NEC MEN'S BASKETBALL CO-PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
Ansley Almonor, FDU
6’7”, 219 lbs.
Jr., F, Spring Valley, NY/St. Joseph Regional (Montvale)
Almonor came up big in an FDU sweep last week that boosted the Knights’ chances of securing an NEC Tournament home game next month. The two-time NEC Player of the Week put up 20.0 points, 7.0 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 1.5 blocks and shot 51.7 percent from the floor. He also canned six shots from distance at a 42.9 percent clip. Almonor just missed out on a double-double in Thursday’s 84-82 overtime win at LIU, finishing with a game-high 19 points, nine rebounds, four assists and three blocks. He also reached a career milestone, scoring his 1,000th point in the victory. Almonor caught fire from three-point land on Saturday, hitting 5-8 shots, and made 8-11 overall on his way to a game-high 21 points in just 21 minutes of court time. It marked his league-leading ninth 20+ point game of the season. Almonor, who hails from Spring Valley, NY, paces the NEC with 3.0 three-pointers per outing and three-point accuracy (.398), and ranks second in scoring (16.8). He also sits 23rd nationally in made three-pointers per game.
Adam “Budd” Clark, Merrimack
5’10”, 155 lbs.
Fr., G, Philadelphia, PA/West Catholic
Clark continues to carve his name into the conference recordbook, this time by becoming just the fifth player in NEC history to earn dual Player and Rookie of the Week honors. Moreover, he collected his sixth weekly rookie accolade, which is tied for seventh all-time in league annals. Clark registered 23.0 points, 3.0 rebounds, 6.0 assists, 3.0 steals and shot 53.1 percent from the field in a Merrimack sweep that extended its win streak to eight and solidified the Warriors’ grip on first place in the standings. He once again proved clutch for the Warriors in a 66-63 come-from-behind win at Stonehill on Thursday. Trailing by three points in the waning moments, Clark’s layup narrowed the gap to one with 21 seconds to play. Just 12 seconds later, the unflappable freshman drilled the game-winner on a mid-range pull-up. Clark’s two free throws sealed the victory with two seconds on the clock. The Philly product finished with a game-high 29 points, just one off his career-high. He shot 12-22 from the floor and added three rebounds, six assists and two steals. Clark followed up with 17 points, six dimes and four steals in Saturday’s 83-68 home win over LIU. Joining Miladin Mutavdzic (WC; 2/2/92), Corsley Edwards (CCSU; 11/30/98), Isaiah Blackmon (SFU; 1/25/16) and Vado Morse (MSM; 1/28/19), Clark is among the select few freshmen to capture a Player of the Week award. Clark leads the NEC and ranks ninth nationally in steals (2.6), and paces all NEC freshmen with 12.9 ppg. He is also the second-ranked distributor on the circuit with 3.9 apg.
NEC MEN'S BASKETBALL ROOKIE OF THE WEEK
Adam “Budd” Clark, Merrimack
5’10”, 155 lbs.
Fr., G, Philadelphia, PA/West Catholic
Clark continues to carve his name into the conference recordbook, this time by becoming just the fifth player in NEC history to earn dual Player and Rookie of the Week honors. Moreover, he collected his sixth weekly rookie accolade, which is tied for seventh all-time in league annals. Clark registered 23.0 points, 3.0 rebounds, 6.0 assists, 3.0 steals and shot 53.1 percent from the field in a Merrimack sweep that extended its win streak to eight and solidified the Warriors’ grip on first place in the standings. He once again proved clutch for the Warriors in a 66-63 come-from-behind win at Stonehill on Thursday. Trailing by three points in the waning moments, Clark’s layup narrowed the gap to one with 21 seconds to play. Just 12 seconds later, the unflappable freshman drilled the game-winner on a mid-range pull-up. Clark’s two free throws sealed the victory with two seconds on the clock. The Philly product finished with a game-high 29 points, just one off his career-high. He shot 12-22 from the floor and added three rebounds, six assists and two steals. Clark followed up with 17 points, six dimes and four steals in Saturday’s 83-68 home win over LIU. Joining Miladin Mutavdzic (WC; 2/2/92), Corsley Edwards (CCSU; 11/30/98), Isaiah Blackmon (SFU; 1/25/16) and Vado Morse (MSM; 1/28/19), Clark is among the select few freshmen to capture a Player of the Week award. Clark leads the NEC and ranks ninth nationally in steals (2.6), and paces all NEC freshmen with 12.9 ppg. He is also the second-ranked distributor on the circuit with 3.9 apg.
