MBB vs. Ashland 11-15-2021

Men's Basketball Bob Shreve, Assistant Director of Athletics Media Relations

Gannon Faces Second Top-Ten Team with Trip to No. 10/8 IUP on Saturday

GANNON GOLDEN KNIGHTS (8-3, 5-2 PSAC West) at No. 10/8 INDIANA(PA) CRIMSON HAWKS (13-1, 7-1 PSAC West)
DATE/TIME: Saturday, January 15, 2022 | 3:30 p.m.
ARENA/LOCATION: Kovalchick Convention & Athletic Complex l Indiana, Pa.
LIVE VIDEO
LIVE STATS
 
RADIO:  Gannon basketball fans can catch all of the exciting action of Golden Knights' basketball on 90.5 WERG FM. Jack Quinn and Sean Amicucci will serve as announcers for the games.
 
THE GANNON-IUP ALL-TIME SERIES
IUP leads 28-25
Gannon and IUP meet for the 54th time in a series which first began in 1957-58. The Golden Knights snapped a four-game losing streak to the Crimson Hawks with an 80-75 victory at the Hammermill Center on March 4, 2020. Two days later IUP made it 10 wins in the last 12 meetings with a 67-56 win at Memorial Fieldhouse.
 
Last Meeting
March 6, 2020 – at IUP 67, Gannon 56 I RECAP
Gannon led by as much as 12 points at 23-11 before IUP ended the half on a 21-7 run to take a 32-30 lead at the half. The Crimson Hawks opened the second half with the first seven points and would hold off the Golden Knights the rest of the way. Robertas Jonaitis (Pakruojis, Lithuania/Greater Beckley Christian School) paced Gannon with a then career-high 21 points, while Braden Olsen (West Linn, Ore./West Linn) scored in double figures for the fifth straight game with 10 points. Ethan Porterfield and Tommy Demogerontas led four scorers in double figures for IUP with 13 points each.
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ERIE, Pa. – For the second time in ten days the Gannon men's basketball team will play a top-ten Division II team. The Golden Knights play at Indiana(Pa.) in a PSAC West showdown. The Crimson Hawks are ranked tenth in the latest NABC Division II Top 25, along with eighth in the D2SIDA Media Poll.
 
A short-handed Gannon squad improved to 8-3 overall and 5-2 in the PSAC West with a 63-53 victory at Seton Hill on Monday. The Golden Knights were scheduled to host Pitt-Johnstown on Wednesday, but that contest was postponed. IUP squared off with seventh-ranked Mercyhurst on Wednesday and came away with a 70-67 road win. That leaves the Crimson Hawks at 13-1 overall and 7-1 in league play.
 
Head coach Kelvin Jefferson is hoping to get several players back from illness and injury in the near future. Gannon has played without starters Ike Herster (Sharon, Pa./Kennedy Catholic) and Kevin Dodds (Downingtown, Pa./Bishop Shanahan) the last two games, along with key reserve Robertas Jonaitis (Pakruojis, Lithuania/Greater Beckley Christian School). In addition, 3-point marksman Chris Clancy (Staten Island, N.Y./St. Peter's) has missed six of the last eight contests, including the last two.
 
Jefferson used just seven players at Seton Hill, with Lance-Amir Paul (Kingston, Jamaica/Putnam Science Academy) and Demetrius Mims (Baltimore, Md./Baltimore Polytechnic Institute) playing all 40 minutes. The duo paced Gannon with 19 and 15 points, respectively.

IUP led by as many as 12 points at Mercyhurst in the battle of top-ten teams. The Lakers would rally but were unable to connect on a 3-pointer at the end of the game to send the contest into overtime. Head coach Joe Lombardi's team has a definite northwest Pennsylvania flavor. Starting guards Armoni Foster (Meadville High School) and David Morris (Strong Vincent High School) are both former high-scoring standouts at local schools. Morris' father, David "Motown" Morris, was a mainstay on Gannon's 1986-87 squad that reached the NCAA Division II National Championship game.

The Golden Knights face an IUP team that ranks second in the PSAC in scoring offense (87.9 ppg.) and has scored 80-or-more points in ten games. The Crimson Hawks are fourth in scoring defense at 66.3 ppg. Gannon stands ninth in scoring offense (78.4 ppg.) and sixth in scoring defense (68.0 ppg.). They are also the top two teams in the PSAC in field goal percentage defense, with Gannon second at 39.3 percent and IUP first (38.6 pct.). The battle on the glass should be worth the price of admission, with IUP first in the PSAC and eighth nationally (+9.5) and Gannon third and 17th, respectively (+7.7). 
 
Gannon returns home on Wednesday, January 19 to host Slippery Rock in another PSAC West encounter. That is the lone home game in a stretch of five games that began with the Seton Hill contest.  
 
