GNAC Men's Basketball Report: Week 7

( FOR THE PERIOD OF DEC. 23 - JAN. 5 )

PLAYER OF THE WEEK Marcus Fox, Emmanuel (Mass.) (Jr, F - Danbury, Conn.) Fox posted back-to-back double-doubles at the Catholic Charities Classic, going for 25 points and 11 rebounds in a 96-91 win over Saint Joseph's (ME) followed by a 20-point, 12-rebound effort in an 82-78 victory versus Regis. He averaged 22.5 points on 69.6% (16-23) shooting with 11.5 rebounds in 30.5 minutes per game.

ROOKIE OF THE WEEK Cam Wilkins, Regis (Mass.) (Fr., G - Taunton, Mass.) Wilkins averaged 9.0 points on 70.8% shooting (17-24) to go with 4.0 rebounds and 2.5 assists as the Pride played four fames in five days at the turn of the calendar. He led the Pride with 15 points on 7-of-11 shooting from the field against Trinity back on December 30. He contributed in other ways in Regis' victory over Rivier on January 2, pulling down five rebounds and dishing out four assists in just 18 minutes. The next day against Emmanuel, he shot 7-of-8 ffor 15 points to go along with six boards, four assists, and a season-high three steals as he played a season-high 31 minutes. For the season, Wilkins continues to lead the GNAC in field goal percentage at 68.1%.

WEEK 7 HONOR ROLL

Tyreek Perkins, Albertus Magnus (Jr., G - New Haven, Conn.) - Perkins powered the Falcons to a 2-0 week, helping the team pick up wins over York (Pa.) and Coast Guard on the road to keep its 11-game winning streak alive. The junior guard averaged 18.5 points (11-24 FG, 1-4 3PT, 14-16 FT), 3.5 rebounds, 1.0 assists and 1.5 steals per game. He opened the York College Spartan Classic with a team-high 17 points, three rebounds, two assists and two steals in a 76-73 win over York (Pa.) before registering 20 points, four rebounds, and a steal in a 103-95 win over Coast Guard. 

Mike Rapoza, Anna Maria (Sr., F - Charlton, Mass.) - Rapoza has reached a double-double in all 13 contests this season so far for the AMCATS. In two contests over the break, he averaged 23.0 points 0and 12.5 rebounds while shooting 61.3% (19-31). His best game came against Trinity, where he finished with a game-high 29 points accompanied by 14 rebounds. 

Emmett Riddick, Emmanuel (Mass.) (Sr, G - Middletown, Conn.) - Riddick averaged 20.0 points, 3.0 rebounds and 3.0 assists in a 2-0 week for Emmanuel at the Catholic Charities Classic. The senior 12 points in a win over Saint Joseph's (ME) before erupting for a season-high 28 points in an 82-78 win vs Regis which includes the game-winning basket with nine seconds to play. Riddick was also perfect on the week from the FT line going 10-10 at the stripe.

Marc Trinidad, Regis (Mass.) (Jr., F - Bronx, N.Y.) - Trinidad once again led the Pride over the past week as the team played four games in five days, averaging 15.8 points (52%) and 8.0 rebounds. After scoring eight points against Trinity Dec. 30, he shot 9-of-17 from the field as he tied his career high with 21 points against #12 Babson, plus he pulled down six rebounds. Jan. 2, he established a new career high in scoring with 22 points on 8-of-14 field goal shooting, plus he pulled down 12 rebounds for a double-double. 24 hours later, he picked up his fifth double-double of the season with 12 points and 12 rebounds against Emmanuel, plus he dished out three assists and earned two steals. 

Delshawn Jackson Jr., St. Joseph (Conn.) (So., G - Hartford, Conn.) - Jackson Jr. had his best week of the season en route to helping the Blue Jays go 2-0 and secure the first-ever USJ Holiday Tournament title inside the O'Connell Center back on Dec. 28-29. Jackson Jr. was named the tournament's MVP after averaging 26.5 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 2.5 assists over the two-game span. He shot 14-for-30 (46.7%) from the floor, 8-for-23 (34.8%) from three, and an impressive 17-for-18 (94.4%) from the FT line. In the tournament's opener last Saturday versus Fisher, DJ drained a game-high 19 points to go with four rebounds and three assists in a 91-56 route of the Falcons. He followed that up with a monster game in the championship on Sunday, matching his career-high with 34 points (9-16 FG, 5-12 3PT, 11-11 FT) to go along with five rebounds and a pair of assists in a 96-83 triumph over SUNY Old Westbury. 

Jack Casale, Saint Joseph's (Me.) (Junior, G - Portland, Maine) - Casale averaged 27.0 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 6.0 assists in a 1-1 week for the Monks. The junior guard recorded his seventh double-double of the season with 32 points and 11 rebounds in a win over Rivier on Friday after netting 22 with four boards and seven dimes in a narrow loss to Emmanuel on Thursday.