GNAC Men's Basketball Report: Week 4

( FOR THE WEEK OF DEC. 2 - 8 )

PLAYER OF THE WEEK Jack Casale, Saint Joseph's (Maine) (Junior, G - Portland, Maine) Casale averaged 25.0 points and 10.0 rebounds while shooting 60% (18-30) from the floor, 50% (5-10) from three-point territory in a 1-1 week. The junior guard netted 31 points – the 10th 30-point effort of his career – while shooting 78.6% (11-14 FG, 3-6 3PT, 6-7 FT) from the field to go with nine boards and two blocks in an 87-74 victory over Plymouth State on Wednesday. He followed up with a 19-point, 11-rebound double-double in a setback at Bates on Saturday.

ROOKIE OF THE WEEK Jaydon Cousin, Norwich (Fr., F - Savannah, Ga.) Cousin continued his impressive rookie campaign by averaging 15.0 points on 58.% shooting (17-29) and 5.7 rebounds in just 24.0 minutes per game during a three-game week. The freshman forward highlighted his week with a career-high 28 points (12-15 FG) in addition to eight rebounds in a win over Maine-Augusta to kick off the 2019 Ed Hockenbury Classic hitting 12-of-15 shots. He added 13 points and six boards in a road loss to NEC and four points and three boards in a tough setback to Trinity (Conn.).

WEEK 4 HONOR ROLL

Terry Dawkins, Albertus Magnus (So., F - Bronx, N.Y.) - Dawkins scored in double-figures for all three wins this past week for the Falcons, averaging 19.7 points and 6.0 rebounds while shooting 59% (23-39) from the field and 86.7% (13-15) from the free throw line. The sophomore guard opened the week with a season-high 23 points to go along with seven rebounds and an assist in the 112-99 win over Mtichell. Two days later, the power forward netted 19 points, seven rebounds, three assists and two steals against George Fox, before closing out the week scoring 17 points, four rebounds, an assist and a block in a win over No. 22 WPI. 

Marcus Fox, Emmanuel (Mass.) (Jr, F - Danbury, Conn.) - Fox continued his strong post play for Emmanuel, averaging 18.0 points and 10.0 rebounds while shooting 51.9% (14-27 FG, 4-7 3PT, 4-5 FT) in a 1-1 week for the Saints. He opened the frame with a 26-point (10-15 FG), 10-rebound effort in an 87-81 road victory over Wheaton before notching his fifth double-double of the year vs. Emerson with 10 points and 10 boards in just 26 minutes of run. 

Emmett Riddick, Emmanuel (Mass.) (Sr, G - Middletown, Conn.) - Riddick averaged 22.0 points and 4.0 rebounds while shooting 36.8% (14-38 FG, 3-13 3PT, 13-17 FT) over two games for the Saints. The senior moved into seventh place in Emmanuel's all-time scoring category with a 16-point effort in an 87-81 road win over Wheaton and scored a season-high 28 points (9-22 FG) against crosstown foe Emerson to go with six boards.

Brian Hogan-Gary, Johnson & Wales (RI) (Sr., G - Staten Island, NY) - Averaged 23 points and 7 rebounds for the week ... Had at least 20 points in all three games ... Produced 28 points and 6 rebounds versus Bates ... Notched 21 points, 8 rebounds and 5 assists in the win over Mitchell ... Came back the next day to score 20 points and snare seven rebounds at Hamilton. 

Kevin Nunez, Lasell (Jr., G - Dorchester, Mass.) - Nunez averaged 20.7 points and 5.0 rebounds in a 1-2 week for the Lasers, shooting 46.3 percent from the field (25-of-54) and 83.3 percent from the free throw line (10-of-12). He matched his career high with 29 points Saturday in Lasell?s upset victory over #7-ranked Nichols College, handing the Bison their first loss of the season. He also scored 21 points Tuesday in a loss to Brandeis and tallied 12 points and eight rebounds Thursday in a setback to Wheaton.

Devante Thompson, Regis (Mass.) (Jr., F - Fort Lauderdale, Fla.) - Thompson tied a career-high with 16 points (6-10 FG, 2-4 3PT, 2-2 FT) plus two rebounds and two assists across 27 minutes during the Pride's only game of the week Saturday, a non-conference 68-56 setback at home to Suffolk. He started an 11-0 Regis scoring run in the second half with a three-pointer that brought the Pride back into the game. Thompson has now reached double figures in six of Regis' seven games so far this season.

Jordan Powell, St. Joseph (Conn.) (Jr., G/F - Middletown, Conn.) - Powell powered USJ to a 2-0 week, helping the Blue Jays pick up wins over Elms on Tuesday, 86-48, and George Fox on Saturday, 88-56, to improve USJ's record to 5-2 on the year. Powell averaged 15.0 points, 8.5 rebounds, and 2.5 blocks in just 19 minutes of floor time per game over the pair of victories. He shot an astounding 14-for-18 (77.8%) from the field on the week, including making his first 10-for-10 from the floor to set a new program record on Saturday in the win over George Fox. The 6-6 Middletown product opened the week with eight points, five rebounds, and three blocks in just 14 minutes on Tuesday versus Elms before exploding for his first career double-double with the Blue Jays on Saturday against George Fox. Powell poured in a game-high 22 points and grabbed 12 rebounds versus the Bruins, and also added a pair of blocks in 24 minutes to lead USJ.

Brendan Mulson, Suffolk (Jr., G - Albany, N.Y.) - Mulson helped Suffolk to a 2-1 week with an average stat line of 9.3 ppg, 8.7 rpg and 2.0 apg. His standout showing came in a 68-56 non-conference win at Regis Saturday, Dec. 7 when he grabbed 18 rebounds, 14 on the defensive end, and scored 14 points. The 18 boards are the most in the Jeff Juron era and the most for a Ram since 2013.