NEC PRIME PERFORMERS
Kellen Amos (CCSU, Sr, G/F)
Last week: 26 points, 5 rebounds, 6-14 3P at Le Moyne
- Matched his career-high with six triples in an OT setback at Le Moyne on Thursday. In doing so, he eclipsed 100 three-pointers in his two seasons in New Britain.
- His 26 points marked a season-high.
- Contributing 12.4 ppg, 5.4 rpg and ranks sixth in the NEC with 1.0 bpg.
Tre Breland (CCSU, Sr, G)
Last week: 15 points, 12 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals at Le Moyne
- Recorded first career double-double at CCSU on Thursday.
- His 12 rebounds established a career-high.
- Averaging 9.4 ppg and 5.0 rpg while shooting 36.4 percent from deep to rank sixth in the NEC.
Ansley Almonor (FDU, Jr, G)
Last week: 20.0 ppg, 7.0 rpg, 2.5 apg, 1.5 bpg, 51.7 F%, 42.9 3P%
- Posted his league-leading ninth 20+ point outing in Saturday’s win over SFU, finishing with 21.
- Scored his 1,000th career point and narrowly missed a double-double with 19 points and nine rebounds during FDU’s overtime win at LIU on Thursday.
- Has hit 23-48 (.479) from outside the arc over his last six contests.
- Leads the NEC with 3.0 three-pointers per outing and three-point accuracy (.398), and ranks second in scoring (16.8). Ranks 23rd nationally in made 3P/game.
Kaiyem Cleary (LEM, Gr, G)
Last week: 17.5 ppg, 9.0 rpg, 1.0 bpg, 81.8 FT%
- Finished with 21 points and 11 boards to post his second double-double of the season in Thursday’s big OT win over CCSU.
- Remains the NEC leader with 18.8 ppg in conference play.
- Ranks third overall in the NEC in scoring (15.9), first in free throw percentage (.816) and sixth in rebounding (6.1).
Luke Sutherland (LEM, Gr, F)
Last week: 19.0 ppg, 8.0 rpg, 3.0 apg, 3.5 spg, 50.0 FG%
- Pinned a game-high 23 points on Stonehill in the Dolphins’ 75-67 win on Saturday.
- His five assists in Saturday’s win were a season-high.
- Ranks second in the NEC in three-point percentage (.393), and is fifth in made triples (2.0) and sixth in point production (14.8).
Adam “Budd” Clark (MC, Fr, G)
Last week: 23.0 ppg, 3.0 rpg, 6.0 apg, 3.0 spg, 53.1 FG%
- Scored the last six points of the game to rally the Warriors to a 63-58 win at Stonehill on Thursday. His game-high 29-points were one off his career-best.
- Averaging 21.3 ppg, 4.5 apg and 3.7 spg over his last six contests.
- Leads NEC and ranks ninth nationally with 2.6 spg.
- Paces all NEC freshmen in scoring (12.9) and ranks second overall in assists (3.9).
Kyle McGee (SHU, Sr, G)
Last week: 17 points, 6 rebounds, 2 assists, 3 steals, 3-7 3P
- His 17 points tied for game-high honors in Saturday’s conquest of Wagner and marked his second-highest scoring game of the season.
- Contributes 9.6 ppg and has turned the ball over just 32 times in 26 starts this season.
Eli Wilborn (SFU, Fr, F)
Last week: 17.0 ppg, 10.5 rpg, 3.0 apg, 1.0 spg
- Registered his NEC-best eighth double-double of the season with 18 points and 13 rebounds at FDU on Saturday. The 13 rebounds tied for the second-most in his career.
- Assumed the league lead in rebounding (7.6) and ranks third in blocks (1.7).
- His 10.5 ppg places his third among NEC freshmen.
Max Zegarowski (STO, Gr, F)
Last week: 16.0 ppg, 7.5 rpg, 60.9 FG%
- Shot 9-13 from the field and scored a team-high 19 points in a near-upset of first place Merrimack on Thursday.
