Men's Basketball

PSAC Men's Basketball Athletes of the Week - 6

LOCK HAVEN, Pa. - The Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference has announced its Men’s Basketball Athletes of the Week. In the West, Slippery Rock's Dame Givner (Athlete) and California's Joshua Ray (Defensive) were selected. In the East, East Stroudsburg's Nasir Griffin (Athlete of the Week) and Lock Haven's Dean Coleman-Newsome (Defensive Athlete of the Week) were honored.

Western Division Athlete of the Week
 
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Dame Givner
Slippery Rock
Guard
Freshman
Pittsburgh, Pa.  / LA Prep

Highlighted by the top offensive performance by a PSAC athlete this season, Dame Givner led Slippery Rock to a 2-1 record last week. In three games – two wins over Shepherd and Shippensburg as well as a close overtime loss at Lock Haven – Givner averaged 21.7 points, 5.3 rebounds, 2.7 steals and 2.3 assists per game. After a pair of great performances in SRU wins over Shepherd (14 points, 6 rebounds, 1 steal) and Shippensburg (12 points, 7 rebounds, 2 steals), Givner exploded for 39 points in SRU’s overtime loss at Lock Haven. The 39 points are the most by a PSAC athlete this season. Givner, who also had five steals and three assists against Lock Haven, spurred on a Rock comeback that saw SRU erase a 20-point second half deficit to force overtime. 22 of Givner’s 39 points came in second half + overtime. His five steals at Lock Haven are tied for the most in a single-game by a PSAC West athlete this week. SRU is now 10-2 and tied for the most wins by a PSAC team this season. 
 


Western Division Defensive Athlete of the Week 
 
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Joshua Ray
California
Forward
Junior
Atlanta, Ga.  / Grayson

Ray averaged 10.7 rebounds, 2.3 blocks and 1.0 steals per game last week, as California won three games in PSAC Crossover action to finish the calendar year. He also averaged 9.7 points per game while recording a pair of double-doubles while playing 33.7 minutes per game. Ray posted eight rebounds, three blocks and three steals, plus six points, in a 95-76 win over Shippensburg on Tuesday. The Atlanta native then registered 10 points, 11 rebounds and three blocks on Saturday in a 63-61 victory at Lock Haven. He closed the week with 13 points, 13 rebounds and one block in a 93-70 win at Mansfield on Sunday.
 


Eastern Division Athlete of the Week
 
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Nasir Griffin
East Stroudsburg
Forward
Senior
Phildelphia, Pa. / West Catholic

Griffin was the primary engine for ESU's offense across its final three games of the 2025 year, helping the Warriors average 82.3 PPG while averaging 12.7 PPG himself. The senior forward shot 15-of-28 for a 53.6% shooting percentage, also dishing out three assists in ESU's win 86-61 over Clarion.
 


Eastern Division Defensive Athlete of the Week
 
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Dean Coleman-Newsome
Lock Haven
Guard
Junior
Aldan, Pa.  / Archbishop Carroll

Coleman-Newsome had a strong defensive weekend for Lock Haven. Coleman-Newsome had a block and three steals while the Bald Eagles held Cal. (PA) to only 63 points on the afternoon. Coleman-Newsome also added a block and two more steals in Lock Haven's thrilling victory over a strong Slippery Rock team.