GNAC Men's Basketball Report: Week 1

( FOR THE OPENING WEEK OF NOV. 8 - 17 )

PLAYER OF THE WEEK Patrick Coffey, Colby-Sawyer (Sr, F - Westford, Mass.) Coffey led the Chargers with 20.3 points and 65.8% shooting (25-38 FG, 6-11 3PT, 5-5 FT) in a 2-1 week. Coffey added 5.0 rebounds and 3.3 assists per game over the opening week. The senior began the season with 19 points, six rebounds and six assists to help lead the Chargers to a 111-97 victory over Saint Joseph's (Maine) in a non-conference tilt. Coffey followed up with a game-high 22 points on 9-of-12 shooting in a tough 76-74 loss to SUNY Poly before ending the week with a team-best 20 points to go with seven boards in an 85-71 victory over Worcester State.

ROOKIE OF THE WEEK Marquan Watson, Albertus Magnus (Fr., F/G - Waterbury, Conn.) Watson averaged 12.7 points, 6.3 rebounds, 1.0 steal and 1.3 blocks in just 16.0 minutes per game, while shooting an impressive 55.6% (15-27 FG, 8-13 FT) in a 2-1 week for the Falcons. He opened his collegiate career by scoring 16 points to go along with seven rebounds across 22 minutes in a loss to Lynchburg before recording 11 points, eight rebounds in just 15 minutes during a 112-62 win over Southern Virginia. Watson capped off week one scoring 11 points, four rebounds, two assists and two blocks in a mere 11 minutes of action in Albertus' big win over Lesley.

WEEK 1 HONOR ROLL

Tyreek Perkins, Albertus Magnus (Jr., G - New Haven, Conn.) - In a 2-1 week for the Falcons, Perkins averaged a team-best 15.7 points and 2.7 rebounds while shooting over 56% overall (18-32 FG, 7-16 3PT, 4-8 FT). Perkins posted a team-high 14 points to go with six rebounds and a steal in the loss to Lynchburg before registering 15 points and a rebound in a win over So. Virginia. He finished the week by dropping a season-high 18 points on 8-of-11 shooting as Albertus blew out Lesley, 125-71. 

Mike Rapoza, Anna Maria (Sr., F - Charlton, Mass.) - Rapoza continues to be a double-double monster for the AMCATS into his senior season, averaging 16.0 and 15.0 rebounds while shooting 54.9% (28-51) from the field across the 2019-20 campaign's first four games (0-4). He dropped in 22 points to go with 19 total rebounds against Salem State and had 20 points and 13 boards versus in a one-point road loss to Conn. College. He also became the first player in program history to eclipse both 1,000 points and 1,000 rebounds. 

Marcus Fox, Emmanuel (Mass.) (Jr, F - Danbury, Conn.) - Fox was in double-figures for all three games this week for Emmanuel, averaging 18.7 points and 8.3 boards in a 2-1 week while shooting 53.5% (23-43) for the Saints. The junior was clutch in a 99-95 win at Dean with 21 points (7-16 FG) and 16 rebounds bakc on Nov. 9. In the EC Tip Off Classic, he registered 17 points on 8-of-9 shooting with four boards and two blocks in just 13 minutes of a blowout win against Lesley, before closing the week with an 18-point, 11-rebound double-double as the Saints' narrowly fell to Springfield, 87-83.

Kevin Vanderhorst, Lasell (Jr., F - Lawrence, Mass.) - Vanderhorst averaged 19.0 points, 9.7 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 1.0 steal in Lasell's first three games after missing all of last season with an illness. He recorded two double-doubles and shot 47.6% (20-42) from the field. He tallied 32 points (12-19 FG) and a game-high 11 rebounds in the season-opening loss to Fitchburg State before notching 11 points and seven rebounds in a setback to Babson. He closed the week with 14 points and 11 rebounds in a non-conference loss at Suffolk.

Brian Hogan-Gary, Johnson & Wales (RI) (Sr., G - Staten Island, NY) - The reigning GNAC Player of the Year was named to the Dick Leftwich Tipoff All-Tournament Team after averaging 22.0 points and 10.0 rebounds in the 1-1 week, including his first double-double of the year (25 PTS, 11 REB) versus Goucher.

Marc Trinidad, Regis (Mass.) (Jr., F - Bronx, N.Y.) - Trinidad was named to the All-Tournament Team at the UNE Jim Beaudry Classic after notching a double-double (13.0 PTS, 13.5 REB) in each game this past weekend. On Saturday against the host Nor'easters, he finished with 12 points and a career-high 14 rebounds. Less than 24 hours later, he scored 14 points and pulled down 13 rebounds (eight offensive) to go with three steals and two blocks. It was Trinidad's third and fourth double-doubles of his collegiate career as he established himself as one of Regis' main low-post options. 

Delshawn Jackson Jr., St. Joseph (Conn.) (So., G - Hartford, Conn.) - Jackson Jr., the reigning GNAC Rookie of the Year, picked up right where he left off from USJ's inaugural season by pouring in a team-high 29 points in the Blue Jays' season and home opener Saturday night versus RIC, a 92-68 setback to the Anchormen. Jackson Jr. shot 42.9% (9-21 FG, 3-9 3PT, 8-9 FT) in 33 minutes and added two rebounds, two assists and two steals.