men's basketball team picture 2022

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

New-Look Golden Knights Seek a Blend of Old and New as 2022-23 Campaign Tips Off

ERIE, Pa. – A new-look Gannon men's basketball team will take to the court on Tuesday, November 15 when the 2022-23 campaign tips off in Ashland. Fourth-year head coach Kelvin Jefferson brought in eight new players to complement a roster that returned eight players plus a pair of redshirts.
 
Even the returnees, though, may apply to the new-look status. Gannon fans barely had a chance to see two of the key players on the team – guards Chris Clancy (Staten Island, N.Y./St. Peter's) and Ike Herster (Sharon, Pa./Kennedy Catholic) – as both missed significant time with injuries.
 
With a roster of 17 players competing for playing time, Jefferson and his staff have had their work cut out preparing for the upcoming season. "The preseason allowed us to take the returners and to take the newcomers and assimilate both groups and get them to work together towards a common goal," Jefferson pointed out. "With eight newcomers and key players that missed last season due to injury, I was very mindful that moving slow and with intent was important.
 
"As we approach the beginning of the season we are concentrating on the things that champions do: Defense, team chemistry and playing unselfish. We have the talent and size, not to mention athleticism, to play an exciting brand of basketball and continue the tradition of success that Gannon Basketball is known for."
 
Making matters worse for the Golden Knights is a schedule that begins with back-to-back road games at Ashland and Saginaw Valley State. Ashland was 18-10 a year ago and will have the benefit of playing twice before hosting the Golden Knights. Saginaw Valley State finished with a 19-11 record a year ago and will have played three games before hosting the Golden Knights on Saturday, November 19.

Head Coach:
Kelvin Jefferson was introduced as Gannon's 19th men's basketball coach on April 30, 2019. He owns a 38-30 record in his three seasons as Gannon's head coach, guiding the Golden Knights to the PSAC Tournament in each of the two seasons the tournament was held. Gannon finished with a 14-13 record and went 11-11 in the PSAC West a year ago despite an inordinate number of injuries. In 2020-21 Gannon went 10-4 during the COVID-19 interrupted season. The Golden Knights climbed as high as No. 21 in the NABC Division II Top 25. Jefferson's first edition in 2019-20 was 14-13 overall but was 13-9 in PSAC competition. Jefferson brought 27 years of coaching experience with him to Erie, including 12 seasons as a Division I assistant and eight as the head coach of the elite prep team at South Kent High School in Connecticut. Prior to taking over at Gannon Jefferson served three seasons as an assistant coach at Old Dominion. In addition to Old Dominion, he has been an assistant coach at four other Division I schools – American, Colgate, Stony Brook, and Vermont. 

Breaking Down the Golden Knights:
Frontcourt – Demetrius Mims (Baltimore, Md./Baltimore Polytechnic Institute) emerged as Gannon's top performer in the frontcourt a year ago. A 6'6" redshirt junior who played the previous season at Division I Towson. Mims averaged 12.7 ppg. and a team-leading 6.5 rpg. He added 20 blocks and 34 steals. He was named the MVP of the 2021 Gary Miller Classic. Three other frontcourt performers return, although Kevin Dodds (Downingtown, Pa./Bishop Shanahan) will sit out the season. A 6'7", 250 lb. redshirt senior, Dodds has started 72 games in his career. Redshirt senior Donovan Forte (Cleveland, Ohio/Garfield Heights), a 6'7", 235 lb. forward, played in 26 games a year ago, averaging 5.1 ppg. and shooting 54.7 pct. from the floor. Ali Ragab (Cairo, Egypt/Rocktop Academy) is a 7'0" sophomore who appeared in 22 contests, averaging 3.6 ppg. and 3.9 rpg. He led Gannon with 31 blocks. Plenty of other possibilities exist in the frontcourt. Thomas Whitley (Laurel, Md./Eleanor Roosevelt) is a 6'7" redshirt freshman who sat out last season while Ian McNeill (Erie, Pa./East) returns after last being a member of the team in 2020-21. Zach Kent (Magnolia, Del./Blair Academy (N.J.)), a 6'10" transfer from Division I Delaware State, is a key newcomer for the Golden Knights. He played in 17 games a year ago, averaging 4.7 ppg. and 3.1 rpg. Kent began his career at Tennessee. Cenker Evran (Adana, Turkey/Turk Telekom) is a 6'8" freshman from Turkey who will look to provide further depth.  