- Paces Stonehill with 12.3 ppg, and his 2.0 3P per game ranks him sixth on the circuit.
Melvin Council Jr. (WC, Jr, G)
Last week: 18.5 ppg, 6.0 rpg, 2.0 apg, 1.5 bpg, 2.0 spg, 66.7 3P%
- Led Wagner in scoring in both games last week, highlighted by a 20-point, 8-rebound outing in Thursday’s OT win at SFU.
- Hit the game-winner against the Red Flash, sinking a runner with two seconds to go.
- Ranks fifth in the conference in scoring (14.8), ninth in rebounding (5.7), eighth in assists, fifth in FT% (.786) and ninth in steals (1.5).
TOP STORYLINES FROM #NECMBB WEEK 15
Here’s all you need to know from the 15th week of the 2023-24 season...
>> SIZING THINGS UP
56 games down.
16 games to go.
It’s about to get real as we inch closer March.
Last week saw FDU, Le Moyne, LIU, Sacred Heart, and Wagner secure their spots in the NEC Tournament, joining CCSU and Merrimack in the postseason fray.
Now, only one slot remains up for grabs.
Saint Francis U holds a two-game advantage over Stonehill for the eighth and final playoff berth with just three games left to play. The Red Flash magic number is two and can punch their ticket with a win over the Skyhawks on Saturday.
At the top, Merrimack (11-2) wrested control of first place from CCSU (9-3) after extending its win streak to eight with wins over Stonehill and LIU. Meanwhile, the Blue Devils stumbled against Le Moyne in its lone game last week.
Merrimack’s magic number to clinch the regular season crown is three. The Warriors host SFU on Thursday and have a bye on Saturday, followed by road games against FDU and Sacred Heart to close out the regular season. CCSU faces Wagner and SHU on the road this week, before wrapping up vs. LIU and Stonehill at home.
With its win on Saturday, Merrimack became the first team to lock up a home playoff game, and CCSU can do the same with two more victories.
But the real intrigue lies in the middle of the pack, where the battle for a top-four finish and the right to host a quarterfinal clash could go down to the wire.
FDU (2-0), Le Moyne (2-0) and Sacred Heart (1-0) all enjoyed undefeated weeks and are deadlocked in third place with 7-5 marks, just one game ahead of Wagner.
All eyes will be on the Knights this week as they hit the road to face Sacred Heart on Thursday and Le Moyne on Saturday.
Both Sacred Heart and Wagner end the regular season with three of their last four games at home, while FDU faces three road matchups in its final four contests.
>> OT INSANITY
It was as wild a 30-minute stretch as you will see in NEC hoops.
Approaching 9:00 pm on Thursday night, NEC fans were gifted with four games that went right down to the wire.
And for the first time in over 11 years, three conference games stretched into overtime on the same day.
The last time we enjoyed five free minutes of hoops in three different games was on January 17, 2013. During that eventful day, LIU claimed a 79-75 win over FDU, Quinnipiac secured a 75-66 win over Saint Francis U and Bryant narrowly edged Mount St. Mary’s, 79-78.
There were no shortage of prime time plays on this memorable night.
Looking to spring the upset, Stonehill held a five-point lead with 1:08 to play, but visiting Merrimack ended the game on a 8-0 run to pull off the 66-63 win and claim sole possession of first place. Adam “Budd” Clark (Philadelphia, PA/West Catholic) once again showcased his clutch gene, scoring the last six points of the game for the Warriors, including the go-ahead jumper with nine seconds to play.
Out in Syracuse, Le Moyne graduate student forward Kaiyem Cleary (Manchester, England/Redemption Christian Academy (NY) (Florida Southern/Florida Southwestern/Ball State)) knotted things up against CCSU with 45 seconds left in regulation, and both teams failed to score on their final possessions to force overtime. The Dolphins scored the final six points of the contest, with a Cleary baseline jumper putting Le Moyne ahead for good with 1:24 left on the clock. Le Moyne’s win knocked CCSU out of first and gave the Dolphins a season-sweep against the Blue Devils.
