Mercyhurst men’s basketball vs. Gannon, Jan. 21, 2023. Photo by Ed Mailliard.
Ed Mailliard

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

Gannon, Clarion Duel with End to Losing Streaks on the Line

GANNON GOLDEN KNIGHTS (0-15, 0-11 PSAC West) at CLARION GOLDEN EAGLES (2-15, 0-11 PSAC West)
DATE/TIME: Monday, January 23, 2023 | 7:30 p.m.
ARENA/LOCATION: Waldo S. Tippin Gymnasium l Clarion, Pa.
LIVE VIDEO
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RADIO:  Gannon basketball fans can catch all of the exciting action of Golden Knights' basketball on 90.5 WERG FM. Trevor Kubeja will have the call of the game.


THE GANNON-CLARION ALL-TIME SERIES
Gannon leads 47-13
In a series that first began in 1948-49, Gannon has won the last 13 meetings with Clarion after sweeping last year's season series by scores of 75-66 at the Highmark Events Center and 79-65 at Tippin Gymnasium. The Golden Knights are 19-10 all-time on Clarion's homecourt.
 
Last Meeting: 
Feb. 21, 2022 – Gannon 79, at Clarion 65 I RECAP
Gannon snapped a five-game losing streak thanks to an incredible rally. They found themselves trailing by 18 points at 39-21 late in the first half, as Clarion came out on fire. The Golden Eagles made 7 of their first 10 3-point attempts and sprinted to the big lead. Gannon cut the deficit to 43-31 at the half, then jumped on the Golden Eagles to start the second half. The Golden Knights ran off the first 14 points of the half, taking their first lead of the night at 45-43 with 16:49 remaining on Demetrius Mims' (Baltimore, Md./Baltimore Polytechnic Institute) jumper in the paint. Gerald Jarmon briefly tied the game at 45 with a bucket, but Gannon proceeded to score the next seven points to make it a 21-2 run to start the second half. Alfonso Pickens Jr. (Erie, Pa./Cathedral Prep) scored on a driving lineup, then hit from beyond the arc for three points. Lance-Amir Paul (Kingston, Jamaica/Putnam Science Academy) capped the spurt with a jumper as Gannon now led 52-45 with 13:37 remaining. Clarion would pull no closer than five points the rest of the way as Gannon shot 60.0 percent from the floor in the final 20 minutes, making 18 of 30 shots, including 6 of 10 3-pointers. The defense clamped down to hold Clarion to 29.6 percent (8 of 27) as Gannon outscored the Golden Eagles 48-22 in the second half. In all, it amounted to a 32-point swing. Lance-Amir Paul (Kingston, Jamaica/Putnam Science Academy) led the way with 34 points, making 13 of 18 shots, including 6 of 7 3-pointers, and was 2-for-2 from the line. Mims added 15 points and nine rebounds, while Robertas Jonaitis (Pakruojis, Lithuania/Greater Beckley Christian School) fell just shy of his first career double-double with 11 points and nine boards. Jarmon paced Clarion with 30 points and Mason Mraz had 17.
 
 
ERIE, Pa. – The Gannon men's basketball team has a quick turnaround following Saturday's game at crosstown-rival Mercyhurst, returning to the hardcourt 48 hours later on Monday, January 23 at Clarion. Tipoff at Waldo S. Tippin Gymnasium is 7:30 p.m.

Head coach Kelvin Jefferson is hoping that another trip to Clarion on a Monday night might be just what his young and battered Golden Knight squad need. A year ago Gannon snapped a five-game losing streak with a 79-65 win at Clarion on a Monday night in February, rallying from an 18-point deficit.

On Saturday night the Golden Knights went toe-to-toe with one of the top teams in Division II for the second time in less than two weeks. Gannon led Mercyhurst by 13 points in the first half, the team's second-largest lead of the season, and was ahead 27-19 at the half. The Lakers came out on fire in the second half and would hand the Golden Knights a 72-58 defeat.

