, he’s averaging 11.2 ppg, and his 39.0 percent mark from outside the arc ranks sixth on the circuit.
Cam Gregory (SFU, So, G)
Last week: 16.5 ppg, 4.5 rpg, 4.5 apg, 52.0 FG%, 50.0 3P%
- Erupted for a career-high 25 points against FDU on Monday. He also set a career-best with five triples in seven attempts.
- It marked the second 20+ point game of his career.
- Averaging a team-high 13.5 ppg, which ranks ninth in the conference.
Javier Ezquerra (WC, Jr, G)
Last week: 16 points, 6 assists, 3 rebounds, 4 steals, 6-11 FG, 3-5 3P vs. Stonehill
- His 16 points established a season-high as part of a strong all-around effort to help lead the Seahawks to a 10-point win over Stonehill.
- Averaging 12.7 ppg, a league-best 6.7 apg and 2.0 spg vs. NEC competition.
- Sits second in the NEC in assists (4.1), eighth in steals (1.5) and third in A/TO ratio (2.35).
TOP STORYLINES FROM #NECMBB WEEK TEN
Here’s all you need to know from the tenth week of the 2023-24 season...
>> AND THEN THERE WAS ONE
Two weeks of NEC play are in the books and just one team sports a zero in the loss column.
Hey there, CCSU.
Off to their first 3-0 start since the 2011-12 season, the Blue Devils secured a significant early-season victory on Monday, a win that could carry tiebreaker and seeding implications in the future.
Let’s rewind.
Following CCSU’s triumph at Saint Francis U and Merrimack’s win at Le Moyne on Saturday, the stage was set for a showdown at Detrick Gymnasium between the last two unbeaten teams in the NEC in an MLK Day game that clearly had some buzz in the Twitter X-verse.
Mark Carroll @EmceeMC17
This Merrimack vs CCSU game feels like 2 heavyweights meeting up in a dark alley and fighting to the death!
Matt Mauro @TheMidRangeJump
Just two unbeaten teams left in the NEC.
3-0 Merrimack at 2-0 CCSU on Monday at 4pm.
Biggest MBB game at Detrick Gym since...?
Rocco Miller @RoccoMiller8
Good Afternoon from New Britain.
We have an #NEC showdown, perhaps a NEC Tournament Final preview? Too early to know. A pair of turnover monster defenses are ready to frustrate each other.
----
The game lived up to the hype.
In an up-and-down first half, CCSU took a 36-28 lead at the break behind 12 points from senior forward Allan Jeanne-Rose (Saint Joseph, Martinique/Saint John Paul II (Fairfield)).
For awhile it looked like the Blue Devils would cruise after building an 18-point lead with just over 10 minutes remaining, but Merrimack proved resilient.
The Warriors mounted a comeback, putting together a 15-3 run to trim the deficit to six. However, CCSU’s Kellen Amos (Houston, TX/St. John XXIII College Prep (Binghamton)) helped stem the tide. He nailed a key three-pointer with 5:30 to play and added a contested runner two minutes later to push the lead back to seven.
Fueled by the NEC’s leading scorer, Jordan Derkack (Colonia, NJ/Colonia (Spire Academy)), Merrimack continued to make their push.
Derkack scored seven straight, and after MC’s full court pressure induced a live ball turnover that resulted in an Adam “Budd” Clark (Philadelphia, PA/West Catholic) layup, the CCSU lead was down to three with 18 seconds on the clock.
With Merrimack playing the foul game, Jeanne-Rose sealed the deal for CCSU by sinking four consecutive free throws, putting an end to Merrimack’s 10-game regular-season win streak against conference opponents dating back to last season.
Jeanne-Rose, the NEC Co-Player of the Week, finished with 24 points for the second straight game, but had to work for it against the stingy Merrimack zone.
“It was hard, it was hard,” said Jeanne-Rose after the game. “We competed. Merrimack is a good team, but we kept going the whole game. We slowed down a little bit in the middle of the game, but we ended up the right way and that’s all that matters.”
Third year CCSU head coach Pat Sellers reflected on the win, which served as a bit of redemption after falling at home to the Warriors on a last second triple last season.
“A fast start...that was one of the keys,” said Sellers. “We don’t want to get down versus a team because you’re scrambling, fighting uphill most of the game. We came out ready to go right from the jump. I’m proud of these guys.”
