GNAC Men's Basketball Report: Week 2

( FOR THE WEEK OF NOV. 18 - 24 )

PLAYER OF THE WEEK Jack Casale, Saint Joseph's (Maine) (Jr., G - Portland, Maine) The junior double-doubled in both games of a 1-1 week, averaging 23.0 points, 15.0 rebounds and 7.0 assists while shooting 52.9% (18-34 FG, 3-11 3PT, 7-10 FT) from the floor. The gaudy weekly statline was highlighted by a 31-point, 19-rebound, seven-assist outburst on Saturday in a 90-83 non-conference victory over Husson. In the win, he shot 12-of-19 from the floor and had 14 of the 19 caroms in the first half. He also had 15 points (6-15 FG, 1-5 3PT), 11 boards and seven assists across 27 minutes in a 84-74 setback against UNE on Wedneday.

ROOKIE OF THE WEEK Jaydon Cousin, Norwich (Fr., F - Savannah, Ga.) In 23.0 minutes per game, the first-year forward averaged 17.7 points, 5.0 rebounds and 2.0 steals in a 1-2 week for the Cadets. He shot 55% (22-40) from the floor, including 2-of-4 from three and was 7-of-14 from the FT line. He registered double-digit scoring in all three games, including a season-high 27 points against Colby-Sawyer on Tuesday before averaging 13.0 points per game during the team's games in the Granite City Shootout, which saw the Cadets earn their first win over Castleton.

WEEK 2 HONOR ROLL

Justice Washington, Albertus Magnus (Fr., C/F - Hamden, Conn.) - Washington scored a season-high 14 points with six rebounds, three steals and an assist and shot an impressive 77.8% from the field in a 91-69 non-conference win over Anna Maria. 

Emmett Riddick, Emmanuel (Mass.) (Sr, G - Middletown, Conn.) - Riddick lifted Emmanuel to a 2-0 week, averaging 17.0 points and 7.5 rebounds per game. The senior opened the stanza with 15 points, six boards and three steals across just 25 minutes in a road win at Curry before closing the week with a near double-double, registering 19 points (5-16 FG, 0-5 3PT, 9-11 FT) with nine boards in a win over Westfield State.

Justin Bullock, Johnson & Wales (RI) (Jr., G - Spring Valley, N.Y.) - Bullock averaged 18.7 points, 4.3 rebounds and 2.0 assists in a 2-1 weekend for the Wildcats, while shooting 44.2% (19- 43 FG, 13-26 3PT, 5-8 FT). He posted 20 points in back-to-back games for the first time in his career, recording a game-high 26 points (9-14 FG, 5-8 3PT) with seven rebounds in a 78-61 win over Eastern Connecticut State before registering 22 points (7-16 FG, 6-11 3PT) against Division-II opponent Staten Island (75-57 L). He also had eight points in a 70-67 win over Fisher on Tuesday.

Stefan Masciarelli, Lasell (Sr., G - Northbridge, Mass.) - Masciarelli averaged 19.7 points and 3.7 rebounds in Lasell losses to three New England powerhouses, while shooting 47.8% (22-46 FG, 3-7 3PT, 12-13 FT) from the field. He scored 16 points against Amherst, 24 at Tufts, and 19 against MIT, shooting over 52% in two of the three setbacks. Amherst is ranked #4 in the D3hoops.com national preseason poll and Tufts and MIT were receiving votes.

Marc Trinidad, Regis (Mass.) (Jr., F - Bronx, N.Y) - Trinidad has become Regis' top low-post player early on, averaging 16.5 points and 6.5 rebounds in a 1-1 week while shooting 61.1% (11-18 FG, 11-18 FT) for the Pride across 26.5 minutes per game. On Tuesday against Clark, he scored a career-high 21 points (8-11 FG) with nine boards (six offensive) before producing 12 points and four boards in the Pride's 94-82 win over Curry on Saturday. 

Delshawn Jackson Jr., St. Joseph (Conn.) (So., G - Hartford, Conn.) - Jackson Jr. guided the Blue Jays to a 1-1 week as USJ split a pair of road games against NESCAC opponents Trinity and Tufts this past Tuesday and Saturday, respectively. Jackson Jr. poured in 20 points in each contest and shot 17-for-38 (44.7%) from the floor on the week. In an 83-73 victory over cross-town foe Trinity on Tuesday, Jackson Jr. powered the Blue Jays' second-half comeback with 12 of his 20 points coming in the final 20 minutes and also added three rebounds. He then followed that up with 20 points and four caroms in an 89-71 setback at Tufts on Saturday where the Jumbos pulled away late. 

Taelon Martin, St. Joseph (Conn.) (Fr., G - Springfield, Mass.) - Martin averaged 16.0 points and 5.5 rebounds in a 1-1 week, shooting 56.5% (13-23) from the floor over the two-game span. The 6-5 guard out of Springfield, Mass. put together his best performance of the season on Tuesday night, leading the Blue Jays over the cross-town Bantams, 83-73, with a game-high 21 points to go with a team-high eight rebounds. 

Nate Hale, Suffolk (Jr., G - Nashua, N.H.) - Hale averaged 18.0 points and 3.5 rebounds in 25.0 minutes per game across a 1-1 week for the Rams, as the sharpshooter was 66.7% (12-19) from the floor, including 7-of-9 from three and a perfect 5-of-5 at the FT line.