Backcourt – The Gannon backcourt will have a decidedly new look with Lance-Amir Paul and Braden Olsen gone. Both transferred to Division I programs. Paul was a second-team All-PSAC West selection who led Gannon in scoring at 18.4 ppg. while adding 6.2 rpg. Olsen added 12.2 ppg. The key for the backcourt, however, is the return to good health of Chris Clancy (Staten Island, N.Y./St. Peter's) and Ike Herster (Sharon, Pa./Kennedy Catholic). Both missed extended periods of time, with Clancy playing in just five games and none after mid-December, and Herster appearing in 12 games. He would miss the final 11 games. When healthy they are the top 3-point threats on the team. Clancy averaged 10.0 ppg. last year with 12 3-pointers in 38 attempts. The year before he averaged 13.5 ppg. and made 47-of-103 3-pointers. Herster is a 6'6" redshirt sophomore who has started both years. He boosted his scoring from 12.1 ppg. to 16.2 ppg. a year ago. Injuries limited him to just 12 games, however. He made 28-of-86 3-pointers. The injuries gave Robertas Jonaitis (Pakruojis, Lithuania/Greater Beckley Christian School) an opportunity and the high-jumping 6'5" redshirt sophomore started 12 games. He averaged 6.3 ppg. and 4.0 rpg. Sophomore Zach Cavanagh (Erie, Pa./McDowell) and Jordan Martin (Columbia, S.C./Cardinal Newman), a redshirt freshman, also return. No fewer than five incoming guards are expected to have an impact, led by 6'5" Youngstown State transfer Michael Lucarotti (Erie, Pa./Cathedral Prep). He redshirted a year ago at YSU. Freshmen Josh Omojafo (Hamilton, Ontario/St. Jean de Brebeuf) and Ronny Raphael (Philadelphia, Pa./Imhotep Charter) also figure to see time early. Omojafo is 6'5" and hails from Hamilton, Ontario. He is known for his defense. Raphael is 6'0" and played for PIAA state champion Imhotep Charter. Erik Jarecki (Staten Island, N.Y./Our Savior Lutheran), a 6'2" freshman, and Berkay Yilmaz (Istanbul, Turkey/Fenerbahce Beko), a 6'0" freshman by way of Turkey, also figure into the mix. Finally, Jaedan Jefferson (Chesapeake, Va./McDowell (Pa.)), the son of head coach Kelvin Jefferson, will redshirt this year. He is a 6'6" redshirt freshman who played at Western Texas College last year.   
 
Looking Ahead to Ashland:
Gannon opens the 2022-23 season on Tuesday, November 15 at Ashland. Like Gannon, the Eagles have a new look for but still return 1,000-point scorer Brandon Haraway. He was a first-team All-Great Midwest performer after putting up 14.5 points, 5.4 rebounds, 3.3 assists and 1.4 steals per game. Head coach John Ellenwood is in his 14th season and is a proven winner with a 221-142 record. He ranks second at Ashland in career wins. The Eagles have reached the NCAA Division II Playoffs three times in the last eight years. They were picked to finish fourth in the GMAC in the preseason poll. Ashland opened the season on Friday night with an 8067 loss to Illinois Springfield in the Midwest Regional Crossover. Haraway moved into 25th place in career points with 1,106 after scoring a game-high 23 points, adding eight rebounds. In his first collegiate game, freshman point guard Simon Wheeler scored 16 points.

Season Opener:
Tuesday, November 15: at Ashland, 7:00 p.m.
Home Opener
Tuesday, November 25: vs. Lake Erie in Gary Miller Classic, 7:30 p.m.  

Preseason Polls:
Gannon is sixth in the PSAC West Coaches Preseason Poll
 
 
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Players Mentioned

Zach Cavanagh

#12 Zach Cavanagh

G
5' 8"
Sophomore
Chris Clancy

#5 Chris Clancy

G
6' 2"
Redshirt Sophomore
Kevin Dodds

#14 Kevin Dodds

F
6' 7"
Redshirt Senior
Donovan Forte

#10 Donovan Forte

F
6' 6"
Redshirt Senior
Ike Herster

#3 Ike Herster

G
6' 6"
Redshirt Sophomore
Robertas Jonaitis

#24 Robertas Jonaitis

G
6' 5"
Redshirt Sophomore
Jordan Martin

#25 Jordan Martin

G
6' 1"
Redshirt Freshman
Demetrius Mims

#1 Demetrius Mims

F
6' 6"
Redshirt Junior
Ali Ragab

#55 Ali Ragab

C
7' 0"
Sophomore
Thomas Whitley

#22 Thomas Whitley

F
6' 6"
Redshirt Freshman

Players Mentioned

Zach Cavanagh

#12 Zach Cavanagh

5' 8"
Sophomore
G
Chris Clancy

#5 Chris Clancy

6' 2"
Redshirt Sophomore
G
Kevin Dodds

#14 Kevin Dodds

6' 7"
Redshirt Senior
F
Donovan Forte

#10 Donovan Forte

6' 6"
Redshirt Senior
F
Ike Herster

#3 Ike Herster

6' 6"
Redshirt Sophomore
G
Robertas Jonaitis

#24 Robertas Jonaitis

6' 5"
Redshirt Sophomore
G
Jordan Martin

#25 Jordan Martin

6' 1"
Redshirt Freshman
G
Demetrius Mims

#1 Demetrius Mims

6' 6"
Redshirt Junior
F
Ali Ragab

#55 Ali Ragab

7' 0"
Sophomore
C
Thomas Whitley

#22 Thomas Whitley

6' 6"
Redshirt Freshman
F