CCSU has now won five in a row, the program’s longest streak since reeling off five straight wins from November 17 to December 2 in 2017.
---
CCSU wasn’t the only team to come away with a sweep.
Preseason NEC favorite Sacred Heart now seems fully recovered from a seven-game skid last month, having won five of its last six games.
The Pioneers improved to 3-1 in NEC competition following a convincing 89-55 home win over LIU, followed by an 80-73 victory at Le Moyne.
The star of the week for the Pios was graduate guard Joey Reilly (Cromwell, CT/East Catholic (Holy Cross)), who was unconscious from three-point land.
Named the NEC Co-Player of the Week, Reilly drained five three pointers in each game and finished the week 10-13 from beyond the arc. Besides shooting 76.9 percent from deep, he posted video game-like efficiency numbers, including a .955 eFG percentage and .962 true shooting percentage. Reilly averaged 23.0 points on the week.
---
After an 0-2 start, FDU was hungry for a victory last week.
By Monday, the Knights had banked two dubs.
Despite entering the game on a six-game losing streak, FDU surged to a 40-15 lead late in the opening stanza against Stonehill. A much-needed runaway win appeared to be on the horizon for the Knights, but the Skyhawks had other ideas.
Stonehill proceeded to reel off 23 straight points spanning the two halves, and drew within two points at 40-38 with 15:18 to play.
From there, the game turned into a back-and-forth affair, eventually heading to OT when Tony Felder’s (Brockton, MA/Malden Catholic (VMI)) shot at the buzzer was off the mark for Stonehill.
With sophomore forward Jo’el Emanuel (Suffern, NY/Millbrook) supplying the Knights with nine points, FDU seized control during the extra session and went on to win, 81-74.
The Knights then packed their bags for Loretto and clinched an 81-71 triumph at Saint Francis U on the strength of a career-high 23-point effort from Sean Moore (Columbus, OH/Reynoldsburg (St. Thomas Aquinas)). The win evened FDU’s record at 2-2 headed into a national TV game at Stonehill on Friday.
---
Despite enduring a barrage of injuries, the “Seahawk Seven” continued to impress.
Playing its fourth straight game with just seven players, Wagner dictated the tempo and led by as many as 21 points in its 64-54 home win against Stonehill on Monday. The victory moved the Green and White to 2-1 against league rivals.
The Seahawks, who have limited their three league opponents to just 59.7 ppg, were led by junior Javier Ezquerra (San Juan, Puerto Rico/IMG Academy). The point guard finished with 16 points, six assists and four steals, while shooting 3-5 from downtown. Over his last five games, Ezquerra is averaging 13.0 ppg, 6.8 apg and has made 14-32 (.438) three-point opportunities.
>> NEC-TV IS BACK!
It’s premiere week for the 2023-24 NEC men’s basketball package, and the opener will air coast-to-coast on CBS Sports Network.
Stonehill will host its first-ever national linear game when FDU visits Merkert Gymnasium this Friday. Tipoff is at 5:00 pm.
Dave Popkin (PxP), Joe DeSantis (analyst) and Paul Dottino (sideline) have the call.
The game is one of two that longtime NEC partner CBSSN will air this season. The second is slated for February 25 when LIU takes on Wagner at the Spiro Sports Center.
On Sunday, the conference tips its ESPN+ men’s slate in Fairfield, CT in a matchup between preseason favorite Sacred Heart and Wagner. Tipoff is at 2:00 pm with Popkin and DeSantis in the booth.
The 13-game men’s TV schedule includes linear telecasts on CBSSN, ESPNU and ESPN2. Seven regular season games are set to air on ESPN+, one of which - FDU at CCSU on February 10 - will be picked up by YES Network.
The NEC semifinals will be carried on YES and ESPN+ on March 9, and the final on ESPN2 on March 12.
>> AROUND THE “BLOCK” WITH SHU’S SOBEL
Sporting a 13.20 block rate, Sacred Heart senior forward Alex Sobel (Setauket, NY/Ward Melville (Middlebury)) has reached elite status.
If Sobel were to maintain that percentage, it would be the fourth-highest in the league since 2004 and the highest recorded by an NEC player since Bryant shot blocking sensation Hall Elisias posted a 13.96 block rate during the 2019-20 season.
Sobel currently ranks sixth nationally in block rate and fifth in blocks with a league leading 2.8 per game.