 
GANNON IN THE PSAC STATS
Scoring Offense – 78.4 (9th)                    
Scoring Defense – 68.0 (6th)               
Field Goal Pct. -- .476 (6th)                          
Field Goal Pct. Defense -- .393 (2nd)             
3 FGM per Game – 6.1 (15th)                     
Rebound Margin -- +7.7 (3rd)                  
Turnover Margin -- -0.82 (12th)                 
 
MIMS, PAUL PLAY ALL FORTY AT SETON HILL
Gannon's depth has been put to the test the last two weeks with four key players missing. It has led to increased minutes for several players. On Monday, Lance-Amir Paul (Kingston, Jamaica/Putnam Science Academy) and Demetrius Mims (Baltimore, Md./Baltimore Polytechnic Institute) each played all 40 minutes. The only other time that occurred this year was when Paul played 40 minutes vs. Saint Michael's in the championship game of the Gary Miller Classic. Paul and Alonde LeGrand (Harlem, N.Y./Berkshire) played 39 minutes against Mercyhurst, with Mims playing 37. The trio accounted for 46 of Gannon's 63 points at Seton Hill, with LeGrand and Mims recording double-doubles.
 
LEGRAND COMES ALIVE IN SECOND HALF VS. GRIFFINS
After scoring just one point in the previous two games, Alonde LeGrand (Harlem, N.Y./Berkshire) came alive in the second half at Seton Hill. The 6'7" graduate student by way of North Florida also failed to score in the first half on Monday. That changed in the second half as he contributed 12 points. It got started with a dunk, and he followed that up with back-to-back 3-pointers. LeGrand added a season-high 13 rebounds for his third double-double of the season.
 
PICKENS DRAINS HUGE HOOP
With several backcourt performers missing on Monday, Alfonso Pickens Jr. (Erie, Pa./Cathedral Prep) made his fifth start of the season. The redshirt freshman, who starred just blocks away at Cathedral Prep, is better know for his defensive prowess. He made one of the biggest offensive plays of his young career late in the Seton Hill game. With the shot clock near zero and Gannon clinging to a 54-51 lead, Pickens drained a 3-pointer from the top of the key with 1:07 remaining to boost Gannon's advantage to 57-51. He ended the night with five points, an assist and a steal.
 
KNIGHTS RULE THE BOARDS
One of the keys to Gannon's success in 2021-22 has been a dominance on the glass. That was clearly evident at Seton Hill, as the Golden Knights outrebounded the Griffins, 41-29. It was the ninth time in 11 games that Gannon had outrebounded their opponent. Gannon ranks third in the PSAC in rebounding margin at +7.7 per game. The IUP game sets up as a war on the glass, with the Crimson Hawks coming in as the top rebounding team in the conference at +9.5. IUP is eighth in Division II in rebounding margin and Gannon 17th.
 
MIMS, PAUL POP FOR 20 VS. MERCYHURST
Demetrius Mims (Baltimore, Md./Baltimore Polytechnic Institute) led Gannon with 21 points vs. Mercyhurst, and Lance-Amir Paul (Kingston, Jamaica/Putnam Science Academy) chipped in with 20 points. It was the second 20-point effort for Mims this season, and Paul has scored 20-or-more points three times. It also marked the first time Gannon has had two players score 20-or-more points in the same game since the second-to-the-last game of the 2020-21 campaign. In the 80-75 win over Indiana(Pa.), the backcourt tandem of Braden Olsen (West Linn, Ore./West Linn) and Chris Clancy (Staten Island, N.Y./St. Peter's) scored 25 and 21 points, respectively.   
 
DEPTH PUT TO THE TEST   
One of the keys to Gannon's fast start this season has been its depth, as the Golden Knights have had to overcome numerous injuries and illnesses.  It took until game number seven before Gannon head coach Kelvin Jefferson could call on his entire rotation, and Demetrius Mims (Baltimore, Md./Baltimore Polytechnic Institute) is the lone Golden Knight to play in all 11 games. Jefferson has found himself having to dig deep into his roster against Mercyhurst and Seton Hill, as four key performers were missing. That included leading scorer Ike Herster (Sharon, Pa./Kennedy Catholic), who is averaging 17.9 ppg., along with top 3-point threat Chris Clancy (Staten Island, N.Y./St. Peter's), Kevin Dodds (Downingtown, Pa./Bishop Shanahan), a starter in the post in the first nine games, and reserve Robertas Jonaitis (Pakruojis, Lithuania/Greater Beckley Christian School).
 
