PSAC Men's Basketball Athletes of the Week - 15 (Mar. 1)
PSAC Men's Basketball Weekly Release - Mar. 1 (pdf)
Mansfield's Ryan Callahan continued his strong finish to the season and for his efforts in leading Mansfield to the PSAC East championship, he is the PSAC East Player of the Week. East Stroudsburg's Terrance King helped lead the Warriors to a tie for first place in the East and he is once again the PSAC Freshman of the Week. IUP's Akida McLain recorded three double-doubles to earn West Player of the Week honors while Gannon's Tanner Furno is once again the PSAC West Freshman of the Week after a strong finish help Gannon nab the final playoff spot out of the West.
PSAC Players of the Week - Mar. 1
PSAC East Player of the Week
Ryan Callahan, Mansfield
G, Sr., Contoocook, N.H./Wagner
Callahan helped Mansfield to a 2-0 week to clinch the No. 1 seed in the PSAC East and a divisional co-championship by averaging 29.5 points, 2.5 rebounds, 2.0 steals and 1.5 assists in wins over Bloomsburg and Millersville. Callahan connected on 57.1 percent of his shots from the floor (16-for-28), including 8-of-14 from three-point range (57.1 percent). He also was 19-of-22 from the free throw line (86.4 percent). He scored a season-high 29 points in a four-point win over Bloomsburg on Wednesday, including hitting on 14-of-16 free throws and 17 points in the second half. He played all 40 minutes of that game. He then one-uped his season high by scoring 30 on 10-of-15 shooting in Saturday’s win over Millersville, with 19 of those points coming in the second half.
PSAC East Freshman of the Week
Terrance King, East Stroudsburg
F, Fr., Bushkill, Pa./East Stroudsburg North
King helped East Stroudsburg to a 2-0 week to finish with a regular season record of 23-4 and a co-PSAC East championship as he averaged 9.0 points and 5.5 rebounds while shooting 81.8 percent from the floor (9-for-11) on the week. He scored 12 points on 6-for-8 shooting and also had eight rebounds a blocked shot in Wednesday’s win over Millersville and he chipped in with six points, three rebounds and two blocks in Saturday’s win over West Chester. He finished the year with 9.1 points and 5.5 rebounds per game in PSAC East play.
PSAC West Player of the Week
Akida McLain, IUP
F, Sr., Pittsburgh, Pa./Penn Hills
McLain notched three double-doubles for IUP last week as the Crimson Hawks wrapped up the season with a 3-0 week to finish with a 25-2 regular season record, a new school record for regular season victories. McLain averaged 19.0 points and 12.3 rebounds while shooting 55 percent from the field (22-for-40), including 4-of-7 from three-point range. He added 1.5 blocks per game. He started the week with 19 points, 13 rebounds and two block s in a six-point road non-conference win at Lake Erie. He followed that up with 12 points and 14 boards in a win over Edinboro on Wednesday. McLain wrapped up the week with 26 points and 10 rebounds in a win over Slippery Rock, making 10-of-15 from the floor and 3-of-5 from three-point range in the regular season finale.
PSAC West Freshman of the Week
Tanner Furno, Gannon
F, Fr., Columbus, Ohio/Whetstone
Furno helped Gannon to a 2-0 week to clinch the final playoff spot out of the Western Division with wins over Mercyhurst and Lock Haven. He averaged 12.5 points and 6.0 rebounds while shooting 50 percent from the floor (10-for-20) and 83.3 percent from the free throw line (5-for-6) for the week. He opened the week with 18 points on 7-of-11 shooting from the floor and a season-high eight rebounds in the win over Mercyhurst on Wednesday. It marked the fifth time in the last six games that Furno had reached double figures in scoring. Furno then ended the week with seven points, four rebounds and two blocks in a win over Lock Haven on Saturday.
