GNAC Men's Basketball Report: Week 11

( FOR THE WEEK OF JAN. 21-27 )

PLAYER OF THE WEEK Jack Casale, Saint Joseph's (Maine) (So., G - Portland, Maine) In a pair of conference wins last week, Casale averaged 28.0 points, 10.0 rebounds and 4.0 assists while shooting 70.0% (21-30) from the floor, 47.1% (8-17) from three, and 75.0% (6-8) from the FT line. After a 26-point, nine-rebound effort against Rivier, the sophomore guard scored 30 points (12-16 FG) with 10 rebounds and four assists in a 99-90 victory over Anna Maria on Saturday. It marks the second straight and fourth time overall Casale has been honored as the GNAC Player of the Week in 2018-19.

ROOKIE OF THE WEEK Jake Sullivan, St. Joseph (Conn.) (Fr., F - Branford, Conn., 24) Sullivan had a career night to help lead USJ to a 104-93 road win over GNAC foe Rivier on Saturday in the Blue Jays' lone game of the week. He erupted for his first career double-double, finishing with a career-high 23 points (8-13 FG, 2-4 3PT, 5-6 FT) and career-high 10 rebounds to go with three assists in 31 minutes of action. Sullivan becomes the sixth different Blue Jay to garner GNAC Rookie of the Week accolades this season.

WEEK 11 HONOR ROLL
Mike Rapoza, Anna Maria (Jr., F - Charlton, Mass.) - At home against Saint Joseph's of Maine on Saturday, Rapoza's 12-point, 10-rebound second-half performance brought the AMCATS within five points of the Monks. He finished with 20 points (10-14 FG) and 15 rebounds in the 99-90 setback, Anna Maria's only game of the week. 

Isaiah Ruffen, Emmanuel (Mass.) (Sr, G - Haverhill, Mass.) - Ruffen posted a pair of double-doubles in a 2-0 week for Emmanuel, averaging 17.0 points and 11.5 rebounds while shooting 67/63/63% overall. The senior registered 16 points and 11 rebounds in a road win against Norwich (6-7 FG, 4-5 3PT) before collecting 18 points and 12 rebounds in the Saints' first win over Albertus Magnus since 2009.

Stefan Masciarelli, Lasell (Jr., G - Northbridge, Mass) - Masciarelli scored a career-high 45 points to go with six rebounds and a school-record tying 10 three-pointers in a GNAC loss to Colby-Sawyer in Lasell's only game of the week. He connected on 16-of-32 shots from the field and was 10-of-19 (.526) from three-point range. The previous made-threes mark was set by Jaime Crawford against Lesley on January 22, 2006.

Caleb Casinas, Norwich (Fr., G - Aiea, Hawaii) - The rookie averaged 15.0 points, 3.5 rebounds and 3.5 assists while shooting 52/60/40 against top GNAC competition in Emannuel and Suffolk last week. In a loss to the Saints, all 15 of his points came on 5-of-5 shooting from beyond the arc. 

Ademola Afonja, Regis (Mass.) (Sr., F - Staten Island, N.Y.) - After missing the previous two games due to injury, Afonja averaged 15.0 points and 7.0 rebounds while shooting 12-of-25 from the floor in a 1-1 week. He came off the bench in both games, starting with a 20-minute stint against Suffolk as he finished with 12 points and six rebounds in the Pride's four-point victory. Saturday against Johnson & Wales, he led Regis with 18 points and eight reboundsin a four-point loss. 

Thomas Duffy, Suffolk (Jr., G - Fairfield, Conn.) - Duffy averaged 13.5 points and 8.5 rebounds in a 1-1 week, including a 16-point, 13-rebound double-double in a 63-59 road setback against Regis on Tuesday evening. 

Triple slash shooting % = FG/3PT/FT 

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