Men's Basketball

PSAC Men’s Basketball Athletes of the Week – 6

The Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference announced this week’s men’s basketball athletes of the week for the first time in the 2023 portion of the schedule. From the East, Carlos Pepin of East Stroudsburg, and Dom Sleva of Shippensburg were picked again. Over in the West, IUP’s Dave Morris, and John Paul Kromka of Pitt-Johnstown also earned another set of selections this year.

LOCK HAVEN, Pa. --- The Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference announced this week’s men’s basketball athletes of the week for the first time in the 2023 portion of the schedule. From the East, Carlos Pepin of East Stroudsburg, and Dom Sleva of Shippensburg were picked again. Over in the West, IUP’s Dave Morris, and John Paul Kromka of Pitt-Johnstown also earned another set of selections this year.
 
Men’s East Athlete of the Week
 
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East Stroudsburg
Carlos Pepin
Forward
Redshirt Senior
Lodi, N.J. / Lodi
 
Pepin averaged a double-double over the last three games pacing the Warriors. He had three straight double-doubles in the frame and now has five consecutive this season. He averaged 26 points and 12 rebounds over the last three wins over Slippery Rock, Shippensburg and Mansfield. He made 78.9 percent of his field goal attempts and was 50 percent from downtown. He also shot 78.9 percent from the free-throw line.

Men’s East Defensive Athlete of the Week
 
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Shippensburg
Dom Sleva
Forward
Graduate Student
McKees Rocks, Pa. / Montour
 
Sleva averaged 13.0 rebounds, 1.3 steals, and 0.33 blocks for the week on defense. He was key in all facets of the game, posting three straight double-doubles, averaging 18.7 points and 13.0 rebounds over that span. Recorded a season-high 22 points and recorded three steals in a win over Edinboro Jan. 7 on the road, in that game also joined the 1,000-point club. Shot 58.1 percent from the field in the past three games, helping the Raiders to a 2-1 record. Strong week catapulted him to the top of the NCAA Division II leaderboard in double-doubles with nine, and defensive rebounds per game.

Men’s West Athlete of the Week
 
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IUP
Dave Morris
Guard
Redshirt Senior
Erie, Pa. / Strong Vincent
 
Averaged 21.3 points 5.3 rebounds and 4.6 assists in three wins for the top-ranked IUP Crimson Hawks. He shot 54.8% from the floor, 42.3% from three and 87.5% from the foul line during the three-game stretch while posting 19 points and three rebounds at Millersville. He followed it up with 24 points (9-18 FG), six rebounds and five assists against Seton Hill and notched 21 points, seven rebounds and five assists in hard-earned triumph against Mercyhurst.

Men’s West Defensive Athlete of the Week
 
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Pitt-Johnstown
John Paul Kromka
Forward
Senior
Monroeville, Pa. / Gateway
 
John Paul Kromka, one of the league’s best shot blockers, continued his defensive reign as defensive athlete of the week with 10 blocks and four steals. He also averaged 5.67 rebounds in three games. Kromka also aided the Mountain Cats in all areas of the game averaging 17.33 points and 1.33 assists per game. One of the highlights of the week was when he tallied six blocks against Kutztown to become UPJ’s all-time leader in blocks. He now has 277 for his career.
 
ABOUT THE PSAC
Headquartered in Lock Haven, Pennsylvania, the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference is an NCAA Division II Conference comprised of 18 institutions in Pennsylvania and West Virginia. The member institutions are Bloomsburg, California (Pa.), Clarion, East Stroudsburg, Edinboro, Gannon, Indiana (Pa.), Kutztown, Lock Haven, Mansfield, Mercyhurst, Millersville, Pitt-Johnstown, Seton Hill, Shepherd, Shippensburg, Slippery Rock and West Chester.