PSAC Team Notes
Bloomsburg Huskies
The Huskies went 0-2 this week in their quest for their first PSAC tournament berth since the 2001-02 season…BU fell to Mansfield 68-64 on Wednesday, despite 22 points from Sr. G Ruben Britt…Britt nailed 4-of-5 three-point attempts and added six rebounds and three assists …In what would be a battle for the fourth and final tournament spot, BU lost at Kutztown on Saturday, 75-68…The Huskies, down most of the game, trailed by as many as 11 points with 4:05 remaining before starting their comeback…They were able to bring it back to within two at 67-65 with 1:16 left before the Golden Bears took control, gaining the seven-point victory…Four Huskies scored in double-figures, led by So. G Trevon Johnson and Sr. F Adon El, who each had 14 points…BU ended its season with a 12-14 overall record, 6-8 in the PSAC East, its best record since the 2006-07 season, coach John Sanow's first with the Huskies.
California Vulcans
Cal U was eliminated from post-season contention on the final day of the regular season with a loss at Mercyhurst…After starting league play winless through their first six games, the Vulcans rallied to win six of the last eight games to get back into tournament contention…Cal U will miss the PSAC Tournament for the second-straight year for the first time since the 1989-90 tournaments…In their must-win game at Mercyhurst on Saturday, the Vulcans lost 88-74 after the Lakers shot a season-best 56.6 percent from the floor…Over the last five games,Jr. G Joe Berenato averaged 12.2 points after averaging only 3.8 points through the first 24 games of the season…Jr. F Andrew Young led the team in scoring (13.3) in his first year with the program.
Cheyney Wolves
This will be the fourth year in a row that Cheyney will participate in the PSAC Post Season Basketball Tournament...Cheyney will enter the tournament as the three seed...The last time Cheyney entered the tournament as the three seed, the Wolves pulled the upset, defeating Millersville and as luck would have it, the four seed defeated the one seed and Cheyney hosted the Final Four...Tamir Smith moved into ninth on the all-time scoring list at Cheyney passing Jamar Shaw...Going into post season play Smith has amassed 1,292...Twenty-three points will move him past Eric Evans and into eighth place...At the Annual Senior Day before the Wolves final regular season home game Cheyney said farewell to seniors Tamir Smith, Kevin Presbery, James Sanders, Tyrone Blasingame and Theodore Petty.
Clarion Golden Eagles
Shameel Carty had 19 rebounds in a win over Lock Haven Wed., the most rebounds by a Golden Eagle in PSAC-West play since Chris Roosevelt also had 19 vs. Lock Haven in 1981. The 19 tie for the 2nd most at Clarion since 1981…Clarion finished 2nd in the PSAC-West for the 1st time since 1978…Clarion has a home playoff game for the first time since 2005 and for the third time since 1986…Clarion has qualified for the PSAC playoffs 12 times in the last 14 years tied with IUP and Edinboro for the most PSAC playoff appearances during that span…Lloyd Harrison has hit 132 free throws this season, the third most at Clarion since 1969. His 173 free throws attempted are the 4th most since 1969…Clarion has played 4 overtime games this year, the most by the Golden Eagles since 1983.
East Stroudsburg Warriors
ESU tied school record for wins (23-4, 1972-73) and earned a share of its first PSAC East regular season title since 1991-92 with two wins last week (78-54 vs. Millersville, 88-74 at West Chester)…Warriors host Cheyney in quarterfinals…Swept the season series for the first time since 1997-1998 and are 4-1 vs. Cheyney at home since 2006…Fourth playoff appearance in five years (2006-08, 10)…Head coach Jeff Wilson (8th year) is 124-94…91-47 in last five years (t-most wins in five years in school history)…ESU was 5th in Atlantic Region last week…1989-90 team is Warriors' only PSAC champion and NCAA tournament team…Sr. G Robby Pines (6.3 assists, 2.3 steals) is one of four DII players in top 20 in both categories…Sr. G Andy Heimbach set single season record for three-pointers with 68 (228 in career).