In another nailbiter, neither Wagner nor Saint Francis U managed to score in final 1:43 of regulation, earning them five minutes of extra time. After SFU’s Eli Wilborn (Middletown, CT/Middletown) hit two free throws to tie the game with eight seconds remaining, Wagner junior guard Melvin Council Jr. (Rochester, NY/University Prep (Monroe CC)) glided into the lane and kissed a runner off glass for the game-winner with two seconds remaining.
The final game of the night was a back-and-forth battle in Brooklyn that saw 25 lead changes between FDU and LIU. The Sharks’ Tana Kopa (Perth, Western Australia/Grace Baptist Academy (Spring Hill)) tied things up the game late in regulation, and nearly pulled off a miracle shot to win it at the buzzer in overtime, but his halfcourt heave off glass would not drop in a moment eerily reminiscent of Gordon Hayward’s last second fling in the 2010 NCAA final.
>> NEC BIG SHOTS OF THE WEEK
This one’s a no-brainer.
Wagner junior guard Melvin Council Jr. (Rochester, NY/University Prep (Monroe CC)) and Merrimack freshman guard Adam “Budd” Clark (Philadelphia, PA/West Catholic) both made big shots - each dialed up a game-winner - so they can call themselves “Big Shots.”
See above note for the details.
>> UP NEXT ON NEC-TV
It’s hard to believe, but the final NEC-TV regular season game is already here.
This Sunday, before a national audience on CBS Sports Network, the latest chapter of an inter-borough rivalry will unfold as Wagner plays host to LIU at the Spiro Center. The stakes will be high with both battling for a top-four spot in the NEC standings and the chance to host a conference tournament quarterfinal game. Tipoff is scheduled for noon with the veteran team of Dave Popkin (PxP), Tim Capstraw (analyst) and Paul Dottino (sideline) on the call.
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+ along with two one YES Network and one on SportsNet Pittsburgh.
The NEC semifinals will be carried live on YES, NESN+ and ESPN+ on March 9, and the final on ESPN2 on March 12.
>> FDU’S ALMONOR REACHES 1K MARK
FDU’s Ansley Almonor (Spring Valley, NY/St. Joseph Regional (Montvale)) joined an exclusive group on Thursday.
The junior forward earned the distinction of becoming the 250th player in NEC history to join the NEC’s 1,000-point club and the 24th from FDU to reach the millennium mark as a member of the conference.
Needing 15 points entering Thursday’s game against LIU, Almonor cracked 1,000 on a turnaround jumper with six minutes remaining and finished with a game-high 19 points in an 84-82 overtime win.
He enters play this week with 1,025 points.
Almonor is the NEC’s active scoring leader behind Sacred Heart senior forward Nico Galette (Rahway, NJ/Rutgers Prep), who has accumulated 1,291 points.
>> BROGNA’S UNIQUE STAT LINE
Stonehill freshman guard Todd Brogna (Southborough, MA/Worcester Academy) scored six points in Thursday’s game against Merrimack.
Nothing to write home about, right?
Not exactly.
Along with his six points, the Southborough, MA native added a career-high 10 assists, and matched career-bests with eight rebounds and three steals.
After digging a bit deeper, it turns out Brogna is the lone freshman in the nation this season to accumulate at least six points, eight rebounds, ten assists and three steals in a game. In fact, he’s one 11 players across DI to reach those minimums, one of whom is Merrimack sophomore guard Jordan Derkack (Colonia, NJ/Colonia (Spire Academy)).
>> MORE BROGNA! FROSH JOINS DOUBLE-DIGIT DIME DROPPERS
When Stonehill guard Todd Brogna (Southborough, MA/Worcester Academy) dished out a career-high 10 assists against Merrimack on Thursday, he became the third NEC freshmen this season with a 10+ assist game.
LIU frosh Eric Acker (East New York, NY/Eagle Academy for Young Men II) recorded a career-best 11 dimes against Merrimack on February 8. The 11 assists are tied for the most by an NEC player this season.
Merrimack freshman Adam “Budd” Clark (Philadelphia, PA/West Catholic) handed out a career-high 10 helpers against Sacred Heart on January 6.
Brogna is one of seven NEC players in total to ring up 10 dimes in a league game this season.
>> ON THE EDGE OF YOUR SEAT
FDU’s wild 84-82 overtime win at LIU on Thursday had no shortage of excitement and tension.