Top KenPom Block Rate Ratings (10.0+ rate, 2004 to present)
John Bunch, MU 17.64 2006-07
Naofall Folahan, WC 14.20 2013-14
Hall Elisias, BRY 13.96 2019-20
Amdy Fall, SFBK 12.42 2014-15
Jare’l Spellman, SHU 11.94 2018-19
Hall Elisias, BRY 11.62 2021-22
AJ Sumbry, WC 10.58 2017-18
Amdy Fall, SFBK 10.54 2013-14
Andrea Crosariol, FDU 10.48 2005-06
Naofall Folahan, WC 10.34 2011-12
>> RESEARCH PROJECT: THE 3-0 FILES
Dating back to the 1997-98 campaign, there have been 39 teams to start the year 3-0 or better in NEC play, including CCSU and Merrimack this season.
Following the Blue Devils’ victory over the Warriors on Monday, Pat Sellers’ squad stands as the sole remaining unbeaten team entering week three.
Out of the 37 teams that began 3-0 before this season, only eight went on to win the NEC regular season title. Similarly, just eight teams went on to capture the NEC Tournament crown.
The most recent NEC team to commence the season 3-0 and clinch the regular season championship was St. Francis Brooklyn in 2014-15.
As for the last squad to start 3-0 and win the tournament title, that honor goes to Robert Morris in 2019-20.
However, a quick start does not guarantee future success.
Eleven teams went unbeaten in their first three outings and finished fifth or lower in the standings, including one tenth-place showing (Mount in 2004-05).
2023-24
CCSU 3-0 ???
MC 3-0 ???
2022-23
FDU 5-0 Tie 2nd
SFU 4-0 4th
2021-22
MC 3-0 5th
WC 11-0 2nd
2019-20
RMU 4-0 Tie 2nd NEC Champion
2017-18
RMU 4-0 Tie 6th
2016-17
FDU 4-0 Tie 5th
2015-16
MSM 3-0 5th
2014-15
SFBK 3-0 1st
2013-14
RMU 7-0 1st
2012-13
BRY 6-0 Tie 2nd
WC 3-0 Tie 2nd
2011-12
CCSU 5-0 Tie 5th
LIU 8-0 1st NEC Champion
RMU 3-0 3rd
2010-11
WC 4-0 Tie 6th
2009-10
LIU 5-0 4th
2007-08
MSM 3-0 Tie 4th NEC Champion
WC 5-0 2nd
2006-07
SHU 3-0 2nd
2005-06
RMU 5-0 5th
2004-05
FDU 3-0 2nd NEC Champion
MU 7-0 1st
MSM 3-0 10th
2003-04
MU 5-0 Tie 1st NEC Champion
2002-03
MU 3-0 2nd
SFU 3-0 Tie 3rd
WC 3-0 1st NEC Champion
2001-02
SHU 3-0 8th
SFBK 3-0 5th
2000-01
MU 3-0 2nd NEC Champion
UMBC 3-0 3rd
1999-00
CCSU 12-0 1st NEC Champion
QU 5-0 Tie 4th
RMU 4-0 Tie 2nd
1998-99
UMBC 15-0* 1st *NEC record for best start
1997-98
RMU 3-0 7th
>> DID YOU KNOW?
For all the talk of parity, only two out of the first 16 conference games have been decided by four points or fewer or have gone into overtime.
>> WILBORN’S FRESHMAN FEATS
After bursting onto the scene as one of the NEC’s top freshmen this season, Saint Francis U freshman forward Eli Wilborn (Middletown, CT/Middletown (South Kent)) has a chance to join an exclusive group.
Wilborn, a three-time NEC Rookie of the Week, currently ranks in the NEC top-five in three different major statistical categories.
FG% 4th .547
Rebounding 3rd 7.3
Blocks 2nd 2.0
The last time an NEC freshman finished a season among the top-five leaders in three categories was in 2011-12 when CCSU’s Kyle Vinales ranked third in scoring (17.9), and fourth in free throw percentage (.843) and made three-pointers (2.45).
Prior to that, you’d have to go all the way back to the 1999-00 season when future NEC Player of the Year Corsley Edwards ended his freshman campaign rated third in rebounding (7.4), fifth in field goal percentage (.509) and fourth in blocks (1.7).
Against FDU on Monday, Wilborn tallied his sixth double-double of the season with 14 points and 11 rebounds. The freshman leads the NEC with six double-doubles and has recorded three in his first four career NEC games.