Edinboro Fighting Scots
Edinboro's final record of 11-16 marked the first losing season since 1996-97 and just the third losing campaign in Greg Walcavich's 21 years as head coach. The Fighting Scots also had a string of nine straight seasons in the PSAC playoffs snapped…Justin Moore concluded his final season with a strong finish, registering double-doubles in five of his last seven games. That included 13 points and 11 rebounds vs. IUP and 15 points and 12 boards in the overtime win against Clarion. Moore played three seasons for the Fighting Scots, finishing 19th in career rebounds (596) and 45th in career scoring (756 points)…Danny Walsh keyed the win over Clarion, scoring the first seven points in overtime to match his career high of 19 points.
Gannon Golden Knights
Gannon won two games during the final week of the regular season to clinch its third consecutive post-season appearance, defeating rival Mercyhurst (71-59) and Lock Haven (61-48)...The Golden Knights will try to produce their first three-game winning streak of the season at IUP in the PSAC Quarterfinals...So. G Steve Piotrowicz made his first two career starts last week and responded with 31 points and a 52.6 shooting percentage. He scored a career-high 18 points against Lock Haven and has reached double digits in three consecutive games...Gannon moved to 17-0 all-time against Lock Haven with Saturday victory, including a 13-0 mark at the Hammermill Center...George Johnson recorded his second career double-double with 12 points and 10 rebounds against Mercyhurst...All five starters reached double digits in scoring against Mercyhurst, accounting for 67 of the team's 71 points.
IUP Crimson Hawks
The Crimson Hawks, ranked sixth in the nation, set a school record with 25 regular season wins by defeating Lake Erie, Edinboro and Slippery Rock last week...IUP also set a school mark with 13 PSAC West wins, with 11 of those coming by double figures and six by 20 or more points...Akida McLain had double-doubles in all three games, including a career-high 26 points versus Slippery Rock...Thomas Young had 25 versus Edinboro and 24 versus Slippery Rock and is averaging a team-best 18.3 in PSAC West games...IUP is 14-0 at home this season, has won 18 straight overall at Memorial Field House and is 28-2 at home since the beginning of last season...The Crimson Hawks have won seven in a row by an average margin of 18.0 points per game since last losing at Clarion on February 7...IUP begins PSAC tournament play at home versus Gannon and will be seeking its sixth PSAC championship and first since 2004.
Kutztown Golden Bears
Stephen Dennis finished with 24 points in KU's victory over Shippensburg…With 732 points, Dennis broke his single season scoring mark he set last season (710)…Dennis now has 2,321 career points…He scored 32 points against Cheyney, the 10th time this season he has scored 30 or more points…Ryan Washington posted his 15th double-double with 13 points and 10 rebounds against Bloomsburg…Kutztown went 2-5 on the road during its PSAC East schedule…The Golden Bears have qualified for the PSAC playoffs in eight straight years…Kutztown and Mansfield split a pair of meetings with each team winning on its home floor. Mansfield scored the final nine points at Decker Gym to hand Kutztown its first defeat of the season, 94-87 on Jan. 20. The Golden Bears defeated Mansfield, 81-69, at Keystone Arena on Feb. 11...In two games against Mansfield this season, Dennis averaged 36.5 points per game.
Lock Haven Bald Eagles
Lock Haven closed out the 2009-10 season with a 61-48 loss at Gannon on Saturday. LHU was 0-2 last week and finished the season on a six-game losing skid. Lock Haven was 6-19 overall and 3-1l in PSAC West action...All season long a huge bright sport for The Haven was So. F Eric Brennan, who led the team in scoring with 17.5 pts./game. His scoring average is the fourth-best in the entire PSAC. Brennan netted double-figures in all 25 games this season and has done so for 27 straight contests dating back his rookie year...Sr. Warren Christian closes out a remarkable two-year career. He led the Bald Eagles in minutes played and averaged 13.4 pts./game and 9.4 rbs./game. Christian finished with 71 blocks on the on the year. His 71 blocks are the second most for a single season and his 116 career blocks are also the second most in school history.