Both Gannon and Clarion enter Monday's game 0-11 in PSAC action after the Golden Eagles dropped a 73-69 decision to Edinboro on Saturday. Gannon is 0-15 and Clarion 2-15 on the season.

Injuries have forced Jefferson to use nine different starting lineups in the first 15 games, with three first-year players starting each of the last nine games. Freshmen and redshirt freshmen have accounted for 40 percent of the team's scoring. The Golden Knights were once again without starters Ike Herster (Sharon, Pa./Kennedy Catholic), Michael Lucarotti (Erie, Pa./Cathedral Prep), and Chris Clancy (Staten Island, N.Y./St. Peter's). Herster has played in just three games this season while Lucarotti has sat out the last seven contest. Clancy has now missed four of the last six games. He leads Gannon with 25 3-pointers.

Improvement is obvious in the young squad. For the second game in a row Gannon held a double-digit lead. The Golden Knights have lost eight games by eight points or less, including a pair of buzzer beaters and an overtime setback.

Clarion has now lost 13 straight games since defeating Bryant & Stratton 87-81 on November 29. That was preceded by the Golden Eagles' other win, a 94-47 over Penn State DuBois.

Gannon is in the midst of a stretch of three games in five days and four in eight days. The Golden Knights host Seton Hill on Wednesday, January 25 followed by a Saturday, January 28 home game vs. Edinboro.
 

MIMS SHOWS UP BIG AT MERCYHURST
A year ago Demetrus Mims stepped up down the stretch to score in double figures in the final eight games as Gannon made its push for a PSAC Tournament berth. The 6'6" redshirt junior has again stepped up his play of late. He scored a season-high 25 points on Saturday at Mercyhurst, his second 20-point effort in the last four games. He also had a game-high seven rebounds. He has now scored in double figures in the last eight games, boosting his scoring average to a team-high 14.9 ppg. He is also the team's leading rebounder at 6.9 per game. He also has a team-high 20 steals and stands second in assists (32) and blocked shots (10). Mims has been the only player to start all 15 games this season and dating back to last year when he was the only player to start all 27 games, he has now started all 42 games as a Golden Knight.

GOLDEN KNIGHTS PERFECT AT THE CHARITY STRIPE
Gannon tied the school record for free throw efficiency on Saturday night, going a perfect 13-for-13 from the charity stripe. Demetrius Mims (Baltimore, Md./Baltimore Polytechnic Institute) led the way as he made all nine of his attempts, setting a career-high for free throws made. Zach Kent (Magnolia, Del./Blair Academy (N.J.)) and Ronny Raphael (Philadelphia, Pa./Imhotep Charter) each went 2-for-2 at the line.

KENT THE REAL DEAL
Zach Kent (Magnolia, Del./Blair Academy (N.J.)) transferred to Gannon after starting his career at Tennessee and playing two seasons at Delaware State. He missed seven of the first nine games due to injuries, but since returning the 6'10" redshirt senior is averaging 13.1 ppg. and 5.3 rpg., scoring in double figures in seven of his eight games. He not only is a threat in the post but possesses a soft outside touch, making 10-of-23 3-pointers.
 
FRESHMEN PLAYING KEY ROLE   
Freshmen have been forced to play a key role this season. All told, freshmen and redshirt freshmen have started a total of 38 games. Head coach Kelvin Jefferson has employed a starting lineup featuring three freshmen in the last nine games.  Thomas Whitley (Laurel, Md./Eleanor Roosevelt) leads the way with starts in 13 of the team's 15 games at forward, with Ronny Raphael (Philadelphia, Pa./Imhotep Charter) starting eight games at point guard. Fellow freshman Berkay Yilmaz (Istanbul, Turkey/Fenerbahce Beko) has now started the last four games at the point meaning a freshman or redshirt freshman has started all 15 games at point guard this season.  Josh Omojafo (Hamilton, Ontario/St. Jean de Brebeuf) has started the last seven games at guard. In addition, 6'8" freshman Cenker Evran (Adana, Turkey/Turk Telekom) has seen increased playing time of late. The first-year performers are accounting for 40 percent of the team's scoring.