So much so, that it was ranked 54th nationally this season for “Excitement” by KenPom, a metric that tracks how much the win probability changed over the course of the game.
It also ranked 41st on the “Tension” meter, a measure of how close the win probability was to 50 percent throughout the game.
The game featured 25 lead changes and 21 ties.
>> BEST BUDD
Merrimack freshman guard Adam “Budd” Clark (Philadelphia, PA/West Catholic) has been on quite the heater the last four weeks.
The Philly native has earned three of his NEC-high six Rookie of the Week awards during this stretch.
The six weekly rookie honors has tied him for seventh on the NEC’s all-time list, two behind the record held by CCSU’s Kyle Vinales, SFU’s Darshan Luckey, Rider’s Charles Smith and Monmouth’s Alex Blackwell.
How dominant has Clark been lately?
Over his last six contest, the 5’10” guard has averaged 21.3 ppg, 4.5 apg and 3.7 spg.
And he has come through for the Warriors when it matters most.
In Merrimack’s 82-79 win at LIU on February 8, he scored seven points in overtime to seal the win.
One week later he scored the last six points of the game for Merrimack to push the Warriors across the finish line in a comeback win at Stonehill. His jumper with nine seconds to play was the decisive bucket.
>> FDU’S MORRIS PROVIDES LIFT
You never know when you’ll get the call.
Looking for an offensive spark against Saint Francis U on Saturday, FDU head coach Jack Castleberry inserted freshman Jameel Morris (Willingboro, NJ/Trenton Catholic) into a game for the first time since seeing three minutes of action vs. Chicago State on January 10.
Morris didn’t let the opportunity slip away.
He entered the game late in the first half and scored eight points in a 1:25 span, including back-to-back three-pointers to build upon FDU’s lead.
Morris finished the 93-74 win with 11 points, just two off his career-high, and his best output against a DI team. He was a perfect 3-3 from the field and pitched in with two rebounds, an assist and a steal.
>> NEC LEADERBOARD: FINISHING AT RIM
Field goal percentage at the rim is a metric that 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 player does it best?
Among NEC players with a minimum of 50 attempts around the rim, the standout performer - perhaps unexpectedly to some - is Sacred Heart grad student Joey Reilly (Cromwell, CT/East Catholic (Holy Cross)).
The 6’0” guard known for his long distance shooting acumen, has been efficient and proficient attacking the rim as well, converting 73.0 percent of his attempts, having made 46-of-63 on the year. Furthermore, it’s no coincidence that Reilly leads the league in eFG percentage at 59.0 percent.
LIU 7-footer Nikola Djapa (Belgrade, Serbia/Hoosac School) ranks second in the ability to finish at the rim. The freshman is making 72.5 percent of his opportunities at the hoop.
CCSU is the league leader in conversion rate at the rim, converting 59.7 percent of their attempts, and also ranks first in points-per-possession (PPP) at the rim at 1.230.
NEC Top-10, FG% at Rim (min. 50 att.)
Joey Reilly, SHU 73.0 (46-63)
Nikola Djapa, LIU 72.5 (58-80)
Luke Sutherland, LEM 70.0 (70-100)
Bryan Etumnu, MC 68.1 (64-94)
Keyontae Lewis, WC 67.6 (46-68)
Abdul Momoh, CCSU 66.2 (43-65)
Jacob O’Connell, MC 65.4 (34-52)
Jayden Brown, CCSU 65.1 (56-86)
Pano Pavlidis, STO 63.5 (40-63)
Heru Bligen, FDU 63.4 (52-82)
>> RED FLASH HONOR VAN LIER
Saint Francis U honored Red Flash legend Norm Van Lier prior to Thursday’s game against Wagner.
A 1969 graduate who scored over 1,400 points and averaged 18.8 ppg and 10.3 rpg in three seasons in Loretto, Van Lier went on to enjoy a 10-year NBA career and was a three-time All-Star known for his lockdown defense.
SFU head coach Rob Krimmel reflected on the impact Van Lier made at the school.
