GNAC Men's Basketball Report: Week 1

(FOR THE WEEK OF NOV. 8-11)

PLAYER OF THE WEEK Brian Hogan-Gary, Johnson & Wales (RI) (Jr., G - Staten Island, N.Y.) The 2017-18 GNAC First Team selection pened the season with a double-double in an 85-80 overtime victory on Sunday over Babson, which was ranked fourth in the NEWMAC Preseason Poll. He had 22 points (8-17 FG, 6-10 FT), a game-high 10 rebounds, and just missed a triple-double with nine assists to go ith six steals.

ROOKIE OF THE WEEK Ryan O'Neill, St. Joseph (Conn.) (Fr., G - Litchfield, Conn.) O'Neill came off the bench to average 19.5 points on 11-of-18 shooting, including 4-of-6 from three and 13-of-14 from the free-throw line, powering the Blue Jays to a 2-0 start in the inaugural USJ men's basketball season under legendary Hall of Fame head coach Jim Calhoun. Trailing by as many as 14 in the season opener on Friday night against William Paterson at Trinity, O'Neill helped erase the deficit scoring 19 of his game-high 25 points in the second half in an eventual 79-74 comeback victory. The 6-5 guard followed up with a 14-point, five-board performance on Sunday as USJ cruised to a 95-82 win over Medgar Evers.

WEEK 1 HONOR ROLL
Ryan Pittman, Albertus Magnus (Sr., G - Stratford, Conn.) - Pittman opened the winter campaign scoring 19 points while shooting 50% (5-10 FG, 9-10 FT) in a road win over Anna Maria College on Thursday. He also collected a team-high six steals, a team-high five assists and five rebounds in 32 minutes. 

Giovanni Ciampa, Emmanuel (Mass.) (Fr, G - Tewksbury, Mass.) - Ciampa enjoyed a stellar collegiate debut with a 20-point outing against Western New England. The rookie guard led Emmanuel in scoring, connecting on four three pointers to go along with a perfect 8-for-8 from the charity stripe. Ciampa added seven rebounds and one assist in the debut.

Brian Hogan-Gary, Johnson & Wales (RI) (Jr., G - Staten Island, N.Y.) - The 2017-18 GNAC First Team selection pened the season with a double-double in the overtime victory against Babson, which was ranked fourth in the NEWMAC Preseason Poll. He had 22 points (8-17 FG, 6-10 FT), a game-high 10 rebounds, and just missed a triple-double with nine assists to go ith six steals.

Christopher Bryant, Norwich (So., F - Crestview, Fla.) - Averaged 11.5 points and 10.5 rebounds in Norwich's opening 1-1 week, including a 13-point, 13-board performance in a win at Thomas.

Nate Hale, Rivier (Jr, F - Nashua, N.H.) - Hale averaged 20.5 points per game in leading the Raiders to a 1-1 week with a convincing 87-61 win over Lesley. 

Jack Casale, Saint Joseph's (Maine) (Sophomore, G - Portland, Maine) - Casale scored a career-high 27 points with nine rebounds and four assists while shooting 47.4% (9-19 FG, 3-9 3PT, 6-8 FT) from the field in a loss at Plymouth State on Friday.

Michael Hagopian, Suffolk (Sr., G - Watertown, Mass.) - Hagopian was lights out from the field in a 95-59 blowout of Salve Regina on Saturday afternoon, scoring 26 points on 10-of-14 shooting and 6-of-8 from three-point range.

GNAC MEN'S BASKETBALL WEEKLY ARCHIVE (2018-19)