ALI DELIVERING A BIG PUNCH
At 7'0", Ali Ragab (Cairo, Egypt/Rocktop Academy) is one of the tallest players to ever wear the Maroon and Gold. But he is proving to be more than just a player with height. The freshman has emerged as a true contributor in recent games, particularly as a rim protector. Despite playing in just seven games for a total of 78 minutes, the native of Cairo, Egypt leads Gannon with 16 blocked shots. He had his best game as a Golden Knight just before the holidays, finishing with a double-double vs. Bloomsburg with 15 points and 11 rebounds while playing a season-high 19 minutes. He added three blocked shots.
 
FORTE MAKES MOST OF FIRST START
Donovan Forte (Cleveland, Ohio/Garfield Heights) made the first start of his career against Mercyhurst and turned in a strong showing. The former transfer from Jacksonville, a 6'6", 250 lb. forward, made 5-of-9 shots and finished with 10 points and 5 rebounds in 16 minutes.
 
TRANSFERS BOLSTER GANNON ROSTER
Head coach Kelvin Jefferson bolstered the 2021-22 roster with the addition of three key transfers. The most notable was Demetrius Mims (Baltimore, Md./Baltimore Polytechnic Institute), who saw a considerable amount of time at Division I Towson a year ago. Alonde LeGrand (Harlem, N.Y./Berkshire) also joined the Golden Knights from the Division I ranks after transferring from North Florida, while the backcourt added JUCO transfer Lance-Amir Paul (Kingston, Jamaica/Putnam Science Academy) from Frank Phillips College. Mims, a 6'6" redshirt sophomore, stands third on the team in scoring (13.4 ppg.) and tied for second in rebounding (6.9 rpg.). A 6'7" graduate student, LeGrand is the team's leading rebounder (8.0 rpg.) while contributing 7.9 ppg. Paul, meanwhile, was asked to fill in at point guard after Braden Olsen (West Linn, Ore./West Linn) went down with an injury. The 6'0" redshirt sophomore has emerged as GU's second-leading scorer at 16.8 ppg., and is also tied for second in rebounding at 6.9 rpg. He also leads Gannon with 44 assists.
 
GANNON CLAIMS GARY MILLER CLASSIC CROWN FOR FIRST TIME SINCE 2017
Thanks to an 86-76 win over Saint Michael's in the championship game, Gannon won its first tournament title since 2017 and the 19th overall. It was also the first under head coach Kelvin Jefferson. The Golden Knights have now reached the title game six straight years.
 
MIMS NAMED MVP, PAUL JOINS HIM ON ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM
Demetrius Mims (Baltimore, Md./Baltimore Polytechnic Institute) was named the MVP of the 37th Annual Gary Miller Classic after scoring a season-high 29 points in the 86-76 win over Saint Michael's in the championship game. The 6'6" transfer from Towson added nine rebounds, three steals, and a blocked shot. He made 14-of-26 field goals on a variety of mid-range jumpers and drives to the basket, many times challenging 6'10" Patrick Gardner. He also had one rim-shattering dunk after driving through several Purple Knights while going three-quarters of the court. Mims was joined on the All-Tournament Team by Lance-Amir Paul (Kingston, Jamaica/Putnam Science Academy). The 6'0" guard, a transfer from Frank Phillips College, had 13 points, eight rebounds, and nine assists while playing all 40 minutes vs. Saint Michael's.
 
CHEATHAM LAST TO PRODUCE TRIPLE-DOUBLE
Gannon has had two players challenge a triple-double in the opening four games. Both were by Gannon point guards. In the season opener, Braden Olsen (West Linn, Ore./West Linn) finished with 12 points, 10 rebounds, and eight assists. Lance-Amir Paul (Kingston, Jamaica/Putnam Science Academy) nearly duplicated the fete vs. Saint Michael's with 13 points, eight rebounds, and nine assists. Javar Cheatham is the last Golden Knight to produce a triple-double. Another point guard, he had 20 points, 14 assists, and had 10 rebounds on January 18, 2001 in Gannon's 89-80 home win over Ferris State.
 
RENEWING ACQUAINTANCES WITH OLD CONFERENCE FOES
Gannon's early-season schedule had an interesting twist to it. Three of the first four opponents came against teams that Gannon faced as a member of another conference. The first two opponents, Ashland and Saginaw Valley State, were members of the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference, while Gannon and Saint Michael's both belonged to the Mideast Collegiate Conference in the 1990's.
 
GANNON PICKED FIFTH IN PSAC PRESEASON POLL
Gannon was picked to finish fifth in the PSAC West in the Coaches' Preseason Poll. Indiana(Pa.) is the preseason favorite and received seven of the nine first place votes. Mercyhurst was second in the poll, with Pitt-Johnstown third. UPJ received the other two first place votes. Cal U was fourth.  Gannon played a COVID-shortened schedule during the spring of 2021 and went 10-4 overall. The Golden Knights made several appearances in the NABC Division II national rankings a season ago, climbing as high as No. 21 in the country. 
 