>> KRIMMEL QUOTE OF THE WEEK
Saint Francis U head coach Rob Krimmel on the intensity of NEC play:
“I think the one thing that these (players) didn’t have an understanding for is the level of intensity that NEC played brings. It’s just different and they didn’t know that. Hopefully they understand that after three games what it’s going to take when the other team has good players too, and they’re all searching for the same thing. We just got to be able to take one day at a time, stay in the present continue to get better individually, but as a group understand what it’s going to take every single day.”
>> NEC NUGGETS
CCSU junior forward Jayden Brown (Providence, RI/Tilton School (NH)) comes off a strong week that saw him shoot 61.5 percent from the floor, while averaging 11.5 ppg, 4.5 rpg and 2.5 bpg. He matched his season-high with 15 points in the Blue Devils’ win vs. Merrimack on Monday.
CCSU ranks second in the league in both offensive (107.2) and defensive (90.9) defensive efficiency in league competition.
FDU freshman guard Terrence Brown (Minneapolis, MN/Columbia Heights) supplied the Knights with 16.0 ppg, 55.0 percent shooting from the field and a 62.5 percent mark from downtown in two league games last week. He dropped a career-high 17 points in Monday’s 81-71 win at Saint Francis U, two days after setting a personal-best with 15 points against Stonehill.
Le Moyne freshman forward Nate Fouts (Skaneateles, NY/Skaneateles (Kimball Union Academy)) netted 10 points in 20 minutes off the bench vs. Merrimack on Saturday. The 10 points were a career-best against a DI opponent.
Fresh off winning NEC Rookie of the Week honors for a second time, LIU freshman guard Eric Acker (East New York, NY/Eagle Academy for Young Men II) contributed 15 points and six assists, both team-highs, at Sacred Heart on Saturday. Acker leads all NEC freshmen in scoring (13.2) and assists (3.9). Overall, he ranks tenth in scoring and fifth in dimes.
Merrimack has created a turnover on a league-leading 24.8 percent of its defensive possessions over the first four NEC outings, just ahead of Sacred Heart’s 24.2 turnover rate.
Among Merrimack sophomore forward Bryan Etumnu’s (Sugar Land, TX/Kempner) 54 made field goals this year, 22 have come on dunks. The 22 dunks lead the NEC.
Sacred Heart redshirt junior forward Aidan Carpenter (Hamden, CT/Lee Academy (Siena)) tallied back-to-back double figure games in Sacred Heart’s 2-0 week. Against Le Moyne, he scored a career-high 20 points, shooting 7-13 from the field. Carpenter registered 12 points and five assists two days earlier in the Pios’ win over LIU.
Sacred Heart senior guard Mike Sixsmith (Hicksville, NY/Holy Trinity) scored his 500th career point on a three-pointer in Monday’s win at Le Moyne.
Saint Francis U has had a player scored 20 points in a game five times this season and all five occasions have occurred at DeGol Arena. Sophomore guard Cam Gregory (Accokeek, MD/The Steward School (VA)) leads the team with three 20-point performances, including a career-high 25 points against FDU on Monday.
Stonehill had four players average double digits last week. Preseason All-NEC forward Max Zegarowski (South Hamilton, MA/The Tilton School (NH) (Lynn/Franklin Pierce)) supplied 11.0 ppg and was 5-8 (.625) from outside the arc. He drained his 100th career three-pointer in a Stonehill uniform during Saturday’s game at FDU.
After missing eight straight games with an injury, Stonehill senior guard Jackson Benigni (East Hampton, CT/Xavier (Hamden Hall Country Day)) returned last week to average 10.5 ppg off the bench.
Wagner has converted an NEC-best 37.7 percent of its three-point opportunities in conference play this season. The Seahawks ranked last in the NEC in three-point accuracy during each of the last two years.
>> NEC IN NATIONAL LEADERS (TOP-25)
Team Category Rank Value
CCSU Blocks 21st 5.25
MC Steals 13th 9.94
TO Forced 18th 16.11
SHU TO Margin 22nd +4.1
TO Forced 23rd 15.74
Steals 23rd 9.32
WC Scoring Defense 9th 62.1
Fewest Turnovers 15th 9.5
Individual Category Rank Value
Adam “Budd” Clark, MC Steals 12th 2.44
Alex Sobel, SHU Blocks 5th 2.83