JEFFERSON EMPLOYS NINE DIFFERENT STARTING LINEUPS                
Head coach Kelvin Jefferson has used nine different starting lineups over the first 15 games. The only constant has been Demetrius Mims (Baltimore, Md./Baltimore Polytechnic Institute), a starter in all 15 games. Freshmen or redshirt freshmen have started a total of 38 games. Last Wednesday's lineup of Mims, Zach Kent (Magnolia, Del./Blair Academy (N.J.)), Josh Omojafo (Hamilton, Ontario/St. Jean de Brebeuf), Thomas Whitley (Laurel, Md./Eleanor Roosevelt), and Berkay Yilmaz (Istanbul, Turkey/Fenerbahce Beko) marked the first time Jefferson had been able to use the same lineup for three games. That same group started on Saturday at Mercyhurst.

SCOUTING CLARION
Clarion's 73-69 loss to Edinboro on Saturday was the 11th straight for the Golden Eagles, leaving them with a 2-15 overall record and 0-11 in the PSAC West. The last Clarion victory came on November 29, an 87-81 win over Bryant & Stratton. Damian Pitts is in his fourth season as the head coach at Clarion. The Golden Eagles average 63.5 ppg. while allowing 75.9 ppg. Three players account for two thirds of Clarion's point production, led by Gerald Jarmon at 15.9 ppg. The 5'11" junior guard became the 32nd Golden Eagle to reach 1,000 career points on Saturday, doing so in just 52 games. He scored 30 points in last year's second meeting. Mekhi Reynolds adds 14.3 ppg. and has made a team-high 35 3-pointers in 87 attempts. He is a 6'3" junior guard. The third double-figure scorer is Cam Kearney, a 6'6" freshman who comes in at 12.8 ppg.

NEXT FOR THE GOLDEN KNIGHTS
Gannon will play for the third time in five days on Wednesday, January 25 hosting Seton Hill. Tipoff at the Highmark Events Center is 7:30 p.m. That's followed by a fourth game in eight days with local rival Edinboro visiting the Highmark Events Center.
 
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Players Mentioned

Alfonso Pickens Jr.

#4 Alfonso Pickens Jr.

G
6' 1"
Redshirt Freshman
Lance-Amir Paul

#40 Lance-Amir Paul

G
6' 0"
Redshirt Sophomore
Chris Clancy

#5 Chris Clancy

G
6' 2"
Redshirt Sophomore
Ike Herster

#3 Ike Herster

G
6' 6"
Redshirt Sophomore
Robertas Jonaitis

#24 Robertas Jonaitis

G
6' 5"
Redshirt Sophomore
Demetrius Mims

#1 Demetrius Mims

F
6' 6"
Redshirt Junior
Thomas Whitley

#22 Thomas Whitley

F
6' 6"
Redshirt Freshman
Josh Omojafo

#4 Josh Omojafo

G
6' 5"
Freshman
Ronny Raphael

#21 Ronny Raphael

G
6' 0"
Freshman
Berkay Yilmaz

#0 Berkay Yilmaz

G
6' 0"
Freshman

Players Mentioned

Alfonso Pickens Jr.

#4 Alfonso Pickens Jr.

6' 1"
Redshirt Freshman
G
Lance-Amir Paul

#40 Lance-Amir Paul

6' 0"
Redshirt Sophomore
G
Chris Clancy

#5 Chris Clancy

6' 2"
Redshirt Sophomore
G
Ike Herster

#3 Ike Herster

6' 6"
Redshirt Sophomore
G
Robertas Jonaitis

#24 Robertas Jonaitis

6' 5"
Redshirt Sophomore
G
Demetrius Mims

#1 Demetrius Mims

6' 6"
Redshirt Junior
F
Thomas Whitley

#22 Thomas Whitley

6' 6"
Redshirt Freshman
F
Josh Omojafo

#4 Josh Omojafo

6' 5"
Freshman
G
Ronny Raphael

#21 Ronny Raphael

6' 0"
Freshman
G
Berkay Yilmaz

#0 Berkay Yilmaz

6' 0"
Freshman
G