NEC MEN'S BASKETBALL CO-PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
Jordan Derkack, Merrimack
6’5”, 205 lbs.
So., G, Colonia, NJ/Colonia (Spire Academy)
Derkack earned himself a spot in the conference recordbook book with his record-tying sixth NEC Player of the Week award of the season. The Colonia, NJ native did it all in Merrimack’s split, averaging 25.0 points, 6.0 rebounds, 5.5 assists and 2.0 steals, while shooting 50.0 from long range and 82.4 percent from the line. Derkack compiled 23 points and six assists in Thursday’s victory over FDU that stretched Merrimack’s win streak to ten and secured the Warriors a share of their second straight conference regular season title and their third in the last five years. He went on to tally 29 points, nine rebounds and five assists, while sinking a career-high five three-pointers in a four-point loss at Sacred Heart on Saturday. Derkack leads the NEC with 17.7 ppg and also ranks in the top-10 in rebounding (5.9, 7th), field goal percentage (.484, 8th), assists (3.8, 4th) and steals (2.1, 2nd). CCSU’s Tyler Kohl also collected six NEC Player of the Week honors in 2018-19.
Alex Sobel, Sacred Heart
6’8”, 230 lbs.
Sr., F, Setauket, NY/Ward Melville (Middlebury)
Sobel’s first NEC Player of the Week accolade comes on the heels of a pair of double-double efforts in a 2-0 week for the Pioneers. Sobel supplied SHU with 16.0 points, 11.0 rebounds, 3.0 assists, 2.0 blocks and 2.0 steals per outing. He converted 66.7 percent of his shot opportunities from the field and at an 80.0 percent clip from the line. The 6’8” big registered 12 points and 11 rebounds in Thursday’s 79-51 win at Stonehill that clinched the No. 3 seed in the NEC Tournament for the Pios. Two days later, he came up huge in an 89-85 win that snapped Merrimack’s ten-game win streak. Sobel netted 20 points,11 caroms, four assists and three blocks. He assisted on Nico Galette’s crucial transition layup with 37 seconds remaining, then calmly sank a pair of free throws with two seconds on the clock to ice matters. The Setauket, NY product leads the conference and is sixth nationally with 2.8 bpg. He also ranks first in the NEC in field goal percentage (.598), second in double-doubles (six), fourth in rebounding (7.3) and is the Pios’ second-leading scorer at 12.1 ppg.
NEC MEN'S BASKETBALL ROOKIE OF THE WEEK
Adam “Budd” Clark, Merrimack
5’10”, 155 lbs.
Fr., G, Philadelphia, PA/West Catholic
Clark wrapped his regular season in style by collecting his seventh NEC Rookie of the Week honor, just one shy of the all-time record. He tallied 16.0 points, 4.0 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 2.5 steals per game, and shot 50.0 percent from the field in a split for the Warriors, who earned a share of their third NEC regular season title in five years and finished the year 13-3 in conference play. Clark logged 21 points, five rebounds, three assists and four steals to help Merrimack to a 74-55 win at FDU on Thursday. He added 11 points and three dimes in Saturday’s 89-85 setback at SHU. Clark, who hails from Philadelphia, is the NEC leader and ranks eighth nationally with 2.6 spg. He paces all NEC freshmen with 13.1 ppg and his 3.9 apg is the third-best mark on the circuit.
NEC PRIME PERFORMERS
Allan Jeanne-Rose (CCSU, Gr, F)
Last week: 18.0 ppg, 6.5 rpg, 2.0 apg, 1.0 spg, 50.0 3P%, 91.7 FT%
- Shared game scoring honors in a pair of CCSU wins last week that clinched the #1 seed for the Blue Devils. Posted a team-high 19 points with seven boards in a Senior Day win against Stonehill on Saturday.
- Entered week shooting 69.2 percent from the stripe and made 11-12 FT over the two games.
- Ranks fifth in the NEC in scoring (15.1) and third in FG percentage (.541).
Luke Sutherland (LEM, Gr, F)
Last week: 18.0 ppg, 5.0 rpg, 6.0 apg, 1.5 bpg, 65.0 FG%, 66.7 3P%, 1.000 FT%
- Flirted with a triple-double in Saturday’s victory at SFU that secured the Dolphins the #4 seed and an NEC Tournament home game.
- Finished with 22 points, seven rebounds and eight assists, and made 8-10 shots from the field.