Mansfield Mountaineers
The Mountaineers earned their first PSAC East title since 2005 by winning their final five games of the regular season…Ryan Callahan has been the Mountaineers top scorer over that five game span averaging 20.8 points per game including 29.5 points over the final two games of the season…Callahan now has 1077 points in his Mansfield career the ranking 19th in school history…Yuseff Carr averaged 18.6 points and 7.0 rebounds per game in the final week of the season…Carr ranks 21st in career scoring in school history with 1,034 points.
Mercyhurst Lakers
Mercyhurst clinched the No. 3 seed in the PSAC Western Division with an 88-74 win over California in the regular-season finale and completed its second season sweep of a PSAC West opponent…It is the first time since joining the league a year ago that the Lakers will be in postseason play...It marks the fifth time that seventh-year head coach Gary Manchel has guided Mercyhurst to the conference tournament… the Lakers have yet to appear in the NCAA Tournament…The 88 points against California is the highest point total against a divisional opponent this season…Sr. G Nnamdi Nnadili has led the team in scoring in three of the last four games and posted double-digits in four of his last five contests…Along with Nnadili, Sr. F Christian Cornelius is the only other Laker to average in double-figures for the second schedule rotation of divisional opponents with 11.3 points...Nnadili owns a 10.6 points per game mark.
Millersville Marauders
Millersville concluded its 2009-10 season with an 8-19 record. Only the 1977-78 team (5-20) suffered more defeats...Eight of Millersville's losses were by fewer than 10 points...Millersville had just three seniors on the team...Sr. Jason Blake scored a career-high 23 points in the season finale against Mansfield. Fellow Sr. Alen Ahmetovic finished the season with 180 points after scoring 124 in his first three seasons combined. He also averaged 6.0 rebounds per game after not averaging more than 2.6 in any of his previous three seasons...Blake, a two-year player for Millersville, finished with 510 points, 217 rebounds, 138 assists and 87 steals in 54 games...The third Sr., Palmer McDurfee, scored in double figures nine times this year.
Shippensburg Red Raiders
So. F Will Royal made a putback with 0.8 seconds remaining to upset Cheyney in the team's regular season finale and help the Red Raiders end the season on a high note...Royal was one of three Red Raiders in double figures, scoring 13 points and grabbing eight rebounds...So. G Jordan Stasyszyn was huge off the bench for the Red Raiders with 17 points in just 13 minutes...Both players are back next season...SU honored two departing seniors on Wednesday, Brian Oleksiak and Daziah Miller.
Slippery Rock - The Rock
Junior F Maron Brown averaged 24 points and 14 rebounds in two games last week to finish the regular season as the PSAC's top rebounder (10.3) and No. 8 scorer (16.0 ppg)...Brown averaged 23 points and 13 rebounds in the final three games and had a double-double in each game to finish the season with 14 D-D's, one shy of the school record set last winter by PSAC-West Player of the Year Denell Stephens...Brown's rebounding average this winter is the sixth best in Rock history...Sr. G Michael Evans Jr. finished the season ranked third in SRU history in 3-point goals made with 73 and second in trey attempts with 222...Evans Jr. finished his two-year Rock career ranked fourth in both treys made (130) and attempted (405)...The 36 wins recorded by SRU the past two seasons ranks as the fourth highest two-year win total in school history.
West Chester Golden Rams
West Chester split its two league games last week, defeating Shippensburg on the road, 92-84 and falling to regular-season co-champion East Stroudsburg, 88-74…Ralph Hegamin finished his college career with 21 points against ESU…He posted his 10th double-double of the year in the win over Shippensburg…He finishes his career with 25 double-doubles in three years at WCU…Hegamin registered 1,146 points and 664 rebounds in three seasons at WCU…He stands 19th on WCU's all-time scoring list as well as sixth all-time on its points per game career chart (15.9)…He is also 12th all-time in school history in rebounds…Kenny St. George finishes his stellar career 16th on the school's all-time scoring list with 1,216 points…His 13.97 points per game ranks him eighth all-time…With one more season left, Kehinde Roberts stands 23rd all-time on the school's scoring list with 1,058 career points…Fr. Harley Williamson averaged 7.4 points per game and 4.7 rebounds…He also led the team in blocked shots this winter.