“It was a special night remembering Norm Van Lier and his contributions to our program when he wore the Red Flash uniform. It’s a special tradition here at Saint Francis for these guys to look up into the rafters, see three jerseys, and then also the Golden Era plaques that Bob Moore donated as you walk into DeGol Arena. There’s a tradition, a story that’s being told as a part of the Saint Francis basketball Golden Era with the current players because now they are an extension of guys that paved the way for them. It was an honor to play in front of them tonight.”
>> NEC NUGGETS
CCSU made 11 three-pointers at Le Moyne on Thursday, the program’s highest total against a DI opponent this season.
With 169 made three-pointers, FDU junior forward Ansley Almonor (Spring Valley, NY/St. Joseph Regional (Montvale)) needs just one more to tie Darien Anderson for fifth-most all-time at FDU. He is the NEC’s active career leader in triples.
Le Moyne has taken 46.8 percent of its shots against DI teams from three-point range, which ranks 18th in the country.
Le Moyne freshman AJ Dancler (Indianapolis, IN/Southport) continues to give the Dolphins an offensive spark off the bench. Last week, he scored 10.5 ppg to up his season average to 6.2 ppg. Dancler has averaged 10.2 ppg on 51.9 percent shooting from the field and a 58.3 percent mark from downtown over the last five games.
LIU sophomore guard R.J. Greene (Bronx, NY/Iona Prep) ranks eighth nationally with an 81.5 free throw rate. Greene has made 97 trips to the line while attempting 119 shots from the field. If Greene were to sustain this rate, it would be the highest by an NEC player since RMU’s Kavon Stewart posted an 83.3 free throw rate in 2016-17.
Merrimack sophomore forward Bryan Etumnu (Sugar Land, TX/Kempner) took over the NEC dunk lead following a five-slam week. He now has 29 jams on the year. Etumnu scored a career-high 18 points on 6-8 shooting, and added four blocks and three steals in Saturday’s victory over LIU.
Sacred Heart senior forward Nico Galette (Rahway, NJ/Rutgers Prep) scored all nine of his points in the second half and hit two key shots down the stretch in Saturday’s 63-53 win at Wagner. He pulled down 13 boards and came up with three steals.
Sacred Heart senior forward Alex Sobel (Setauket, NY/Ward Melville) posted his 11th game of the year in which he has made at least two-thirds of his shot opportunities. Sobel, who leads the league in field goal accuracy at 58.5 percent, made 6-8 from the floor at Wagner on Saturday.
Saint Francis U played its 22nd overtime game under head coach Rob Krimmel and the first since the Red Flash stormed back from a 17-point deficit to defeat Sacred Heart, 78-76, in overtime in an ESPNU game on February 9, 2023. It was the second time SFU and Wagner have tangled in overtime in the Krimmel era and the first time since February 9, 2017.
Saint Francis U is 3-4 this season in games decided by one possession, including 1-2 at home. The Red Flash’s seven games decided by three points or less in one season is the most under Krimmel.
Saint Francis U freshmen guard Bobby Rosenberger III (Quakertown, PA/Perkiomen School) finished with 15.5 ppg, 7.0 rpg and shot 50.0 percent (4-8) from long range last week. He is averaging 17.3 ppg and 7.3 rpg, while hitting at a 51.0 percent clip from the field and 50.0 percent from outside the arc, over his last four games.
Stonehill freshman guard Austin Abrams (Ellicott City, MD/Mount St. Joseph) came off the bench to net a career-high 10 points at Le Moyne on Saturday. He made 4-5 shots and was 2-3 from long distance.
Wagner sophomore forward Keyontae Lewis (Chesterfield, VA/Lloyd C Bird) registered his first back-to-back double-digit scoring games of the season last week. He just missed out on a double-double with 11 points and nine caroms against SHU on Saturday. Lewis is shooting an NEC-best 63.2 percent from the floor in conference games.
>> NEC IN NATIONAL LEADERS (TOP-25)
Team Category Rank Value
LEM 3P 13th 10.15
MC Steals 8th 10.11
TO Forced 11th 16.52
WC Scoring Defense 10th 62.8
Individual Category Rank Value
Ansley Almonor, FDU Made 3P 23rd 3.04
Mike DePersia, LEM A/TO Ratio 5th 3.76
Adam “Budd” Clark, MC Steals 9th 2.56
Alex Sobel, SHU Blocks 5th 2.65