- Sits sixth in the league in scoring (15.0), fourth in 3P accuracy (.382), seventh in FG percentage (.494) and made three-pointers (1.9), and eighth in blocks (0.8).
Adam “Budd” Clark (MC, Fr, G)
Last week: 16.0 ppg, 4.0 rpg, 3.0 apg, 2.5 spg, 50.0 FG%
- Tallied 21 points, five rebounds, three assists and four steals in Merrimack’s 74-55 win at FDU on Thursday that netted the program its second straght NEC regular season crown.
- Remained the NEC leader and ranks eighth nationally with 2.6 spg. He paces all NEC freshmen with 13.1 ppg and his 3.9 apg is the third-best mark on the circuit.
Jordan Derkack (MC, So, G)
Last week: 25.0 ppg, 6.0 rpg, 5.5 apg, 2.0 spg, 50.0 3P%, 82.4 F%
- Posted his ninth and tenth 20+ point games of the season in a MC split last week, which is tied for most in the conference.
- Rang up 23 points and six assists in Thursday’s victory over FDU that streched MC’s win streak to ten and earned the Warriors a share of their second straight conference regular season title.
- Tallied 29 points, nine rebounds, five assists and made a career-high five 3P at SHU.
- Leads the NEC with 17.7 ppg and also ranks in the top-10 in rebounding (5.9, 7th), field goal percentage (.484, 8th), assists (3.8, 4th) and steals (2.1, 2nd).
Nico Galette (SHU, Sr, F)
Last week: 15.5 ppg, 8.5 rpg, 4.0 apg, 1.0 spg, 56.0 FG%
- Came within two points of his NEC season-high with 20 points in Saturday’s four-point conquest of Merrimack. He was one of three SHU players with 20+ points in the game.
- Put up 11 points and 10 rebounds against Stonehill on Thursday for his sixth double-double of the season, which ranks second in the NEC.
- Stands eighth on the circuit in scoring (13.7), fifth in rebounding (7.2) and third in steals (2.0).
Raheem Solomon (SHU, Gr, G)
Last week: 18.0 ppg, 4.5 rpg, 54.2 FG%, 50.0 3P%, 1.000 FG%
- Establshed a career-high with 26 points in Saturday’s 89-85 win over Merrimack that snapped the Warriors’ ten-game win streak.
- Made 10-13 from the floor, 3-5 from downtown and added five boards.
- Averaging 19.3 points on 54.8 percent shooting over his last four games to raise his season average to 7.9 ppg.
Alex Sobel (SHU, Sr, F)
Last week: 17.0 ppg, 11.0 rpg, 3.0 apg, 2.0 bpg, 2.0 spg, 66.7 FG%, 80.0 FT%
- Recorded a pair of double-doubles in SHU’s sweep that locked up the third seed for the Pios.
- Tallied 12 points and 11 rebounds vs. Stonehill and 22 points and 11 caroms against MC.
- Leads the conference and is sixth nationally with 2.8 bpg.
- Ranks first in the NEC in field goal percentage (.598), second in double-doubles (six), fourth in rebounding (7.3) and is the Pios’ second-leading scorer at 12.1 ppg.
Melvin Council Jr. (WC, Jr, G)
Last week: 18.5 ppg, 9.0 rpg, 3.0 apg, 1.5 bpg, 1.000 FT%
- Tied for game scoring honors with 21 points at Le Moyne, then logged his fourth double-double of the season after a 16-point, 13-rebound outing vs. FDU. The 13 boards tied his career-high.
- Has reached double-digits in ten straight games.
- Leads the NEC in minutes played at 35.8 per game and is averaging 39.3 mpg in NEC play. He played 628 out of a possible 650 minutes against conference rivals.
- Ranks fourth in the conference in scoring (15.3), eighth in rebounding (5.8), sixth in assists (3.6), third in FT% (.790) and tenth in steals (1.4).
>> NEC IN NATIONAL LEADERS (TOP-25)
Team Category Rank Value
LEM 3P 16th 9.87
MC Steals 9th 10.03
TO Forced 11th 16.33
SHU Blocks 19th 5.06
WC Scoring Defense 10th 63.0
3P% Defense 18th .301
Individual Category Rank Value
Mike DePersia, LEM A/TO Ratio 5th 3.61
Adam “Budd” Clark, MC Steals 8th 2.57
Alex Sobel, SHU Blocks 6th 2.80