KNIGHTS PLAY DIVISION I PITTSBURGH, OLD DOMINION IN EXHIBITION GAMES
Gannon played a pair of exhibition games against Division I opponents in early November. While losing both, the contests were much closer than the final score indicated. On Nov. 1, the Golden Knights dropped an 89-64 decision at Pittsburgh. They trailed 49-41 with just over 13 minutes remaining before the Panthers went on an 11-0 run. Another string of 11 consecutive points doomed the Golden Knights at Old Dominion on Nov. 6. Gannon trailed 41-33 at the half but ODU scored the first 11 points after intermission and won 96-56. Ike Herster (Sharon, Pa./Kennedy Catholic) paced the Golden Knights with 11 points, while Lance-Amir Paul (Kingston, Jamaica/Putnam Science Academy) was also in double figures with 10 points. Three players scored in double digits at ODU, with Herster again leading the way with 18 markers. Braden Olsen (West Linn, Ore./West Linn) chipped in with 16 points and Paul had 10. 
 
SCOUTING IUP
Despite losing Shawndale Jones, the PSAC's leading scorer, to a season-ending injury after seven games, IUP has maintained its spot among the top teams in Division II. Jones, a 6'3" redshirt senior, was averaging 25.0 ppg.  The Crimson Hawks still have plenty of firepower, however, while bolting out to a 13-1 start, including 7-1 in the PSAC West. Head coach Joe Lombardi's squad is ranked tenth in the latest NABC Division II Top 25 and eighth in the D2SIDA poll. IUP comes in second in the PSAC in scoring at 86.6 ppg.  Four players average in double digits, led by Armoni Foster at 19.8 ppg., along with 6.4 rpg.  The former Meadville High School standout, a 6'4" redshirt junior, was a first team All-PSAC West selection in 2019-20 after averaging 19.8 ppg. He is approaching 1,200 career points. Another local product and redshirt junior, David Morris, comes in at 11.9 ppg. After graduating from Strong Vincent High School, he went to Division I Tennessee State before transferring to IUP. Ethan Porterfield, a 6'8" sophomore, and Tommy Demogerontas, a 6'8" fifth-year performer, provide size inside.  Porterfield averages 16.9 ppg. and 7.3 rpg. Demogerontas transferred from Northern Illinois and was leading team in scoring in his first year in 2019-20, then went down with season-ending injury after four games. He leads IUP with 7.9 rpg., while scoring 12.8 ppg.  
 
NEXT FOR THE GOLDEN KNIGHTS
Gannon is scheduled to host Slippery Rock on Wednesday, January 19. While the women's game has been postponed with the SRU team going into a pause, the men's game will still tip of at 7:30 p.m. at the Hammermill Center.
 
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Players Mentioned

Chris Clancy

#5 Chris Clancy

SG
6' 2"
Sophomore
Kevin Dodds

#10 Kevin Dodds

F
6' 7"
Junior
Braden Olsen

#1 Braden Olsen

PG
6' 0"
Junior
Donovan Forte

#14 Donovan Forte

F
6' 8"
Redshirt Sophomore
Robertas Jonaitis

#24 Robertas Jonaitis

G
6' 5"
Freshman
Ike Herster

#3 Ike Herster

G
6' 6"
Freshman
Alfonso Pickens Jr.

#4 Alfonso Pickens Jr.

PG
6' 1"
Freshman
Demetrius Mims

#1 Demetrius Mims

F
6' 6"
Redshirt Sophomore
Alonde LeGrand

#15 Alonde LeGrand

G/F
6' 7"
Graduate Student
Lance-Amir Paul

#40 Lance-Amir Paul

G
6' 0"
Redshirt Sophomore

Players Mentioned

Chris Clancy

#5 Chris Clancy

6' 2"
Sophomore
SG
Kevin Dodds

#10 Kevin Dodds

6' 7"
Junior
F
Braden Olsen

#1 Braden Olsen

6' 0"
Junior
PG
Donovan Forte

#14 Donovan Forte

6' 8"
Redshirt Sophomore
F
Robertas Jonaitis

#24 Robertas Jonaitis

6' 5"
Freshman
G
Ike Herster

#3 Ike Herster

6' 6"
Freshman
G
Alfonso Pickens Jr.

#4 Alfonso Pickens Jr.

6' 1"
Freshman
PG
Demetrius Mims

#1 Demetrius Mims

6' 6"
Redshirt Sophomore
F
Alonde LeGrand

#15 Alonde LeGrand

6' 7"
Graduate Student
G/F
Lance-Amir Paul

#40 Lance-Amir Paul

6' 0"
Redshirt Sophomore
G